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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for headphones for general use, especially for travel, and prioritize noise cancellation and superior sound quality, the Apple Airpods Max would be the better choice; they also offer better build quality and are optimized for Apple devices. However, they are heavier and significantly more expensive. On the other hand, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 earbuds are more affordable, lighter, and are a good fit for exercise with a higher resistance to sweat. They also have a longer total battery life when considering the charging case, but do not offer noise cancellation and have lower overall sound quality than the Airpods Max. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Max
- Good for music
- Excellent for air travel
Advantages of the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
7.3
5.7
The Apple Airpods Max is good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
6.6
7.6
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Apple Airpods Max is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
8.9
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Apple Airpods Max are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
10.0
6.5
The Apple Airpods Max is best in class for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
21.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple Airpods Max has 21 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$549
$30
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Apple Airpods Max has a price of $549 and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 costs $30.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.5
5.1
The Apple Airpods Max and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.7
5.4
The Apple Airpods Max and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for TV and video.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Apple Airpods Max and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Apple Airpods Max and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Max | Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2020 | June 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.4/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.2/10 | 8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 21 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 40 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 385.5 Grams | 5.2 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods Max
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | July 2023
"Objectively, the AirPods Max is a spectacular pair of headphones. I appreciate the smart features like auto-pause and the transparency mode are super practical. It also sounds great, is well-built, and has solid battery life."
Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
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Dig into reviews and images
Trusted Reviews
Kob Monney | July 2022
"The V3 present the best version of the Outlier Air series yet. The new features such as Active Noise Reduction and Ambient mode are integrated well; the performance of both is as good as you’ll get below £100. The design is less bulky and more comfortable thanks to being smaller and lighter, and the Outlier Air V3 eke out more clarity, detail and definition from music."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Max or the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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