It’s been 5 years since Apple introduced its first AirPods, headphones which, although not the first in their class, were the triggers for the creation of a new category of products which, since then, has grown exponentially.
One of the models that has caught our attention the most in recent years is Creative’s Outlier Air. The legendary sound card company entered the TWS headphone category with a model that stood out with spectacular battery life, unique design and excellent sound quality at a very competitive price.
Despite all their virtues, these models always had certain flaws, which were improved in their later iterations. We spent several weeks testing the third generation, which manages to be more competitive than ever.
Polishing iconic creative design
From its first generation, Creative has managed to create a unique design in a universe full of copies of Apple Airpods. We have a circular design and ergonomics designed to be firmly anchored in the ears.
If we compare the Outlier Air v3 (right) with the first generation (left), we can see the improvements in terms of ergonomics.
One of the weaknesses of this design was the difficulty in accommodating small ears. Creative has slightly reduced the size of the Outlier Air v3. The difference is noticeable when placed in front of the previous generation, appreciating a more stylish design and compatible with a wider variety of ears.
The only way to notice the change visually once they are in our ear is through the colors, and it is that if in the first generation we had a metallic gray and in the second a blue, in this new model we have a metallic olive green. Conservative changes, but which maintain the essence of the headphones with a design already emblematic of the brand.
The rest of the details remain intact, with a touch sensor for rare actions and a halo light to indicate that the headphones are on or in pairing mode. We also have three pairs of rubbers for different sizes of ears.
We have a metal case similar to previous generations, but in this new model we appreciate a fraction of the plastic inside. This isn’t a reduction in build quality, far from it, as Creative has added support for wireless charging in the charging case, although you can still charge it through the USB C charging port.
Changes in internal technology, to improve or simply to be more economical?
In a market where the trend is for new generations of products to take advantage of improved technical characteristics to justify price increases, it is unusual to see how a new generation that adds new features is also betting on a drop in price. price, and this is because if the official price of its predecessors was 79.99, this new model drops to 69.99 and is already under a discount of 50 dollars.
If we evaluate the datasheet, there are several details that don’t quite match us, namely that there are three key points that it seems Creative has backed down on. Is this really the case? We took note of the aspects that concerned us the most and consulted with the company, getting a response from the same product manager who designed them.
Our first question concerned the choice of pilots. Previous generations had a 5.6mm graphene membrane model while the new generation uses a 6mm biocellulose membrane. According to Creative, they were aimed at improving the acoustics and for that, the change of driver was necessary. The Outlier Air V3s deliver clearer sound, while their predecessors stand out with greater clarity.
The battery went from 12 hours of use to 10 hours on a single charge, matching the first generation Outlier Air. The reason is due to the use of a more compact battery to achieve a more ergonomic design. This is a small compromise that we accept because they are still part of the headphones with the largest battery on the market and correct what was a weak point of the previous models.
Finally, we highlight the absence of Qualcomm aptX codecs and technologies such as cVc for clear calls. Creative has opted for a non Qualcomm chip with which they are able to achieve higher performance, both in calls (the Outlier Air V3 uses 4 microphones instead of the 2 of its predecessor) and in music quality thanks to the use of the AAC codec.
The inclusion of noise reduction technology stands out, both for calls into microphones and for one that is able to analyze external sounds to isolate us a little more while we listen to music. The amount of noise it can isolate is really subtle compared to high-end headphones. Ambient mode works a little better, allowing us to hear what’s going on around us.
Two apps to get the most out of it
When choosing a wireless headset, it is essential to have an app. While it is not mandatory to have to install an app to be able to connect via Bluetooth and function perfectly, we can enhance our experience by customizing the headphones to our specific tastes.
Creative already had Super X-FI, an app with which some of its headphones could take advantage of the company’s holographic audio technology. The Outlier Air v3 are compatible with this audio technology.
After installing the application, it will invite us to take a series of photographs of our face and our ears. Through an artificial intelligence process, Creative is able to create a personalized audio profile for the shape of our ears.
Super X-FI is a technology that works great, but it has its limitations, which is that in wireless headphones you are limited to listening to audio files from the app itself.
This technological advantage means that if you are a user of streaming services like Spotify, you cannot enjoy it with your regular playlist, being limited to those who only listen to music locally. But even if you are in that group, you can’t use your favorite music app, and Creative’s solution may not be right for you.
Beyond Super X-FI, we also have a new Creative app to manage headphones. And the truth is, this app seems almost mandatory to install and use.
From the app we have access to the equalizer, from which we can adjust the sound levels to listen to the music as we want. We are missing the ability to access presets, leaving only an option for experts.
In the menus we can also calibrate the level of active noise cancellation and ambient mode, as well as being able to switch between them (or use normal mode).
In the gestures menu, we can customize the actions for one touch, two touch and hold for one of the two headphones independently. Any headset with buttons or touchpad should have this customization option, and we’re glad Creative hasn’t overlooked it.
Finally, we can update the firmware of the device to improve the user experience. As can be seen in their story, Creative fixed bugs and improved the experience on devices that were not compatible at launch, like the Nintendo Switch (which recently received Bluetooth sound).
- SXFI app on Google Play.
- Creative app on Google Play.
An all-terrain helmet of exceptional quality and price
Creative has always done a great job with their Outlier Air. Without making too much noise or being pompous, they managed to prioritize sound quality and battery life while maintaining an affordable price.
Without sacrificing excellence in these two areas, we see how Creative learns little by little and with humility the absences of its predecessor models, tweaking its design to make them more comfortable, adding comforts such as wireless charging or an app. with which to personalize our experience as much as possible.
With an official price of 69.99 dollars and a current price of between 50 and 60 dollars, the Creative Outlier Air v3 is a safe bet for those who spend hours and hours listening to music and want to live a great experience in doing so. .
- Creative Outlier Air v3 from the official Creative website.
- Creative Outlier Air v3 on Amazon.
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