British upstart Nothing has unveiled its latest earbuds, dubbed Ear (3a).
These are the latest entry in the affordable (a) series of earbuds first launched back in 2024 to challenge bestselling Bluetooth 'buds, like the Samsung Galaxy Buds, Apple AirPods, Pixel Buds, and others.
Like previous entries in the lineup — and most of the products from the award-winning designers at Nothing — there is no shortage of its trademark translucency in the new 'buds. When there is colour on the carry case or buds, Nothing is using some striking colours, including a vibrant Pink, as well as Black, White, and a refreshed Yellow.
The team at the British startup were inspired by "pill packets and shrink-wrapped forms" for the redesigned charging case, "creating a rounder, friendlier silhouette that feels as playful as it looks".
Nothing Ear (3a) has been fitted with 32MB of built-in storage, so you can capture audio directly from the 'buds. Dubbed Audio Snapshot, this lets you clip a snippet of audio that you're listening to, whether that's an online lecture for a course or a voice note from a friend.
To trigger this function, you'll need to pinch the stems of both earbuds at the same time, creating a multimedia 'screenshot' of the moment that's saved in the Nothing X companion app.
You can repurpose the same feature to record calls taken on the Ear (3a) earbuds. You can record conversations for up to 2 hours without reaching for your smartphone. Recordings are automatically saved in the Nothing X app, where you can also adjust the EQ, noise cancellation, and other settings.
You can replay or edit the recordings. Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Nothing can generate transcripts from the call recordings too.
To make sure you're not recording people without their consent, Nothing will play an alert for all participants on the call whenever you start to record. For the first time, Nothing includes a new XS silicone tip, ensuring a more comfortable fit across a wider range of users.
Nothing says it's boosted the battery life of its new 'buds.
With the Ear (3a), you can expect up to 42 hours of total playback when paired with the additional battery life of the carry case and up to 10 hours on the earbuds alone. That's without Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) enabled.
With ANC switched on — quashing any distracting background sounds so you can listen at lower volumes, even in busier environments — you can enjoy up to 25 hours of total listening time. When the battery starts to run low, a quick five-minute charge provides approximately one hour of playback.
Nothing relies on a 12mm dynamic driver that promises deeper bass and more detail. The larger driver moves more air, producing bass frequencies up to 5dB stronger than the previous generation.
Ear (3a) is certified for Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LDAC playback, promising rich, balanced audio. You can personalise the sound with an Advanced EQ in the Nothing X app. If you're happy with the sound, it can be shared with a few taps. Static Spatial Audio expands traditional stereo sound into a wider, more immersive soundstage.
Like the bestselling 'buds on the market, Nothing Ear (3a) supports features like Find My Earbuds, so you can quickly track down any misplaced earbuds. You can also summon and talk ChatGPT hands-free.
Ear (3a) is now available for purchase via nothing.tech, with a price tag of £99.
