good and bad
- It is thoughtfully designed and affordably priced.
- They pack value and special features not found in competitors.
- It is well worth the $100.
- Their design may not be for everyone.
- Some new features require registration.
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I’ve been talking about my love for Nothing products ever since I tested the brand’s first generation of Ear(a) earbuds a few years ago. Their yellow and black design language was very striking compared to their competitors, and the earbuds resembled great sound at a great price.
So when Nothing sent me their third generation shoots, I was eager to give them a go. In a sea of gray technology, nothing offers bold products with an edgy vibe and a unique form factor.
Also: Nothing Headphone (a) review: The ultimate choice for design and button enthusiasts
Also, these earbuds have unique recording functions that I haven’t seen from their competitors. I spent a week working, exercising, and listening to music for $100 Earbuds (3a).and I can confidently say that they are worth your money — with a few caveats.
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I got to test the Ear (3a) in its pink color, and it was very pleasant to wear for several reasons. I can see them in my backpack or in my room, standing outside the clutter. But they don’t just stand out in my bag — they’re also the subject of many compliments and conversations when I wear them to the office or show them to friends.
The case itself is transparent, as are the earbuds inside, which have a hot pink color and an LED status light that shows battery percentage, connectivity, and more. Plain and simple, the earbuds are fun to look at and wear.
I enjoyed the performance of the Ear (a) ear tips when testing a few years ago. The same goes for Ear (3a). They fit comfortably, and the Nothing’s four ear tip sizes make it easy to find the perfect fit. They also stay charged, thanks to 42 hours of playtime on the charger and ten hours of power per bud after a single charge. Not too shabby.
Nothing to add a new 12mm driver in the ear (3a) to increase the bass by 5 db. Even before I knew about that update, I got rich bass from the buds – and I was very happy with that improvement. They deliver enhanced bass and clear sound, and the app makes it easy to create custom EQs for different listening preferences. These features lead to an enjoyable listening experience every time.
Another improvement of the Ear (3a) is to turn off its sound. Nothing has changed in its performance to cancel sounds in a wide frequency range, with the new earbuds offering three modes: low, medium, high, and dynamic. The loud noise cancellation is strong enough to drown out most of the New York City subways during my commute.
Also: Forget the iPhone 17e: Nothing’s Phone 4a Pro costs less and looks a lot better
But just as important is the transparency mode, which lets in enough sound for you to feel focused on your surroundings without feeling overwhelmed by ambient noise.
Other features in the Nothing app add to the already enjoyable user experience of the Ear (3a). I tried Nothing’s fixed spatial audio feature while listening to Ariana Grande’s Tears Left to Cry, and it was so focused I felt like I was listening to a singer in a well-sounding church.
Nothing brings two interesting sound features to the earbuds, thanks to the addition of 32 MB of flash storage. This enables recording on the earbuds with Audio Snapshots, which records up to two minutes of content after pressing both hidden, and call recording, which records up to an hour of a meeting or call.
Live recordings in the Nothing X app, and yes, subscription is required to get unlimited audio recordings and transcripts. This is a great idea that I’m sure a big company will grab and use in next generation earbuds and phone software.
Also: I tested the Ultrahuman Ring Pro: A biohacker’s dream that isn’t mine
While I haven’t tried the call recording feature yet, my Audio Snapshots test captured songs and videos by quickly pressing the buds to start and end recording. It was easy, and I look forward to using the call recording feature during conversations and meetings. I can see this feature being very useful for students attending virtual lectures, because the earbuds not only record audio but also transcribe it.
ZDNET shopping advice
I would recommend these earbuds to anyone. I Nothing Ear (3a)’s Quality competitors of high-end earbuds, such as AirPods Pro 3 or Samsung Galaxy Buds, but much cheaper with a refreshing design. Readers looking for an affordable yet high-quality earbud would love these, as would anyone tired of the boring device options found in other mainstream options.
