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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
The Creative Labs Zen Air earbuds would save you money and are a good fit for casual music listening, feature Active Noise Cancelling for air travel, and support wireless charging, but they may not be the best choice for clear calls or gaming due to poor microphone and sound quality in those areas. In contrast, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless headphones, while more expensive, provide excellent microphone quality, better performance in calls and gaming, and very good comfort, but they lack Active Noise Cancelling and are not as portable or suited for exercise. If budget is a primary concern and you need a wireless, portable option with noise cancellation, go with the Zen Air; however, for better call quality, gaming experience, and comfort, consider spending more for the JLab JBuds Work Wireless. 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 JBuds Work Wireless.
Advantages of the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
5.1
8.8
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is very good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
7.3
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
7.9
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
7.9
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless 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 JLab JBuds Work Wireless is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
60.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has 60 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$79
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless costs $79.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
6.8
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JLab JBuds Work Wireless are both only fair for music.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JLab JBuds Work Wireless both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | JLab JBuds Work Wireless |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $79 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JLab | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 60 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
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 | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 158 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."
JLab JBuds Work Wireless
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PC Magazine
Tim Gideon | February 2022
"The JLab JBuds Work is an affordable headset-headphone hybrid that you can use to listen to music in stereo and communicate on video calls thanks to a retractable boom mic, and we particularly like its convenient mono and passive wired modes. You won't find any frills here like you will with the costlier Jabra Evolve2 65 or Plantronics Voyager 4220 UC, but for less than half the price, the JBuds Work is an effective lower-cost alternative."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
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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