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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 mainly use earbuds for music and calls in quiet environments, the Creative Labs Zen Air is a cost-effective choice; they're lighter and more portable, making them ideal for on-the-go use, and they support wireless charging. However, if you prioritize longer battery life, over-ear comfort, and better noise isolation for environments like air travel, the Soundcore Life Q20 might be worth the extra cost. The Q20s also offer a foldable design with active noise canceling, which the Zen Air lacks, but they are bulkier and might not be as suitable for exercise. 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 Soundcore Life Q20.
Advantages of the Soundcore Life Q20
- Good for music
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
4.7
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.7
The Soundcore Life Q20 is very good for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Battery
5.0 Hours
32.3 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$50
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Soundcore Life Q20 costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Life Q20 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
7.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Soundcore Life Q20 to be good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
5.1
5.2
The Soundcore Life Q20 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.1
4.9
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for phone calls.
TV and Video
5.6
5.3
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Life Q20 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Soundcore Life Q20 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Soundcore Life Q20 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | November 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 32.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 258.5 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."
Soundcore Life Q20
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Soundcore Life Q20
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 Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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