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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are budget-friendly and deliver good battery life with well-rounded features for everyday use, including water resistance, making them suitable for exercise. If you prioritize noise cancellation and superior audio for an immersive experience, the Sony pair may justify the higher cost. However, for everyday use and a balance between cost and performance, the Creative Labs earbuds are a solid choice. 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
- Very good for exercise
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM3
- Good for music
- Very good for phone calls
Key differences
Music
5.7
7.5
The Sony WF1000XM3 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
8.2
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good.
Noise Reduction
6.5
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM3 has 6 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$180
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Sony WF1000XM3 costs $180.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for gaming.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
8.7
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Sony WF1000XM3 are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.4
5.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for TV and video.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Sony WF1000XM3 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Sony WF1000XM3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Sony WF1000XM3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | August 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 40 | 24 | |
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 | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
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."
Sony WF1000XM3
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Sound Guys
Lily Katz | November 2022
"Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Sony WF1000XM3
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.
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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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