Nothing Ear (3) Review Roundup: What 8 Experts Say

Who is the Nothing Ear (3) for, and who should skip it?

The Nothing Ear (3) was released on September 18, 2025 at $179 1. Tom’s Guide says street prices often drop to $149 in sales 2. The advice leans toward Android users. Trusted Reviews calls it a solid pair for that group, particularly those in the Nothing ecosystem 3. SoundGuys recommends it mainly for first-time Nothing buyers and Nothing Phone (3) owners 4. TechRadar says the Super Mic case microphone is a standout mainly for Nothing phone owners, who also get transcription 1.

It also fits listeners who want a bassier sound than earlier Nothing earbuds delivered. RTINGS puts it plainly: the earbuds “are poised to give you most of what you want, if what you want are bassier Nothing earbuds” 5. Anyone willing to spend time in the app gets the most out of it, since SoundGuys calls the tuning V-shaped and bass-heavy but fixable with the parametric EQ 4.

Several kinds of buyers should look elsewhere. Owners of recent Nothing earbuds are the first: SoundGuys does not think the Ear (3) offers enough improvement to justify an upgrade 4. People who want the cheapest route to Nothing’s sound have a second option, because TechRadar notes the older Nothing Ear (a) sells for about half the price, around $89, which makes the Ear (3) harder to recommend 1. RTINGS likewise says the Ear (3a) is better value unless the improved microphone matters 5. Buyers who need long continuous listening should also pause, because battery life is the most frequent complaint below. Finally, athletes should check the fit: RTINGS says the buds can fall out during vigorous activity because they lack stabilizers 5, and Trusted Reviews says they slipped slightly while walking or working out 3.

What do reviewers praise about the Nothing Ear (3)?

Energetic, bass-forward sound. TechRadar lists vigorous, exciting sound among its pros and calls the delivery energetic and bass-forward 1. Tom’s Guide found the earbuds warm and detailed out of the box, with strong sub-bass 2. GSMArena calls the bass overpowering but fun, and reports a wider soundstage and less distortion than the previous model 6. SoundGuys found distortion very low, and its listening panel’s MDAQS overall score was 4.7 on a 1.0 to 5.0 scale 4. Reviews.org says the sound is well above expectations for the price 7.

Tuning tools and the app. The software is a recurring strength. RTINGS lists lots of EQ tuning among its pros 5, and Tom’s Guide calls the companion app excellent and detailed 2. SoundGuys names the Nothing X app one of the best companion apps, praising the parametric EQ 4. Reviews.org lists a great companion app 7. GSMArena says the 8-band EQ can balance the V-shaped default tuning 6. TechRadar likes the advanced EQ and personal hearing tests 1, and Trusted Reviews lists the Personal Sound mode based on your own hearing as a pro 3. One caveat: SoundGuys preferred the default tuning to the Personal Sound hearing-test profile 4.

Microphone performance. RTINGS lists a good mic system as a pro and says the earbuds’ own microphones capture an intelligible voice while rejecting a wide range of background noise 5. GSMArena says the Super Mic gave noticeably better voice pickup than the earbud mics, and call partners said the voice sounded as good as the phone’s own microphone 6. Trusted Reviews found it clearly better than the earbud or phone mics at cutting background noise 3, and Tom’s Guide lists great mic quality as a pro 2.

Design. TechRadar lists a chic and elevated design 1, Tom’s Guide a futuristic, sci-fi design 2, and Trusted Reviews a unique design with a premium feel 3. GSMArena reports that the case and buds weigh 71 g together, 10 g more than the predecessor, because of the aluminum case base 6.

Noise cancelling and connections. HardwareZone says the ANC removes background noise quite effectively, and that multipoint (Dual Connection) works well with no dropouts or latency 8. RTINGS calls the noise isolation excellent and lists IP54-rated buds as a pro 5. Reviews.org calls the noise cancelling not industry-leading but a force to be reckoned with for the price 7.

What are the common criticisms?

Battery life. This is the most consistent complaint. TechRadar lists poor battery life as a con 1, Tom’s Guide lists subpar battery life 2, RTINGS says continuous battery life is pretty short 5, and HardwareZone calls it below average 8. RTINGS puts the Ear (3) at 5.3 hours with ANC on, against 7.5 hours for the previous Nothing Ear 5. The codec matters too: GSMArena says LDAC limits playback to 3.5 hours with ANC on and 5.5 hours with it off 6, and HardwareZone also measured 3.5 hours with LDAC 8.

Treble harshness. Four outlets mention it, each with a qualifier. TechRadar lists occasional harshness through the treble 1, Tom’s Guide says the treble is occasionally overzealous and can pierce on hi-hats and cymbals 2, and Trusted Reviews says it is a little harsh and varies with ANC, spatial audio and Personal Sound settings 3. HardwareZone calls it borderline harsh on some masters and says the app EQ should be used instead of the default tuning 8.

Price versus the previous model. TechRadar lists the price as higher than previous Nothing buds 1. SoundGuys frames the extra $30 over the previous model as paying mainly for the metal case and the Super Mic 4.

Super Mic limits. SoundGuys says it sounds muffled and robotic on calls, shows audio lag when recording video, and is not supported by standard Android camera apps 4. TechRadar says it did not support WhatsApp voice notes 1. Trusted Reviews says the Talk button is easy to trigger accidentally in a pocket 3, and Reviews.org also calls the microphone easy to trigger by accident 7.

Noise cancelling ceiling. SoundGuys measured up to 35 dB of low-frequency and 38 dB of high-frequency attenuation, below the 45 dB Nothing claims, and reports the ANC struggled with even slight wind 49. Tom’s Guide found the ANC effective indoors but not outdoors, where cars were still audible on the high setting 2. RTINGS notes it is not especially powerful in the mid-range 5.

Smaller gripes. TechRadar says the spatial audio is static only, with no head tracking 1. HardwareZone criticizes the removal of LHDC support and the switch from ceramic to PMI+TPU diaphragms 8. Reviews.org lists finnicky touch controls 7. Tom’s Guide finds it unnecessary that multipoint must first be enabled as Dual Connection in the app 2.

Where do reviewers disagree?

Battery life. The measured and rated numbers do not line up. Nothing rates 5.5 hours per earbud with ANC on 9. SoundGuys measured 5 hours 12 minutes 4, GSMArena measured 6.5 hours over AAC 6, and HardwareZone measured 5.5 hours at best with AAC and ANC on 8. The verdicts diverge as well. Reviews.org lists long battery life as a pro and calls the quoted 5.5 and 10 hour figures respectable and competitive, though it did not report its own measurement 7. TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and RTINGS all file the battery under cons, as covered above.

Is the Super Mic useful? Trusted Reviews and GSMArena rate it a clear improvement for calls 36. TechRadar found it useful for calls on a windy coast 1, and Tom’s Guide describes it as cutting out disturbances on indoor recordings, with vocals a little muffled 2. HardwareZone concludes the opposite: it found the case microphone less useful than the earbuds’ own mics and its recordings muffled 8. Reviews.org says its recordings were not clearly more usable than the earbuds’ own microphones, which performed better than expected 7. SoundGuys liked it for voice memos but heard muffled, robotic call audio 4.

Comfort and fit. Tom’s Guide lists a comfortable fit as a pro 2, and Reviews.org calls the earbuds very comfortable 7. TechRadar found them less comfortable than the AirPods Pro 3 and harder to fit with small ears, possibly because of the larger 12 mm driver 1. Trusted Reviews calls the fit generally comfortable but reports slight slipping during walking or workouts 3, and RTINGS says the buds can fall out in vigorous activity 5.

Value. TechRadar scored value 3 out of 5, the lowest of its four section scores, and doubts the extra perks justify the extra outlay 1. HardwareZone puts it more bluntly: “We don’t see the point in paying more and still having to do more to make the Nothing Ear (3) play well” 8. On the other side, Tom’s Guide says the earbuds “still easily warrant a recommendation” 2, Trusted Reviews calls them a bit of a no-brainer at their launch price 3, and Reviews.org says that “Despite the gimmicks” they offer plenty of value 7.

Vocals and midrange. Tom’s Guide lists nuanced vocals alongside powerful bass 2. TechRadar says the sound loses some backing vocals and strings 1, and HardwareZone describes an aggressive V-shape with recessed mids 8.

Noise cancelling strength. HardwareZone says the ANC removes background noise quite effectively 8, and RTINGS calls the isolation excellent 5. Trusted Reviews says it could be better 3, and GSMArena says it is quite good with the right tips but not as potent as the Sony WF-1000XM5 6. No reviewer here calls it class-leading.

What are the alternatives to the Nothing Ear (3)?

Nothing Ear (a) and Ear (3a). TechRadar says the Ear (3)‘s ANC is solid but no better than the cheaper Nothing Ear (a) 1. RTINGS names the Ear (3a) as the better value unless the improved microphone matters, noting that the Ear (3) adds wireless charging and Quick Pair for iOS 5.

CMF Buds 2 Plus and CMF Buds Pro 2. SoundGuys suggests these as much cheaper alternatives 4.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. Tom’s Guide says the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds block noise better than the Ear (3) 2. It also lists the Bose and the Sony WF-C710N at 8.5 hours of battery each, against its 3 hours for the Ear (3) with ANC and LDAC on, though it says the Nothing compares favorably with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Apple AirPods 4 2.

Sony WF-1000XM5. GSMArena says the Ear (3)‘s ANC is not as potent as this Sony’s, and that flagship Sony and Apple buds isolate better 6.

Apple AirPods Pro 3. TechRadar found the Ear (3) less comfortable than this Apple model 1. Trusted Reviews cites the AirPods Pro 3’s claimed 8 hours of battery against roughly five hours for the Ear (3) with ANC on 3.