Creative Outlier Air V2 Review

Back in September 2019, we review the Creative Outlier Air’s and were really impressed with the overall audio quality. In our review, we were probably a bit nicer than we should have been, because over long periods of the time, the buds did ultimately hurt my ears. When Creative reached out and said they had the Outlier Air version 2 available, I was intrigued to see if the issues I had with the first pair after a few months were rectified in this one. Let’s take a look!

You might see a bit of copy-paste from our original review as so much of the new Outlier Air V2 pods are similar to the original. You still get the somewhat bulky wireless charging case, although an improved battery overall means going much longer with the V2s than the V1s, which is great for someone who so often forgets to plug in my electronics to charge. While the charging case has a new shape and colour, it is still functioning exactly as the original case did. Let’s dive into some of these similarities.

• Charging case with a sliding drawer for the earbuds. Charged via USB-C.
• Somewhat water resistant, although would advise against taking out into heavy rain.
• Bulkier than compared to other wireless earbuds
• Fantastic audio quality

So what’s changed? Two main things in my time with the device. The buds now ship with multiple sized silicone eartips, which made getting a better, more secure fit, easier for myself. This was one of the issues I had with the original Creative Outlier Air after using it for a few months. The fit just didn’t feel as comfortable, especially during long workouts at the gym. The ability to swap the tips provides the ability to get the fit I wanted. This is a marked improvement over the originals.

The other improvement is in the audio quality. While I found that original buds were incredible for the price, I do notice a slightly more enhanced and tuned audio experience in the V2s. While  both deliver high quality audio, the V2s are noticeably more clear, and less muddled, especially when those bass note hit. It’s an improved experience across the board, and is even coming in cheaper than the original Outlier Air model by about $10 USD, which is huge.

Other improvements include the buds now being SXFI ready. We’ve written at length about Creative’s SXFI technology, and it truly is groundbreaking. When you unboxing your new buds, be sure to download the app and get this feature set up ASAP. While not as great as you’ll get on the over ear headphones from Creative – specifically the SXFI Theatre – it’s still phenomenal.

Another change is to the design. Pushing the buttons on the last device could cause some discomfort to your ears and side of your face. Push buttons have been replaced with sensor buttons instead, and while I’m still not a huge fan of controlling my buds this way (personal preference), it’s much better this time around.

There are a ton of earbuds on the market, but not all of them are worth your time. For the price, you likely won’t beat the Outlier Air V2!