Creative Outlier Gold SXFI Headphones Review

I remember when wireless headphones were running on FM technology and damn, did it suck. Then you had battery life that would be a couple of hours at best, and even then, it was throw-away not rechargeable batteries you were using. Oh, how the world has changed, as the Creative Outlier Gold promise massive battery life, recharging on the go, flawless wireless technology and even manage to pack in Super X-Fi technology. I'll admit, they're not the first in the world to give us True Wireless in-ear headphones, but with Super X-Fi, they're the ones I'm most excited about. I use Super X-Fi every day with my Theater headphones, my SXFI Amp and more. Creative Outlier Gold The hardware is decent, although we wouldn't expect anything less. 5.6mm graphene drivers, dual built-in microphones allow either earbud to be the main driver and used for calls. Aluminium construction ensures they can be both durable and lightweight, and of course, there are zero cables here. Everything can be recharged using the included carry case charger, which uses USB type-C. Bluetooth 5.0, AAC, APTX, it's ticking all the right boxes. Features Product Trailer What Creative Had to Say "With a battery life that surpasses even the Outlier Air, Creative Outlier Gold boasts an incredible 39 hours at 14 hours playtime per charge. It is also fitted with graphene driver diaphragm and Bluetooth® 5.0 with aptX and AAC audio for detailed, well-balanced audio reproduction. Experience a whole new level of immersion with spatialized Super X-Fi audio, activated by Software Super X-Fi®."- Creative Packaging & Specifications The box is nice and compact with a great photo of the product right on the front. There's also that Super X-FI or SXFI badge, which is their flagship holography processing. Around the back, you'll find details of all the main features, specifications, requirements, and all the hardware that's included in the box. It's simple, to the point, and all you need to know. Open up the box, and you'll find everything comes beautifully packaged with an extra layer of plastic ensuring it's all clean and tidy. And here's a quick list of everything that comes included in the box: Outlier Gold True Wireless EarbudsUSB Type-C Charging CaseUSB Type C-to-A Charging Cable2 Pairs of (S) Ear Tips2 Pairs of (M) Ear TipsQuick Start Guide & Leaflets A Closer Look The Creative Outlier Gold are built for performance, but that doesn't mean they can't look fantastic too. Keep in mind, they're bigger than most in-ear designs, as they have to house their own batteries, wireless technology, microphones, drivers, etc. However, despite that, I think the size is pretty impressive, and they're certainly lighter than they look too. Being crafted from brushed aluminium certainly helps with that. There's a small logo on the side of each, but they're pretty clean looking overall. I think the warm rose gold looks great too and contrasts well with the black on the back. Even if it does look like a liquorice allsort! The earbuds are angled down, allowing them to anchor in your ear more. Of course, that's needed, since there's no headband, and while there's no cable on them to pull them loose, they do still have other forces acting on them. Built-in Microphone Each of them features a small pinhole microphone. That's pretty cool, as some headphones like this only have one, forcing either the left or right to be the one required to make calls. With this setup, you can use either as the main earbud, handy for those moments you only want to wear one. Tucked away on the bottom edge, you'll find a few connectors so you can dock them in the charger. No mucking about with cables for each earbud. Charge on the Go When it comes to charging, you have this lovely carry case. It's finished in the same aluminium design as the earbuds too and looks fantastic. Down one side, you can see the SXFI branding. On the other, four small LED lights show if the left earbud is docked, charge low, power in, and right bud docked. Below that, a USB Type-C port to change the whole thing. There are 80 mAh batteries in the earbuds, offerings around 14 hours of usage. However, there's a 450 mAh battery in the dock that can recharge them on the go. Simply slide it open like this. In the bottom, you can see two custom connectors, allowing you to simply drop the earbuds in and they'll automatically start charging. Setup & Performance I've been a huge fan of Creative SXFI technology since the moment I first tried it, so to have it included in true wireless earbuds is just the best thing ever in my opinion. I don't game on PC without my Creative Super X-Fi amp for my headphones, so getting that same experience on the go gives me the best of both worlds. The drivers are really punchy on these too, and certainly offer huge depth for 5.6mm drivers. There's a warmness to it, and loads of detail comes from the mid-ranges. The bass is impactful, it has substance to it and a really tight response. Treble sings loud and clear no matter how much bass is ripping through them. Honestly, they have no business sounding this clear at under £100, but they do, so that's a huge win. SXFI Of course, with SXFI you get more than just that in your ear sound stage, so be sure to download the app and run the calibration experience. It scans the shape of your skull and your ears to tune the audio to how YOUR ears pick up audio. It's pretty remarkable stuff. I digress though, as throwing on some prog-heavy Van Der Graff Generator was a truly stunning listening experience... if you can stomach my taste in music. The midranges really dance on that song though. For the bass and treble abuse, Strapping Young Lad - Skeksis, and that relentless bass pedal sounded crisp the whole time, not an easy song for tiny drivers to handle either. Comfortable Overall, they're pretty light, they're very comfortable, and their IP rated to be a bit of water and sweatproof. So basically, you can wear them in a light bit of rain or at the Gym without any concern. They both have their own microphones too, allowing either to be the main driver. This means you can use either to make calls, use Google Assistant, that kind of thing. The microphone audio is great too, albeit no better or worse than other competing brands; no complaints here. While they will last up to 14 hours on a single charge, when things do get low, you have this handy charger/dock. Simply drop them in and they'll fully charge in 2-3 hours, most likely less than that if you don't run them flat. What's really cool is that you can charge one at a time too. Not ideal for music fans, but if you're just using it for calls on the go, one is just fine. How Much Does it Cost? The Creative Outlier Gold True Wireless Sweatproof Earphones with Super X-Fi are available now on Amazon UK for just £94.99 and just $99 in the US. That's obviously not cheap for a set of headphones. However, given the range of features included, I think they're incredible value for money. You get SXFI built-in and that's typically on their more expensive over-ear headsets or in their £120 USB Type-C amplifier (review). Albeit, these don't need the same amplification given that they're wireless, it has to be built-in. Overview I think the Outlier Gold was the thing I didn't realise I was missing. Most of the time, I use my Creative Theater headphones on the PC for gaming and watching movies. However, I use my SXFI Amp on anything I want with wired headphones, such as my mobile, tablet, or when I'm travelling. The Creative Air filled that gap for wireless, but their over-ear design makes them pretty bulky and unsuitable for going for a run or to the gym. Go-Anywhere While these aren't sports headphones, they do fit my light fitness routine. I walk a lot, a few miles per day easily. Plus I occasionally go for a jog, and for that, the Outlier Gold are perfect. They stay in my ears, they can withstand a bit of sweat without breaking, and their charge time means with my typical usage of them per day, I can start on Monday and charge them on a Sunday. Build Quality There's a nice mixture of materials here, and I think they look and feel pretty great. They've used a little more plastic here, most likely to keep the weight down, and it'll help with the IP rating too. I think they look the business though, and I can't say I've had quality issues. The portable charging bank is really nicely made too. Everything fits and snaps into place with a really positive feel, which is great. Should I Buy Them? Honestly, I think they're about as good as you can get with wireless earbuds right now. You can keep your (admittedly very good) Air Pods thank you very much. These have great battery life, they look fantastic, the price is good, and most importantly of all, they sound fantastic. Then, when you use SXFI they sound even better! Highly recommended.