Verdict
The Outlier Air V3 are Creative ’s best true radio yet . The Active Noise Reduction and Transparency mode are both well implemented , and sound timber is an improvement on previous models . Issues with touch controls and wireless connectivity still persist , but to a less extent . One of the good true radio receiver earphones below £ 100 .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
In the budget true wireless arena , Creative has been the nearly human being ( or woman ) . Each sequential pair in the Outlier Air series has delivered flock that ’s just , but has also been chevvy by matter – with each lawful wireless set of buds awarded four stars and nothing more .
But could the Outlier Air V3 be the buds to catapult the chain of mountains into exalted territory ? Delivering increase battery aliveness , the addition of a Transparency mood , plus wireless charging , Creative is pulling out all the stops at a price that ’s cheaper than previous models .
Always the bridesmaid but never the bride , are the bells ringing for the Outlier Air V3 ?
Design
I ’d love to say the appearance of the Outlier Air V3 offers a extremist change over what add up before , but that would be out of true . And to be fair to Creative , much like Sennheiser’scheaper straight wireless , the society has come by a plan that solve , requiring only a nip and rapier with each iteration .
The surgery here translate to a less glossy surface for the touch controls . The V3 have also been treated to some suction lipectomy , with the underbelly of the buds being slimmed down . This has shaved several mg from the V2 ’s 6 g , down to 5.2 g. To borrow Tesco ’s slogan , every little helps .
The fit is the comfiest it ’s ever been , the earphones staying secure in the ears on numerous runs . An IPX5 rating is solid and more watertight than pitch by most earphones , away from consecrated workout options . auricle - wind admit a duo of small , medium - sized and large silicone polymer tips .
speck controls require a few prods to get things going , however . The buds answer to more affirmative jab , but as has been the casing with the V2s , while the touch ascendancy work well enough , there ’s decidedly elbow room for improvement . control cover playback and volume , so at least there ’s less of a need to angle your nomadic twist out your pouch .
The Outlier Air V3 are available in green , offering a similar polished quality to previous generations . Mirroring the earphones , the charge case ’s dimensions have shrunk slightly . The case remain one of the big units around , but I do like the energy - out tray innovation for the bill provenance .
Features
With each brace of Outlier Air buds I ’ve welcome for reexamination , there have been issues with connectivity . The Outlier Air V3 are the least problematic , but still take over an odd desire to unplug straight after they ’ve paired with my smartphone . While this does n’t happen all the time , the fact that it does is peculiar .
Battery life-time with the V3 has jump to 40 60 minutes , from theV2s ’ 34 hours , although the complaint per bud is down to 10 hours from 12 . I ’d imagine the smaller size of it has signify a reduction in charge that each bud can support . It does stand for the Outlier Air V3 extend three full bursting charge , which is plenty and better than what most premium earphones offer .
You wo n’t have to think about charging too often , but when you do , you’re able to count on tight - charge financial backing . A 10 - moment top - up will give birth two more hours , and there ’s support for ( the slower ) tuner appoint with Qi compatibility .
The move to Bluetooth 5.2 seems to have ensue in a smooth connecter aside from the issues I mentioned above , with no sudden disconnects or one earbud arbitrarily deciding its had enough . However , the connection can disappoint in bustling placement , becoming stuttery and skipping in busy signaling areas . Bluetooth codec supporting is SBC and AAC ; Creative has dropped aptX ( it ’s done so for the more innovative Outlier Pro mannequin , too ) .
Call caliber is okay , but for best functioning Active Noise Reduction ( ANR ) call for to be enable in the Creative app . Without it the microphones veer from being fine indoors to jolly hapless alfresco .
They pick up a lot of background noise , often leading to my voice having to vie with it . On a windy Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , performance was so poor that the person on the other terminal could n’t learn me at all . Turn ANR on and there ’s an improvement , with less noise and better vocal clarity ; but the execution is still reasonably mean for a rightful wireless .
And since I ’ve mentioned Active Noise Reduction , I should say that it ’s very good at taming sounds , similar to Bose Noise Reduction that feature on the originalAmazon Echo Buds . mint of noise is dissipated , make walking around London or go on the Tube less of a feverish experience . It wo n’t remove as much noise as a intercrossed combat-ready noise - set off resolution , but it ’s hunky-dory for listening to music or stream a Netflix show in comparative serenity on the commute .
There ’s an Ambient mode , too , which is crisp and exonerated in timber and delivers an loose , wide and detailed demonstration . I could get a sense of where everything was and apply a conversation with someone else pretty well . Transparency modes at this price gunpoint can disappoint – as is the case with Lypertek’sSoundFree S20 – but this is n’t one of them .
Sound Quality
With the Outlier Air V3 , Creative has contract another whole tone forward for audio . These bud bear a similarly snappy musical note as the V2s , but the overall balance is oversee better by the V3 bud . There are still traces of sibilance to voices that creep in from time to clip , but they ’re reined in when equate tracks between the new and older mannequin .
The Outlier Air V3 continue the punchy , tight freshwater bass execution of the V2 , although bass voice does n’t have as large a presence as it did on the V2 . While this might disappoint some , I found the Air V3 ’s harbinger to be a little too unassailable , throwing off the earpiece ’ balance . With The Prodigy ’s Invaders Must Die , the V2 are skilful in full term of bass weight and presence ; but , overall , the V3 display a better balance across the frequency spectrum by keep freshwater bass more in bridle .
And good correspondence is the major improvement with this model . These bud elicit more clarity and definition , as well as a tad more separation between instruments in They Reminisce Over You ( T.R.O.Y ) . The mid - range is handle to greater clearness and particular , with voices give a short extra care . The V2 boasted a more forthright pitch , but the V3 buds exhibit more shade , so swapping between the two I heard more item through the V3 .
That spare definition extends to the top - remnant of the frequency reach , which features more brightness and lucidity eked from the two-fold notes in GoGo Penguin ’s Raven – tonally , the operation sounds more accurate than through the honest-to-god good example , the pianissimo notes dancing a little more exquisitely within the soundstage .
The Super disco biscuit - Fi performance ( which is supported via the SXFI app ) also benefits from the improved fidelity in mid - lot and high - oftenness ranges , since voices are tonally less skinny . I ’m still not entirely convinced about spatial audio upmixing with Super X - Fi ; the changeover has always lead to a shortage in detail , uncloudedness and fidelity , but it does depend on the runway you mind to .
One last thing to observe is the presence of less signal haphazardness through the Outlier Air V3 , which immediately puts these buds above the V2 in overall clearness .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
The fresh features work well , barrage life number are unassailable , and the sound is better . It ’s take a few attempts , but the Outlier Air V3 are up there with the best bud below $ 100 / £ 100 .
Creative still has n’t quite see out how to seamlessly implement touch control . They ’re less frustrating on the V3 than previous generations , but there remains an factor of fussiness about manoeuvre these buds .
Final Thoughts
The V3 confront the best version of the Outlier Air series yet . The new feature article such as Active Noise Reduction and Ambient mode are integrated well ; the operation of both is as good as you ’ll get below £ 100 . The design is less bulky and more comfortable thanks to being smaller and light , and the Outlier Air V3 eke out more clarity , detail and definition from music .
Those wireless connection issues are still present but less irritating , and the control could still profit from a more responsive touch . Nevertheless , these are Creative ’s best Outlier melodic line fashion model yet , although with the Outlier Air Pro offering true hybrid racket cancellation , they may not fall onto their crown for long .
Trusted Score
How we test
We screen every headphones we go over thoroughly over an extended period of time . We apply diligence standard trial to compare feature properly . We ’ll always tell you what we obtain . We never , ever , take over money to review a product .
line up out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
The Outlier Air V3 has a different , small design and it has Active Noise Reduction whereas the Outlier Pro has hybrid Active Noise Cancellation .
Full Specs
Sustainability
Trusted Reviews ’ holds the fact that global warming is not a myth as a kernel economic value and will unendingly endeavor to help protect our planet from trauma in its business practices .
As part of this mission , whenever we brush up a product we beam the company a series of questions to facilitate us approximate and make transparent the impact the equipment has on the environment .
We currently have n’t received answers to the questions on this mathematical product , but will update this page the mo we do . you may see a elaborate dislocation of the questions we ask and why in oursustainability info page .
