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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you're on a tight budget, Creative Labs Zen Air earbuds are less expensive and offer good overall sound quality with active noise cancelling, making them suitable for air travel and situations where noise isolation is important. However, for outdoor activities and exercise, Youthwhisper Bone Conduction headphones are sweatproof and dustproof, providing the safety benefit of keeping your ears open to hear your surroundings. The bone conduction design offers a unique audio experience that some may prefer for listening to books and podcasts. Keep in mind, the sound quality of bone conduction headphones is generally not as high as traditional earbuds or headphones. 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 Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones
- Good for exercise
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.8
4.8
The Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair for music, while the Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
6.5
The Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones is only fair for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
8.2
The Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
5.1
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones 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 Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones is poor.
Cost
$30
$36
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones costs $36.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
4.9
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones are both poor for gaming.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones has 8 hours of battery life.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $36 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Youthwhisper | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
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 | 6.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | Unknown | |
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 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
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."
Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones
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Dig into reviews and images
Stozz Audio
Stozz Audio | October 2023
"If you're looking for a pair of headphones that can be worn while running or cycling, these Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones are a great alternative to more expensive models. They're lightweight and compact, so they won't get in the way when wearing them while exercising. Plus, they have a built-in microphone so you can take calls during your workout without having to stop and fumble with your phone. The sound quality is great for this style of headphones, and it has many other cool features."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Youthwhisper Bone Conduction Headphones
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
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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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