Earbuds / Compare
Nothing Ear (3a) vs Nothing Ear (a)
Product A: Nothing
84 of 166 known
Change Nothing Ear (3a)
Product B: Nothing
77 of 166 known
47 of 157 fields differ
- 27 different values
- 20 known for one only
- 38 the same
- 72 missing for both
Biggest differences
Each bar uses the scale of all 138 earbuds.
- Quick chargeA: 1hB: 3.2hEar (a) is 3.2 times higher.
Weight
0 to 80 g
Weight per bud
A4.53g
B4.8g
Case weight
A40.92g
B39.6g
All 166 fields
Every value links to where we found it.


General
3 of 8 differ
Series
Not available
Not available
Model numbers
GTIN / EAN
Not available
Not available
Announced
Not available
Not available
Status
Predecessor
Nothing Ear (a)15Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-ear-3a-review-159720Read 8 October 2026Exact review explicitly calls Ear (3a) the successor to Ear (a). The existing B162 record is the linked predecessor, not B171 Ear.
Not available
Successor
Not available
Launch price (US)
Not available
Launch price (EU)
Not available
Markets
Colours
Black, White, Yellow, Pink1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026
Design
1 of 4 differ
Form factor
Bud shape
Use one bud alone
Not available
RGB lighting
Not available
Not available
Drivers and sound
7 of 17 differ
Drivers per bud
ANothing Ear (3a)
| Type | Diameter (mm) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic | 12 |
BNothing Ear (a)
| Type | Diameter (mm) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic | 11 |
Driver type
Driver size
12mm
11mm
Drivers per bud
Not available
Not available
Diaphragm material
Frequency response
Not available
Sensitivity
Not available
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
Not available
Max sample rate
Max bit depth
Not available
Adaptive EQ
Not available
Not available
Personalised sound
Not available
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
Balanced, More Bass, More Treble, Voice10Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/47974778373393-How-many-types-of-EQ-effects-does-the-Earbuds-haveRead 8 October 2026The four maker-named Simple EQ presets. Additional Advanced EQ presets and shared user profiles are separate. Their complete names were not found and are not invented.
Volume limit
Not available
Not available
Spatial audio
1 of 2 differ
Spatial audio
Static Spatial Audio1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026
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
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
4 of 23 differ
Frequency response notes (measured)
Not available
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
Not available
Treble amount (measured)
Not available
Not available
Deviation from target (measured)
Not available
Not available
Consistency between fittings (measured)
Not available
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)
Not available
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)
Longest tested use per charge
10h
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
Call audio bandwidth
Not available
Not available
Mic mute control
Not available
Not available
Sidetone
Not available
Not available
Connectivity
4 of 18 differ
Chip
Not available
Not available
Connections
Bluetooth
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth profiles
Not available
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/ear-3aRead 8 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
0 of 3 differ
Low latency mode
Claimed latency
Not available
Not available
Lowest claimed latency
Not available
Not available
Compatibility
2 of 4 differ
Platforms
Connection per platform
Not available
Not available
Features that need a specific device
ANothing Ear (3a)
| Feature | Needs |
|---|---|
| LDAC playback | Compatible Android source with LDAC enabled. The maker lists Android 8.0 or later and iOS 13 or later for device compatibility. iOS uses AAC rather than LDAC. |
| Audio Snapshot | Nothing X account. Capture up to one minute of source-phone audio, optionally including the preceding 30 seconds. Snapshot stops automatically at the selected duration. Pre-recording increases power use. Recorded audio syncs to Nothing X on Android or iOS. |
| Call Recording | Nothing X account and a supported region, including the United States. Disabled by default until enabled after the app region check. Record up to two hours of calls or online meetings, with an audible notification. |
| Cloud Pro transcription | Internet connection and Nothing X account. Current maker offer includes 120 minutes monthly for the first three months. Continuing cloud Pro access requires a subscription. Exact pricing is only shown in the app. |
| Essential Space integration | Select Nothing devices with an Essential Key and current software. Ordinary recording does not universally require a Nothing phone. |
| Low Lag Mode | Game Mode on a compatible Nothing phone, or enable through Nothing X. Under-120-ms support wording differs from an as-low-as-120-ms product disclaimer, so no exact latency is stored. |
| Basic local transcription | Basic local transcription is free, separate from the cloud Pro subscription. The recording features still require a Nothing X account. |
Source12Press releasenothing.community/d/59486-ear-3a-available-nowRead 8 October 2026Original current product Specs and Disclaimer sections 9 to 14 give recording-account, regional, trial, subscription and Essential Key conditions. Exact current call-recording support confirms United States in the supported list. Recording feature availability is not extended to unlisted regions. No future feature rollout or unlisted subscription price is invented.16Measurementnotebookcheck.net/High-quality-in-ear-headphones-at-a-fair-price-Nothing-Ear-3a-review.1411007.0.htmlRead 8 October 2026September 29 review of firmware 1.0.1.65 explicitly confirms free basic local transcription, distinct from the cloud Pro service. Account requirement comes from the current maker recording disclaimer.17Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Exact current product Disclaimer gives account, supported-region and paid-cloud-service limitations. The United States is explicitly supported for call recording. Essential Space requires eligible Nothing hardware, while the ordinary recording app supports Android and iOS.18Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/48012760112145-Why-can-t-I-use-Call-RecordingRead 8 October 2026Exact current maker region list includes the United States. Unlisted regions are not assumed to support Call Recording.20Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/categories/47340233372561-Nothing-Ear-3aRead 8 October 2026The model-specific How-to section explicitly describes automatic Snapshot completion at the configured duration, with no need to end it manually.
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
13 of 13 differ
Battery per bud
User-replaceable earbud battery
Not available
Claimed battery life
ANothing Ear (3a)
| Mode | Codec | Includes case recharges | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC off | AAC | No | 10 |
| ANC off | AAC | Yes | 42 |
| ANC on | AAC | No | 6 |
| ANC on | AAC | Yes | 25 |
| ANC off | LDAC | No | 6 |
| ANC off | LDAC | Yes | 28 |
| ANC on | LDAC | No | 4.5 |
| ANC on | LDAC | Yes | 20 |
| Call | Not available | No | 6 |
| Call | Not available | Yes | 25 |
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
10h
9.5h
Playback per charge with ANC (claimed)
6h
5.5h
Playback per charge without ANC (claimed)
10h
9.5h
Total with case (claimed)
42h
42.5h
Total with case and ANC (claimed)
25h
24.5h
Talk time (claimed)
6h
5.2h
Charging guidance
The maker gives an unspecified-component USB-C full-charge estimate of 70 minutes and recommends a 5 V / 1 A or higher adapter. Five minutes in the case is claimed to provide one hour of earbud playback with ANC off. The specifications separately give ten minutes for ten hours including case recharges. A marketing footnote instead describes ten hours from the earbuds after ten minutes, so that component scope is unresolved. The original B190 safety booklet specifies a charger output range of 2.5 to 5 W. These are maker estimates and guidance, without an earbud-only or case-only full-charge time.2Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Current Specs Charging table says Type-C wired charging-to-full time 70 minutes without a separate component label. Disclaimer says Ear (3a) 0 to 100 percent when the case is connected, with Nothing Power 45 W at 25 C. The test adapter rating is not device input power. Dedicated fast-charge support confirms 5 min / 1 h earbuds-only and 10 min / 10 h buds plus case. A conflicting 10-minute full-earbud implication in the marketing footnote and reviewer paraphrase is preserved here without assigning a numeric full-bud time.
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
Charging case
1 of 10 differ
Case battery
User-replaceable case battery
Not available
Case charging port
Case full charge time
Not available
Not available
Wireless charging
Wireless standards
Not available
Not available
Wireless charging power
Not available
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
Single pinch: play/pause or answer/end call, Double pinch: skip forward or decline call, Triple pinch: skip back, Pinch and hold: noise control or assigned volume, Double pinch and hold: Audio Snapshot or Call Recording, Pinch both buds simultaneously: Audio Snapshot / Call Recording17Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Current exact Gesture controls table provides pinch commands and simultaneous-bud recording controls. Preserves actual device operations rather than generic article wording. Simultaneous pinch is labelled Audio Snapshot / Call Recording. It is not a universal manual start/stop promise because Snapshot ends automatically at the configured duration.20Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/categories/47340233372561-Nothing-Ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Exact How to start Snapshot answer says simultaneous press starts Audio Snapshot, which automatically ends at the selected duration. Call Recording has its separate stop behavior. No universal manual start/stop action is promised.
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
1 of 9 differ
In-ear detection
Sensors
Not available
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
Not available
Hearing protection
Not available
Not available
Health features
Not available
Not available
Fit and durability
2 of 7 differ
Ear tips included
XS, S, M, L12Press releasenothing.community/d/59486-ear-3a-available-nowRead 8 October 2026Official release says four sizes including new XS. The actual-user Nothing Community unboxing separately lists XS, S, M and L with M fitted. Current specification independently gives four pairs. No extra separately sold size is included.13Reviewnothing.community/d/61192Read 8 October 2026Actual Ear (3a) unboxing states XS, S, M and L, with M fitted. This corroborates the maker four-pair list and new XS claim.
Ear tip materials
Stabilisers
Not available
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
Width21.7Height31.2Depth24mm(0.9 × 1.2 × 0.9 in)1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Current maker explicitly labels one bud Height 31.2 mm, Width 21.7 mm and Depth 24 mm. Rounded reviewer tuples are not substituted.
Not available
Case weight
Case dimensions
Width48.95Height64.8Depth22.8mm(1.9 × 2.6 × 0.9 in)1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Current maker explicitly labels Height 64.8 mm, Width 48.95 mm and Depth 22.8 mm. These axes are retained as printed. The horizontal appearance of product photos is not used to swap labelled dimensions.
Not available
Certifications
0 of 3 differ
Hi-Res Audio
Communication certifications
Not available
Not available
FCC IDs
Not available
Other certifications
Not available
Not available
In the box
2 of 2 differ
In the box
Two earbuds, Charging case, Four pairs of ear tips, Safety and warranty information with User Guide1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Current complete maker table lists two earbuds, one case, four tip pairs and one safety/warranty/user-guide booklet. No cable or adapter is listed. A generic charging support answer refers to an included cable, so cable inclusion is unresolved and no cable table or explicit absence is inferred.
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 (3a)
Not availableBNothing Ear (a)
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| USB Type-C | 1 |
Links
Not compared
Product page
Spec sheet
us.nothing.tech/products/ear-3a1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/ear-3aRead 8 October 2026Full current US maker Specs tables are embedded in the public product-page data. Original HTML and the decoded model-specific specification tables were captured October 8, 2026. No data from the malformed legacy Ear (3a) checkout page, which repeats Ear (1) content, is used.
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/1/0376/5420/0459/files/Ear_3a_Safety_information_Warranty_information.pdf11Owner's manualcdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0376/5420/0459/files/Ear_3a_Safety_information_Warranty_information.pdfRead 8 October 2026Original maker-hosted Ear (3a) Safety information and Warranty information PDF, discovered through an indexed link to the maker CDN. It explicitly prints model B190 and left/right FCC identifiers. This is the safety/warranty booklet, not a claimed complete operating guide. Its original text and relevant charge instructions were inspected.
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.





















