Earbuds / Compare
Nothing Ear vs Nothing Ear (a)
Product A: Nothing
100 of 166 known
Change Nothing Ear
Product B: Nothing
77 of 166 known
Change Nothing Ear (a)
50 of 157 fields differ
- 29 different values
- 21 known for one only
- 43 the same
- 64 missing for both
Biggest differences
Each bar uses the scale of all 138 earbuds.
- Quick chargeA: 2.6hB: 3.2hEar (a) is 0.6 h higher.
- Battery lifeA: 8.5hB: 9.5hEar (a) is 1 h higher.
Weight
0 to 80 g
Weight per bud
A4.62g
B4.8g
Case weight
A51.9g
B39.6g
All 166 fields
Every value links to where we found it.


General
6 of 8 differ
Model numbers
GTIN / EAN
6974434222175, 69744342221821Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Variant SKU codes of the Black and White options on the maker's US store. Nothing uses them as barcodes.
Not available
Announced
Not available
Status
Predecessor
Nothing Ear (2)20Reviewm.gsmarena.com/nothing_ear_and_ear_a_review-amp-62893.phpRead 23 October 2026Review says the Nothing Ear replaces the Ear (2).
Not available
Successor
Launch price (US)
$14920Reviewm.gsmarena.com/nothing_ear_and_ear_a_review-amp-62893.phpRead 23 October 2026Review gives $149 / GBP 129 / EUR 149 for the Nothing Ear. Excludes sales tax.21Reviewtomsguide.com/audio/earbuds/nothing-earRead 23 October 2026Review lists a launch price of $149 and says the Ear is on sale at that price from the nothing.tech store.
Not available
Launch price (EU)
€14920Reviewm.gsmarena.com/nothing_ear_and_ear_a_review-amp-62893.phpRead 23 October 2026EUR 149 as published in the review spec table. Country not named.21Reviewtomsguide.com/audio/earbuds/nothing-earRead 23 October 2026Review says on sale at EUR 149 via nothing.tech.
Not available
Markets
Colours
Design
1 of 4 differ
Form factor
Bud shape
Use one bud alone
Not available
RGB lighting
Not available
Not available
Drivers and sound
6 of 17 differ
Drivers per bud
ANothing Ear
| Type | Diameter (mm) | Count per earbud |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic | 11 | 1 |
BNothing Ear (a)
| Type | Diameter (mm) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic | 11 |
Driver type
Driver size
11mm
11mm
Drivers per bud
1
Not available
Diaphragm material
Frequency response
Not available
Not available
Impedance
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
Not available
Max sample rate
Max bit depth
Adaptive EQ
Not available
Not available
Personalised sound
No14Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026The reviewed Ear (a) does not offer the hearing-test sound profile of B171 Ear. No later model capability is transferred.17Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/nothing/ear-a-truly-wirelessRead 8 October 2026The public Differences section explicitly describes no custom sound profile based on hearing. Tested edition is White B162 Ear (a). All colors share the documented model hardware, but test configuration remains named. Paid numerical results and hidden data are not accessed.
Onboard EQ
Not available
Not available
Custom EQ bands
EQ presets
Volume limit
Not available
Not available
Spatial audio
None of 2 known
Spatial audio
Not available
Not available
Head tracking
Not available
Not available
Noise cancelling
0 of 11 differ
Active noise cancelling
ANC type
Not available
Not available
ANC microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Not available
Adaptive ANC
Yes1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Noise cancellation features list Smart ANC algorithm and Adaptive ANC. Adaptive adjusts cancellation to ambient sound.22Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404Read 23 October 2026Adaptive ANC adjusts ANC strength to the noise level. Smart ANC checks leakage at each wear.
ANC levels
ANC attenuation (claimed)
Transparency mode
Adjustable transparency
Not available
Not available
Automatic ANC and transparency blend
Not available
Not available
Conversation detection
Not available
Not available
Wind noise reduction
Measured
7 of 23 differ
Frequency response notes (measured)
RTINGS rates the sound signature warm. SoundGuys finds bass above its preference curve by default, a dip near 470 Hz and a rise near 5.5 kHz.22Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404Read 23 October 2026Default settings, firmware 1.0.1.39, app 2.3.15, compared with the SoundGuys preference curve.26Measurementrtings.com/headphones/reviews/nothing/ear-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026Public Sound Signature tile: Warm.
Default response has elevated sub-bass, recessed 200 to 500 Hz mids and reduced output above 8 kHz relative to the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve.14Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-a-review-114747Read 8 October 2026Reviewer original default-response chart and discussion against SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. Firmware 1.0.1.41, app 2.3.16. No approximate chart amplitude is entered as an exact numerical metric.
Bass amount (measured)
Not available
Treble amount (measured)
Not available
Deviation from target (measured)
Not available
Not available
Consistency between fittings (measured)
Not available
Not available
Harmonic distortion (measured)
Not available
Sound leakage (measured)
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation, best (measured)
Not available
Not available
Passive isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Call quality notes (measured)
SoundGuys says voices sound slightly muffled and the background noise reduction is among the best it has heard, with wind handled better than most earbuds. RTINGS rates the microphone decent and says the voice is intelligible but not true-to-life.22Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404Read 23 October 2026Written review and demos in ideal, office, street, wind and reverberant conditions.26Measurementrtings.com/headphones/reviews/nothing/ear-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026Public verdict text. Test results are locked.
Not available
Mic low-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic high-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic speech-to-noise ratio (measured)
Not available
Not available
Latency (measured)
Not available
Not available
Bluetooth latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Not available
2.4 GHz latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Not available
Latency in game mode (measured)
Not available
Not available
Battery life (measured)
ANothing Ear
| ANC | Codec | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| Not available | Not available | 8.07 |
| Not available | Not available | 7.5 |
| Yes | LDAC | 3.43 |
| Yes | Not available | 4 |
| Yes | LDAC | 6 |
Source20Reviewm.gsmarena.com/nothing_ear_and_ear_a_review-amp-62893.phpRead 23 October 2026Around 4 hours with ANC on and volume at 100 percent.22Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404Read 23 October 2026Battery test: 8 hours 4 minutes on one charge. The ANC setting, codec and volume are not stated.23Reviewdigit.in/reviews/audio-video/nothing-ear-2024-review-nearly-perfect.htmlRead 23 October 2026Lasted 3 hours 26 minutes with the LDAC codec and ANC active.25Measurementnotebookcheck.net/Comparison-test-All-of-the-latest-wireless-Nothing-headphones-reviewed.875347.0.htmlRead 23 October 2026Spotify loop at 65 dB(A), ANC at the highest level, LDAC, firmware 1.0.1.52. The chart says 6 h and the text says just under six hours.26Measurementrtings.com/headphones/reviews/nothing/ear-truly-wirelessRead 23 October 2026Public comparison text with the Ear (3) says the Ear has a continuous battery life of 7.5 hours. ANC state not stated.
Longest tested use per charge
8.07h
8.82h
Battery life with case (measured)
Not available
Not available
Full charge time (measured)
Not available
Not available
Weight per bud (measured)
Not available
Not available
Microphones and calls
1 of 7 differ
Voice microphones in both earbuds
All microphones in both earbuds
Bone conduction voice sensor
Not available
Not available
Mic noise reduction
Not available
Call audio bandwidth
Not available
Not available
Mic mute control
Not available
Not available
Sidetone
Not available
Not available
Connectivity
2 of 18 differ
Chip
Not available
Not available
Connections
Bluetooth
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth profiles
RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, AVRCP1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026
RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, AVRCP2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
LE Audio
Auracast
Not available
Not available
Multipoint
Multipoint devices
Multipoint with LDAC
Not available
Not available
Paired devices remembered
Automatic switching between own devices
Not available
Not available
Fast pairing
Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026
Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026
Audio sharing
Not available
Not available
Wireless range (claimed)
Not available
Wireless receiver
Not available
Not available
Receiver connector
Not available
Not available
Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth audio
Not available
Not available
Latency
2 of 3 differ
Low latency mode
Claimed latency
ANothing Ear
| Connection | Mode | Latency (ms) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | Game mode with a Nothing phone | 120 |
BNothing Ear (a)
Not availableLowest claimed latency
120ms
Not available
Compatibility
1 of 4 differ
Platforms
Android, iOS1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Android 5.1 and above, iOS 11 and above.18Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726223774865-Which-devices-are-compatible-with-Nothing-EarRead 23 October 2026Support page says Android 5.1 and above and iOS 13 and above.
Connection per platform
Not available
Not available
Features that need a specific device
ANothing Ear
| Feature | Needs |
|---|---|
| LDAC | Needs a source with LDAC and the codec enabled on the phone. Nothing X needs high-definition encoding switched on. Dual Connection should be off for the full stream. iOS supports AAC only. |
| LHDC 5.0 | Needs a source with LHDC. On Nothing phones it is on by default. Other Android phones need LHDC enabled in the Bluetooth codec settings. Dual Connection should be off for the full stream. |
| Low latency | Latency as low as 120 ms when paired with Nothing phones with game mode on. |
| ChatGPT integration | Needs a supported Nothing phone, per SoundGuys. |
Source1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Disclaimers 6, 7 and 9 on the product page.14Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726267987729-How-to-use-the-LDAC-featureRead 23 October 2026LDAC support page.15Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726267801361-How-do-I-use-the-LHDC-featureRead 23 October 2026LHDC support page.22Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404Read 23 October 2026ChatGPT integration row.
BNothing Ear (a)
| Feature | Needs |
|---|---|
| LDAC high-resolution audio | Compatible Android source with LDAC enabled and high-definition audio enabled in Nothing X. For high-bitrate streams the maker recommends disabling Dual Connection. |
| Nothing X configuration | Android 5.1 or later, or iOS 13 or later according to current Ear (a) support. |
| Google Fast Pair | Supported Android device with Google Play services 11.7 or later, Android 6.0 or later. |
| Automatic Low Lag Mode | Game Mode on a compatible Nothing phone. Other users can enable Low Lag Mode in Nothing X. |
Source12Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726219572881-How-do-I-use-the-LDAC-featureRead 8 October 2026LDAC FAQ recommends adaptive bitrate and, for a higher-quality stream, disabling Dual Connection. It does not categorically prohibit all concurrent LDAC/multipoint use, so multipoint_ldac is not set false. Current compatibility FAQ gives iOS 13 minimum, stronger than legacy full specifications iOS 11. Low-lag and Fast Pair conditions come from the original product page. An under-120-ms headline differs from the as-low-as-120-ms disclaimer, so no exact numeric latency is stored.16Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Product-page Disclaimers 8, 15 and 16 give Nothing phone Game Mode, dual-connection and Google Fast Pair conditions. ChatGPT integration is not stored as universal assistant support.
Official licence
Not available
Not available
Battery and charging
9 of 13 differ
Battery per bud
User-replaceable earbud battery
Not available
Not available
Claimed battery life
ANothing Ear
| Mode | Codec | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC off | AAC | No | 8.5 |
| ANC off | AAC | Yes | 40.5 |
| ANC on | AAC | No | 5.2 |
| ANC on | AAC | Yes | 24 |
| Call | Not available | No | 5 |
| Call | Not available | Yes | 23 |
Source1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Playback and talk time tables. Test: earbuds and case fully charged, 50 percent volume, AAC, other settings default, Nothing lab at 25 C. The ANC on row also covers transparency mode. Call rows are ANC off. ANC on talk time is 4 h and 18 h with case.3Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726186502673-What-is-the-battery-life-of-Nothing-EarRead 23 October 2026Same figures. ANC on or transparency mode: 5.2 h and 24 h. ANC off: 8.5 h and 40.5 h. Talk ANC off 5 h and 23 h, ANC on 4 h and 18 h.
BNothing Ear (a)
| Mode | Codec | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC off | AAC | No | 9.5 |
| ANC off | AAC | Yes | 42.5 |
| ANC on | AAC | No | 5.5 |
| ANC on | AAC | Yes | 24.5 |
| Transparency | AAC | No | 5.5 |
| Transparency | AAC | Yes | 24.5 |
| Call | Not available | No | 5.2 |
| Call | Not available | Yes | 23 |
Longest claimed use per charge
8.5h
9.5h
Playback per charge with ANC (claimed)
5.2h
5.5h
Playback per charge without ANC (claimed)
8.5h
9.5h
Total with case (claimed)
40.5h
42.5h
Total with case and ANC (claimed)
24h
24.5h
Talk time (claimed)
5h
5.2h
Full charge time, buds
Charging guidance
Fast charging needs a 5 V / 1.5 A adapter or higher, per the maker's footnote. Quick charge: 10 minutes gives up to 10 hours of playback with the case, ANC off. The 45 W Nothing Power charger was used for the maker's charging tests.1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026
Charge the earbuds in the closed case. Use USB-C to charge the case, with a 5 V / 1.5 A or higher adapter. The maker reports 80 minutes for an earbud charge in an unplugged case and 90 minutes for an empty earbuds-and-case set charged together. Ten minutes gives up to 3.2 hours of earbud playback with ANC off, or 2 hours with ANC on. The separate case-inclusive quick-charge claim is 10 hours with ANC off and 6 hours with ANC on in support, while the product-page footnote says 9.5 hours with ANC off. These are maker laboratory estimates, not case-only charge times.6Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Product-page Disclaimer 10 to 12 separates 80-minute buds and 90-minute combined timing, gives adapter guidance 5 V / 1.5 A or higher, and uses Nothing Power 45 W at 25 C. The adapter rating is not device input power. Disclaimer 12 gives 9.5 h case-inclusive after 10 minutes, conflicting with the 10 h headline and dedicated support article. Both source statements are retained without guessing a reconciliation.
Quick charge time
Earbud playback after quick charge
2.6h1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Disclaimer 13 gives 2 hours 36 minutes for a single 10 minute charge of the earbuds themselves.5Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726144720785-Does-Nothing-Ear-support-fast-chargingRead 23 October 2026Earbuds only, ANC off, up to 2.6 h after 10 minutes (10 h with the case). AAC, 50 percent volume, 25 C.
Charging case
4 of 10 differ
Case battery
User-replaceable case battery
Not available
Not available
Case charging port
Case full charge time
Not available
Wireless charging
Wireless standards
Not available
Wireless charging power
2.5W20Reviewm.gsmarena.com/nothing_ear_and_ear_a_review-amp-62893.phpRead 23 October 2026Review names 2.5 W wireless charging. The maker does not publish a wattage in the pages read.24Reviewandroidcentral.com/accessories/audio/nothing-ear-reviewRead 23 October 2026Spec list gives 2.5-watt wireless charging.
Not available
Speaker in case
Not available
Not available
Screen on case
Not available
Not available
Case works as audio transmitter
Not available
Not available
Controls
1 of 5 differ
Controls
Earbud volume control
Gestures
Pinch: play or pause, answer or hang up a call, Double pinch: skip forward, reject a call, Triple pinch: skip back, Pinch and hold: switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode9Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726251176465-How-do-I-operate-the-control-functions-on-Nothing-EarRead 23 October 2026Default gestures. Nothing X can assign play or pause, skip, noise control, volume up, volume down and the voice assistant.
Single pinch: play/pause or answer/end call, Double pinch: skip forward or reject call, Triple pinch: skip back, Pinch and hold: switch ANC/transparency3Owner's manualcdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_a_EN.pdfRead 8 October 2026Original OPERATIONS panel shows force-sensor pressure controls. Custom volume and voice-assistant assignments are separate Nothing X options. Fitted tips are medium.
Remappable controls
Voice assistant
Not available
Not available
Sensors and health
2 of 9 differ
In-ear detection
Sensors
Not available
Heart rate sensor
Not available
Not available
Skin temperature sensing
Not available
Not available
Hearing aid feature
Not available
Not available
Medical clearances
Not available
Not available
Hearing test
Yes16Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/23726213261329-What-is-Personal-Sound-ProfileRead 23 October 2026Audio test in the Nothing X app. A consumer sound-personalisation test, not a clinical one.20Reviewm.gsmarena.com/nothing_ear_and_ear_a_review-amp-62893.phpRead 23 October 2026Review describes sound tests at different frequencies to gauge the user's profile.
Hearing protection
Not available
Not available
Health features
Not available
Not available
Fit and durability
2 of 7 differ
Ear tips included
Ear tip materials
Stabilisers
Not available
Ear tip fit test
Dust and water rating, buds
Dust and water rating, case
Water resistance depth
Not available
Not available
Software
0 of 6 differ
Companion app
App platforms
User firmware updates
Finding network
Not available
Not available
Precision finding
Not available
Not available
Live translation
Not available
Not available
Dimensions and weight
4 of 4 differ
Weight per bud
Bud dimensions
Width21.7Height29.4Depth24.1mm(0.9 × 1.2 × 0.9 in)1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Buds dimensions table labels Height 29.4 mm, Width 21.7 mm and Depth 24.1 mm.
Not available
Case weight
Case dimensions
Width55.5Height55.5Depth22mm(2.2 × 2.2 × 0.9 in)1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026Case dimensions table labels Height 55.5 mm, Width 55.5 mm and Depth 22 mm.
Not available
Certifications
0 of 3 differ
Hi-Res Audio
Communication certifications
Not available
Not available
FCC IDs
Not available
Not available
Other certifications
Not available
Not available
In the box
2 of 2 differ
In the box
Pair of earbuds, Ear tips in size S, M, L, Charging case, Type-C cable, Safety information and warranty information, User guide1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026
Pair of earbuds, Charging case, Ear tips in sizes S, M and L, USB Type-C cable, Safety and warranty information, User guide2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Exact Ear (a) standard list. Ear tips S, M and L include the fitted medium pair. No external power adapter is listed.
Cables included
ANothing Ear
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| USB Type-C cable | 1 |
BNothing Ear (a)
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| USB Type-C | 1 |
Links
Not compared
Product page
Spec sheet
us.nothing.tech/products/ear1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/earRead 23 October 2026The Specs tables of the US product page. The page data was read from the page source.
checkout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-a2Maker product pagecheckout-my.nothing.tech/products/ear-aRead 8 October 2026Original full manufacturer Ear (a) specifications remain public on this regional maker page. Hardware belongs to B162, distinct from B171 Ear and later Ear (3a). The current US Black offer supplies regional availability.
Manual
cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_EN.pdf2Owner's manualcdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_EN.pdfRead 23 October 2026One-page English quick guide from the maker's CDN. Text in the PDF is outlined, so it was read by OCR.
cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_a_EN.pdf3Owner's manualcdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0586/3270/0077/files/ear_a_EN.pdfRead 8 October 2026Original maker-hosted Nothing Ear (a) English product guide, one-page folded sheet. Model B162 is printed on the title panel. English operations, pairing, charging and wear-detection panels were visually inspected because the PDF outlines most English text.
EPREL registration number
Not available
Not available
Warranty
None of 1 known
Manufacturer warranty (source market)
Not available
Not available
Both are also in the API. Back to all earbuds.
















