In February, Creative announced the Outlier Free, a unique set of bone conduction wireless headphones. These innovative headphones combine high-quality audio reproduction with open-ear listening, giving users a clear awareness of their surroundings while wearing them.
After using Creative Outlier Free for a full month, I am ready to share my experience with you.
overview
Creative Outlier Free adopts bone conduction technology unlike normal wireless headphones and earphones. Not only does it have cutting-edge Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, IPX5 water resistance, and up to 10 hours of battery life.
The best part is the multi-point connectivity found only in premium earbuds/headphones from brands like Apple, Jabra and Sony.
These headphones are designed for those who want to be aware of their surroundings while staying connected to their music. Perfect for those who don’t like the tightness of wireless headphones. Also, I think that some people feel pressure in their ears when wearing Bluetooth earphones.
Strong Points:
- Open-ear listening for improved situational awareness
- Comfortable and secure fit
- impressive battery life
- multipoint connection
- Bluetooth 5.3
- IPX5 sweat and water resistance
Cons:
- Audio quality may not be as immersive as traditional in-ear headphones
- Limited bass response with bone conduction technology
- no internal memory
Creative Outlier Free Specs:
- Technology: Bone Conduction
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- Multipoint connection: Yes
- Water resistance: IPX5
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
- Charging: Magnetic charging cable
- Gross weight: not specified
- Voice Assistant: Siri/Google Assistant
- Price: RM370+ (80 USD)
what’s in the box
Creative Outlier Free comes in a clean, compact white box. Inside, you’ll find:
- Creative Outlier Free Bone Conduction Headphones
- charging cable
- Earplug
- user manual
Design and manufacturing quality
The Creative Outlier Free is made of lightweight silicone and titanium memory alloy, making the Creative Outlier Free comfortable and durable.
this is Unique earhook design ensures a secure fit While listening to the surrounding environment.
There are three buttons on the right side of the earpiece: Plus (+), Minus (-) and M.
The M button is used to turn on/off the earphones. Press the M button once to turn on the earbuds, press again to turn them off.
The plus and minus buttons adjust the volume, the plus button increases the volume and the minus button decreases the volume.
The headphones are IPX5 certified, which means they are sweat and splash resistant. This makes it perfect for workouts and outdoor activities, even in the rain.
comfort and ease of use
One of the great features of Creative Outlier Free is open ear design.
By using bone conduction technology, the headphones transmit sound directly to the bones of your inner ear via vibrations through your cheekbones.
This allows you to stay aware of your surroundings while enjoying high-quality audio.
The ergonomic design and secure fit make the Outlier Free suitable for a variety of activities such as running, cycling and the gym.
We feel they are even better than Bluetooth earbuds when used primarily for workout sessions.
However, if you plan to lie on your pillow and watch movies or listen to music, the Outlier Free is not for you.
The stiff neckband on these headphones pushes the headphones forward and shifts when you lie down, making it impossible to hear properly.
audio quality
As bone conduction headphones, Creative Outlier Free’s audio quality may not be as immersive as traditional in-ear headphones.
However, still very clear and pleasant sound.
Due to the nature of bone conduction technology, bass response may be limited, but considering the additional situational awareness the headphones offer, this is a minor drawback.
I’m well aware that bone conduction audio can’t beat in-ear or over-ear headphones when it comes to sound quality, so the lack of bass isn’t a huge issue for me.
After using it for a long time, I realized that the only drawback is that it doesn’t produce enough volume in noisy environments.
At max volume, you may start to feel vibrations from your headphonescan be distracting.
Therefore, Creative provided users with earplugs that block ambient noise and allow them to hear better through bone conduction.
However, I think that defeats the purpose of using bone conduction headphones like the Creative Outlier Free.
Connectivity and battery life
With Bluetooth 5.3 and multipoint connectivity, Creative Outlier Free enables smooth, uninterrupted audio streaming.
can connect up to 2 devices at onceeasily switch between your phone and laptop, or answer calls while listening to music.
A built-in microphone enables hands-free calling and voice assistant support, so you can access Siri or Google Assistant with the push of a button.
Battery life is another strength of the Creative Outlier Free. Headphones provide up to 10 hours of playtime. This is plenty of time for most users.
Charging is super easy with the magnetic charging cable and takes just 2 hours to fully charge. Plus, a 10-minute quick charge gives you up to 2 hours of playtime.
Conclusion
Those who want to enjoy high-quality audio without losing contact with their surroundings will enjoy the practical design and features of the Creative Outlier Free.
Outdoor Enthusiast and Fitness Enthusiast With an open-ear design, comfortable fit, and IPX5 rating, you’ll love these headphones.
With IPX5 water resistance and 10 hours battery life, it is suitable for various weather conditions and long time use. The audio quality may not be as immersive as traditional headphones, but the added situational awareness and safety more than make up for it.
If you want to use it while swimming or doing water activities, check out the Creative Outlier Free Pro, which is IPX8 rated and has 8GB of internal memory capacity.
