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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
To decide between the Beats Solo 3 and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3, consider their form factors and features. Beats Solo 3, being on-ear headphones, offer better passive noise isolation and potentially more bass due to their larger drivers, but they might be less comfortable for long periods compared to in-ear models like the Outlier Air V3. The Solo 3 are likely to have a more robust build and extended battery life but are less portable than the ultralight Outlier Air V3. If budget is a concern, and you're looking for a lightweight, travel-friendly option, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 offers good value. However, if you prefer the style and possibly superior sound quality of on-ear headphones and are willing to invest more, the Beats Solo 3 would be a better choice. Both products should cater well to casual listening, but the Outlier Air V3, being truly wireless, might be more convenient for active users or workouts. 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 Beats Solo 3
- The Beats Solo 3 has no clear advantages over the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3.
Advantages of the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for exercise
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.3
5.7
The Beats Solo 3 is only fair for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
4.7
7.6
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
8.9
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
6.5
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Battery
41.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$117
$30
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Beats Solo 3 has a price of $117 and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 costs $30.
Build Quality
8.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the Beats Solo 3 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.1
The Beats Solo 3 and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.6
5.4
The Beats Solo 3 and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Beats Solo 3 and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Solo 3 | Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$117 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2016 | June 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.9/10 | 8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 41.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 4.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 40 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 5.7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213.1 Grams | 5.2 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Beats Solo 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | May 2023
"The Beats Solo3 Wireless is an old set of headphones but still works reliably well with iPhones, due to W1 chip integration and AAC support. The Beats Solo3 Wireless holds up well today with just a few features showing its age."
Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
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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 Beats Solo 3 or the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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