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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 earbuds offer great value, especially for exercise, with sweatproof certification and a secure fit for active use. The smaller design makes them convenient for travel, but their sound quality may not be as immersive compared to the Soundcore Life Q20. The Soundcore headphones, while more expensive, offer better sound isolation and are more comfortable for long periods, making them well-suited for air travel and focused listening. If call quality and battery life are important, both choices are adequate, but the Soundcore Life Q20 has active noise cancellation, which is absent in the Outlier Air V3, giving the Soundcore an edge in noisy 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 podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Soundcore Life Q20
- Good for music
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
5.7
7.0
The Soundcore Life Q20 is good for music, 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 Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
4.7
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5
8.7
The Soundcore Life Q20 is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 is only fair.
Battery
10.0 Hours
32.3 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$60
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has a price of $30 and the Soundcore Life Q20 costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 has excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Life Q20 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
5.2
The Soundcore Life Q20 and Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.4
5.3
The Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 and the Soundcore Life Q20 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 | Soundcore Life Q20 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | November 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.7/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.2/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 32.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 40 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5.2 Grams | 258.5 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."
Soundcore Life Q20
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Air V3 or the Soundcore Life Q20
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 Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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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