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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize noise cancellation and sound quality, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds may be the better choice despite the higher price. They offer superior noise isolation, ideal for travel or noisy environments. However, if budget is a concern and you're looking for good value, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 can still provide decent sound quality at a more affordable price point, although they might not match Bose in terms of noise cancellation and overall audio fidelity. Keep in mind that investing in Bose could enhance your listening experience, especially if you frequently encounter noisy situations. 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 Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds
- Good for music
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
7.1
5.7
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds 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 Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.5
8.9
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good.
TV and Video
6.0
5.4
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
6.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is excellent for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has 7 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$199
$30
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has a price of $199 and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 costs $30.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.6
5.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for gaming.
Build Quality
8.9
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 to have excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds | Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$199 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | June 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 7 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 18 | 40 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 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 | 8.9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 8.5 Grams | 5.2 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds
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Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2023
"The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds is a great do-it-all option for anyone, so long as you can afford it. This is a great alternative to the Apple AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM4. You can choose the degree of noise canceling, and enjoy premium features like automatic ear-detection. These earbuds merit an IPX4 rating, making them a fine workout companion."
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 Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds or the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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
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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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