Creative’s very first TWS earbuds feature up to 30-hours of battery life
Rs. 6,999, creative.com
You may recognise Singapore-based Creative Technology for its sound cards and speakers back in the day. The company still sells them, but when it comes to the latest products, they have flown under the radar in the last few years, especially in India. Things seem to be changing, and Outlier Air is the first TWS from Creative launched in India. Does it have the pedigree of a company that created the iconic Sound Blaster? Let’s find out.
For a product category that’s restrictive in terms of design, Creative Outlier Air’s design is refreshing. The case is tall and wide that makes it one of the largest cases you will see for a TWS, but it slips nicely in the pocket. The aluminium case has dual-tone graphite and black matte finish that not only looks good but is also very sturdy. The case design is relatively clean with the Creative logo imprinted on the top while the USB Type-C port, four LEDs signifying charging status are on the side. Creative has gone with a push mechanism wherein one needs to push forward the case cover to reveal the buds. Speaking of the buds, they come with a stem-less design and an LED light encircling a large button that allows to control music playback, calls or use a voice assistant. The idea of an LED light on the buds is nice that breathes red when it’s charging or blue when connected to a device but not in use. When it comes to ergonomics, the Creative Outlier Air is comfortable to use for hours, thanks to the silicone ear tips. And since the ear tips tightly seal the ear canal and give a secure fit, the passive noise cancellation is excellent. The buds are IPX5 certified that makes it safe to use when you are working out and sweating or in the rain.
Most TWS buds in this price range lack or have a weak bass response but that’s not the case with Outlier Air. The 5.6mm graphene drivers are tuned towards bass and while you will experience it in a song like Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, the Outlier Air equally shines in handling other frequencies along with good instrument separation in a song like Dave Pike Set’s Mathar. In short, balanced sound is not what you will experience with the Outlier Air, but the overall listening experience is certainly enjoyable. The thing that is not enjoyable, however, is the button. It sure is handy to control music, volume, calls and even the voice assistant but the tactile button is hard that pushes the buds deeper into the ear canal when pressed. A touch-sensitive control would have been apt. As for connectivity, the Outlier Air supports Bluetooth 5.0 LE and comes with support for codecs like aptX and AAC, in addition to SBC and boasts decent call quality.
The battery life of the Outlier Air is one of the best you will find in this price segment with buds lasting about 10 hours on a single charge and up to 30 hours with the case.
To conclude, we feel Outlier Air is a solid entry for Creative in the TWS segment that not only offers good quality sound but even stellar battery life that easily lasts for a day and then some.
RATING 4/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio quality, battery life
WE’D IMPROVE Control buttons
THE LAST WORD Creative’s very first TWS earbuds and it delivers a good audio experience, amazing battery life but more importantly, at an affordable price.