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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for more portable and discreet listening, and prefer something less expensive, the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 earbuds could be a good fit, being lighter and not as bulky as headphones. However, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones might provide you with a more immersive and comfortable experience during longer listening sessions with better sound isolation and typically richer sound quality. While the Outlier Air V3 are likely to be more suited for active use and might have a better microphone for calls, the Sony headphones could offer features like virtual surround sound which can enhance your movie or gaming experience. Keep in mind that over-ear headphones like the WH-CH520 could also have less sound leakage than earbuds, giving you privacy and not disturbing others nearby. 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 WH-CH520
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.7
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Gaming
5.1
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, 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 WH-CH520 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
8.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Sony WH-CH520 are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
5.4
8.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
4.6
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
52.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$40
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $40.
Build Quality
9.0
7.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 52 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.9 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
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 | 4.6/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | 147.41 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 WH-CH520
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | September 2023
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Sony WH-CH520
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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