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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for a more immersive listening experience for music, Creative Labs Zen Air earbuds may be more suitable as they provide good overall sound quality, but they are not optimal for calls and meetings, gaming, or watching TV and videos. The Zen Airs are good for air travel but only fair for exercise and have a shorter battery life with just 5 hours of typical use. They include app equalizer customization and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices, which is a substantial benefit. On the other hand, the JLab Go Air Pop earbuds are slightly more expensive but offer better portability and longer battery life at 9 hours of typical use. They may not have app equalizer customization, but if you prioritize long-lasting use and a more secure fit while exercising, as well as dust and sweatproof certification, they could be the better option. Neither option is especially well-suited for critical listening due to their form factors, as closed, bud-type earbuds generally don't provide a wide soundstage. Choose the Zen Air for a balanced sound and customization or the Go Air Pop for durability, battery life, and exercise usage. 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 JLab Go Air Pop.
Advantages of the JLab Go Air Pop
- Good for music
- Good for exercise
Key differences
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The JLab Go Air Pop has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$25
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the JLab Go Air Pop costs $25.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
7.1
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers JLab Go Air Pop to be good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
5.1
5.5
The JLab Go Air Pop and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.1
5.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JLab Go Air Pop are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
5.7
The JLab Go Air Pop and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.6
6.1
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers JLab Go Air Pop to be only fair for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
6.5
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Creative Labs Zen Air to be good for noise reduction, while the JLab Go Air Pop is only fair.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JLab Go Air Pop both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the JLab Go Air Pop compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | JLab Go Air Pop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $25 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JLab | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5.5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 6.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | 27 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 3.9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Zen Air
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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."
JLab Go Air Pop
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Sam Smart | August 2023
"The JLab GO Air POP is a great option for anyone on a tight budget. This pair of true wireless earbuds checks all the boxes for earbud essentials, and performs pretty well in most areas. The microphone isn't great, but that's to be expected for something this inexpensive."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the JLab Go Air Pop
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.
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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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