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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for wireless convenience and use earbuds for calls or while exercising, Creative Labs Zen Air might suit you; they are sweatproof and have a better microphone, but aren't the best for gaming or watching TV due to lower sound quality and potential latency. JBL Quantum 100, despite being wired, offers superior build quality and is optimized for gaming with virtual surround and exceptional microphone quality, making them ideal for immersive gaming experiences and video content. Consider the Zen Air for a portable and exercise-friendly option at a lower cost or the Quantum 100 for gaming and TV with higher durability. 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 JBL Quantum 100
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
5.1
8.5
The JBL Quantum 100 is very good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
4.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JBL Quantum 100 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
TV and Video
5.6
7.1
The JBL Quantum 100 is good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
5.3
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the JBL Quantum 100 is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The JBL Quantum 100 does not have a battery.
Build Quality
9.0
6.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the JBL Quantum 100 has only fair build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
7.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers JBL Quantum 100 to be good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Phone Calls
5.1
5.5
The JBL Quantum 100 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for phone calls.
Cost
$20
$20
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $20 and the JBL Quantum 100 costs $20.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the JBL Quantum 100 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | JBL Quantum 100 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$20 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | May 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 4/10 | |
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 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 220 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."
JBL Quantum 100
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Dig into reviews and images
CNN Underscored
Wes Davis | July 2023
"I appreciate a functional piece of tech as much as I do gear on the bleeding edge, and the JBL Quantum 100 certainly falls in the former category. The sound is reasonably good, the built-in microphone is surprisingly reliable and it has a thoughtful design for the price. It lacks the convenience of Bluetooth, sure, but sometimes it’s nice not to have to worry about the finicky nature of wireless communication and go with good old hard-wired tech."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the JBL Quantum 100
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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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.
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.
Luis Torres
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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