Nothing just dropped its latest true wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (3a), expanding its lineup with plenty of new features. They launched these buds alongside the Phone (4b), though right now, availability is limited to select global markets.
So, what do you get with these new Ear (3a) earbuds?
For starters, pretty serious active noise cancellation, by up to 45dB to block out the world around you. You also get Bluetooth 6.0, LDAC Hi-Res audio support, and a new trick called Audio Snapshot, which lets you grab voice clips on the fly.
Nothing Ear (3a):Price and availability
The Nothing Ear (3a) is priced at:
- EUR 99 (around Rs. 10,800)
- USD 99 (around Rs. 9,400)
- GBP 99 (around Rs. 12,600)
- JPY 15,800 (around Rs. 9,300)
The earbuds are available through the company's official website in four colours:
- Black
- White
- Pink
- Yellow
Still, Nothing has not announced when these are coming to India.
45dB ANC and Hi-Res audio support
Each earbud packs a 12mm dynamic driver with PMI and TPU materials, which means plenty of punch and clarity. You get a wide frequency range (20Hz–40kHz) and high-end LDAC wireless audio certification. There’s adaptive ANC, transparency mode, and static spatial audio, plus custom and advanced EQ—share your favourite profiles right from the Nothing X app, if you want. For calls, three microphones in each bud help cut down on background noise.
Bluetooth 6.0 and smart features
For connectivity, Bluetooth 6.0 promises a solid connection (up to 15 meters away), and you can pair with two devices at once—so switching from your laptop to your phone takes just a second. The Ear (3a) plays nice with Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair and supports all the main audio codecs (SBC, AAC, LDAC). There’s also a special mode to cut down latency for gamers. Compatibility? You’re set if you have Android 8.0+ or iOS 13+.
Audio Snapshot and call recording
The Audio Snapshot feature stands out. With just a gesture, you can grab short voice notes (it even captures the previous 30 seconds, in case inspiration strikes out of nowhere). All your call recordings and snapshots are easy to manage in the Nothing X app.
The earbuds also support call recording, while all saved recordings can be managed through the Nothing X companion app.
Gesture controls can be customised for:
- Music playback
- Track navigation
- Volume adjustment
- Noise control
- Voice assistant access
- Call management
Battery life and durability
Now, about battery life, the new Ear (3a) comes with a 55mAh battery on each bud, and the case packs 500mAh. Customers will get up to 10 hours on a single charge if you leave ANC off, and up to 42 hours total with the case. Switch on ANC, and that drops to 25 hours.
Battery on buds:
5 minutes in the case gives you one more hour of listening, and if you charge both the buds and the case for 10 minutes, you’ll get about 10 hours of playback (again, with ANC off). Everything recharges via USB-C and takes a little over an hour to fill up.
IP54 rating and lightweight design
Both the case and earbuds are rated IP54 for dust and splash resistance. They are lightweight, too—just 4.53 grams per earbud, with the case at 40.92 grams—so you can wear them all day without really noticing.