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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Based on your needs, consider the following: If you prioritize battery life, the Creative Labs Outlier Pro offers longer use on a single charge. For frequent calls and virtual meetings, they also have a higher mic quality rating. On the other hand, the JBL Live Free NC+ may have a slight edge in overall sound quality, which might be better for music listening. Both earbuds support sweat-proof features and active noise cancelling, making them suitable for exercise and travel. Neither is particularly optimized for low latency, so if you require earbuds for gaming or video, you might experience some lag with both options. 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
Advantages of the JBL Live Free NC+
- The JBL Live Free NC+ has no clear advantages over the Creative Labs Outlier Pro.
Key differences
Phone Calls
8.3
7.6
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is good.
Noise Reduction
8.3
7.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is good.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$60
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has a price of $50 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
5.9
5.8
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro and JBL Live Free NC+ are both poor for music.
Gaming
5.3
5.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro and JBL Live Free NC+ are both poor for gaming.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
8.4
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro and JBL Live Free NC+ are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.5
5.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ and Creative Labs Outlier Pro are both poor for TV and video.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Pro and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Pro | JBL Live Free NC+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 7.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 45 | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.2 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
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."
JBL Live Free NC+
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Dig into reviews and images
HeadphoneCheck
Maike Paeßens | 2020
"JBL has added great-sounding, rock-solid all-rounders with a pleasant, warm sound character to their range. They are equipped with a high level of functionality that can be customised via the app. Some compromises have to be made with the active noise cancellation, which has a discreet effect, while the ambient mode and the Talkthru function proved to be powerful despite a perceptible background noise."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Pro or the JBL Live Free NC+
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 JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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