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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 prefer earbuds with good noise isolation and a convenient charging case, the Creative Labs Zen Air might be a better fit, especially for music and air travel use. They're also suitable if you need AAC codec support for Apple devices and appreciate wireless charging. However, the Shokz OpenMove offers an open design for situational awareness which is good for exercising, and they are both sweatproof and dustproof, features the Zen Air lacks. Their bone conduction technology is excellent for calls but provides a poorer music experience. If battery life without a case is a concern, both have similar performance. 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 Shokz OpenMove
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.8
4.8
The Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair for music, while the Shokz OpenMove is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
7.8
The Shokz OpenMove is good for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
7.9
The Shokz OpenMove is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
5.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Shokz OpenMove are both poor for TV and video, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
7.0
2.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the Shokz OpenMove is poor.
Cost
$30
$80
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Shokz OpenMove costs $80.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the Shokz OpenMove has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
4.9
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Shokz OpenMove are both poor for gaming.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Shokz OpenMove has 6 hours of battery life.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Shokz OpenMove compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Shokz OpenMove |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $80 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Shokz | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | September 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 7.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.1 | |
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 | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 29 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."
Shokz OpenMove
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | May 2023
"The Shokz OpenMove are a bit more affordable than the company's other bone conduction headphones, making them a more appealing option for athletes on a budget. These headphones support premium features like multipoint connectivity and a durable build, but you lose other niceties like fast charging and a long battery life. Still, for less than $80, these are nice bone conduction headphones that will keep you safe when exercising."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Shokz OpenMove
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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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