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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for a more affordable option with good call and meeting performance and wireless convenience, the Creative Labs Outlier Pro are a suitable choice. They offer active noise cancelling and are sweatproof, better suited for exercise and travel. On the other hand, the Etymotic ER4XR, while more expensive, provide superior noise isolation and sound quality for music enthusiasts. They excel in a wired setup, which can be preferable for high-fidelity audio. However, they lack built-in controls, wireless capabilities, and some may find them less comfortable than the Outlier Pro. Choose based on your priority for sound fidelity and the importance of wireless features versus budget considerations. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Creative Labs Outlier Pro
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Etymotic ER4XR
- Very good for music
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.9
8.0
The Etymotic ER4XR is very good for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Gaming
5.3
6.2
The Etymotic ER4XR is only fair for gaming, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Phone Calls
8.3
4.7
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for phone calls, while the Etymotic ER4XR is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
7.3
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Etymotic ER4XR is good.
TV and Video
5.5
7.4
The Etymotic ER4XR is good for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
9.1
The Etymotic ER4XR is excellent for noise reduction, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Etymotic ER4XR does not have a battery.
Cost
$50
$234
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has a price of $50 and the Etymotic ER4XR costs $234.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro and Etymotic ER4XR both have excellent build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Pro and the Etymotic ER4XR compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Pro | Etymotic ER4XR |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $234 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Etymotic | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | June 1, 2016 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.3/10 | 4.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 4.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 45 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.2 Grams | 4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Outlier Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
Forbes
Brad Moon | September 2022
"If you listen to music for extended periods such as commuting and work, and you hate having to pause to charge, give the Creative Outlier Pro wireless earbuds a try. You should be able to enjoy your tunes all day, or longer, without interruption."
Etymotic ER4XR
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | May 2015
"The Etymotic ER4XRs' top qualities are the detail and definition of the midrange, rewarding the closest listening. While the soundstage is large rather than gigantic, the excellent separation and spatial precision mean you can dive deep into music just as much as when wearing a pair of full-size open-backed headphones."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Pro or the Etymotic ER4XR
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
About Etymotic
Etymotic Research is an American based research, development and manufacturing company founded in 1983. They invented the first insert earphones that were used for the diagnosis and research of hearing loss and other auditory disorders. They went on to pioneer the market of high fidelity, isolating, in-ear earphones.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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