When reviewing a Nothing product, the impulse is to compare it to the hardware heavy-hitters of Apple and Samsung.
And though the trendy London tech brand — which released the Nothing Phone (3) earlier this year — has offered spirited competition in the past, it has yet to replace Apple’s ever-reliable Airpods or Samsung’s economical Galaxy Buds.
Having been released on the market on September 18, the Ear (3) is Nothing’s stiffest challenge yet.
Nothing Ear 3 key specs
Coming in a characteristically kooky design — a striking mixture of washed aluminium and see-through plastic — its latest product dispels any concerns with prior products about audio fidelity.
The most impressive thing about the Ear (3)’s sound is in the low-end, where there’s real definition even when listening to the bassiest music, Egoless in my case, at a high volume. The highs are expectedly crisp, too.
For anyone who has struggled through an important phone call on busy public transport, the new “super mic” feature is a welcome addition, allowing you to activate a more powerful microphone embedded into the earbuds’ case, which can focus on your voice in loud environments up to 95dB. This can also double as a transcription device and an AI assistant tool, being linked to Google’s Gemini LLM.
The noise-cancelling (ANC) feature is easy to activate and incredibly effective, all but blocking out the noise and distractions of urban life. Though the activation button on the buds themselves is incredibly sensitive, meaning I more than once engaged ANC and skipped a track accidentally.
Cost - is it worth the price?
Ultimately, the competitiveness of Nothing’s products boils down to price. And with the Ear (3) costing £179 — compared with £219 for the new Airpods — they should be in the conversation for the best earbuds on the market.
