Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation Review

Summary

A stem-style true wireless earbud with an 11 mm driver, Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC, IP54 water resistance and active noise cancellation rated to 45 dB, sold at $99 on Nothing’s US store at the time of research. Check the battery risk before you buy: 45% of 118 verified owners do not recommend it, most often because of battery degradation within 6-13 months, frequently in the right bud.

Strengths

LDAC, multipoint, ANC and IP54 at a $99 price point.
Reviewers praise the design, codec support and microphone quality.
A 10-minute charge gives 3 h 12 m of playback.
Compact transparent case with a metal hinge.
Good sound for the price, with a bass-forward but relatively balanced tuning.

Weaknesses

ANC is weaker than top competitors: rated to 45 dB, but SoundGuys measured about 25 dB peak attenuation.
No wireless charging, which the $149 Ear has.
Owner reports show a 45% non-recommendation rate among 118 verified owners, most often battery degradation within 6-13 months.
Fit and seal affect ANC; several reviewers could not get a tight seal with the included tips.
Connection stutters in high-interference environments.

Verified specifications

Driver	11 mm dynamic; diaphragm PM1 + TPU.
Frequency response	not published by the manufacturer; PCMag lists 20 Hz-20 kHz.
Bluetooth	5.3; codecs AAC, SBC, LDAC.
ANC	Smart ANC algorithm; 4 modes (high, mid, low, adaptive); rated 15 dB to 45 dB over a 5000 Hz range.
Microphones	Clear Voice Technology with 3 mics per bud.
Features	in-ear detection, pinch controls, dual connection (2 devices), Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, Low Lag Mode (as low as 120 ms with Nothing phones), Find My Earbuds, 3-band Custom EQ, Bass Enhance (5 levels), ear tip fit test.
Battery capacity	46 mAh per bud, 500 mAh case.
Battery life (manufacturer)	9.5 h buds / 42.5 h total (ANC off); 5.5 h buds / 24.5 h total (ANC on); a 10-minute charge gives 3 h 12 m; full charge takes 90 min for the case, 80 min for the buds in the case.
Charging	USB-C; no wireless charging.
Water and dust resistance	IP54 earbuds, IPX2 case.
Compatibility	Android 5.1+ and iOS 11+.
Controls	stem pinch; single, double, triple pinch and pinch-and-hold; customizable in the app.
Dimensions	bud 24.3 x 21.7 x 30.9 mm; case 63.3 x 47.6 x 22.7 mm.
Weight	4.6 g per bud (spec table) or 4.8 g (marketing copy); case 39.6 g (spec table) or 40 g; total 49.2 g (marketing copy).
In the box	3 pairs of eartips and a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Power	requires a 5 V/1.5 A adapter or higher.
Warranty	12 months in the US; 24 months in the UK and EU.

Full research notes and sources

Battery life and charging

A 10-minute charge gives 3 h 12 m, and a full charge takes 90 min for the case or 80 min for the buds in the case. The case holds 500 mAh and each bud 46 mAh, and charging is USB-C only with no wireless option. Owners report battery degradation within 6-13 months, often in the right bud, and two of three verified SoundGuys owners reported degradation after 1-2 years.

Noise cancellation

ANC is rated up to 45 dB via a Smart ANC algorithm over a 5000 Hz range, with high, mid, low and adaptive modes. SoundGuys measured peak attenuation of about 25 dB and an average loudness reduction of about 57%. Adaptive ANC is reported to do little, with best results on the high setting, and a poor seal from the included tips reduces effectiveness.

Fit, sound and controls

The case measures 63.3 x 47.6 x 22.7 mm and weighs 39.6 g per the spec table or 40 g. In the box are 3 pairs of eartips and a USB-C to USB-C cable. Controls are stem pinches, single, double, triple and pinch-and-hold, customizable in the app. Features include in-ear detection, dual connection for 2 devices, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, Low Lag Mode as low as 120 ms with Nothing phones, Find My Earbuds, a 3-band Custom EQ and Bass Enhance with 5 levels. The manufacturer does not publish a frequency response; PCMag lists 20 Hz-20 kHz. CNET noted that sound changes slightly with ANC settings.

Reliability and warranty

Nothing covers US audio products for 12 months from delivery, and UK and EU audio products for 24 months. Defective products can be repaired, replaced or refunded within 30 days of delivery, and repaired or replaced after 30 days. No repair parts program or battery replacement service is documented. Owner reports include 28 cases of battery degrading within months, 13 of one earbud developing charging or connection failures, 9 of weak or inconsistent ANC and poor transparency mode, 6 of fragile or wobbly cases and stems or glue coming apart, and 6 of muddy or muffled sound.

Is it worth it?

At the $99 MSRP it is a strong all-rounder offering LDAC, multipoint, ANC, IP54 and a compact case, and better value than the $149 Ear for buyers who do not need wireless charging or advanced EQ. Below $80 it is a compelling buy if the battery longevity risk is acceptable. From $100 to $120 it remains good value but should be compared with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, which offers better ANC and battery. Above $120 the value weakens given battery degradation reports and the absence of wireless charging. The key differentiator is design plus feature set plus LDAC at $99, not class-leading ANC.

Which model this is

This page covers the Nothing Ear (a) true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, sold in Black, White and Yellow. Nothing’s product page does not publish a hardware model number; a third-party manual database lists model B162. SoundGuys tested firmware version 1.0.1.41 with the Nothing X app version 2.3.16. Do not merge it with the Nothing Ear (2024) ($149, ceramic driver, wireless charging case), Ear (stick), Ear (1), Ear (2), Ear (3) or Ear (3a).

The Amazon listing for this product uses ASIN B0CXPR5412.