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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If high-quality sound, comfort, and active noise canceling are priorities, and you do not mind the premium price, the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 may suit you better. They offer superior overall sound quality and noise isolation, making them great for environments like air travel. However, if you are on a budget, the Creative Labs Zen Air still delivers good sound quality and comfort, with excellent durability and a very good built-in mic. For those who need earbuds optimized for both Android and Apple devices, with good battery life and the convenience of wireless charging, the Zen Air could be a more cost-effective choice. Keep in mind, though, that the Pi7 S2 supports advanced codecs like AptX Adaptive which might make them more appealing if you require the best audio streaming quality. 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 Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
- Good for music
Advantages of the Creative Labs Zen Air
- The Creative Labs Zen Air has no clear advantages over the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2.
Key differences
Music
7.5
6.8
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.3
7.0
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Cost
$259
$30
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has a price of $259 and the Creative Labs Zen Air costs $30.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.1
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.2
5.1
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
5.4
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
6.0
5.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 to be only fair for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life.
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 Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has very good build quality.
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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and the Creative Labs Zen Air compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 | Creative Labs Zen Air |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$259 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bowers and Wilkins | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | December 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.75 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 13 | 12 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7 Grams | 5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
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Dig into reviews and images
Engadget
Billy Steele | March 2023
"While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit."
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 Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 or the Creative Labs Zen Air
About Bowers and Wilkins
Bowers and Wilkins is a British audio equipment manufacturer with a focus on innovation and product development. It was founded by a couple of real-life James Bonds, the co-founders John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while working for MI6 during World War II. The company keeps being favored by enthusiasts due to their sound quality, craftsmanship and signature aesthetics.
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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