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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize comfort, noise isolation, and high-quality sound for music, TV, and air travel, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones would be the better choice despite being pricier. They have active noise cancelling, superior build quality, and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. However, if you're looking for something more affordable that's still good for casual listening, provides wireless charging, and has a sweatproof certification for exercise, the Creative Labs Zen Air earbuds could be a suitable option, although they may not offer the same sound quality or noise isolation as the Bose. 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 Ultra Headphones
- Very good for music
- Excellent for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Best in class for air travel
Advantages of the Creative Labs Zen Air
- The Creative Labs Zen Air has no clear advantages over the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones.
Key differences
Music
8.3
6.8
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is very good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
9.3
5.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
5.4
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
9.0
5.6
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
7.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Battery
29.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has 29 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$429
$30
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has a price of $429 and the Creative Labs Zen Air costs $30.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.3
5.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for phone calls.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and Creative Labs Zen Air both have excellent build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and the Creative Labs Zen Air compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones | Creative Labs Zen Air |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$429 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | December 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 6.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 29 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 255 Grams | 5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Christian Thomas | January 2024
"The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a credible step up from previous Bose ANC headphones, and they're built to hang tough with the competition for years into the future. No waterproofing is a bit of a letdown, but these headphones have the technical chops to make most quite happy."
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 Ultra Headphones 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
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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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