Related News
The wireless earphone market is full of options for all tastes and budgets, from the most affordable options to high-end models with excellent sound levels and packed with features that make them smarter.
Among the options available, Creative is a company that since the first generation of its Outlier Air has stood out in the intermediate sector, highlighting as a key aspect one of the best autonomy and an excellent ratio between sound quality and price.
If the Creative models had their strengths clearly marked, this was also the case for their weaknesses. The company has polished all these absences generation after generation, and with the Pro model it aspires to achieve its most complete model. Are they up to this ambitious surname? Now let’s check it out.
A big design change that maintains ergonomics
If we do a little history, one of the points in which Creative has been more conservative in its range of headphones has been in the design section. Since their first generation they are practically the same and the biggest difference is in the color change (and slightly in size and comfort with the third generation, although visually imperceptible).
With the arrival of the Pro model we see some changes, especially in the visible part of the helmet. With a color tone that in this generation is dark bronze, we perceive a flat base in a glossy finish and a circle that delimits the tactile zone of the helmet. We have a small LED as opposed to the full circle lighting that its predecessors had.
Creative tried to give a touch of sobriety, although in my opinion it gives the impression that it has lost a bit of personality. Still, they don’t look too bad when we wear them.
The internal part of the helmet remains identical to the previous models, being a little bulkier than the Outlier Air 3 and more reminiscent of the first models. Although we have three sizes of ear tips, this design isn’t as comfortable for smaller ears as the Outlier Air 3 and can get uncomfortable. We don’t appreciate a proximity sensor, so these headphones won’t automatically stop the music when taken out of the ear, that’s their only big absence.
The case has hardly changed and we have an aluminum and plastic cylinder that opens by pressing on one of the sides. Opening and closing gives an impression of good build quality. We have USB C, three LEDs that inform us of the charging status of the earphones and the socket, and a plastic base that also allows us to charge the case with a Qi charger.
Graphene returns and the extraordinary battery
In this category of headphones, the battery has become one of the most crucial aspects. If we add to the small size of this type of headphones the consumption, not only of wireless connectivity, but also of advanced systems that allow noise cancellation.
There are many ways to improve autonomy, but we can reduce them to two types, namely with larger capacity batteries or by improving energy efficiency. And of these two, the first is not entirely recommended in this category of products by compromising comfort.
Creative has made a strong commitment to the use of a graphene membrane in many of its models, which was one of the big absences from the previous generation, a key element in the Outlier Air, Gold and Air 2 to achieve a balance between the quality of sound and energy consumption.
Creative promises 15 hours of use without placing the headphones in the charging case, 10 if we activate active noise cancellation. If we combine it with the case, we reach a total of 60 hours.
These measures are always theoretical, since depending on the volume and the type of use that we give it (listening to music consumes less energy than talking on the phone) we can give more or less use of it. In my particular experience, I was able to work a full 8-hour day with them, attending meetings and listening to music, ending up with 20% battery while using active noise cancellation. In this test, I didn’t stop using the headphones during lunch, so on a normal day where you rest your ears during lunch, it should be enough to spend most of the day listening to music.
In terms of sound quality and microphones, we did not appreciate a leap in quality compared to previous generations. In their price range they are outstanding, but given how much lower their predecessors were in price, maybe if you’re looking for the best ratio of sound quality to price, they’re worth more.
Holographic audio and sound options
As in any other modern helmet, although we can connect via Bluetooth through any device, it is with the mobile that we can take full advantage of its capabilities.
In the case of Creative, we have two applications, the first being totally mandatory and the second an extra for those who have their music locally and want the best quality.
En la aplicación de Creative tenemos la opción de actualizar los auriculares para futuras mejoras o correcciones de errores, pero contamos con más funciones, como poder personalizar la experiencia de audio con un ecualizador tradicional (no cuenta con perfiles de audio, únicamente un modo avanzado para los expertos en sonido), así como poder personalizar los ajustes de los paneles táctiles para doble toque, triple toque y toque prolongado.
Otra opción que tenemos es poder personalizar la intensidad del modo ambiente y la cancelación de ruido activa. Esta última no es demasiado agresiva, e incluso en los niveles más potentes no resulta molesta, aunque tampoco filtra un gran rango de sonidos como las opciones más sofisticadas del mercado. Aunque en lo fundamental cumplen, y esos sonidos provocados por vibraciones constantes derivadas del transporte público, como son el autobús, metro, tren o avión se mantendrán a raya para que nuestro viaje sea cómodo. En estas semanas estos auriculares han sido mis compañeros de viaje y he podido ir en AVE con gran comodidad.
Aplicación de Creative en Google Play.
La segunda aplicación se llama Super Xfi, y es una tecnología de audio holográfico. Esta tecnología es capaz de analizar la forma de nuestro oído para optimizar la experiencia de sonido. Si bien la idea es interesante, cuenta con la limitación de que en estos auriculares solo funciona para escuchar música que tengamos en local a través de su aplicación.
Super Xfi en Google Play.
Si obviamos su única gran ausencia, son perfectos
Pasito a pasito, Creative ha conseguido llegar a una cota de excelencia que cubre prácticamente todos los aspectos. Sin descuidar la calidad de sonido a la que nos tienen acostumbrados, tenemos cancelación de ruido activa, una batería excepcional, controles táctiles, carga inalámbrica para un estuche en el que no han descuidado la calidad de construcción y una gran comodidad de uso.
Creative Outlier Pro (abajo) junto a Creative Outlier Air 3 (arriba).
La única ausencia es el sensor de oreja, mediante el cual podríamos parar la música automáticamente al quitarnos el auricular. A nivel personal no me supone ningún problema ya que suelo desactivarla en auriculares que si la tienen. No obstante, si para ti es una función importante es una ausencia que no deberías ignorar, y quizás optar por otra marca.
A un precio oficial de 89,90 dollars, los Outlier Pro son una opción muy competitiva en la que si eres capaz de perdonar su única gran ausencia, te van a parecer unos auriculares sin rival en aspectos clave.
Creative Outlier Pro en la web oficial de Creative.
Sigue los temas que te interesan
Table of Contents
