Nothing Ear (a)

Standout design that looks great in yellow ; Good sound quality ; ANC gets the job done

Not the comfiest buds ; Fit takes some getting used to

A feature-rich set of wireless headphones that comfortably outperform an already tempting price point. The Nothing Ear (a) sound good whatever you’re listening to, have a mostly successful ANC system and come packed with extra features.

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.

Light, easy to wear ; OK sound for $100 ; Multipoint - dual device connection

Nothing Ear sounds much better at $50 more ; Basic EQ ; No wireless charging ; ANC can sometimes mess up