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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you're on a budget and need earbuds that are good for exercise, offer wireless convenience, and have active noise cancelling for air travel, the Creative Labs Zen Air would be a fitting choice. However, their sound quality and built-in mic are not the best for immersive music, gaming, or calls. On the other hand, if you prefer over-ear headphones with better overall sound, a top-notch mic for clear calls and gaming, and excellent build quality, consider the HyperX Cloud II. The tradeoff is they are wired, more expensive, and not suited for exercise or as portable as the Zen Air. 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 Zen Air
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the HyperX Cloud II
- Good for music
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.8
7.7
The HyperX Cloud II is good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
5.1
8.6
The HyperX Cloud II is very good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
7.5
The HyperX Cloud II is good for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
7.0
The HyperX Cloud II is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
7.6
The HyperX Cloud II is good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
6.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the HyperX Cloud II is only fair.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The HyperX Cloud II does not have a battery.
Cost
$30
$93
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the HyperX Cloud II costs $93.
Build Quality
9.0
10.0
The HyperX Cloud II has best in class build quality, while the Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the HyperX Cloud II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | HyperX Cloud II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $93 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | HyperX | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | January 1, 2015 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 4.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 10/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 317.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Boom | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Zen Air
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Check
Maike Paeßens | February 2023
"The Creative Zen Air’s weak points are its low battery life and rather short Bluetooth range. On the other hand, the strengths of these weatherproof True Wireless in-Ears are the sound and the wide attenuation of the Active Noise Cancellation. Considering the price range, the speech intelligibility during calls is also exceptionally good."
HyperX Cloud II
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Rhys McIntyre | December 2022
"My overall impression of the HyperX Cloud II gaming headset is overwhelmingly positive. In my opinion, this is one of the best mid-priced gaming headsets currently on the market.Solid sound quality, superior comfort, and a sleek, lightweight design – this headset delivers all of the important aspects that a gaming headset should."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the HyperX Cloud II
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 HyperX
Starting originally as a high-performance and gaming line of memory modules within Kingston and later acquired by HP, HyperX is a dedicated esports and gaming division focused on developing peripherals, microphones and headsets. Providing budget-friendly, comfortable and highly functional products, HyperX has become the go-to for many gamers around the world, resulting in sales of over 20 million headsets throughout the years.
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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
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.
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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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