Nothing

Nothing Ear 3

C
Ranked #12 in Earbuds
499 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

RTINGS' current mid-range pick, a genuine consensus slot in the most measurement-driven guide.

Consolidated from 71 cited sources across 57 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

  • 34 positive sources
  • 28 mixed sources
  • 3 unconvinced sources
See the sources
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Pros & cons

  • ✓ RTINGS' mid-range pick, slotted directly beneath the Sony flagship
  • ✓ Strong endorsement from the most lab-driven outlet in the field
  • ✓ Cheaper alternative that could sound better than AirPods Pro 3
  • ✓ Pitched as 'The AirPods Pro 3 Killer'
  • ✗ Comes with trade-offs
  • ✗ Confusing lineage (Ear, Ear 2, Ear, Ear A, now Ear 3)
  • ✗ Support is mostly one high-profile video

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 28 articles, 41 video reviews and 2 community sources

34 positive sources

T TechRadar Article · Sept 2025
Sure, I'd say the new Nothing Ear (3) are they still among the best earbuds of the year – but one option in the duo of buds they replace has dropped so low in price that they've actually jumped into our best budget earbuds buying guide . So you see, to build a case for paying quite a bit extra for the new Ear (3), they'd need to be quite a bit better – and that's where I'm struggling.
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T Topes de Gama Topes de Gama · 3.9M subscribers · Oct 2025
Los Nothing Ear (3) han llegado para demostrar que la estética y el sonido de alta fidelidad pueden ir de la mano. En este video, Jota García y Miguel García de Blas de Topes de Gama analizan a fondo la tercera generación de auriculares de Nothing.
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S SoundGuys Dave Carr · reviewer · Sept 2025
The Nothing Ear keeps things simpler but more effective. Their three-mic system, combined with AI noise reduction, delivered cleaner calls overall. In my testing, background noise—especially wind and street sounds—was much less noticeable compared to the Ear (3). While voices were a bit muffled, intelligibility was consistently strong.
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M Mike O'Brien Mike O'Brien · 659K subscribers · Apr 2024
These are the new Nothing Ear(a) and from my testing, they performed exceptionally well for their price.
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A Aaron x Loud and Wireless matthew tjen · reviewer · Oct 2025
The main superpower of the Nothing Ear (3) is Super Mic which is a microphone built into the charging case so that if you’re taking calls in very noisy situations, you can pull it out and speak into this mic close to your mouth instead of relying purely on the earbuds’ mics.
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J Jeff Springer Jeff Springer · 618K subscribers · Nov 2025
These are the Nothing Ear3 earbuds, and they are changing the game for true wireless earbuds by bringing back something that most true wireless earbuds have completely forgotten about, the ability to be heard clearly. and they do it with something called super mic.
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H HardwareZone Singapore Cheryl Tan · reviewer · Jan 2026
We’ll be fair and admit that there are nice upgrades here. The new earbuds feature metallic accents on the charging case, a new Super Mic feature that lets you use the charging case as a microphone, and a new 12mm driver.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 324K subscribers · Oct 2025
They're actually quite good at making earbuds. I mean, the Ear series has consistently delivered excellent sound quality, robust companion apps, and some pretty cool retro tech aesthetics. But, the latest model actually has a new trick up its sleeve, or rather up its case, and is something that I've never seen before in wireless earbuds.
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T Tom's Guide Article · Apr 2026
If you want cool-looking, sci-fi-inspired earbuds, the Nothing Ear (3) are a no-brainer. Unlike Apple's AirPods which, more or less, look the same, the Ear (3) carry the British brand's trademark futuristic design.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 324K subscribers · Sept 2025
What exactly is new? And is this even worth taking a look at? Well, yeah, there are some cool things about it. And the big feature and the most standout feature I think with the Nothing Ear 3 is the super mic feature. But what does that mean? Well, basically Nothing has put a dual microphone system right in the charging case.
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I Irish Examiner Noel Campion · reviewer · Oct 2025
One of my favourite things about the Nothing Ear (3) earbuds is their design. They’re sleek, sound superb, and the innovative Talk button actually turns out to be more than a gimmick.
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T TK Bay TK Bay · 290K subscribers · Sept 2025
More bass, better improvement, more control, customization, integration to the essential place on nothing phones, which makes it even more unique. But the functional option of using the case as an external microphone with better microphones than the earbuds themselves provides us a very unique way of interacting.
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P Pcmag James Peckham · reviewer
Nothing also promises improved call clarity on the earbuds, better noise cancellation through AI, and deeper bass across all audio compared to its last-gen earbuds.
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B Brian MacDuff Brian MacDuff · 170K subscribers · Jun 2024
same on the outside, there are some noticeable changes that have taken place under the hood, such as the reduction of the size of the earbud drivers down from 11.6 millimeters to 11 millimeters with the drivers themselves actually being made out of a ceramic material - which can be considered superior to the graphene and polyurethane combination that the Nothing Ear (2) drivers were made out of.
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S SoundGuys Adam Birney · reviewer · Mar 2026
If you were hoping the Nothing Ear (3) could replace your lav or handheld mic for content creation or interviews in the wild, you will likely be disappointed.
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A Aaron X Loud and Wireless Aaron X Loud and Wireless · 163K subscribers · Apr 2024
NOTHING ear fared much better than I expected.
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T the Guardian Article · Oct 2025
The Nothing Ear 3 are a good-looking set of Bluetooth earbuds with a few party tricks that make them stand out against the boring crowd.
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A Aaron X Loud and Wireless Aaron X Loud and Wireless · 163K subscribers · Oct 2025
Now, I think it's a great idea. And why it's better than simply taking out your phone and using your phone's microphones is that you don't have to unlock your phone and tap multiple times to switch inputs. You can simply take out the case, press and hold the talk button to speak, or double press the talk button to toggle it for longer conversations. But what makes this microphone super is that eve
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S Son-Vidéo.com: blog Victor · reviewer · Oct 2025
The Ear (3) has the advantage of a microphone case, ensuring clearer and more accurate calls in noisy environments.
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E EL JEFE REVIEWS EL JEFE REVIEWS · 153K subscribers · Jul 2026
Build quality on the buds themselves is solid for the price. The case though, I'll be honest, it's light, almost a little too light, but and that transparent finish is a fingerprint and micro scratch magnet over time. I experienced that with some of the previous versions. So you're you're still going to want to be a little bit careful with it.
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T Trusted Reviews Cam Bunton · reviewer · Sept 2025
Nothing is back with its fourth pair of flagship wireless earbuds, confusingly called Nothing Ear 3.
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P Picky Audio Picky Audio · 131K subscribers · Jul 2026
The Nothing Ear 3A are pretty solid upgrade over the previous generation, the Ear A Ear A. Ear A. But, they just have some pretty annoying bugs that I didn't really expect from Nothing, which I think can be fixed. But, with the budget earbud market being so competitive, you can't really make mistakes nowadays.
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M MakeUseOf Brady Snyder · reviewer · Feb 2026
They're comfortable, stylish, and support high-resolution Bluetooth audio codecs
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N Now & Then Tech Now & Then Tech · 33.8K subscribers · Dec 2025
could be one of the best buys right now.
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T Tom's Guide Article · Apr 2026
For the complete breakdown, read my full Nothing Ear (3) review.
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N Now & Then Tech Now & Then Tech · 33.8K subscribers · Aug 2026
>> On a more personal level, I found the quality on the sound output of the Ear 3 A's to be very, very good. Very biased on bass and low-end, which is my preference. Overall, very, very good. Sound is crisp and connection to things like Bluetooth devices has been flawless. In fact, even multi-connection, so connected to the MacBook >> and the daily driver phone has been great.
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R RTINGS Article Read P Product Feedback Product Feedback · 32.1K subscribers · Jan 2026
I Finally Ditched my AirPods. The Nothing Ear (3) is Why.
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L LeechTM LeechTM · 19.2K subscribers · Apr 2024
And it’s a banger of an Earbud, in terms of Sound, ANC and functions.
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A Audio Zone Audio Zone · 13.4K subscribers · Oct 2025
Now we’ve got two high-end earbuds, each boasting top-notch noise cancellation, smart features, and impressive sound. But which one is really the better pick for you—the sleek, refined AirPods or the bold, futuristic Nothing Ear? Let’s dig in.
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S Septien Patterson Septien Patterson · 1.8K subscribers · Mar 2026
If you want more control, more detail, Ear 3. If you want your music to be smoother and easier to listen to, the Ear A is more your speed. But that's not really a full story because these aren't just about better or worse. They're different in very specific ways. I want you to close your eyes and imagine two cars. Not faster, not better, just different. You got a BMW. It's tight. It's controlled.
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M Matthew Manuel Reviews Matthew Manuel Reviews · 1.2K subscribers · Jun 2026
The Nothing Ear earbuds bring active noise cancellation, Hi-Res audio with LDAC and LHDC, punchy bass, a multi-mic setup for calls, and long battery life in Nothing's signature transparent design. In this review I cover both the Nothing Ear and the newer Nothing Ear (3), going over the sound, the ANC, call quality, comfort, and whether they are worth it against other earbuds in the price range.
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T TechTalk TechTalk · 1K subscribers · Sept 2025
✅ In short: Choose Sony WF-1000XM5 if you want the best sound and noise cancellation. Choose Nothing Ear (3) if you want modern design, lighter buds, longer total battery, and a lower price.
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C Carl Yates - Thoughts on Tech Carl Yates - Thoughts on Tech · channel · Mar 2026
They're quite good. They feel good. The bass feels punchy. There's good separation. I'm not sure the vocals are particularly standing out from the mix. But the mix sounds good. Like the instruments sound good. Her vocals sound better than his. Yeah, the guitar's quite overpowering, but it sounds rich. I'd say that the separation on the background is really good.
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28 mixed sources

W WellPlayed Zach Jackson · reviewer · Dec 2025
Its battery life and noise cancelling may not be the best going around, and the super mic may be a bit of a gimmick, but I’d argue that these are the most comfortable buds I’ve worn in a long time, and they produced some truly excellent audio thanks to LDAC support. Plus they look the goods, and the Nothing X app is a great tool to elevate your listening experience.
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B Beebom Beebom · 3.5M subscribers · Apr 2024
I n Low Lag mode, the latency is 120ms, which is not the best in the segment. Now letʼs talk about the sound quality. The Ear (a) comes with 11mm drivers and HiRes LDAC support. Now, if you remember the Nothing ear 2 had LHDC support.
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P PCMag Middle East Article · Dec 2025
Most of the updates to the Nothing Ear (3) concern the charging case. Both the new case and earbuds pack more metal under the transparent plastic than before, which makes them look and feel better. This is particularly pronounced in the case where a significant portion of the bottom is clad in metal. I really like it.
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S ShortCircuit ShortCircuit · 2.5M subscribers · Oct 2025
The closing noise, honestly, not very good. Kind of harsh. Cool transparent industrial design. You can actually see the device from the back, both of them. On the most familiar-looking side, there is a USB-C port, a LED light for indications. No breathing. And a microphone.
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A Alex Reviews Tech Alex Kidman · reviewer · Oct 2025
The Nothing Ear (3)’s style stands out, and while its new Super Mic feature does go some way to improving audio pickup, these are otherwise slightly ordinary bud headphones given their asking price.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 324K subscribers · Oct 2025
The bulb is pretty big, and they really give you that plugged up feeling when they're in your ears, which some people might have issues with. If you're not sure what I mean, stick your fingers in your ear and talk. That's what I mean by the plugged up feeling. >> It's kind of like you're underwater. Now, the cases are where things start to diverge.
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R Reviews.org Fergus Halliday · reviewer · Oct 2025
Even if the addition of a dedicated Super Mic fails to deliver, the Nothing Ear 3 still offer decent sound, an eye-catching design, straightforward software support and competitive battery life.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 324K subscribers · Aug 2026
Still, for bass heads and casual listeners, there's a lot to like about what nothing has done here. And if you don't really like a feature of either of these responses, you can deal with it pretty effectively with the inapp equalizer.
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G GSMArena.com Michail · reviewer · Oct 2025
The short answer is yes, these are arguably the best earbuds from the brand to date, but we'd also take some of the maker's claims with caution. Read on for our full breakdown.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 324K subscribers · Jul 2026
But there's just one issue that's keeping this from a slam dunk recommendation. Nothing is known for making flashy products and it doesn't disappoint here. Coming in white, black, yellow, and now pink, the Nothing Ear 3a has something to offer for the more fashion conscious of you out there. Or not, I don't know you or your love.
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D Digital Reviews Network Kevin Cheng · reviewer · Dec 2025
Overall after much extensive listening to music, Master L came to the conclusion that the Nothing Ear (3) offers an unique design, comfortable fit with excellent sound.
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T TechMishka TechMishka · 180K subscribers · Nov 2025
I’ll also touch on the limitations — the slightly slower Super Mic trigger when using multipoint, and where the ANC could still be better.
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T T3 Article · Jul 2026
Bouncing from high-end earbuds to lower-cost ones is always a bit of a whiplash experience, but the Nothing Ear (3a) softens the blow in some interesting ways.
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T Tech Bandicoot Tech Bandicoot · 129K subscribers · Oct 2025
They don't necessarily blow the previous generation out of the water, and yes, there's a price bump, but with a solid design and sound signature, they're still the best wireless earbuds you can get in this price range. Let's take a deeper look.
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P Phonearena Article
Not a huge loss, that's an awkward feature to begin with. But if you happen to be among the few that use it, know that it's not here.
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C Chilled Fossil Chilled Fossil · 39.1K subscribers · Dec 2025
And I've got to say, having used these for high-intensity workouts and casually, these are built more for the comfort side. They are nothing like something like the Beatsfitit Pros that like go deep into your ear canal, sit and get real tight so that they don't come out when you're, you know, running on a treadmill.
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H How-To Geek Nick Lewis · reviewer · Jan 2026
Clear assessments of tradeoffs help you weigh options between models like the Nothing Ear (3) and competing alternatives.
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T TecH MoE TecH MoE · 36.7K subscribers · Nov 2025
🎯 Bottom Line: These aren't perfect, but the sound quality with proper EQ tuning is genuinely impressive. That talk button might seem weird, but I actually found myself using it more than expected for voice notes. ANC is just okay though - don't expect AirPods Pro levels.
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S Stuff Tom Morgan-Freelander · reviewer · Sept 2025
A more grown-up take on Nothing’s steadily evolving wireless earbuds, with some unique – and welcome – additions.
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P Product Feedback Product Feedback · 32.1K subscribers · Apr 2026
Is the Nothing Ear (3) a true AirPods Pro replacement or just a transparent gimmick? In this 2026 review, I answer the 10 biggest questions—both positive and negative—that people are asking on Reddit and the Nothing community.
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N Nine.com.au Article · Oct 2025
The Nothing Ear (3) is a great pair of earbuds, and I love the transparent design.
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R RichMe RichMe · 23.8K subscribers · Jan 2026
And this might be one of the most confusing earbuds you could buy. And that's not necessarily a bad thing because on paper, they don't try to beat the competition. They don't try to chase a flat audio profile and they definitely don't play it safe. Instead, nothing did what most brands are afraid to do.
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C CNET Article · Sept 2025
Improved battery life but still not great
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A Alex Kidman Alex Kidman · 13K subscribers · Oct 2025
Some people will love the style, some people won't. I think compared to the Nothing Headphones, which are really kind of ostentatious and out there, these are just that little bit more subtle. I think I like the design slightly more, but tastes can of course vary. They're IP52 rated, which basically means, yeah, you can sweat in them.
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1 13 Galaxy 13 Galaxy · 1.4K subscribers · Jul 2026
However, I do feel that when the mids and the bass are playing at the same time, it tends to get drowned out by the bass. Like, for example, the live performance of HadesTown. All the audience clapping, it's super crisp and clear. And it's really highlighted by that little bump in the treble.
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T Tagmond Tech Tagmond Tech · 429 subscribers · Jul 2026
The case does have a little bit of play, and does rattle, so it's not as satisfying as the case of the AirPods Pro 3. But, it doesn't affect charging or how securely they're held, but it was something that did notice. Overall, first impressions are really positive. Comfort is another area where Nothing has done a great job. But, before we go into that, let's talk about the design.
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B Best IEM Best IEM · 375 subscribers · Jul 2026
The microphone quality of the earbuds is decent. It reduces wind noise well, but it is not perfect as the voice is occasionally cut off. Since a microphone that cannot properly capture the voice cannot be called a microphone, it feels like it has improved but taken two steps back.
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R RAIN's AUDIO LAB RAIN's AUDIO LAB · 87 subscribers · Mar 2026
After using deeply for 3 months, I can say for sure you can't treat the Nothing Ear (3) as a cheaper replacement for Apple post 3, but my take is this. It is a very, very interesting pair of ear buds and yeah, let me tell you why. First, my main take on these ear buds is this. They feel like a very well-made toy.
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6 stance not read sources

Z ZDNET Nina Raemont · reviewer · Nov 2025
I've been testing the new Nothing Ear (a) earbuds since launch. I took them on a ten-mile run, worked with them deskside, and commuted on the subway with them plugged in to my ears. One question that informed my initial testing was: Can the sound of these buds be as good -- if not better -- than its sleek looks? Keep reading to find out.
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F Flossy Carter Flossy Carter · 2.1M subscribers · Sept 2025
It's your boy Floss back again with another video and today we're going to take a look at the Nothing Ear 3. Now, you can pick these up online. I'll throw the link up in the description. The price on these 180 bucks. All right, so let's get right into it. First things first, shout out to White Shoes back in the building. >> Calm down. Okay, nothing ear bucks.
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M Mike O'Brien Mike O'Brien · 659K subscribers · Jul 2026
And in many ways, they're the absolute best earbuds for most people, offering impressive sound quality, great comfort, battery life, features, and even better A&C than the more expensive Nothing Ear 3. And these offer a very useful feature that I've just never seen on another pair of earbuds. More on that in a minute. But first, let's take a step back and start off with the design.
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T This is Tech Today This is Tech Today · 503K subscribers · Sept 2025
Yeah, nothing 3, third gen. They fixed the the name and went back to having numbers again. So, yeah, this is the fourth gen Nothing ear 3. Confusing.
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H Ho Young Won Ho Young Won · 66.7K subscribers · May 2024
I like that there’s more white accents with a hint of black compared to the Nothing Ear, which is much more two tone. Compared to the main Ear, the Ear (a) buds look and feel identical. The only difference is the texture of the shells.
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H Ho Young Won Ho Young Won · 66.7K subscribers · Oct 2025
After 2 years with the Nothing Ear (2) as my main set of earbuds, I finally upgraded to the new Nothing Ear (3). With a design refresh and improved battery life, it was the perfect time to upgrade. But with the increased price tag, was it worth the buy, and should you buy one yourself? Find out in the video.
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Frequently asked questions

It ranks #12 of 24 on our earbuds tier list, in C tier. That placement draws on 71 cited sources across 57 outlets.

3 of the 65 sources with a clear view are critical of it: r/Earbuds, r/NothingTech and T3. Comes with trade-offs. Confusing lineage (Ear, Ear 2, Ear, Ear A, now Ear 3). Support is mostly one high-profile video.

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