A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If budget is a concern, the Sony MDREX15AP is much less expensive than the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and offers very good sound quality for music and an excellent soundstage for TV and video. However, they are wired and don't have features like wireless connectivity or active noise cancelling. The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3, while more expensive, are wireless earbuds with a longer battery life, built-in controls, an app with equalizer customization, and are sweatproof, making them versatile for exercise and on-the-go use. They also support AAC codec for better audio quality on Apple devices, and they have active noise cancelling, which is preferable for air travel and noisy environments. Choose the Sony earbuds for a cost-effective wired option and basic use, or the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 for a robust feature set and wireless convenience. 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 Sony MDREX15AP
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.7
8.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is very good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Gaming
5.1
6.7
The Sony MDREX15AP is only fair for gaming, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
3.5
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
5.4
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
TV and Video
5.4
9.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is excellent for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Sony MDREX15AP does not have a battery.
Cost
$30
$20
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the Sony MDREX15AP has very good build quality.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Headphones
Find your new headphones
Key similarities
Noise Reduction
6.5
7.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony MDREX15AP to be good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Sony MDREX15AP compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Sony MDREX15AP |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | March 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 4.6/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 3.1 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Outlier Air V3
See more
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."
Sony MDREX15AP
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Make It Sound Great
Pete Anthony | June 2022
"At the ultra budget $10 price-point (and we’ve seen the no-mic version go for as cheap as $7), I’d say these are a decent option if you’re looking for a passable pair of earbuds for basic use that’s as cheap as possible. I wouldn’t say they feel or sound as good as some of the ultra-budget alternatives out there – of which there are a few at this point – but some might disagree. I will say though that the cable is a little bit nicer than those of that same competition."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Sony MDREX15AP
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 vs. Soundcore P20i
VS
Compare Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 vs. Skullcandy Dime 2
VS
Compare Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 vs. Creative Labs Zen Air
VS
Compare Sony MDREX15AP vs. Koss KSC75
VS
Compare Sony MDREX15AP vs. Apple Earpods
VS
Compare Sony MDREX15AP vs. JBL Quantum 100
VS
FAQs
FAQs about earbuds and headphones
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.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
123,800
Recommendations made
18,570
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.
Featured in
