Sony's LinkBuds Clip are the latest earbuds that attach to your ear, and they might be the best

Sony is expanding its LinkBuds lineup with the LinkBuds Clip, a new take on open-ear audio that ditches traditional ear tips for a wraparound cuff design. Available today for $229.99, these earbuds clip onto your ear, similar to the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, promising all-day comfort without blocking your ear canal.

The LinkBuds Clip brings several upgrades over previous LinkBuds models. Battery life gets a significant boost to 9 hours on the earbuds themselves and 37 hours total with the charging case—competitive numbers for open-ear designs. Quick charging is also improved: just 3 minutes gets you up to an hour of playback.

Sony has added flexible silicone attachments that you can swap on or off depending on your ear size and how secure you want the fit to be. I was lucky to get some hands-on time at CES 2026, and the cuff design felt comfortable and stayed put well, and the sound quality was impressive for an open design, though it was in a controlled, quiet room rather than a noisy environment.

Two new listening modes adapt to different situations: Voice Boost for clearer dialogue, and Sound Leakage Reduction to minimize what people around you can hear. Adaptive volume control automatically adjusts playback based on your surroundings, though we’ll need to test how well this works in real-world use.

Call quality sees improvement with AI noise reduction combined with a bone conduction sensor. Sony has also optimized the antenna design specifically for the ear cuff form factor, which they claim improves Bluetooth stability. The LinkBuds Clip supports multipoint connectivity and includes tap controls so you can manage playback without reaching for your phone. They’re rated IPX4 for water resistance.

The earbuds come in coral, green, blue, lavender, and black. Sony will also sell customizable case covers for $24.99 exclusively through their website, available in the same colors. You can mix and match the top and bottom case colors to create a two-tone look.

Codec support is limited to SBC and AAC—no LDAC here, which is somewhat surprising given Sony’s usual emphasis on high-resolution audio. We’ll have a full review once we can run the LinkBuds Clip through our measurement rig and extended real-world testing.