Review-of-the-Nothing-ear-(a)-in-the-UAE
[editorial-rating id=”38181″]
Nothing Technology Limited is back with the latest release of earbuds. It is a rising brand in technology products and devices. They introduced the Nothing ear (a) TWS earbuds in April 2024 for the UAE market. I received the device from the PR agency for review. I have used the device for over a week, using it daily for at least 1-2 hours, sometimes for up to 4 hours.
It was founded by Carl Pei, the co-founder of OnePlus. Investors include iPod inventor Tony Fadell, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and YouTuber Casey Neistat. Since the launch of the Nothing 1 smartphone and the subsequent Nothing 2, it has been in the news. The brand develops its products based on consumer feedback. I have reviewed the Nothing 2 smartphone and found it to be a big contender in its segment, offering value for money.
Design & Specifications
The Nothing ear (a) case measures 47.6 mm by 63.3 mm by 22.7 mm and weighs around 39.6 grams. The Nothing ear (a) earbuds measure 30.9 mm by 21.7 mm by 24.3 mm, with each earbud weighing 4.8 grams.
Nothing ear (a) Carry Case
The case comes with a 500 mAh battery, providing around 42 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC off, and 24 hours with ANC on. Each earbud has a 46 mAh battery, providing 9.5 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC off and 5.5 hours with ANC on. The case offers 10 hours of playtime with 10 minutes of wired charging while the earbuds are in it. The Nothing ear (a) case is IPX2 rated.
Nothing ear (a) earbuds
The earbuds feature a transparent ABS plastic stick and a matte black ABS plastic speaker casing. The transparent earbud stick reveals the internal components. The earbuds are marked with colour codes: white for the left earbud and red for the right. The Nothing ear (a) has an 11 mm dynamic driver unit operating in a frequency response range from 20 Hz to 20,000 kHz. They include an accelerometer, infrared sensor, hall sensor, and touch sensor. The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.3, with pop-up pair support and dual device connection. They are compatible with smartphones running Android 5.1 and above.
The earbuds are IP54-rated, making them splash-resistant during normal use. They will not get damaged by sweat or splashes of water but cannot be submerged. The earbuds are TWS Wireless, The earbuds support AAC, SBC, and LDAC audio codecs and various audio profiles like RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, and AVRCP.
The Review
The Nothing ear (a) comes in a glossy black box with a four-colour printed image of the earbuds. The backside of the box highlights the device’s features, including Hi-Res and LDAC icons. The box has a tear-open option to access the slide box. Inside, the white box contains the Nothing ear (a) case with the earbuds, protected by white translucent packing. A hidden compartment holds extra silicone ear tips (sizes S, M, L), a Type-C cable, safety information, warranty information, and a user guide.
The Nothing ear (a) case has a slim design with a black ABS plastic bottom and a transparent plastic top. You can see the earbuds and charging light through the transparent cover. The back of the bottom case has a USB Type-C port. The earbuds come with some charge, allowing immediate connection after removal from the box. However, I recommend fully charging the device before connecting it to your smartphone. Press the button on the case to connect the device. Download the Nothing App from the App Store or Google Play Store and follow the procedure to connect the Nothing ear (a) with your smartphone.
Using the Nothing App
Pairing the earbuds was simple. The Nothing ear (a) earbuds appear in the Nothing App once paired. The app shows the battery levels of the left and right earbuds and the case. The app also offers equalizer settings, controls, noise control, and bass enhancement. Under sound effects, you get five options: Balanced, More Bass, More Treble, Voice, and Custom.
For noise control, you have three options: Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Noise Cancellation Off. Choosing Noise Cancellation provides four more options: High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive. Under Bass Enhance, you can toggle it on or off and adjust an additional five levels of bass enhancement. The app also suggests and helps with ear tip fitting for better comfort and sound quality.
Audio Quality
Even while watching movies, distant booms and crackling fire sounds were clear. With the earbuds in ANC mode, I felt isolated from my surroundings and part of the movie scene.
I used Google Hangouts for voice call testing. The vocals sounded clear, especially the treble. Both listening and speaking were clear, particularly in noisy environments.
Price and Availability
The Nothing ear (a) TWS earbuds launched at AED 379 and are available in two colors: black and white. The box includes a pair of earbuds, silicone ear tips in sizes S, M, L, a charging case, a Type-C cable, safety information, warranty information, and a user guide. They are available on Amazon.ae, the Nothing Stores e-commerce site, and major retail outlets.
Conclusion
The Nothing ear (a) TWS earbuds are recommended for music lovers seeking comfortable headphones with great sound quality. The earbuds are splash-resistant and IP54-rated. The carry case is IPX2-rated. They support Hi-Res audio and 24-bit audio with special dedicated settings in the Nothing ear (a) app. They are recommended for music listeners, movie watchers, workers, and gamers.
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