ZDNET’s key findings
- For $99, the new one Nothing Ear Headphones (a) They offer clear sound and a well thought-out design.
- Their affordability, convenience, and long battery life make them a great choice for budget-conscious buyers.
- Unfortunately, its mediocre noise-cancelling technology doesn’t protect you from external noise.
Most of the audio technology currently available on the market tends to be overly cautious from an aesthetic standpoint. I have tried many headphones. This year, one thing I’ve noticed is that many manufacturers are sacrificing style for function, opting for blacks, grays, and enough matte finishes to fit in a therapist’s office, much to my chagrin. In the words of the great Andre Leon Talley, “there’s a famine of beauty” here.
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so when Nothing sent me their new headphones, I was excited to finally see a cool, fresh and exciting design, and they are worth mentioning. I have been trying out the new ones Nothing Ear Headphones (a) Since launch, I’ve worn them for ten-mile runs, desk work, and subway rides. One question that informed my initial testing was: Despite their sleek design, how does the audio technology compare to similarly priced competitors?
The Nothing Ear (a) step up the specs from the brand’s 2021 Ear (1) headphones. The new earbuds offer many improvements, including enhanced active noise cancellation, transparency mode, longer battery life, multipoint Bluetooth, minimized latency for gaming, and pinch controls.
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Nothing plays with solid colors and transparent details and puts both at the forefront of its product design. You can’t help but obsess over the brand’s unique visual appeal – a minimalist design that reveals the inner workings of the technology in contrast with bold colors. The transparent design of both the earphone case and the earphones themselves gives users a look inside the inner components of the technology and an appreciation of what is often left hidden.
The headphones come with three sizes of eartips in the box and are available in three colors: black, white, and yellow. I tested these headphones in yellow, which is the first non-neutral color in Nothing’s headphone line. The color feels bold and bright and is as much a fashion accessory as it is a tech accessory.
Other competing headphones can’t say the same: I’ve looked My list of the best headphones to see if there was any color diversity and found that all of the top headphones I’ve included are either black, off white, or white, from Sony WF-1000XM5 and JBL Tour Pro 2to Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Apple AirPods ProThese earbuds, on the other hand, are like the AirPods Pro’s more fun little sister who went to art school, buys gifts for her friends through the MOMA store, and can tell you the difference between white wine and orange wine.
The case is lightweight and compact, so it won’t feel bothersome or heavy in your pocket. The earbuds are comfortable and easy to use, with an additional touch tip that keeps the earbuds attached to your ear canal while you’re moving around. Nothing also equipped these earbuds with multipoint Bluetooth and in-ear detection when you’re wearing them, two nice touches that budget earbuds sometimes lack.
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I ran for five hours, worked and traveled with these earbuds for a week straight and they still have 80% battery life. Needless to say, these earbuds won’t drain easily.
One of my favorite design choices with Ear(a) is that controls are determined by pinches rather than taps and swipes, similar to AirPods Pro 2Most of the earbuds I’ve tried in the same form factor have touch controls on the top of the stem where the earbud attaches to the stem. I always run with the earbuds on, and when my ears get too sweaty and the earbuds start to slip out, I’ll accidentally touch and activate the touch controls when trying to put the earbud back in my ears.
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For me, nothing eliminated this issue, as the touch controls are on the underside of the stem, away from accidental touches. Even though it takes a pinch to activate the controls, they are reliable and responsive. The pinch controls allow you to play and pause music, skip tracks, and toggle between ANC mode and transparency mode.
Speaking of ANC, this feature is where the Ear(a)buds start to show their affordability. I turned on ANC while working in the office and could still hear my colleagues’ computer notifications and conversations around me. For $109, I wasn’t expecting mind-blowing ANC, and that’s certainly not what I got. The earbuds will drown out some noise, but you’ll have to pay a higher price for premium ANC.
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However, as far as actual audio quality goes, these headphones produce a balanced, clear and bright sound. While listening to Moses Sumney and Shabaka InsecuritiesThe harp and flute whistles in the upper mids sparkled in my ears without being too shrill. Bass-heavy songs can be given an extra boost by tweaking the Bass Enhance algorithm in the Nothing app. While listening to Kaytranada’s show What do you needI switched between the five levels of bass enhancement to boost the lower frequencies. This feature created a noticeably different sound with deeper, richer bass.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The Nothing Ear (a) are ideal for those who want a relatively affordable pair of headphones with well-thought-out features and a unique design.
If you want more effective noise-cancelling earbuds for a similar price, consider the JLab JBuds ANC 3 for their powerful noise cancellation and snug fit. If you like Nothing’s charming and unique design choices but want better sound, more effective noise cancellation, and more premium features, try the JLab JBuds ANC 3 for their powerful noise cancellation and snug fit. Nothing heard.