Nothing Ear Review: Premium Style with Smart Substance
The Nothing Ear earbuds represent a stylish and thoughtfully designed upgrade in the true wireless space. These 2024 earbuds stay true to the brand’s transparent design aesthetic while adding meaningful improvements in comfort, sound personalization, and AI-powered features.
Notable highlights include active noise cancellation, personal sound profile calibration, and support for Hi-Res Audio and LHDC 5.0. For users with a Nothing Phone, the integration of ChatGPT as a voice assistant adds a futuristic touch that blends convenience with novelty. While this feature is limited to the company’s own smartphones, it underscores Nothing’s goal of creating a tight and distinctive ecosystem.
Despite some limitations—especially outside the Nothing ecosystem—these earbuds deliver a refined, well-rounded experience that suits everyday listeners who value aesthetics and smart tech that works without being overbearing. This review will take a deeper look into how they hold up in real-world use, and how much value they provide at their current price point.
MSRP (when available or best estimate): $149
Price: Check Price on Amazon
✅ Nothing Ear Pros
✅ Excellent Personalized Sound Profiles
Audio tailored to your hearing preferences through app-based calibration.
✅ Stylish Transparent Design
Iconic, minimal design with a lightweight and pocketable charging case.
✅ Hi-Res Audio and LHDC 5.0 Support
Provides high-bitrate playback on supported Android devices.
✅ Effective Noise Cancellation
Suppresses ambient noise in office, transit, and home environments.
✅ ChatGPT Integration for Nothing Phones
Gesture-activated access to a conversational AI assistant.
✅ Solid Battery Life with Fast Charging
Over 5 hours with ANC, and 24 hours with the case.
✅ Lightweight and Comfortable Fit
Stable for extended sessions, including passive listening and calls.
✅ App-Based EQ and Controls
Presets and manual sliders for personal audio customization.
❌ Nothing Ear Cons
❌ Key Features Tied to Nothing Phones
ChatGPT and LHDC don’t work fully on all devices.
❌ No Multipoint Connectivity
Limits flexibility for those who switch between laptop and phone.
❌ Limited ANC Customization
Lacks adjustable intensity levels or user-defined modes.
❌ Touch Controls Can Be Inconsistent
Sensitivity varies depending on how the earbuds are worn.
❌ No AptX Support
Less flexibility for Qualcomm-based audio devices.
❌ Fit Might Not Work for Everyone
May require tip swapping or adjustments for stability.
❌ Smudge-Prone Finish
Transparent surfaces attract oils and fingerprints easily.
❌ Narrow Soundstage
Instrument separation feels more centered than immersive.
Key AI-Powered Features
Nothing Ear
- Personalized Sound Calibration - Adapts the EQ to your hearing profile after a listening test in the app.
- ChatGPT Voice Integration (Nothing Phones Only) - Built-in gesture support activates voice interaction with ChatGPT.
- Adaptive ANC - Dynamically adjusts ANC intensity based on ambient noise levels and context.
- Voice Detection - Temporarily lowers music volume and enables transparency when speech is detected.
- In-Ear Auto Pause - Stops playback automatically when you remove an earbud.
How Smart is the AI?
Nothing Ear
Nothing’s AI implementation is relatively focused but surprisingly effective. The standout feature is ChatGPT voice access for Nothing Phone users. Rather than using a generic voice assistant, this integration opens a ChatGPT session with a simple gesture. It’s especially useful for short queries, hands-free reminders, or productivity tasks while commuting or multitasking.
The personalized sound profile setup is intuitive. After a quick hearing test, the app tailors playback to your hearing sensitivity. It compensates for dips or peaks in your hearing, and the result is more balanced and articulate sound—particularly in vocals and midrange-rich content like podcasts or acoustic music.
Adaptive ANC is also smart enough to respond to noise changes in your environment, but it operates quietly in the background rather than offering dramatic shifts. The addition of voice detection is a thoughtful touch that makes everyday use more seamless, especially when working from home or commuting.
Although the Nothing Ear doesn’t offer AI overload, the features it does include are practical, polished, and relevant to actual use cases. That restraint keeps the experience lean but useful.
Performance & User Experience
Nothing Ear
Sound Quality & AI Enhancement
Nothing’s audio tuning leans toward neutrality with a slightly warm tilt, which makes the sound feel smooth but not overly processed. Highs are crisp without becoming sibilant, and mids feel natural—especially in vocals and dialogue. The low end is present and tight, though not overly emphasized, which suits a broad range of genres.
Once a user calibrates the personal sound profile, clarity improves further. Vocals pop more, bass tightens, and dynamic range feels a bit wider. Compared to fixed EQ presets, this approach adds a meaningful improvement to perceived audio quality. This is especially noticeable when listening to orchestral or acoustic tracks, where balance is crucial.
The inclusion of LHDC 5.0 and Hi-Res Audio support is a welcome addition for Android users with compatible phones. This allows higher-bitrate playback, which delivers more detail, texture, and fidelity—though users with less advanced hardware may not notice a huge difference. While AptX is missing, the tuning and profile options help mitigate this.
The EQ section of the companion app includes several presets (bass boost, treble boost, vocal focus) as well as a 6-band manual equalizer. This allows fine-grained control over your preferred tuning, something not always found at this price point.
ANC Performance & Transparency Mode
ANC performance is good to very good, especially for environmental noise like engines, HVAC systems, or commuter trains. It’s not absolute silence, but background hum fades enough to make music and calls easier to enjoy without needing to raise the volume excessively. In head-to-head testing with competitors in the same price tier, the Nothing Ear holds its ground well.
Transparency mode, while not the most natural sounding on the market, is solid and reliable. It provides sufficient clarity to carry conversations or hear your surroundings without harsh digital filtering. Combined with the in-ear detection and voice awareness features, this mode makes quick interactions (talking to a barista, crossing a street) smoother without removing the buds.
Some users may wish for finer ANC control or the ability to manually toggle between low and high settings. However, the adaptive ANC works well in most situations without requiring extra steps.
Battery Life & Comfort
Battery life with ANC on hovers around 5.2 hours, which extends up to 8 hours without ANC. With the charging case, you can get up to 24 hours total. This is solid for a mid-range pair of earbuds and compares well against similar models from OnePlus or Soundcore.
Fast charging adds about 2 hours of use from a 10-minute charge, which is perfect for last-minute top-ups. Wireless charging is also included, making them easier to charge alongside your phone or other accessories without cable clutter.
Comfort-wise, the Nothing Ear earbuds improve on previous generations. The earbuds are lightweight, with a shape that sits gently in the ear canal without pressure. That said, the fit may not be secure enough for intense workouts unless you experiment with ear tip sizing. For general daily use—commuting, walking, calls, and desk work—they’re more than sufficient.
Microphone & Call Quality
Microphone performance is above average. The beamforming mics and AI noise suppression deliver clear voice pickup in most conditions. Whether you’re indoors, near traffic, or walking outdoors, voices sound natural and intelligible.
On calls, both ends of the conversation report good clarity. While the mic system doesn’t completely eliminate wind noise or background chatter, it keeps them under control enough that calls are rarely disrupted. Voice assistants—including ChatGPT on Nothing devices—respond promptly with minimal lag or misunderstanding.
Final Verdict
Nothing Ear
The Nothing Ear feels like more than just another refresh. With carefully executed smart features, clean design, and solid sound performance, it earns a top spot among Android-friendly wireless earbuds under $150. It doesn’t flood users with gimmicks—instead, it offers targeted improvements that genuinely enhance everyday use.
If you own a Nothing Phone, this is an obvious choice. But even without that pairing, the comfort, customizable sound, and stylish build make it a compelling pick for anyone who wants more than just the basics. Not every feature hits equally hard, but the full package comes together in a way that feels modern, useful, and worth the asking price.
Additional Information
Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs Nothing Ear Comparison Nothing Ear 2 Review CMF Watch Pro 2 by Nothing ReviewThis review is based on research, expert analysis, and user feedback. AI Reviews HQ does not conduct hands-on product testing. We may earn a commission from the links in this review. We do our best to provide accurate product details, however AI is not perfect and may make some mistakes in research. Please double-check with the manufacturer or retailer before purchasing. Check out the product page