Creative Outlier Go review: Secure open-ears that are great for fitness

While I will never be mistaken for a gym bro, I do try to keep reasonably fit to avoid the indignity of being called a chubby hubby. Working out to my favourite tunes is a big part of my fitness experience.

Trouble is, true wireless earbuds and workouts haven’t been a match made in heaven for me. I sweat a lot, which means those earbuds need adjusting every 10 to 15 minutes so they don’t fall out. It’s a necessary evil that protects my gear but interrupts my flow.

Enter the Creative Outlier Go, a pair of open-ear earbuds that hook over the ears instead of in them. Creative pitches these as fitness earbuds, so I wanted to answer two key questions. Do they stay in place? How comfortable are they?

SPECIFICATIONS

Creative Outlier Go (S$74; Usual Price S$89; 17% off)

• Battery life: Up to 6 hours per charge, Up to 26 hours of total playtime
• Water Resistance: IPX4
• Bluetooth version: 5.4, supports multipoint connection
• Codecs: AAC, SBC, Supports Low latency mode for movies and games
• Colour: Dark Blue

DO THEY STAY IN PLACE?

I put the Outlier Go earbuds through their paces with my go-to YouTube workout. It’s a 30-minute sequence that includes lots of vertical and lateral movements including burpees, cross punches and push ups. I adjusted them before my workout and didn’t need to touch them again.

They shifted slightly when I bent sideways – during side planks, for instance. But once I was upright, they popped right back into their original position and didn’t need adjustment.

ARE THEY COMFORTABLE?

Yes. I wear spectacles and was concerned the silicone ear hooks would be uncomfortable. After one month of daily use, I found them to be comfortable. I’ve kept them on for four to five hours at a stretch daily and barely noticed they were there.

HOW DO YOU ADJUST THE FIT?

Each bud rotates along their vertical and horizontal axis offering plenty of scope for adjustment. The ear hooks are made of a flexible silicone that fit my large ears securely.

When I first tried the earbuds, I needed about 15 minutes to find a position that offered the best sound and most secure fit. Once that was sorted, replicating that sweet spot was easy.  ASMR fans take note: The earbuds make a satisfying clicking sound when rotated vertically.

HOW DO THEY SOUND?

I was initially sceptical as to how these would sound given their open-ear design. How detailed and loud could they be given that they rest above one’s ears? As it turns out, I was very pleasantly surprised. 

The Outlier Go earbuds are loud and offer detailed, balanced sound. Rock and acoustic tracks like The Black Keys’ On the Game, Foo Fighters’ Another Round and Jack White’s Old Scratch Blues offered an expansive soundstage that balanced vocals and instruments. Bass is punchy and controlled but fans who like plenty of low-end bass will be left wanting more.

The sound profile can be tweaked in the Creative app with its custom EQ settings. The app also activates low-latency mode and can be used to customise touch controls. 

I've also used them on calls and online meetings. I had no issues hearing what other participants were saying and vice versa.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE OPEN

Open-ear designs offer good situational awareness. Since they rest on your ears, they allow ambient noise through. Transparency mode? Don’t need it.

However, hearing audio clearly in noisy environments like shopping malls and food courts during lunch is a challenge. Loud ambient noise competes against what you’re listening to, making it hard to appreciate your music.

IS LATENCY A CONCERN?

Bluetooth connections are sometimes prone to latency. It’s a slight but noticeable lag between the on-screen action and sound. It’s a non-issue if you’re listening to music or podcasts but matters with video content. You could see the character’s lips move but only hear what they’re saying a fraction of a second later.

Latency was not an issue on Android devices. However, it was noticeable on the Windows and Apple devices I tested it with, even in low-latency mode.

HOW IT STACKS UP

The Creative Outlier Go fulfils two key criteria for fitness earbuds. It stays securely in place during intense workouts and is comfortable to use for extended periods, even if you wear spectacles. Balanced, punchy sound and an expansive soundstage are icing on the cake. Latency on some platforms is a concern, though this can hopefully be addressed in a future firmware update.

Get it if: You want to exercise to your favourite music without worrying about your earbuds flying off.

Pros: Secure, comfortable fit; Balanced, punchy sound; Listeners remain aware of their surroundings

Cons: Latency on some platforms; Can be difficult to hear in loud, noisy environments

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Prices are accurate as of the time of publication.