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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're on a budget and need something portable with wireless capabilities for exercise and travel, the Creative Labs Zen Air earbuds are a solid choice, featuring good overall sound quality, decent comfort, and a built-in microphone. They support AAC codec which is optimized for Apple devices and they're sweatproof, making them suitable for workouts. However, if you prioritize excellent sound quality and a very good soundstage for an immersive music and TV experience, the Philips Fidelio X2HR headphones excel in these areas. They are also comfortable for long periods, but they're wired, bulkier, lack microphone quality for calls, and aren't suitable for exercise or noisy environments due to their open-back design. 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 Philips Fidelio X2HR
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.8
9.3
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is excellent for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
5.1
7.0
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
7.9
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
8.8
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is very good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
2.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the Philips Fidelio X2HR is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Philips Fidelio X2HR does not have a battery.
Cost
$30
$148
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR costs $148.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.1
5.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Philips Fidelio X2HR are both poor for phone calls.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Philips Fidelio X2HR both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Philips Fidelio X2HR compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Philips Fidelio X2HR |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $148 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Philips | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | September 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 7.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 4.5/10 | |
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 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
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 | 390 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
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."
Philips Fidelio X2HR
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Dig into reviews and images
Liquid Audio
Stefan | May 2022
"This piece is a fantastic option for music lovers searching for premium sound and a snug fit. You should get these headphones if you care about sound quality and want to hear music in a new light. This technology is a great option for high-quality headphones with superb sound reproduction."
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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 Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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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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