You’ve forgotten about these Nothing earbuds. Now it’s time to remember them

I’ve spent the last few weeks revisiting various true wireless earbuds, but my latest set may be the pair that has surprised me most.

It’s the Nothing Ear (a), a pair coming up on two years old, yet listening to them made me question why I’d recommend much else.

Remember these?

Cast your mind back

The Nothing Ear (a) were first released in April 2024, but unlike a smartphone or smartwatch, age doesn’t make much of a difference to whether you should buy them or not.

Age certainly hasn’t dulled the design. I’ve been using the yellow models, which make the most of Nothing’s trademark transparency on the small stems, while covering the rest in a bright, summery hue.

This continues on to the case, which is barely larger than the Apple AirPods Pro 2, and it contains a 500mAh battery for a total of 24 hours use time with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on.

I’ve had no problem reaching five hours of playback on a single charge either.

However, design and battery life don’t matter much if the sound isn’t quite up to standard. Yet, here I am, enjoying the engaging, vibrant, and exciting Nothing Ear (a) earbuds, probably more than I enjoyed going back to the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Bombastic audio

Genuinely exciting

I use an Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max for most of my music and podcasts, and Nothing has released the partner Nothing X app for iOS. It makes connection and re-connection a breeze, and provides a host of tuning options.

I’ve left the audio in its Balanced setting, which competently manages the earbud’s strong bass response, so vocals and mids aren’t lost.

Distortion from the bass only becomes an issue when you whack the volume right up, when hearing damage is more of a concern than a bit of muddy bass.

What the Nothing Ear (a) lose in clarity and control, they make up for in bombastic presence, giving them a hardcore excitement that is missing from the cleaner Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Apple AirPods Pro 2.

No one will listen and pick out sparkling detail. They’re just not that kind of earbud. But if you don’t care about audiophile credentials, or mostly listen to spoken word, you’ll have fun with the Nothing Ear (a).

Fit and comfort

Where the Ear (a) wins

I had to spend money to get the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 to fit in my ears comfortably and correctly, which I don’t think is really acceptable.

The Nothing Ear (a) are completely different, and they feel fantastic right out of the box.

The medium tips fit not only comfortably, but also really securely, and they’ve never once threatened to fall out.

The Ear (a) are also very light at 4.6 grams, despite the body looking quite large. This increases comfort a great deal. I haven’t experienced any fatigue, or become frustrated by the Nothing Ear (a) at all.

There are three levels of ANC, and at the highest level you can expect a decent, yet very subtle, reduction in outside sound. It’s more effective at taking away loud, consistent sounds (like an engine or machinery) than it is background chatter.

It’s decent, but it can’t match the effectiveness of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 or the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro.

Am I really recommending them?

But they’re two years old!

We’re conditioned to want the latest and greatest in tech, and there are times when this is absolutely the best course of action.

An already old smartphone may not have the same level of software support as a new model, for example.

This doesn’t really apply to earbuds. You can safely buy older models and still enjoy the sound they produce. This is the Nothing Ear (a).

There are rumors Nothing will release a new version soon, but you don’t need to wait to enjoy the company’s budget winners.

Yes, budget. I deliberately didn’t mention the price until now.

At launch, the Nothing Ear (a) cost $99, substantially less than the Samsung and Google earbuds I’ve revisited.

Can I honestly say they’re substantially worse? No.

Don’t expect audiophile quality and anything more than average ANC, but do expect a superb fit, design choices that increase comfort, exciting sound, and an app that works with both Android and iOS.

They’re good value, and this goes a long way towards me recommending them.

Even cheaper today

If you shop around

Surely, if the Ear (a) are two years old and may be about to be replaced, they’ll be hard to find, right? You just need to look in the right places, and you’ll be rewarded with an absolute bargain price when you do.

In the US, the Nothing Ear (a) can be purchased from Nothing or Amazon for $59, and in the UK the Nothing online store also has stock available for £59.

If the Nothing Ear (a) would be a solid buy at $99, it’s impossible not to suggest grabbing them for $59.

While revisiting various earbuds over the last few weeks, the Nothing Ear (a) have been the only pair where I’ve not been keen on returning to my trusty Apple AirPods Pro 2, and it’s all to do with the comfort, fit, and an exciting sound that just wants you to have fun listening to them.