This early Black Friday deal drops the Nothing Ear to impulse-buy territory

And no, you’re not the only one puzzled by the naming. Nothing’s lineup is all over the place – the Nothing Ear lands after the Ear (2) and before the Ear (3). Yep, it’s confusing. This 2024 version is basically a refreshed take on the Ear (2), with upgrades in battery life and overall sound quality.

We’ve already spent plenty of time testing these earbuds, and as our review shows, they hold up really well. The audio is punchy and super customizable, and the design sticks to that signature transparent Nothing look. They fit comfortably, too – the only downside is that the case is a bit bulky.

Nothing Ear in its case. | Image credit – PhoneArena

With ANC on, you’re looking at around 5 hours of listening on the buds and roughly 24 hours total with the case. Turn ANC off, and those numbers jump to about 8.5 hours on the earbuds and around 40 hours combined.

Nothing also claims these buds can cut noise up to 5 kHz down to -45 dB, which covers most low and mid noises – things like engine hums, construction rumble, AC buzz, and similar background sounds. You’ll still catch sharper stuff, like speech consonants, bird chirps, and sudden loud hits. In short, the noise cancellation is fine, but not exactly rock-solid.

If ANC is the number-one priority for you, then the AirPods Pro is still the stronger pick. Whether you look at the AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3, Apple does better at keeping noise levels stable when you’re moving around, and the transparency mode is clearer and more natural.

Of course, even with early discounts, the AirPods Pro models cost a lot more than the Nothing Ear – so the price gap is something to think about.