Nothing Ear 1 Review: Everything You Can Want For Just $ 99
RRP $ 99.00
"Fresh and unmistakably styled, the enviable specification list of the Nothing Ear 1 True Wireless Earbuds with ANC and wireless charging is backed by great convenience, good performance, and a great price of $ 99."
advantages
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Distinctive design
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Active noise cancellation
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Wireless charging
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Very light and convenient
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Very competitive price
disadvantage
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No support for virtual assistants
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Bright sound can lack presence
The Nothing Ear 1 are an exciting product, but also a lot more than just a new pair of true wireless earbuds. Nothing is OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei's new business, but it's not specifically an audio company. It is a technology company that we can expect to see a wide variety of products in the future, spanning a multitude of different genres. What the Ear 1 represents in this context is the ethos of Nothing, showing its approach to design, quality and possibly price. The Ear 1 is Genesis for Nothing and undoubtedly gives us a glimpse of its direction for the future.
In that sense, there is a tremendous amount of weight on the shoulders of Little Ear 1. They are arguably also one of the most hyped products of this year, Pei's sizeable fan base is all waiting for them, and the success of OnePlus has led to the rest of the Tech community is watching Ear 1 with great interest. The expectations are huge.
With all this, is the Ear 1 nothing or everything?
design
When Nothing posted pictures of the Concept 1, it was clear (sorry) that transparency would likely be included in their first product, and in fact, it's an integral part of the design and identity of the Ear 1. The outer case and molded inner part are made of clear plastic while the components and battery are hidden in a white, irregularly shaped section. The square case mixes curves and slashes, round recesses and rectangular metal shapes to great effect. It's interesting and different, but still pocket-sized and conveniently sized.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The earbuds have a transparent stem, and nothing has worked hard to make sure everything looks pretty on the display. Internal components are rarely attractive or aesthetically positioned, but the microphones, magnets, and other parts in the Ear 1's stem are neat and symmetrical. It looks brilliant. The housing is made of white plastic and there is a choice of three different sized silicone earplugs – small, medium and large – included in the scope of delivery.
Nobody will confuse the Ear 1 with any other earbud. While they have a short-stemmed design like the Apple AirPods Pro, they're not an exact replica, and the case is definitely one of a kind. There are wonderful little touches too, from the use of a single red dot to identify the right earbud, the uniform pixel-art style font used on the case and "buds", and the ease with which you can find the Taking out "buds" can do the trick itself. Little things that make a big difference in use and ownership.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
However, I haven't had the Ear 1 long enough to determine its shelf life. True wireless earbud cases can get rough handling and can soon pick up scratches and scuffs. The transparent finish looks a lot worse if it suffers the same fate. So far, however, it is intact. Other than that, I really can't fault the design and presentation of the Ear 1. They are modern, fresh, distinctive and accordingly different from everyone else.
Convenience, control and connection
A lot of work has gone into the shape and materials of the Ear 1, but has just as much attention been paid to the feeling in your ear? I have been using in-ear and over-ear headphones very regularly for months, trying several different models and giving up on those that hurt my ears. The Nothing Ear 1 is by far one of the most comfortable in-ear headphones I've ever worn.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
At 4.7 grams, they are very light, have a very small overhang outside the ear and the slightly oval silicone earplugs fit perfectly into my ear. I didn't have to switch from the middle tips included in the box and I rarely had to put the Ear 1s back in my ear, even when cleaning the house or washing the car, when my head is constantly moving and often at an unusual angle. If anything, the Ear 1s were easily forgotten. Even after three hours, my ears did not hurt. I'd equate convenience with the Apple AirPods Pro, but I'd say they might be a little more secure.
I mainly used the Nothing Ear 1 in conjunction with an iPhone 12 Pro with a pre-release version of the app. They use Bluetooth 5.2, and I regularly switched between the iPhone and an iPad Pro (2020) that had the app installed not without problems. A Fast Pairing feature will be available on Android phones where opening the case and pressing the Pair button will connect it to a phone without any further action, but this was not available in my app.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The range is very good and I was able to move from one end of my humble apartment to the other, about 10 meters without line of sight, without losing contact. Control is only by touch and actions can be configured in the app. By default, a double tap plays and pauses, a triple tap advances to the next track, a long press cycles through the active noise cancellation (ANC) modes, and a swipe up and down changes the volume.
The entire stem is touch sensitive and since it's quite small the accuracy is vastly improved since you're not looking for the right spot. Plus, each earbud has the same controls, so you don't have to learn a lot. I found the touch control system intuitive and decisive, precise and precise. I didn't feel frustrated or feel the need to just pick up my phone and use it instead. A short beep plays to distinguish between the ANC modes, but I would prefer it actually been indicated which mode is active.
The Nothing Ear 1 has integrated easily, comfortably and very quickly into my everyday life
The Ear 1 comes with AAC and SBC codec compatibility, but there is no AptX, AptX Adaptive or AptX HD, no W1 chip for automatically activating Apple's Spatial Music feature. The Ear 1 does not connect to a virtual assistant. So if you want to talk to Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa, you need to use your phone. It's an unusual omission, and while it's a feature I rarely use personally, there will be others who will miss it. Apart from that, for general hearing, I have found that the Nothing Ear 1 has integrated easily, comfortably and very quickly into my everyday life.
Sound quality
The sound of the Ear 1 was tuned by Teenage Engineering, a company with decades of experience in audio hardware. In the app, you can switch between the standard balanced mode and one that emphasizes bass or treble. Balanced is by far the best option with its wonderfully flat EQ. For my personal musical preferences, the flat EQ usually works very well.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Its success is evident in AKB48's Sustainable, where the strong bass line and orchestral section can easily drown out the cute vocals when listening through headphones with a custom bass forward EQ. The mostly flat EQ of the Ear 1 keeps the vocals cleanly centered and the bass under control. The downside comes when listening to classical music. For example, Holst's Mars, The Planets' Bringer of War, lacked the all-important presence that gives it so much power.
The Ear 1 delivers a bright tone with a tight soundstage, and with complex songs there is some heaviness at the top end. This is noticeable in Curtis Mayfield's Fall Behind and in Iz * one's Mise-en-Scéne, where the highs overwhelm the mids to crescendo at the end of each track. The bass isn't quite as rounded as the AirPods Pro, and they don't have the same powerful punch or warmth as the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch. They definitely don't lack bass, but it's not a strength either. Unfortunately, the added Bass EQ mode sounds a bit artificial, so if you want more it may not be happy.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
For call quality, I used it as a replacement for my usual Samsung Galaxy Buds Live in Teams and WhatsApp video calls. The general opinion was that the sound was good and at least comparable to my usual choice and not too different from the microphone performance on the phone, in this case a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
I find the Ear 1's lack of presence more of a problem than the brightness, but it's not overly noticeable in all listening situations. The flat, natural EQ makes much of the music I hear sound the way I see it, and I would much rather have a brighter sound than one with overwhelming bass. Despite these points, I never felt like I wanted to switch to a different set of headphones to get the sound I wanted that should tell you all about the sound of the Ear 1.
Noise cancellation and transparency
You can choose between a light and a maximum setting for noise reduction, and there is also a transparency mode. I left it either at maximum or with transparency and found little use for the light mode. I either wanted to hear something or I didn't. On the street, the insulation is very effective, matching my AirPods Pro, but with a slightly less "airy" feel. You are certainly included in the Ear 1's ANC.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The transparency mode is better than others that I've used in some situations, with a less artificial feel, minimal hiss, and no discomfort. Sometimes the transparency modes get messed up by moving air or when I move my head, but that didn't happen as often with the Ear 1 at all.
Battery life
Nothing says the Ear 1 will last four hours with the case on for a total of 24 hours with the ANC turned on. Without the ANC, expect 5.7 hours per charge and a total of 34 hours with the case. The usage time cannot keep up with the Sony WF-1000XM4, but it is largely similar to the Apple AirPods Pro. Charging is done with either a USB Type-C or a wireless Qi charger. Put the earbuds in the case for 10 minutes and you will get 50 minutes of ANC playback. Charge the case for 10 minutes and there is enough power inside to provide six hours of ANC listening.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
In my experience so far, the Ear 1 lasted around four and a half hours with a mix of ANC and without and on two different phones, an iPad and my Mac Mini. I'm using the Ear 1 before it is released so the firmware may be updated in the near future which could further improve battery life. It's close to what Nothing claims, however, and a strong performance given the size and weight of the earbuds.
Price and availability
The Nothing Ear 1 will be released on August 17th and will be sold through Nothing's own online store and retail stores such as Selfridges in the UK. They cost $ 99 or £ 99.
Our opinion
I've been trying to find serious problems with the Nothing Ear 1 earbuds that I really have. I listened to them for hours, tested the ANC as best I could without getting on a plane, and doused the specs. I looked at the low price and then the product and tried to see where corners were cut off to reach it. I admit I'm at a loss. How are they $ 99 and so good?
I like the carefully balanced sound, the noise cancellation is effective without being uncomfortable, the design is very cool, and they are certainly one of the lightest and most comfortable earbuds I've ever put in my ears. I would have liked more codec support, especially AptX HD or AptX Adaptive, and the bright sound may not be to everyone's taste. It also lacks support for virtual assistants, so you don't have to verbally answer calls or check the weather. But when they have all of the above plus wireless charging and decent $ 100 battery life, they're little compromises I'm willing to make.
For a first product, the Nothing Ear 1 earphones are excellent. It's the business card most companies dream of, and I can't wait to see what Nothing brings out next.
Is there a better alternative?
For $ 100 with ANC and wireless charging? Finding a competitor for twice the price is a challenge. It's pretty puzzling how Nothing added that amount of functionality and sound quality for the price. For example, Cambridge Audio's Melomania Touch is $ 130 and doesn't have ANC or wireless charging, but I think the sound is noticeably more rounded and with a lot more presence. The $ 100 Google Pixel Buds A lack some bass, and they don't have an ANC either.
Where does that leave you? Our top pick for true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM4, is $ 280 and Apple's AirPods Pro is $ 250. Both have ANC and wireless charging and great sound. This is a serious price increase compared to the Nothing Ear 1. Perhaps the best alternative to the Nothing Ear 1 is the Sony WF-1000XM3, which is still a current model despite its technical replacement by the WF-1000XM4 with its excellent ANC and excellent performance Audio performance. You can find them for around $ 200 if you shop around.
How long will they last?
The Nothing Ear 1 has a splash protection class IPX4, so it should be suitable for use in the rain. Firmware updates are provided with the app, but there is no need to use the earbuds, so your earbuds will work even if they suddenly stop updating after years. Nothing grants a two-year guarantee on the Ear 1. The only question mark is the durability of the transparent surface of the case, otherwise the Nothing Ear 1 should last several years before battery life concerns could prompt you to upgrade.
Should you buy it?
Yes, you are unlikely to find a better pair of expertly designed, high-function, true wireless earbuds at this price point.
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