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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If price is a major concern and you're looking for solid earbuds without breaking the bank, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 may be a good choice as they're more affordable. However, if you're willing to invest in higher quality, especially in terms of noise cancellation and sound fidelity, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are superior, but they come at a premium. Bose typically offers more comfort and advanced features, which are beneficial for frequent travelers or for use in noisy environments. On the other hand, the Outlier Air V3 might be more practical for everyday casual use where the environment is relatively quiet and there's no urgent need for top-tier noise cancellation. 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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Advantages of the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.6
5.7
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Gaming
8.8
5.1
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
7.6
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
8.9
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
TV and Video
8.1
5.4
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.9
6.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
6.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$249
$30
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 costs $30.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$249 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | June 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.7/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | 40 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.7 Grams | 5.2 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
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 QuietComfort Ultra 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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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