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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're on a tighter budget and looking for portability, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 earbuds may be a good choice, as they are less expensive and offer the convenience of wireless listening. On the other hand, if you prioritize sound quality and comfort for home use, and don't mind spending more, the Philips SHP9500 headphones provide a superior listening experience with an open-back design that many find preferable for critical listening. However, they are not portable like the earbuds and require a wired connection, which could limit their use to in-home or stationary environments. 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
Advantages of the Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.7
9.2
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Gaming
5.1
7.2
The Philips SHP9500 is good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
4.9
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
8.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Philips SHP9500 are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
5.4
9.0
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
2.5
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Philips SHP9500 does not have a battery.
Cost
$30
$48
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Philips SHP9500 costs $48.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the Philips SHP9500 has very good build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Philips SHP9500 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Philips SHP9500 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $48 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Philips | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | August 1, 2013 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 7.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 4.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 40 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.8/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 294.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Philips SHP9500
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Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Philips SHP9500
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 Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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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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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.
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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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