Nothing Ear (a)

Fun, zealous, expansive sound ; Vastly improved active noise cancellation ; Smaller, more pocketable case

No wireless charging support ; No flagship sound profile curation

Nothing's top-tier sound profiles are absent in the Ear (a), as is wireless charging and the ceramic driver you get in the company's more expensive Ear proposition (yes, the names are confusing). But that's where virtually all of our criticism ends...

Gorgeous yellow hue ; Comfortable buds ; Good sound

ANC is poor ; Colour won't be to everyone's taste ; Pricey for what is on offer

If you're the kind of person who favours form over function, this is the pair of earbuds for you. As the first Nothing product to come in colour, this is a statement which offers fair performance and a stunning design.

Affordable. Good sound and call quality. Great controls. Good design. Quick pairing with Android phones. Easy-to-use app with EQ customization. Good battery life in both pairs (especially with active noise canceling off).

Ear may be a bit large for some folks with smaller, er, ears. The Ear and Ear (a) look and sound similar, so the pricier model doesn't seem as worthwhile.

ANC is comprable to pro buds ; ChatGPT pinch to speak integration for Nothing phones ; Yellow color and transparent case make for a fun aesthetic ; Budget friendly at only $99

Sound is warmer than flagship buds ; No wireless charging

The Nothing Ear (a) is a budget friendly pair of earbuds that pack premium features like ANC at a budget-friendly price and memorable pop of color.

Very capable ANC and engaging audio ; New twist on Nothing’s distinctive design ; Consistently decent battery life

Missing advanced EQ settings ; No wireless charging

Takes the best bits of Nothing’s already affordable wireless earbuds and slashes the price even further. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, Ear (a) is an absolute steal.

Powerful audio ; Standout design ; Decent ANC for the price

Controls can be fiddly ; Arbitrary app limitations

Lightweight and comfortable ; Excellent sound quality ; Impressive battery life ; Great control scheme

No wireless charging ; Limited EQ customization

Very capable ANC and engaging audio ; New twist on Nothing’s distinctive design ; Consistently decent battery life

Missing advanced EQ settings ; No wireless charging

Takes the best bits of Nothing’s already affordable wireless earbuds and slashes the price even further. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, Ear (a) is an absolute steal.

High quality sound thanks to LDAC and Hi-Res certification ; Powerful, adaptive ANC ; Dual pairing and low-latency mode ; Quick charging and wireless charging

Charging case is a little fiddly ; Average battery life ; Tend to be bass-heavy ; Yellow color variant is limited for now

Technically, the Nothing Ear (a) does not differ too much from the Nothing Ear (1), which the manufacturer introduced around two and a half years ago. The inclusion of LDAC and the resulting Hi-Res certification are welcome. In addition, Nothing...