True Wireless
Nothing Ear
72Good
$110
Full review dataNothing Ear vs Nothing Ear 3: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Nothing Ear 3 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 78. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Nothing Ear 3 - Great overall at around $161.
True Wireless
Nothing Ear 3
78Great
$160
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Nothing Ear
Sound7.5
Noise cancelling7.0
Battery7.5
Calls7.0
Value7.5
Nothing Ear 3
Sound8.0
Noise cancelling7.5
Battery8.0
Calls7.0
Value8.0
Specifications
| Spec | Nothing Ear | Nothing Ear 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | True Wireless | True Wireless |
| Price (USD) | $110 | $160 |
| HearWiki score | 72 / 100 · Good | 78 / 100 · Great |
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver size | 11 mm | 12 mm |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 1 |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | 20 Hz - 40 kHz |
| Impedance | 32 Ω | 32 Ω |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LHDC 5.0 | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless range | - | 10 m |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | 8.5 h | 10 h |
| Battery life (ANC on) | - | 5.5 h |
| Battery incl. case | 40.5 h | 38 h |
| Full charge time | - | 70 min |
| Quick charge | 10 minutes for 10 hours | 5 min = 10 h |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| ANC type | hybrid | hybrid |
| Transparency mode | Yes | Yes |
| Companion app | Yes | Yes |
| Custom EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Wear detection | Yes | Yes |
| Controls | buttons | touch |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 4.6 g | 10.4 g |
| Case weight | 51.9 g | 71.4 g |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP54 |
| USB-C | Yes | Yes |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | 6 | 6 |
What reviewers said
Nothing Ear
The Nothing Ear is a versatile true wireless earbud that balances a strong feature set with solid everyday performance. It offers adaptive noise cancellation, long battery life, and a customizable sound profile, though it doesn't lead its class in any single area. It's a practical pick for those wanting a well-rounded, feature-rich option at a moderate price.
- Pro:Effective adaptive ANC and transparency mode
- Pro:Excellent total battery life with the charging case
- Pro:Supports LDAC and multipoint connectivity
- Con:Battery life drops significantly with ANC enabled
- Con:Sound quality is good but not class-leading
- Con:Controls are limited to physical buttons
Nothing Ear 3
The Nothing Ear (3) brings a refined audio performance wrapped in the brand's signature transparent design, offering adaptive noise cancellation, multipoint connectivity, and strong battery life. While the sound quality and feature set impress, the microphone performance falls short of its marketing claims, and the tuning may lean bass-forward and bright for some listeners. Overall, it's a stylish, capable pair of true wireless earbuds, though the price-to-sound ratio might not convince everyone.
- Pro:Distinctive, eye-catching design
- Pro:Adaptive ANC and transparency mode work well
- Pro:Solid battery life with wireless charging case
- Con:Sound tuning can be bass-heavy and bright
- Con:Microphone quality doesn't match the 'Super Mic' promise
- Con:Audio may not justify the price for critical listeners
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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