Nothing has announced the two latest additions to its audio line-up with two new pairs of true wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear and the Nothing Ear (a).
Both earbuds boast unique designs, similar features and support for noise cancelling. However, there are also a good number of differences to note.
We’ve highlighted all the biggest differences between the Nothing Ear and the Nothing Ear (a) when it comes to design, sound, battery life and more.
The Nothing Ear (a) comes in a vibrant new colour
The Nothing Ear (a) is the first Nothing audio product to be available in a third colour that isn’t black or white.
The yellow model features the same black tail as the black version of the earbud, but the top section and the ear tip are a playful yellow. This allows the yellow earbuds to stand out among Nothing’s line-up.
Like the other two Nothing Ear (a) colourways, the Nothing Ear comes in two classic finishes – black and white.
The Nothing Ear has a ceramic diaphragm
Nothing tested dozens of driver diaphragm materials before settling on a ceramic diaphragm, which it found provided the best frequency response and overall sound clarity.
The Nothing Ear (a) is fitted with a PMI and TPU diaphragm, which are both cheaper to produce and easier to work with when designing a pair of earbuds.
The Nothing Ear supports Advanced Equaliser
The Nothing Ear supports the Advanced Equaliser feature found in the Nothing X app.
Advanced EQ allows you to tune music to your tastes, create separate profiles for different genres, and share your EQ settings with friends and followers by generating a unique QR code.
There’s also the Personal Sound Profile feature, which uses the Ear Tip Fit Test designed to help you identify the correct ear tip size for your ears by playing a sound. The Personal Sound Profile takes the results of this test a step further by adjusting the equaliser settings to fit the frequency spectrum of your listening.
While the Ear Tip Fit Test is supported on the Nothing Ear (a), neither the Advanced EQ nor the Personal Sound Profile features are available on the (a) earbuds.
The Nothing Ear (a) has a longer battery life
The Nothing Ear (a) has the upper hand when it comes to battery life. The earbuds offer 9.5 hours of playback with ANC off or 5.5 hours switched on. That’s 42.5 hours (ANC off) or 24.5 hours (ANC on) including the charging case.
The Nothing Ear, on the other hand, support 8.5 hours of playback with ANC off or 5.2 hours switched on, or 40.5 hours (ANC off) or 24 hours (ANC on) including the case. That puts the Nothing Ear (a) at a slight advantage in this arena.
Both earbuds support fast charging with 10 minutes plugged in offering around 10 hours of listening. However, only the Nothing Ear offer the convenience of 2.5W wireless charging.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
