Nothing Ear (2): A Comprehensive Review of the Latest Wireless Earbuds from Nothing
Nothing, the new venture from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, has released the second version of its popular earbuds – the Nothing Ear (2). The company aims to provide a comfortable and unique design with improved features in this latest model. In this review, we will explore the various aspects of the Nothing Ear (2), such as its design, build quality, connectivity, controls, audio quality, battery life, and drawbacks.
Here is a comparison of Nothing Ear (1) with Nothing Ear (2):
| PRODUCT | Ear (1) | Ear (2) |
|---|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancellation | Yes, up to 40 DB | Yes, up to 40 DB with Adaptive ANC |
| Fit | In Ear | In Ear |
| Battery | Buds: Up to 5 hours of listening time with one charge Total: With case up to 34 hours Fast Charge: 50 Min (with ANC ON), 1.2 hours of listening time (ANC off) in 10 min of charge | Buds: Up to 6 hours of listening time with one charge Total: With case up to 36 hours Fast Charge: 1.25 Hours (with ANC ON), 1.8 hours of listening time (ANC off) in 10 min of charge |
| Driver | 11.6 mm Driver | 11.6 mm Driver |
| Microphones | 3 in each bud | 3 in each bud |
| Control | Touch Control | Press Control |
| Audio Features | Clear Voice Technology | Improved Clear Voice Technology with 3 decibel higher noise elimination Dual Connection 24Bit High Res Audio with LHDC 5.0 Personal Sound Profile |
| Nothing X App | Pick Preset Equaliser Settings Customise Gesture Controls Find My Earbuds In-Ear Detection | Fully customised Equaliser Settings Customise Gesture Controls Find My Earbuds Ear tips Fit test Low Lag mode with Phone (1) In-Ear Detection |
| Water and Sweat Resistance | IPX4 | IP54 (Buds) and IP55 (Case) |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes, QI certified up to 2.5W |
| Dimensions | Size: Earbud Height: 28.9 mm Width: 21.5 mm Depth: 23.5 mm Case Height: 58.6 mm Width: 58.6 mm Depth: 23.7 mm Weight: Earbud: 4.7 gm Case: 57.4 gm | Size: Earbud Height: 29.4 mm Width: 21.5 mm Depth: 23.5 mm Case Height: 55.5 mm Width: 55.5 mm Depth: 22 mm Weight: Earbud: 4.5 gm Case: 51.9 gm |
| Price | Rs. 5999 (discontinued) | Rs. 9999 |
You can purchase Nothing Ear (2) in India using below online stores
Flipkart: Nothing Ear (2) Myntra: Nothing Ear (2)
Design and Build Quality
The tip of the earbuds come in an oval shape, which provides a comfortable fit in the ears. The design is similar to its predecessor, the Nothing Ear (1), but the earbuds case is slightly smaller in size, as many people complained about the large case in the previous model. The case can get scratched over time, but the build quality is similar to the earlier model.
Connectivity and Controls
Compared to the previous version, the Bluetooth connectivity issues seem to have resolved in the Nothing Ear (2). The touch type controls have been replaced by stem press feature, which allows users to pause, resume, skip tracks and select multiple other settings. Users can also customize their controls through the app. However, the volume adjustment feature is a drawback as there is no option to control the volume by default. Users can change the settings in the app to set options for volume control, but doing so will replace the other options such as skip, pause, and resume. The options available on the buds to control music are “Press” (for ANC), “Double Pinch,” “Triple Pinch,” “Pinch and Hold,” “Double Pinch and Hold”.
Key Features
The Nothing Ear (2) provides a balanced, natural sound, but for people who prefer loud sounds, they might get disappointed as these earphones don’t have maximum volume, especially for songs that have lower volume. The earbuds offer various features such as in-ear detection, no-lag mode, high-quality audio (LHDC Audio Codec) for supported devices, dual-connection mode to connect to two devices at once, find my earbuds, built-in equalizer for people who want to customize their audio preference, ANC along with personalized ANC. The noise cancellation has improved a lot compared to the earlier version, and now users can enjoy personalized ANC that cancels out 2.5 times more noise than the Nothing Ear (1). However, the transparency mode is not great, as it had mixed experiences by different users.
Battery Life
The earbuds will give around 4 hours of real-time battery backup, with Active Noise Cancelling. Without ANC, you can get around 6 hours of battery life. The options available on the buds to control music are “Press” (for ANC), “Double Pinch,” “Triple Pinch,” “Pinch and Hold,” “Double Pinch and Hold.”
Conclusion
The Nothing Ear (2) is a significant improvement over the previous version. The oval-shaped earbuds provide a comfortable fit, and the stem press feature allows users to control their earbuds effortlessly. The personalized ANC feature and built-in equalizer make this model stand out from other budget-friendly earbuds in the market. However, the volume adjustment feature is a drawback, and the transparency mode needs improvement. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly earbud with personalized ANC and good sound quality, then Nothing Ear (2) might be the perfect choice for you.
