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Nothing ear (1) vs AirPods Pro: Which true wireless ANC buds are for you?

Nothing ear (1) vs AirPods Pro: There’s a new ANC true wireless earphone in town. Can Nothing match up to Apple’s best buds?

Nothing is finally something. After months of speculation and hype, the tech start-up founded by Carl Pei of OnePlus fame has unveiled its first product; the Nothing ear (1) true wireless earphones.

The Nothing ear (1) goes on sale on July 31 and promises to ‘remove the barriers between people and technology’ offering high-end specs for a little less expenditure. They also have a distinctive look.

Can the company match up with the Apple AirPods Pro? Let’s have a closer look.

Nothing ear (1) vs AirPods Pro features

Let’s start with the most pressing question. Do the Nothing ear (1) have active noise cancellation like AirPods Pro? Yes they do. There are three high definition mics on board for ANC with light, maximum and transparency modes available. AirPods Pro has two microphones providing noise cancellation with a transparency mode too.

Nothing ear (1) vs AirPods Pro battery life

This is where the Nothing product might have a slight leg-up, depending on how testing plays out. The company is promising up to 34 hours playtime with the case, and up to 24 hours if ANC is switched on. Apple’s AirPods Pro can get up to 4.5 hours from a single charge with ANC or Transparency modes on. In total, there’s more than 24 hours of listening time available.

Nothing ear (1) vs AirPods Pro design

While the Nothing ear (1) certainly takes its inspiration from the AirPods Pro from a form factor perspective, the Nothing design stands out through the transparent stem that exposes the microphones, magnets and circuit board. That will be an acquired taste for many, but Nothing said the design exposes “the raw beauty” of technology and “stripped down aesthetic features”. Each bud weighs 4.7g compared to the 5.4g per AirPods Pro bud.

Nothing ear (1) vs AirPods Pro price

The Nothing ear (1) cost just £99, which is much less than the £249 Apple seeks for the AirPods Pro true wireless buds. In fact, it’s must less expensive than most of the competitors.

Of course, whether Nothing ear (1) provides true value for that more agreeable price point remains to be seen. We’ll be testing the product in due course, when we can give you a more accurate verdict.

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