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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If price is a major factor for you, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 earbuds are significantly less expensive than the Sony WF1000XM4 and also offer a longer battery life, making them suitable for extended use. For active users, the Outlier Air V3 is sweatproof, which might be ideal for exercise. In contrast, the Sony WF1000XM4 delivers superior overall sound quality, a better soundstage, and excels in comfort, making them well-suited for long listening sessions. Additionally, the WF1000XM4 features active noise cancelling to help block out ambient noise, while also including an ear/head detection function and support for LDAC codec, which enhances audio quality with compatible devices. Sony's model might also be preferable if you prefer a product optimized for both Android and Apple ecosystems. 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
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
5.7
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
6.7
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is good for phone calls, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good.
TV and Video
5.4
6.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM4 is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$220
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $220.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for gaming.
Build Quality
9.0
8.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 to have excellent build quality, while the Sony WF1000XM4 has very good build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $220 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
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 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 6.5 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."
Sony WF1000XM4
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Sony WF1000XM4
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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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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