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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If budget is a priority, the Creative Labs Zen Air offers a good value for the money with good overall sound quality and comfort, as well as excellent build quality. They are also suitable for air travel and have a very good noise isolation quality. However, they are not the best choice for calls and meetings or content consumption like gaming or watching TV and video, as they perform poorly in those areas. Conversely, the Soundcore Space A40 is often significantly more expensive but provides very good sound quality, excellent noise isolation, and additional features like an app equalizer, LDAC codec for high-resolution audio, and a longer battery life, both in the earbuds and with the charging case. They also support wireless charging and have a quicker charging time. Choose the Zen Air for cost savings and solid everyday listening or the Space A40 if you're willing to spend more for better sound, extra features, and longer listening sessions without the need to recharge. 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 Space A40.
Advantages of the Soundcore Space A40
- Good for music
Key differences
Music
6.8
7.7
The Soundcore Space A40 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Noise Reduction
7.0
9.1
The Soundcore Space A40 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is good.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Space A40 has 8 hours of battery life.
Cost
$30
$80
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Soundcore Space A40 costs $80.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Space A40 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
4.9
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Space A40 are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.1
4.8
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Space A40 are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
4.9
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Space A40 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.6
5.3
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Soundcore Space A40 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Soundcore Space A40 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Soundcore Space A40 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $80 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | August 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 0.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | 32 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
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 | 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."
Soundcore Space A40
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Sound Guys
Sam Smart | May 2023
"The Anker Soundcore Space A40 is an excellent deal if you want affordable noise canceling earbuds with great sound. The baseline frequency response is enjoyable, and the many EQ presets to choose from plus the ability to customize your sound profile makes it good for pretty much anyone. The noise canceling is quite good, and the many ear tips to choose from ensure a good fit for the noise canceling and isolation to do its job."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Soundcore Space A40
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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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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