Are These Under-$100 Headphones Better Than AirPods? Our Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds Review
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The Ear (a) true wireless earbuds by Nothing — a tech brand that’s also known for developing characterful Android phones — are a noteworthy arrival in the crowded, constantly growing product category of wireless headphones. Rocking a price tag that’s a dollar below $100, the new buds offer a unique combination of captivating looks, high-quality sound, and solid battery life, to name a few highlights.
We’re in the mid-2020s, and the marketplace for affordable wireless earbuds is more competitive than ever. In addition to being jampacked with excellent but pricey offerings from Apple, Bose, and Sony, among other leading makers, the product category is now brimming with top-quality options under $100, including from some of the aforementioned brands.
Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds
nothing.tech
$99.00
Given the Nothing Ear (a) buds’ attention-commanding design and robust specs, I was curious how they stack up against the similarly priced competition. After spending a week with the Nothing wireless earbuds as my primary set, here’s a breakdown of their design, ergonomics, and performance. Read on below for my full Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds Review.
Audio Performance
Sound
Sound-wise, the Nothing Ear (a) is a contender for the best in its price range. The earbuds’ 11-millimeter audio drivers produced a crisp and powerful sound out of the box. My go-to Tidal and Apple Music playlists for testing audio gear were faithfully presented with rich bass, harmonious mid-range, and vibrant treble. Thanks to support for the audiophile-grade LDAC codec, the Nothing Ear (a) can deliver lossless audio when linked to an Android phone.
The sonic experience the Nothing Ear (a) offered exceeded the expectations set by the earbuds’ two-digit price tag before factoring in the rich set of customization options brought by their companion app. The latter has a beautiful interface that’s more enjoyable and intuitive than its competitors.
I liked being able to tweak the sound via quick-access presets or create my own using an equalizer with a circular interface and haptic feedback. The standalone tool for adjusting the bass output was another pleasant surprise I didn’t expect to encounter in this price category.
A buzz-worthy feature in the consumer tech realm, spatial audio is notably missing on the Nothing Ear (a), and that’s ok. The quality of multi-dimensional sound is directly linked to the pricing of a product that has the functionality. I have encountered spatial audio on cheap earbuds like the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30, but its quality hasn’t wowed me enough to make it a primary reason to recommend them.
Noise Cancellation
The noise cancellation of the Ear (a) belied my expectations. The buds did a stellar job of tuning out the street noise underneath my living room window and third-floor office, helping me focus on work.
The quiet I experienced while wearing the Nothing earbuds is excellent for an under-$100 product, if behind the complete serenity brought by the costlier AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds. Their transparency mode was also stellar and better than that of their price-category rivals.
Remarkably, the Nothing X app also has an elaborate set of noise cancellation controls. There are four modes to choose from: high-, mid, low, and adaptive.
Calls sounded crisp and clear on the Nothing Ear (a), regardless of the platform I used. The Bluetooth 5.3 earphones also linked flawlessly to an iPhone 15 and several Android phones during my testing.
Design and Comfort
When it comes to design and ergonomics, the Nothing Ear (a) is a perfect ten and a benchmark for excellence for the entire product category, not just the budget realm. Available in black, white, and yellow, the earbuds feature translucent stems that, combined with the color accents, make their rivals look generic in comparison. Wearing the yellow version at the office got me compliments from co-workers on several occasions.
The ergonomics of the Ear (a) are worthy of their design. Weighing less than five grams apiece, the earphones treated me to hours of wear without even a hint of fatigue. Their short stems perfectly balance the minuscule weight, making them much comfier than their stemless rivals.
In terms of transparent convenience, the stem pinch controls of the Ear (a) are among the best in the business and on par with the proven excellence of the AirPods Pro. Controlling the playback, the noise cancellation, the volume, and taking calls with such a setup is miles ahead of the touch-only controls that rivals offer. The learning curve is minimal. The layout is comfier than clicky buttons, too, as it eliminates the possibility of accidental inputs while adjusting the buds in your ears.
The buds’ IP54-rated durability is superior to their price category rivals, ensuring they can survive exposure to water and dust — not just the former. It makes the Ear (a) ideal for exercising.
Battery Performance
You can expect up to 5.5 hours of audio playback with noise cancellation from the Nothing Ear (a). That’s a solid feat for a set of compact noise-canceling earbuds, matching the endurance of costlier competitors. Turning noise cancellation off almost doubles the product’s battery life to 9.5 hours.
Featuring the same color accents as the earbuds, the IPX2 splash-resistant charging case holds several additional charges. Its fully transparent lid makes the bundled accessory as characterful as the earphones, though I wish it supported wireless charging.
Conclusion
The Nothing Ear (a) wireless earbuds are my new favorite stem-toting set for less than $100. Whether you or the gift recipient are an iPhone or an Android user, these buds are a great buy for their design, ergonomics, audio performance, and battery life.
Shoppers who need wireless charging should consider EarFun and Soundcore earbuds in this price category. That said, the playful design and top-tier ergonomics made me reach more frequently for the Ear (a) over its rivals.
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