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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
For superior sound quality and noise isolation, especially during air travel, the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds would be your choice; however, they come at a higher price and are larger in size, which might affect portability. If budget is a concern and you're looking for something with excellent build quality, decent mic quality for calls, and the convenience of wireless charging, the Creative Labs Zen Air could be the way to go. Keep in mind that the Creative Labs Zen Air's overall sound might not be as immersive, and they aren't recommended for activities like exercise, as their secure fit and noise isolation are rated fair. Additionally, the Bose has active noise cancelling and sweatproof certification, making them suitable for a wider range of environments and activities. 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 Zen Air
- The Creative Labs Zen Air has no clear advantages over the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds.
Key differences
Gaming
5.6
5.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming, though the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
6.6
5.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.5
5.4
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
7.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds is excellent for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds has 7 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 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 Zen Air costs $30.
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Key similarities
Music
7.1
6.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds to be good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
TV and Video
6.0
5.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds to be only fair for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Build Quality
8.9
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Creative Labs Zen Air 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 Zen Air compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds | Creative Labs Zen Air |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$199 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | December 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 7 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 18 | 12 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 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 | 8.9/10 | 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 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Zen Air
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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 Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds or the Creative Labs Zen Air
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
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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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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