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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for affordable earbuds that are sweatproof and good for exercise, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 would suit your budget and needs. However, if you prioritize superior overall sound quality, active noise cancelling for travel, and a more immersive TV and gaming experience, the Focal Bathys are better, despite being more expensive. The Bathys also offer the versatility of both wireless and wired connections, but they may not be as suitable for exercise due to their size and weight. Both have decent battery life, but the Outlier has a slight edge in that department, and they also boast wireless charging, which the Bathys lack. 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 Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for exercise
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Focal Bathys
- Very good for music
- Excellent for gaming
- Best in class for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.7
8.0
The Focal Bathys is very good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Gaming
5.1
9.3
The Focal Bathys is excellent for gaming, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
5.2
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Focal Bathys is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
6.2
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Focal Bathys is only fair.
TV and Video
5.4
10.0
The Focal Bathys is best in class for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
8.3
The Focal Bathys is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
10.0 Hours
31.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Focal Bathys has 31 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$699
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Focal Bathys costs $699.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Focal Bathys both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Focal Bathys compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Focal Bathys |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $699 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Focal | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 9.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6.6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 31 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 40 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 350 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
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."
Focal Bathys
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Soundguys
Christian Thomas | May 2023
"As much as I hesitate to recommend a headphone that sells for $800 USD, if you’re looking for the best sound quality you can find in the ANC space: it’s the Focal Bathys."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Focal Bathys
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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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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