Stuff Verdict

Takes the best bits of Nothing’s already affordable wireless earbuds and slashes the price even further. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles, Ear (a) is an absolute steal.

Pros

Very capable ANC and engaging audio

New twist on Nothing’s distinctive design

Consistently decent battery life

Cons

Missing advanced EQ settings

No wireless charging

Introduction

It was inevitable, really. Once Nothing introduced a second, more affordable model to its smartphone range, a matching pair of wireless earbuds couldn’t be far behind. Ear (a) takes most of what made the firm’s previous audio efforts such great value, ekes out a bit more battery life, and mixes up the styling just enough to feel fresh.

A few features haven’t made the grade, in order to give the also-new Nothing Ear a bit of breathing room in what is already a very competitive end of the headphone market. But with sub-brand CMF already offering similar specs for half the price, is Nothing just competing with itself at both ends of the price spectrum?