Is the Nothing Ear 3 worth the upgrade from the Sony WF-1000XM6?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Nothing Ear 3 actually scores 10.0 points below the Sony WF-1000XM6, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in value (7.0 to 8.0). You do give up ground on noise cancelling (9.0 to 7.5) and sound (9.0 to 8.0). On paper: bluetooth 5.3 to 5.4, battery incl. case 24 h to 38 h and full charge time 90 min to 70 min. Worth checking: battery life goes 12 h to 10 h and codecs goes SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 to SBC, AAC, LDAC. It is at least $137 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound9.08.0
- Noise cancelling9.07.5
- Battery8.08.0
- Calls8.07.0
- Value7.08.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | WF-1000XM6 | Ear 3 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 12 h | 10 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 | |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IP54 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 8 h | 5.5 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 24 h | 38 h | |
| Full charge time | 90 min | 70 min | |
| Driver size | 8.4 mm | 12 mm | |
| Microphones | 8 | 6 | |
| Case weight | 47 g | 71.4 g | |
| ANC type | adaptive | hybrid | |
| Quick charge | 3 min = 1 h | 5 min = 10 h |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "WF-1000XM6 to Ear 3". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.