Nothing Ear (a) Review: Read the Battery Small Print

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The Short Version

Buy it if you want capable noise-cancelling earbuds with more character than most. Smart cancelling, LDAC on Android, good call microphones and dual connection are a strong package at this price, and the design is unlike anything else.

Read the battery figure carefully. The 42.5 hours on the listing is with cancelling off. With cancelling on, Nothing quotes 5.5 hours per charge and 24.5 hours with the case. That is shorter per charge than many rivals.

Skip the pricier Nothing Ear unless you want wireless charging or LHDC. The Ear (a) already has LDAC, the same 45dB cancelling figure and more battery.

What You Get

Smart, adaptive noise cancelling. Nothing quotes up to 45dB. More useful than the number is how it works: the earbuds check how well they seal in your ear and add cancelling to compensate for any leak, and an adaptive mode adjusts to your surroundings. You can also pick from three fixed levels, and there is a transparency mode for hearing the world around you.

LDAC for hi-res audio on Android. Alongside the standard AAC and SBC, the Ear (a) supports LDAC, which carries far more audio data on Android phones that support it. iPhones use AAC only, so the codec advantage does not apply there.

Six microphones for calls. Three in each earbud, with Nothing's Clear Voice processing and an extra airway in the stem designed to reduce wind noise. Calls are one of the Ear (a)'s strengths.

Dual connection, so the earbuds can stay paired to a laptop and a phone at once.

A low-lag mode for games and video, which Nothing quotes at under 120ms on its own phones.

The Nothing X app, with an advanced equaliser and controls for cancelling and gestures.

IP54 water resistance on the earbuds, enough for sweat and rain. The case is rated only IPX2, so keep it out of the wet.

At 4.8g each, the earbuds are light, and the transparent design comes in black, white and a bright yellow.

The Battery, in Full

This is the section to read before buying.

The headline 42.5 hours is real, but it is the cancelling-off figure. Most people buy noise-cancelling earbuds to use the cancelling, and with it on the Ear (a) lasts 5.5 hours per charge. That covers a commute or a working morning, not a long-haul flight without a break.

The case softens the problem. Twenty-four and a half hours in total with cancelling on is enough for most weeks, and Nothing quotes a 10-minute charge at up to 10 hours of playback with cancelling off.

There is no wireless charging. The case charges over USB-C only. Wireless charging is one of the things the pricier Nothing Ear adds.

What You Give Up

Long sessions with cancelling on. Five and a half hours per charge is the Ear (a)'s clearest weakness against rivals.

Wireless charging.

Codec benefits on iPhone. LDAC is an Android feature.

Some features are best on a Nothing phone. The lowest-latency game mode and Nothing's ChatGPT voice integration work through Nothing's own ecosystem. On other phones the earbuds are excellent but ordinary in that respect.

Ear (a) or Nothing Ear?

The pricier Nothing Ear has the same cancelling figure and adds three things: LHDC 5.0 on top of LDAC, a ceramic driver, and wireless charging. It quotes slightly less total battery.

For most people the Ear (a) is the better buy. LDAC already covers the hi-res case for most Android phones, and the Ear (a) costs less. Choose the Nothing Ear if you want wireless charging or have a phone that supports LHDC. Our Nothing Ear vs Ear (a) comparison goes into the details.

Other Options Around the Same Money

CMF Buds Pro 2. Nothing's own budget sub-brand, cheaper, with dual drivers and a physical control dial on the case. Our Nothing Ear (a) vs CMF Buds Pro 2 comparison sets them side by side.

EarFun Air Pro 4. Usually cheaper, with adaptive cancelling, LDAC, aptX Lossless and a longer quoted battery per charge. Less distinctive, and from a smaller brand. Our EarFun Air Pro 4 vs Nothing Ear (a) comparison goes through them row by row.

For the wider field, see our best noise cancelling earbuds under $100, best wireless earbuds for Android and best earbuds for iPhone guides.

FAQ

Does the Nothing Ear (a) support LDAC? Yes. It supports LDAC alongside AAC and SBC. LDAC needs an Android phone that supports it; iPhones use AAC.

How long does the Nothing Ear (a) battery last? Up to 9.5 hours per charge and 42.5 hours with the case with cancelling off. With cancelling on, up to 5.5 hours per charge and 24.5 hours with the case.

Does the Nothing Ear (a) have wireless charging? No. The case charges over USB-C. The pricier Nothing Ear supports wireless charging.

Is the Nothing Ear (a) waterproof? The earbuds are rated IP54 against dust and splashes. The case is rated IPX2. Neither should be submerged.

Does it work with iPhone? Yes, through the Nothing X app. The LDAC codec and some ecosystem features do not apply on iPhone.

Can it connect to two devices? Yes. It supports dual connection.

The Verdict

Our score: 8.4/10. The Ear (a) offers a lot for the money: smart cancelling that compensates for fit, LDAC, six-microphone calls, dual connection, a capable app and a design that stands out. It is the better buy of Nothing's two earbuds for most people.

Its weakness is battery with cancelling on. At 5.5 hours per charge it asks you to use the case more often than most rivals do. If that suits how you listen — commutes, workdays, short trips — it is one of the most likeable earbuds at this price. If you need long, uninterrupted sessions with cancelling on, look at a pair that quotes more.