Sony LinkBuds review: novel earbuds that let the outside world in

Compact earphones have a central hole so you can hear what is going on around you while you listen or talk

Personal audio has taken a bizarre turn with Sony's latest attempt to reinvent the earbud. The weird doughnut-shaped speaker with a hole in the middle allows you to listen to music without blocking out the world.

The LinkBuds are the first in a new line of earbuds from Sony that aim to let you listen to music but also have awareness of what is going on around you. They cost 149 ($179/A$319) and compete with earbuds such as Apple's standard AirPods and Google's Pixel Buds A.

Water resistance: IPX4 (sweat)

Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, SBC, AAC

Battery life: 5.5 hours/2.5 hours talk, up to 17.5 hours with case

Earbud weight: 4.1g

Driver size: 12mm ring

Charging case weight: 34g

Case dimensions: 41.4 x 48.5 x 30.9mm

Case charging: USB-C