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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If price is a significant factor in your decision, the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is the more economical choice. For a wireless option, both the Outlier Pro and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC offer active noise canceling. The Outlier Pro, being earbuds, will likely be more portable and better suited for exercise, as indicated by their high scores for use during exercise and air travel. However, if you prefer over-ear headphones and potentially better overall sound quality and soundstage imaging, you might lean towards the Skullcandy Hesh ANC despite its higher cost. The Hesh ANC are also foldable and come with a wired option, which may appeal to you if you desire versatility and don't always want to rely on a battery. When considering calls and meetings, the Outlier Pro has a higher score, suggesting better mic quality, which could be essential if you frequently take calls or attend virtual meetings. Both options support AAC codec but neither support a lossless codec, and while the Outlier Pro is sweatproof certified, the Hesh ANC is not, which could be another consideration if you're active. 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 podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
5.9
6.7
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair for music, while the Creative Labs Outlier Pro is poor.
Phone Calls
8.3
5.3
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for phone calls, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.9
6.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC is only fair.
Battery
10.0 Hours
23.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Skullcandy Hesh ANC has 23 hours of battery life.
Cost
$45
$135
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has a price of $45 and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC costs $135.
Build Quality
9.0
7.0
The Creative Labs Outlier Pro has excellent build quality, while the Skullcandy Hesh ANC has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.6
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC and Creative Labs Outlier Pro are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.5
5.8
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC and Creative Labs Outlier Pro are both poor for TV and video.
Noise Reduction
8.3
8.7
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC and Creative Labs Outlier Pro are both very good for noise reduction.
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How the Creative Labs Outlier Pro and the Skullcandy Hesh ANC compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Outlier Pro | Skullcandy Hesh ANC |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$45 | $135 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Skullcandy | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | December 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 23 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.5 Hours | 1.6 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 45 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.2 Grams | 226.7 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."
Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonecheck
Maike Paeßens | 2021
"Skullcandy’s Hesh ANC are compact, wireless over-ears for everyday use that are tuned for bass and designed to suppress or amplify ambient noise as required. In addition to Bluetooth 5.0, optional tracking via the Tile app is supported so that these headphones can be found if they get lost."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Outlier Pro or the Skullcandy Hesh ANC
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 Skullcandy
Skullcandy is an American, consumer-oriented, earbuds and headphones manufacturer with 20 years of market experience. They sell a wide variety of, budget-friendly and unique, wired and wireless products that are sure to please the vast majority of users. Among their most popular offerings, the Crusher headphones, includes a pair of actual subwoofers inside the cups which makes the bass extra prominent for a unique and extra fun sound.
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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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