The Nothing Ear and Ear a both were launched on April 8, 2024 and people who own Nothing Ear 2 will not upgrade to these buds as there are only a few upgrades from the predecessor. There is only $50 difference between them. The Ear costs $150, whereas the Ear (a) costs $100.
Both earbuds are affordable and offer premium sound quality with great features. In this post, we’ll compare both earbuds and at the end, you’ll know which wireless nothing earbud is best for you. So, without wasting time, let’s review our first wireless earbud. If you’re confused between earbuds and headphones, check out this article and you’ll know which headset is best according to your use case.
Nothing Ear Review:
The Nothing earbuds design is quite similar to Nothing ear 2. These Nothing wireless earbuds offer better sound quality, noise cancellation, features, and battery life than Nothing Ear 2. Each Nothing earbud weighs 4.62g, and Ear (a) weighs 4.8g. So, if you’re looking for lightweight earbuds, consider Ear over Ear (a).
These earbuds are lightweight and comfortable for long periods of time, so you can use them for studying, podcasts, movies, and music. However, its case is heavier than Ear (a). It has a longer battery life than its predecessor. Nothing becomes the first audio brand to integrate ChatGPT in their earbuds. You might be thinking about how to use AI in earbuds? Firstly, both the newly launched earbuds have this AI feature.
You must have a Nothing Phone 2 to use this feature. To use the Chatbot feature, set a pinch shortcut to voice conversation with ChatGPT, and afterward, you can pinch the earbud to start talking with ChatGPT and tap once to stop the conversation. For now, the ChatGPT feature only works with Nothing Phone 2. In the future, this feature will extend to Nothing Phone 1 and Nothing Phone 2a.
Both wireless earbuds offer wider customizations in the companion app, such as ear tips fit test, low lag mode, Find my earbuds, customizable controls, bass enhancement, and advanced sound profile customizations. They design is quite similar like JBL earbuds and features are like Sony earbuds.
Audio Quality:
These wireless earbuds uses 11mm dynamic drivers, which produce a well-balanced sound profile with crystal-clear vocals and instruments. However, if you feel low bass and don’t like the sound profile, you can enhance the bass in earbuds and customize the sound profile according to your liking from the companion app. Wireless gaming headphones also offer this audio adjustment feature.
The Nothing Ear has Bluetooth 5.3 and supports codecs like AAC, SBC, LDAC, and LHDC 5.0. If you own an Apple device, these high-quality codecs won’t work because Apple devices do not support them. However, many Android devices do support LDAC codecs. It supports Multipoint connectivity, so you can connect two devices simultaneously. The Nothing ear has 3 premium quality microphones for clear phone calls and the best noise canceling.
Active Noise Cancellation:
All three internal mics work great while blocking ambient sounds. Nothing says that it has 1.8x stronger ANC than Ear 2. The Noise cancellation has three levels and an adaptive mode for automatic noise control. You can turn off NC from the companion app. However, it doesn’t have audio leakage. Still, if any audio leakage is detected, the noise cancellation automatically changes its level to provide an immersive listening experience.
Battery life and Connectivity:
The Nothing Ear offers 5.2 hours with ANC and 8.5 hours without ANC. Its charging case holds up to 24 hours with ANC and 40 hours without ANC. Its 10 minutes of rapid charging is enough for 10 hours of non-stop playtime. It supports wireless charging up to 2.5 W. The touch controls are excellent.
- Single Pinch: Play/Pause and Chatbot activate
- Double Pinch: Decline Calls and Skip Forward
- Triple Pinch: Voice Assistant
- Pinch and Hold: Noise Control
- Double Pinch and Hold: Volume UP
Comfort & Fit:
This wireless earbud is lightweight and comfortable for long periods of time. This earbud is available in Black and White color options. You’ll get 3x pairs of ear tips for a more secure and comfortable fit. These buds are IP54 water and dust-resistant so you can use them for sports and fitness. However, they may pop out from the ear during intense movements. They are decent and stable for regular workouts.
Specifications:
- Type: In-ear
- Mics: 3
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- IP Rating: IP54
- Driver size: 11mm
- Design: Closed-back
- Battery life: 40 hours
Pros:
- Bass Enhancement
- Wireless Charging
- Tiny and Lightweight
- Eye-catching design
- Well-balanced audio
- Personal sound profile
- Comfortable and Secure fit
- Great touch controls
- Best Noise cancellation
- Transparency Mode
- Advanced EQ and Profile sharing
- ChatGPT integration with voice control
Cons:
- Decent IP rating
- Mics could be better
II Nothing Ear a VS Nothing Ear II
Nothing Ear a Review:
The Nothing Ear (a) has a few similar features like Ear. If both the Ear and Ear (a) buds are placed in front of you, you won’t be able to recognize which one is expensive. Because both the earbuds look same-same but different. The yellow color of Ear (a) and a few physical changes like ear tip shape, weight, and earbud stem make them unique in appearance.
These wireless earbuds are smaller and lightweight, so you can use them for long hours. These earbuds may be made for you if you want smaller NC earbuds under $100. If you wanna buy these earbuds in yellow color, you have to buy them offline at a store or from their official Nothing website. If you’re tight on budget and looking for affordable earbuds with decent features, consider Mpow earbuds for everyday use.
Because on Amazon, they are only available in Black and White color options. In the end, this Ear (a) is better than other $100 earbuds available on the market, so you can buy this wireless earbud undoubtedly. It will be the cherry on top if you have Nothing Phone because it allows features like ChatGPT integration and automatic gaming mode in earbuds when connected to the device.
Audio Quality:
The Ear (a) uses 11mm drivers which produces a well-balanced sound profile with rich bass, thanks to the bass enhancement feature. Its audio quality is better than Ear 2. You can customize its sound profile according to your taste. The Nothing app offers plenty of customization in the app. It uses Bluetooth 5.3 and supports codecs like AAC, SBC and LDAC.
Active Noise Cancellation:
They have three high-definition mics for crystal clear calls and noise canceling. The Noise cancellation has 3 levels with adaptive mode for automatic noise control. The Transparency mode works well. Its Passive isolation does decent work while blocking ambient sounds. You can use different ear tips, whichever fits you well for better passive isolation.
Battery life and Connectivity:
The Ear (a) offers 5.5 hours of battery life with ANC and 9.5 hours without ANC. Its charging case holds 24 hours of juice with ANC and around 42 hours without ANC. It supports rapid charging, so 10 minutes of fast charging is enough for 10 hours of playtime. It supports Multipoint Connectivity, so you can connect two devices simultaneously. The touch controls are great and work the same as Nothing Ear.
Comfort & Fit:
These Nothing earbuds are very comfortable for small ears. The 3x extra ear tips provide a comfortable and secure fit according to your ear size. However, they don’t come with ear fins that could help you in running and intense workouts. The earbuds are IP54 water and dust resistance, and the charging case is IPX2 rated. You can also consider wireless headphones for working out as they provide deep bass and best audio quality.
Specifications:
- Type: In-ear
- Mics: 3
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- IP Rating: IP54
- Driver size: 11mm
- Design: Closed-back
- Battery life: 42 hours
Pros:
- Affordable
- low lag mode
- Pinch Controls
- Longer battery life
- Best Noise cancellation
- Smaller and Lightweight
- Comfortable and Secure fit
- High-quality codecs support
- Well-balanced sound profile
- Transparency and Adaptive mode
- ChatGPT integration with voice control
Cons:
- Decent IP rating
- ANC could be better
- No wireless charging
Conclusion:
Both the Nothing earbuds are best so you can purchase any of them. However, Ear (a) is best because it is affordable with longer battery life, and is lightweight than Ear. The Ear (a) has In-ear detection that Ear lacks. On the other hand, the Nothing ear has a ceramic driver with LHDC 5.0, advanced EQ, Personal sound profile, and Wireless charging. Few months ago, we compared JBL Tune Flex with JBL Live 300 TWS, check out this article to know which earbud is best.
| Nothing Ear | Nothing Ear a | |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Sound Profile | Yes | No |
| EQ Profile Sharing | Yes | No |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | No |
| In-ear Detection | Yes | No |
| Multipoint Connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $150 | $100 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Does Nothing Ear support wireless charging?
Yes, they support wireless charging up to 2.5 W. However, the Ear (a) does not support wireless charging.
Does Nothing Earbuds work with an iPhone?
Nothing earbuds are compatible with iOS and offer fast pairing with Android and iOS. However, a few high-quality codecs won’t work with iOS devices.
How to Reset Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear a?
The process of resetting both earbuds is the same. To reset the Nothing earbuds, place both the earbuds in the case and don’t close the lid. Afterward, press and hold the function button for 10 seconds until the red light flashes three times. It’s that simple to reset Nothing earbuds.
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