Nobody launches earbuds quite like Nothing, not even Apple. Nothing has been dropping hints about new products over the past few weeks, which led to the recent announcement of the Nothing Ear and the Nothing Ear (a).
This release is significant for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the naming convention has changed – the Ear (1), (2) is no more, now we only have the Ear. Secondly, this marks the first time Nothing has introduced a more affordable model in their lineup. While the Ear is priced at €149/$149/£129 and the Ear (a) at €99/$99/£99, don’t assume you’re getting an inferior product – they both feature the same 11mm drivers, 45dB of noise cancellation, and the less expensive model even boasts a longer battery life.
Both versions support Hi-Res Audio, AAC/SBC, and LDAC. They also offer Bluetooth 5.3, dual connectivity, 45dB ANC, an IP54 rating, and similar design aesthetics.
The Ear features ceramic drivers, while the Ear (a) utilizes a mix of PMI and TPU. The Ear provides 8.5 hours of playback without ANC, while the Ear (a) extends that to 9.5 hours.
The Ear (a) case contains a slightly larger battery, providing a total of 42.5 hours with the buds, compared to the Ear Case which offers 40.5 hours. The more expensive buds’ case also supports wireless charging.
Unboxing the Nothing Ear and Ear (a)
It’s a good thing the Ear comes in black, as it could easily be mistaken for last year’s Ear (2). They look almost identical, right down to the case – and yes, you can interchange the buds in each other’s cases, they still charge.
However, the older model has a lower 40dB noise reduction rating and only 6 hours of battery life through the buds themselves.
We will eventually review the Ear and Ear (a), but we have a long list of products at the office, so please bear with us!