Nothing Nothing Ear Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth, 45dB Review

The Nothing Ear offers elite, 95th-percentile noise cancellation and class-leading battery life for just $109. Its sound quality is excellent, but microphone performance is a major weak spot, ranking in the bottom 35%. Get these for immersive music, skip them if you're on calls all day.

The Nothing Ear wireless earbuds are a spec sheet dream, landing in the 95th percentile for ANC and the 98th for battery life. That means you're getting some of the strongest noise cancellation and longest playtime in the category. For $109, you get a feature set that reads like a premium wishlist: 45dB hybrid ANC, LHDC 5.0 and LDAC codecs for high-res audio, and a case that supports wireless charging.

But the numbers tell a more nuanced story. While sound quality sits in a strong 88th percentile, the microphone performance drags the overall package down to the 35th percentile. So you're getting a powerhouse for music and blocking out the world, but your callers might not be as impressed.

Let's talk about where these buds shine. That 45dB ANC isn't just a marketing number; it puts them in the top 5% of all earbuds we track for noise cancellation. In practice, it's incredibly effective for commuting or drowning out office chatter. Pair that with sound quality in the 88th percentile, driven by an 11mm ceramic driver, and you get rich, detailed audio, especially if your device supports LDAC or LHDC 5.0. Battery life is the real headline, though. With ANC off, you can squeeze out over 40 hours total from the case, which is frankly absurd and lands it in the 98th percentile. Even with ANC on, you're looking at a very solid 24 hours.

At $109, the Nothing Ear presents a compelling price-to-performance ratio, especially if your priorities are battery and noise cancellation. You're getting ANC and battery scores that compete with earbuds $50-$100 more expensive. The catch is the mic quality. If you take a lot of calls, that 35th percentile ranking is a real trade-off you're making for those other stellar features.

Stacked against the competition, the Nothing Ear carves out a clear niche. Compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5 (often $300), you sacrifice some mic refinement and possibly the absolute pinnacle of ANC for less than half the price and better battery life. Against its own sibling, the CMF Buds Pro 2, the Nothing Ear offers a more premium build and slightly stronger ANC, but the CMF model might be a better value if you don't need wireless charging. The Technics EAH-AZ100 targets audiophiles more directly but can't touch the Nothing Ear's battery endurance. It comes down to this: for pure music immersion and battery life, the Nothing Ear is hard to beat at this price. For balanced all-rounder performance, the Sonys are better, but you'll pay for it.

Skip the Nothing Ear if you're buying a primary headset for work calls, video conferences, or you're just someone who talks on the phone a lot. The microphone's 35th percentile ranking is a deal-breaker here. Also, if you absolutely need certified Qi wireless charging or you prioritize a completely neutral sound signature for critical listening, there are better-focused options, even at this price.

We recommend the Nothing Ear if you're a commuter, a music lover, or someone who just hates charging gadgets. Its 98th percentile battery and 95th percentile ANC are legitimately best-in-class features for the money. We can't recommend it as a primary tool for work calls or frequent voice chats, though. That mic performance is the data-backed compromise. For $109, you're buying a fantastic personal audio bubble, not a stellar communication device.