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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you're on a budget and need wireless earbuds compatible with AAC codec for good audio quality on Apple devices, Creative Labs Zen Air is ideal, plus they offer active noise cancelling for quieter listening and are sweatproof for exercising. However, Sennheiser CX300S, while more expensive and wired, provides a better soundstage, suitable for an enclosed, immersive audio experience and has a durable build, but lacks a microphone, so it's not ideal for calls. Neither earbud excels at gaming or TV due to latency issues, and the CX300S offers good sound quality for music and videos. 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 Sennheiser CX300S
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Gaming
5.1
6.1
The Sennheiser CX300S is only fair for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
3.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for phone calls, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
4.7
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
TV and Video
5.6
7.3
The Sennheiser CX300S is good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser CX300S does not have a battery.
Cost
$30
$50
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Sennheiser CX300S costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser CX300S has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
6.9
The Sennheiser CX300S and Creative Labs Zen Air are both only fair for music.
Noise Reduction
7.0
7.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Sennheiser CX300S are both good for noise reduction.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Sennheiser CX300S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Sennheiser CX300S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | February 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 3.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 6.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 4.2/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 12 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."
Sennheiser CX300S
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Carroll Moore | April 2019
"Sennheiser offers impressive bang for your buck when it comes to the CX 300S. Built like a tank and sounding surprisingly good for such a budget-minded earphone, the CX 300S out-classes many of its would-be competitors. Functional but beautiful, it’s the perfect in-ear listening solution for anyone who wants to hear everything and look good doing it."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Sennheiser CX300S
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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