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What we think
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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for comfortable over-ear headphones that provide good sound quality and are designed mainly for stationary use given their wired connectivity, the AKG K361 would suit you. They're built well and have a closed enclosure that helps with noise isolation. They might not be the best for calls or gaming but are reliable for music and TV. On the other hand, if you prefer earbuds that are more portable, offer wireless convenience with good battery life, and come with features like active noise cancelling and sweatproof certification, the Creative Labs Zen Air would be more appropriate. They are also more suited for exercise and air travel due to their form factor and ANC feature. Keep in mind that while they're budget-friendlier, they provide fair sound and comfort and may not be ideal for critical listening. 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 AKG K361
- Good for music
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the Creative Labs Zen Air
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
7.5
6.8
The AKG K361 is good for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
6.3
5.1
The AKG K361 is only fair for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Phone Calls
3.2
5.1
The Creative Labs Zen Air and AKG K361 are both poor for phone calls, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
TV and Video
7.8
5.6
The AKG K361 is good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
7.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the AKG K361 is only fair.
Battery
N/A
5.0 Hours
The AKG K361 does not have a battery. The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$98
$20
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The AKG K361 has a price of $98 and the Creative Labs Zen Air costs $20.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the AKG K361 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.0
5.4
The Creative Labs Zen Air and AKG K361 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
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How the AKG K361 and the Creative Labs Zen Air compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| AKG K361 | Creative Labs Zen Air |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$98 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | AKG | Creative Labs | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2018 | December 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.9/10 | 5.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 12 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 219 Grams | 5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
AKG K361
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Dig into reviews and images
Medium
Alex Rowe | November 2019
"The K361 retains much of what makes the K371 such a winner, though it has a leaner sound, and the build changes made to trim the price down are immediately apparent. Still, it’s another excellent offering from AKG, and other companies in this fight should either be very worried or quickly designing updates to their old models."
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."
Get a great deal on the AKG K361 or the Creative Labs Zen Air
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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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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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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