Nothing Ear

Why this model

The Nothing Ear (open) are open-ear wireless earbuds: a silicone hook holds them just outside the ear canal, with no ear tips. They're for you if you want to listen to music or take calls without shutting out the world, whether you're walking, working out or at home.

They're Nothing's first open-ear earbuds. They carry the brand's visual signature and focus on comfort, since nothing goes inside your ear. In this Nothing Ear (open) review, we cover the design, everyday use and the figures Nothing quotes, plus the situations where another pair will suit you better.

Design: open-ear earbuds, Nothing style

Nothing describes the Ear (open) as lightweight earbuds held in place by a silicone hook. They don't push into your ear canal: the speaker sits just in front of your ear. If in-ear tips tire you out after an hour, that's the key difference.

In white, they have the clean look you'd expect from Nothing and stay low-key on your ear or on your desk. Nothing calls them "designed for movement": the hook is there to keep them in place while you move, not just to look good.

Day to day: music, calls and staying aware

According to the Amazon listing, directional speakers and a system that limits sound leakage keep the audio for you while opening up the soundstage. So you'll still hear the doorbell, a colleague or traffic while your music plays. A Bass Enhance feature detects bass signals and adjusts the sound automatically.

For calls, Nothing uses two mics with Clear Voice Technology: AI processing, trained on more than 28 million noise scenarios according to the brand, that cuts noise and echo. The Nothing X app gives you an advanced equaliser to tune the sound to your taste.

Key specs: battery life and charging

According to Nothing, the Ear (open) last 8 hours of listening per charge, and up to 30 hours with the charging case. The Amazon listing quotes up to 24 hours of talk time. That's enough for several days of commuting and workouts without reaching for a cable.

If you forget to charge them, Nothing says a 10-minute fast charge gives you 2 hours of listening. On sound, the brand mentions an ultra-light driver with a custom-shaped, titanium-coated diaphragm designed to reduce distortion and deepen the bass.

Who it's for, and who it isn't

The Nothing Ear (open) suit you if you run, ride an exercise bike, walk around town or work from home and want to stay aware of your surroundings. They're also a good alternative to AirPods if in-ear buds bother you.

They aren't built to isolate you: there's no active noise cancelling, and the open design lets outside sound in. For trains, planes or a noisy open-plan office, go for noise-cancelling earbuds such as the Nothing Ear (3).

The matching guide

A speaker, an e-reader, a pocket camera: three objects you can leave out on display, and that genuinely earn their place every day.