The Creative Outlier Pro is a large, heavy earphone that comes with a large charging case. It features a high degree of shielding from the outside world and a firm, stable fit, which makes it perfect for outdoor use and sports. However, because the housings clearly protrude from the ears, it is not compatible with wearing caps.
Creative Outlier Pro review: Design
Since the Outlier Air series’ appearance and design have remained fairly constant while getting smaller and lighter. The Creative Outlier Pro features some outrageous flair in addition to the chunkier original aesthetic. They are larger, chunkier, and a few grammes heavier. The metallic umber finish is distinctive, and its glossy appearance and reflective touch area give the impression that the earbuds are more expensive than their affordable price would imply.
The Outlier Pro wireless earphones are a great choice for those who want an authentic wireless experience without breaking the bank. They come with small, medium, and large silicone tips to fit any ear size, and their IPX5 rating means they should be able to handle sustained low pressure water jet spray.
The V3’s biggest downside is that it feels like Creative has finally struck its sweet spot with the Outlier Pro. The touch control surface may be larger or more responsive to presses, but attempts to pause playback or adjust the volume almost always hit the mark.
The new Apple AirPods are a bit of an awkward experience at first. The triple tap to activate the voice assistant on both buds is a little confusing, and the volume control is automatically linked to a hold on either bud. However, once you get used to the controls, they’re actually pretty easy to use. ..
Comfort
The Creative Outlier Pro’s earphone is a relatively homogenous design. They have an almost deep golden color and an offset, slightly metallic brown gloss that matches the case’s metallic finish. They are oval-shaped. According to the Creative website, which we can believe, the correct term is “Metallic Umber,” but you see what we mean. You might prefer the option of having something fully in black or white even though it is a common hue. Unfortunately, the option is not yet accessible, but perhaps Creative will include more color options in later versions.
The Creative Outlier Pro earbuds are significantly heavier than most other earbuds, weighing 7.2g/0.25oz each. This extra weight is undetectable once you insert the earbuds into your ears, though it can be a nuisance if the earbuds are constantly falling out of your ears. The balanced design of the Creative Outlier Pro earbuds ensures that they provide support around the ear when you insert them, preventing unneeded discomfort from the added weight. ..
Creative Outlier Pro review: Connectivity
We found that the earbuds connected quickly and easily to our smartphones and gaming consoles, but the long connection time left us feeling a little let down.
The Creative Outlier Pro earbuds have a faster pairing speed than other Bluetooth earbuds, which means that you won’t have to wait as long for them to connect. This is great if you’re in a hurry, because you won’t have to worry about the earbuds losing connection or pausing at random. ..
Noise canceling
The Creative Active Noise Cancellation system is effective at reducing accidental noise. The five-level Noise Control setting in the Creative app allows users to control how much noise they want to block out. The slider makes ANC adjustments simple, and choosing Max level gives you the best noise reduction. Additionally, it uses power quickly. ..
We were very happy with how well these earbuds muffled outside noises. Inside, ANC eliminated all low- and mid-frequency sounds, particularly boisterous conversation and any commotion emanating from the washing area, which is close to the living room. Even our toddler’s exuberant screams and electronic boombox were muffled enough to not bother us during working hours. The benefits of using the Outlier Pro ANC outdoors are comparable to those of using them indoors. ..
The landscaping that was being done on the ends of the home and any planes that passed over it went unnoticed. With the technology muzzling dribbling sounds and the thud of airballs hitting the garage door, shooting hoops in the backyard was serene. Turn on Ambient Mode to hear what is going on around you if you want to become more aware of your surroundings. It has five settings to change how much noise the microphones pick up, similar to ANC. If you want to hear or speak clearly to other people, keep it at maximum; turning it down muffles vocals. In addition, the feature was helpful for monitoring approaching traffic while out for strolls with our baby boy.
Creative Outlier Pro review: Audio performance
The Outlier Air v3 is a more detailed air purifier than the Creative Outlier Pro, but its smoother approach lacks the same level of detail.
The Outlier Air v3 is a better sounding air guitar than the Outlier Pro. It has a thicker soundstage, giving it more presence in the bass ranges. The Outlier Air carries with more punch and attack, while the Outlier Pro’s bass line is more subtly described and richer in tone during a play of Magic Sword’s Only Way In. There is more detail in the low frequencies, so we actually prefer the Outlier Air’s performance in this area. However, for those who prefer a warmer, smoother approach to bass handling, the Outlier Pro may be a better choice.
The Outlier Air has better audio quality than the two buds. They are more clear, detailed, and energetic, but there are some situations when the Outlier Pro comes out on top. With Tune-Yards’ Hypnotized, for example, they manage vocals better because they are better shielded from the beats. The edges of Mikhala Jené’s voice are clipped off with the Outlier Air while listening to her vocals in Black Love.
The Outlier Pro can extract more detail from tracks than the standard earbuds, but they are less dynamic and have a narrower soundstage.
Call performance
This is a good headset for calls. Calls were successfully answered even when some people had complaints about the muffling. It was difficult for anyone outside to hear me, especially in areas with a lot of traffic, because the microphones picked up a lot of background noise. We are still in disbelief that when our family member called us from the backyard, she could hear cars driving past the front of the house. Consider that evidence of Creative’s effective microphone array.
Battery and charging
The Creative Outlier Pro earbuds have great battery life. With ANC disabled, you can play for about 15 hours on a single charge. The charging case can extend that time by up to 45 hours, giving you a total of 60 hours of playtime before it needs to be recharged. The amount of time reduced to 10 hours on a single charge and 40 hours when using the charging case when ANC is enabled is still quite impressive for a pair of earbuds that are reasonably priced. ..
In our testing, we discovered that charging the earbuds in the charging case also happens fairly quickly. With ANC turned off, we were able to get about 10 to 15 minutes of listening time after charging. The bold claim that the typical user will only need to charge the case twice per month is made on Creative’s website. We tend to agree, but if you use the earbuds frequently with features like ANC turned on, expect this statistic to change.
Price and Availability
Creativedirect.com offers the Outlier Pro ANC for $89. With the current early bird discount (Coupon Code: EARLYBIRD25), you may get a pair for only $65. This savings of 25% can be applied to any purchase over $100. The Outlier Pro ANC comes with a wireless charging case, USB-C charging cable, three sets of ear tips in various sizes, a guide start guide, a compliance leaflet, and a warranty.
Conclusion
The Creative Outlier Pro truly wireless headphones provide excellent audio quality, a long battery life, and several in-app customization options. However, the earpieces and their charging case are pretty hefty, and they don’t really refute our claim that strong active noise cancelling (ANC) is difficult to obtain in this budget-friendly price range. The Anker Soundcore Life P3 earphones, which won our Editors’ Choice award, are $10 less expensive and provide the best noise cancellation you can get for less than $100. ..
