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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize over-ear comfort and better build quality, and don't mind spending more, the Beats Solo 3 would suit you, especially for air travel and as they can be used wired as well. However, the Creative Labs Zen Air offers good sound, is optimized for both Android and Apple devices, has active noise cancelling, and is a more budget-friendly option. If you need earbuds that are sweatproof and have a longer battery life with their charging case, Zen Air would be better, particularly for exercise or on-the-go listening with app customization features. 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 Zen Air.
Advantages of the Creative Labs Zen Air
- The Creative Labs Zen Air has no clear advantages over the Beats Solo 3.
Key differences
Music
6.3
6.8
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Beats Solo 3 are both only fair for music, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
5.3
7.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the Beats Solo 3 is poor.
Battery
41.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Beats Solo 3 has 41.5 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 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 Zen Air costs $30.
Build Quality
8.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air 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 Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
4.7
5.1
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
5.4
The Beats Solo 3 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.6
5.6
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Beats Solo 3 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Beats Solo 3 and the Creative Labs Zen Air compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Beats Solo 3 | Creative Labs Zen Air |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$117 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Beats | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2016 | December 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 41.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 4.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 12 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 5.4/10 | 7/10 | |
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 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 Zen Air
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Check
Maike Paeßens | February 2023
"The Creative Zen Air’s weak points are its low battery life and rather short Bluetooth range. On the other hand, the strengths of these weatherproof True Wireless in-Ears are the sound and the wide attenuation of the Active Noise Cancellation. Considering the price range, the speech intelligibility during calls is also exceptionally good."
Get a great deal on the Beats Solo 3 or the Creative Labs Zen Air
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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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.
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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.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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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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