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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you are on a budget and need decent earbuds primarily for calls and music during exercise with good comfort and excellent build quality, Creative Labs Zen Air could suffice. However, if you are willing to spend more for better overall sound quality, including for gaming and TV, and you value features like active noise cancelling, a smaller form factor, longer battery life, and sweatproof certification, then "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) may be the better choice, especially with their low latency mode for gaming and extra accessories for a secure fit. 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 "Nothing" Brand Ear (2).
Advantages of the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2)
- Good for music
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Good for exercise
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
5.1
8.5
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is very good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
7.9
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is good for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
9.1
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
8.0
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is very good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.0
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.7 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) has 6.7 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$149
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) costs $149.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
7.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) to be good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $149 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | "Nothing" Brand | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 7.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 6.7 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1 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 | 8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 4.4 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."
"Nothing" Brand Ear (2)
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Sound Guys
Jasper Lastoria | March 2023
"For the price the Nothing Ear (2) is pretty good. It fits well, and the IP54 rating (and IP55 with case) is durable enough for daily life. Most of its unique features are found in the Nothing X app, such as personalized frequency responses, and personalized, adjustable ANC."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2)
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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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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