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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If cost is a major factor, the Creative Labs Zen Air would be the more budget-friendly option with fair sound quality for music, and they are sweatproof, making them decent for exercise. However, they lack features like a case with extra battery life, which the JBL Live Buds 3 provides with a smart charging case and a substantial 30-hour case battery life. The JBL Live Buds 3 also support a high-quality LDAC codec for better sound and have active noise cancelling, which could be beneficial for air travel and noise isolation. The JBLs may also be more comfortable due to their stemless design and large earbud size. If gaming and watching TV are important to you, both might not be the best since they have poor scores in those areas. For a robust feature set and if you value the convenience of touch controls on a smart charging case, the JBL Live Buds 3 might be worth the extra cost. 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
- The Creative Labs Zen Air has no clear advantages over the JBL Live Buds 3.
Advantages of the JBL Live Buds 3
- Good for music
- Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
6.8
7.8
The JBL Live Buds 3 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
5.9
The JBL Live Buds 3 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the JBL Live Buds 3 is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.3
The JBL Live Buds 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$216
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the JBL Live Buds 3 costs $216.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Buds 3 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
5.4
The JBL Live Buds 3 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.1
5.2
The JBL Live Buds 3 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for phone calls.
TV and Video
5.6
5.6
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JBL Live Buds 3 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the JBL Live Buds 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | JBL Live Buds 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $216 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | June 1, 2024 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 8.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | 30 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 8.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the JBL Live Buds 3
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 JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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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.
By the numbers
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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.
Jason Lew
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.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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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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