Nothing Ear Wireless Review

Offering remarkably solid sound quality for the price, these earbuds are an excellent option for value hunters.

Sound Quality

We love a well-priced pair of earbuds that surprises by overdelivering — and the Nothing Ear Wireless earbuds do just that. Their sound quality outperforms a number of far more expensive options. They give you 90th percentile sound quality at a 50% price.

These earbuds produce an open and expansive soundstage, surrounding you with music and immersing you in the moment. The relatively clean mix makes it easy to appreciate each instrument and voice, though busy tracks can make their locations in space feel a little fuzzy.

With a fun, lively sound profile, the frequency mix is somewhat sculpted, with more emphasis on the bass range for added punch. It's full of personality with dramatic lows, shimmering high notes, and forward, playful mid-tones. One tester put it best: “It's like taking a great photo and turning up the saturation and contrast a few notches without using an Instagram filter.” It's a little overdone, in the best way, with room for improvement, but not much.

Songs like “Clementine Tree” by Nane showcase dynamic range. It's a sonic feast from the track's driving bassline and warm guitars to the wide vocal range, shimmery synth, and punchy percussion. The Nothing Ear handle with clarity, ensuring each element adds to the atmosphere without overwhelming it.

The bass range is powerful and precise, a rarity for earbuds in this price range. It veers into slightly distorted booms and rumbles rarely, especially during bass-heavy moments like those in “SAME SIDE” by Jessie Reyez. For the most part it adds drama without distortion.

The midrange sounds natural and realistic, bringing a wide range of vocals to life, though low male voices seem to shine the most. Instruments also sound lovely, with vivid textures, accurate attack, and agility.

Meanwhile, the warm, smooth treble tones flow across the upper register. We didn't notice harsh notes, and we can be sensitive to pitchy peaks. They aren't as detailed as we'd like, and they lack sparkle, but these softened highs are absolute magic when it comes to classical music. Neil Young's “Harvest Moon” harmonica solo at 3:43 is a perfect example — warm, clear, and never piercing. Slightly more developed highs and more consistent bass control would elevate this mix.

These earbuds also deliver impressive gain, handling high volumes without losing detail or balance. They maintain clarity and nuance no matter how high or low you crank the volume.

After listening for hours on end, we took them to the lab, tapping our Brüel & Kjaer Type 5128 ear and head simulator and SoundCheck software for help. This setup charts the frequency response of each earbud, comparing it to our GearLab House Curve. The Nothing Ear Wireless closely mirrors our preferred curve. The higher frequencies drop off more quickly than we prefer, and the curve isn't as smooth as it could be, but we like the resulting sound.

Comfort and Fit

With a light, airy fit, these earbuds feel nearly weightless. Unlike bulkier models, they don't create a feeling of pressure buildup. Our test team had no problem wearing them for an hour or more.

The no-frills design is reminiscent of Apple's AirPods. The silicon tip sits comfortably without needing frequent adjustments. While the stem is slightly shorter than Apple's, it's long enough to easily access the touch controls. Overall, they're a reliable, no-fuss option.

Stability

During workouts, these buds stayed securely in place with a snug seal that didn't shift or loosen. They're surprisingly stable; from big yawns to impromptu dance breaks, they never shook loose. The one time they slipped was during napping. An IP54 rating means that they're largely dust-proof and can deal with water splashing, making them ready for outdoor adventures.

Noise Cancellation

Earbuds block out the world to some extent by blocking your ear canal. Snug-fitting models can create a physical seal that passively dampens distractions (passive isolation). Some earbuds also offer active noise cancellation (ANC) technology that works to negate noise. These earbuds provide a bit of both, but their ANC is not particularly effective.

In short, don't buy them if you need effective noise cancellation. They aren't as effective at reducing outside noise as many competitors; however, for the price, they aren't terrible.

These earbuds include a transparency mode that uses external mics to bypass the dampening effects of the buds' seal so you can hear your surroundings. But the result sounds grating and artificial; we didn't enjoy it.

Our team verified impressions with our head-and-ear simulator and SoundCheck software. The test in the video above shows that the outside volume decreases when you put them in your ears and that the ANC reduces the low hum in the background.

The chart shows that the earbuds do their best work blocking out lower-frequency sounds. Unfortunately, they're less effective in the mid- to high-ranges.

Ease of Use

Between their thoughtful design, a versatile app, and strong feature set, these earbuds offer an impressive, well-rounded user experience. The app is intuitive with a bevy of useful features. Responsive touch controls put key features at your fingertips.

App Features

The Nothing X app is minimalist, with a futuristic style, and is easy to navigate. It mixes essential features with in-depth customization. The most important functions are front and center, with extras like the ear fit test, adjustable EQ, and presets tucked into the settings. Add a helpful ear optimization test that customizes the frequency mix to suit your ear and hearing abilities, and you have a compelling list of features at a competitive price.

Feature-wise, these earbuds pack in a lot, including a Find My Buds feature that plays a cricket-like chirp through the earbuds. They offer ANC and transparency modes, with options for high, medium, low, or adaptive noise canceling. A “bass enhance” toggle improves sound, especially when paired with a custom EQ profile. They include a low-lag gaming mode, dual device connection, and a surprisingly effective ear fit test.

Touch controls let you play or pause the music, answer calls, activate ANC mode, or skip tracks. On the downside, the earbuds' connectivity can be spotty. On several occasions, one bud cut out or fell slightly out of sync with the other, though not often enough to be a dealbreaker.

Connectivity

Pairing these earbuds was seamless once we discovered the Bluetooth button on the side of the case, and they work equally well with Apple and Android products. Thoughtful design touches, like color-coded dots on each earbud that match up with the slots in the case, help avoid any left/right mix-ups. The case's strong magnetic pull ensures the buds click in place, making the experience feel smooth and well-considered.

Battery Life

After leaving these earbuds playing until they died, they offer an average playback time of 7 hours and 42 minutes. A quick-charge feature gives you an additional hour in just 10 minutes. Most impressively, the case itself carries an additional five charges.

If you're traveling, with limited access to a power outlet, this is a game-changer.

Call Quality

When you need to make a call, earbuds often seek to isolate your voice from ambient sounds so you're easy to understand. We recorded voices playing them through the speaker in Darwin's mouth with a quiet room, a humming office, and a busy subway station playing in the background. Surprisingly, the Nothing Ear Wireless buds do better in loud environments than in calm ones.

In the quiet room, both voices sounded boxy, like they were talking through a cardboard tube. The female voice sounds a bit fuzzy, but both voices are loud enough to hear and easy to understand.

These buds blocked nearly all the background office noise, but the voices still sounded thin and distorted. When the software kicks in to block out ambient sounds, it seems to turn down the volume of their voices.

These earbuds came through on the obnoxious subway platform. You can barely hear the roaring backdrop, which is a feat, considering how grating it is. While the voices are still a bit blurry and the volume dips a few times, they remain surprisingly clear.

Should You Buy the Nothing Ear Wireless?

Whether working at a desk or getting a quick workout, these earbuds are a great companion. Their comfort and stability mean you won't have to worry about them, and we never noticed pressure points. While many of our testers enjoyed them at the office, others wanted a more effective ANC.

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