The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and exercise use, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 earbuds could be a better choice given their compact size and sweatproof certification. They also have an excellent battery life and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. However, for a more enveloping sound experience, the JBL 510BT headphones, being on-ear and larger, may provide a better soundstage but sacrifice comfort. Neither option is particularly well-suited for gaming or TV due to their sound latency. If active noise cancelling is important, the Creative Labs offer this feature while the JBL does not. Consider how these factors align with your listening habits and needs. 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 air travel
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL 510BT
The JBL 510BT has no clear advantages over the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3.
Key differences
Music
5.7/10
6.2/10
The JBL 510BT is only fair for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6/10
5.1/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the JBL 510BT is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9/10
5.6/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL 510BT is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5/10
5.3/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the JBL 510BT is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
38.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The JBL 510BT has 38 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
9.0/10
6.5/10
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the JBL 510BT has only fair build quality.
"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."
"The JBL Tune 510BT is affordable and compact, making it a great companion for a commute, so long as you don't need active noise canceling. If you wear glasses or have ear piercings, the on-ear design might not be comfortable, since the ear cups will squish your ears."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the JBL 510BT
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.
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
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.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
91,100
Recommendations made
13,665
Consumer hours saved
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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Luis Torres
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.