I Replaced My Airpods With These Nothing Earbuds, And It Was A Sound Decision

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

The Nothing Ear (a) are $20 disconnected correct now, taking nan value of my favourite earbuds down to $89, compared to their original value of $109. 

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways 

• For $89, nan new Nothing Ear (a) earbuds connection clear sound and a thoughtful design. 
• Their affordability, comfort, and agelong artillery life make them a awesome action for budget-conscious shoppers. They're truthful awesome that I've taken them practically everywhere: connected flights, to activity successful nan office, and to tally my first half marathon.
• Unfortunately, its middling noise-canceling tech doesn't protect you from outer noises. 

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Most of nan audio tech connected nan marketplace correct now errs connected nan broadside of artistic caution. I've tested plentifulness of earbuds this year, and thing I've noticed is that galore manufacturers sacrifice style for functionality, opting for blacks, grays, and capable matte finishes to fresh wrong a therapist's agency -- overmuch to my chagrin. In nan words of nan late, awesome Andre Leon Talley, "it's a famine of beauty" complete here.  

Also: Why I ditched my AirPods Pro for Nothing's caller transparent earbuds (and don't regret it)

So erstwhile Nothing sent maine its earbuds, I was excited to yet spot a cool, fresh, and breathtaking design, and they're worthy of a callout. I've been testing nan caller Nothing Ear (a) earbuds since launch, taking them connected a ten-mile run, moving deskside, and commuting connected nan subway pinch them successful my ears. One mobility that informed my first testing was: Despite their stylish design, really does nan audio tech stack up to similarly-priced competitors?

The Nothing Ear (a) advances connected nan specs from nan brand's Ear (1) earbuds from 2021. The caller buds connection plentifulness of upgrades for illustration improved progressive sound cancellation, transparency mode, longer artillery life, Bluetooth multipoint, minimized latency for gaming, and pinch controls.

Also: The champion earbuds of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Nothing plays pinch coagulated colour and transparent accents and puts nan 2 astatine nan forefront of its merchandise design. You can't thief but obsess complete nan brand's unsocial ocular appeal: a stripped-down creation that reveals nan soul workings of nan exertion formed against bold colors. The clear creation of some nan earbud lawsuit and nan earbuds itself offers users an wrong look into nan tech's soul components and an appreciation for what is often obscured. 

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

The earbuds travel pinch 3 receptor extremity sizes successful nan container and are disposable successful 3 colors: black, white, and yellow. I tried these buds successful yellow, which is nan first non-neutral colour successful Nothing's earbud lineup. The colour feels daring and agleam and is conscionable arsenic overmuch a manner accessory arsenic it is simply a tech accessory. 

Other competitory earbuds can't opportunity nan same: I looked astatine my database of champion earbuds to spot if location was immoderate colour diverseness and recovered that each apical earbuds I've included are either black, a muted white, aliases white, from Sony's WF-1000XM5 and JBL's Tour Pro 2, to Bose's QuietComfort Ultra and Apple's AirPods Pro. These earbuds, connected nan different hand, are for illustration nan AirPods Pro's funkier younger sister who went to creation school, buys gifts for friends done nan MOMA Store, and tin explicate nan quality betwixt achromatic and orangish vino to you. 

The lawsuit is lightweight and compact, truthful it won't beryllium obstructive aliases dense successful your pouch -- plus, nan agleam colour makes it easy to find successful a laptop container aliases purse. The earbuds themselves are comfortable and easy to wear, pinch an other tactile receptor extremity that keeps nan buds attached to your receptor canal arsenic you move around. Nothing besides equipped these buds pinch Bluetooth multipoint and in-ear discovery erstwhile you deterioration these, 2 bully touches that inexpensive earbuds occasionally lack. 

Also: The champion earbuds I've ever listened to are not by Bose aliases Sony

I ran for 5 hours and worked and commuted pinch these earbuds for a week consecutive and still person a artillery life of 80%. Needless to say, these earbuds won't dice easy connected you. 

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

One of my favourite creation choices pinch nan Ear (a) is that nan controls are dictated by pinches alternatively of taps and swipes, akin to nan AirPods Pro 2. Most earbuds that I've tested pinch nan aforesaid shape facet person touch controls connected nan apical of nan receptor stem wherever nan bud meets nan stem. I ever tally pinch earbuds in, and erstwhile my ears get excessively sweaty, and my earbuds statesman to gaffe out, I accidentally touch and activate nan touch controls erstwhile I'm attempting to property nan bud backmost into my ears.

Also: The champion earbuds nether $100

Nothing eliminated this problem for me, arsenic nan touch controls are astatine nan bottommost of nan stem, acold distant from accidental touches. Despite needing a pinch to activate nan controls, they are reliable and responsive. The pinch controls let you to play and region music, skip tracks, and toggle betwixt ANC and transparency mode.

Speaking of ANC, this characteristic is wherever nan Ear (a) buds statesman to show their affordable price. I turned connected nan ANC while I worked successful nan office, and I could still perceive my colleagues' machine notification pings and conversations astir me. For $109, I wasn't expecting mind-blowing ANC, and that's surely not what I got. The earbuds will drown retired immoderate noise, but you'll person to salary a higher value for premium ANC.

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When it comes to nan existent audio quality, however, these earbuds nutrient a balanced, clear, and agleam sound. While listening to Moses Sumney and Shabaka's Insecurities, nan harp and flute whistles successful nan precocious midrange shimmered successful my ears without being excessively harsh. Bass-heavy songs tin get an other boost by tweaking nan Bass Enhance algorithm successful nan Nothing app. While listening to Kaytranada's What You Need, I toggled betwixt nan 5 levels of bass enhancement to boost nan little frequencies. This characteristic created a noticeably different sound pinch deeper, richer bass. 

ZDNET's buying advice 

The Nothing Ear (a) are champion for group who want a comparatively affordable brace of earbuds pinch thoughtful functions and a unsocial design. After 8 months of testing these out, they enactment successful my earbud rotation and are 1 of my favourite earbuds I've ever tested to date. 

If you want earbuds pinch much effective noise-canceling for a akin price, see nan JLab JBuds ANC 3 for their beardown noise-canceling and snug fit. If you for illustration Nothing's unsocial and charming creation choices but want amended sound, much effective ANC, and much premium features, effort nan Nothing Ear.