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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize battery life and are active, you may prefer the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3, as they offer longer usage on a single charge and are sweatproof, which is great for exercise. However, for those seeking a slightly more comfortable fit and better controls customization via an app, the Moondrop Nekocake could be a better choice. The Outlier Air V3 also comes with wireless charging and a longer battery life with the case, making them more practical for extended use or travel. For microphone quality in calls and meetings, the Outlier Air V3 is superior, while Nekocake may lack some in this area. Both are similarly priced, but the Outlier Air V3 is often somewhat less expensive, offering value for those on a tighter budget. Keep in mind, neither option features active noise canceling, so if you're looking for earbuds to block external noise, you may need to consider other models. 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 Moondrop Nekocake
- The Moondrop Nekocake has no clear advantages over the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3.
Key differences
Gaming
5.1
4.6
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for gaming, though the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
7.6
6.1
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Moondrop Nekocake is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
7.7
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Moondrop Nekocake is good.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Moondrop Nekocake has 3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$39
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Moondrop Nekocake costs $39.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the Moondrop Nekocake has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
5.7
5.7
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for music.
TV and Video
5.4
5.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for TV and video.
Noise Reduction
6.5
7.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Moondrop Nekocake to be good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Moondrop Nekocake compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Moondrop Nekocake |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $39 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Moondrop | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 4.7/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 40 | 12 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 5.4 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."
Moondrop Nekocake
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Headphonics
Jarvin | January 2022
"What sets the Nekocake apart from its competition at this price point is the Moondrop Link app that allows the user to change the tonal balance of the Nekocake. This makes sure that it’s versatile enough to suit different sonic preferences while allowing some customization of controls."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Moondrop Nekocake
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 Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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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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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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