No, I’m not talking about pizza—though it does sound tempting. I’m talking about the new Nothing Ear (open), which I’ve been using for the past week.
With its fresh, open-loop design, it’s literally crisp on the outside. The fit is great, super comfortable, and it keeps you in tune with your surroundings.
Meanwhile, the rich audio quality makes it soft and indulgent on the inside, kind of like melted cheese that keeps you glued to your music, podcast or audiobook.
Enough about food, let’s dive into the review.
Pros:
1. Classic Nothing Design
The Ear (open) carries forward Nothing’s signature transparent and white design language. Like the rest of their audio lineup, these feel premium, sleek and different from anything else in the market.
2. Superb Fit and Comfort
At just 8.1g, these are some of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve used. The loop design rests above your ear, making them feel nearly weightless after a while. Sure, if you’re used to in-ear buds like me, there’s a bit of friction at first as the buds don’t go in-ear but just hover over the ear, but they soon disappear into the background. I even slept with them on, and it felt like I wasn’t wearing anything! (I meant obviously yes the clothes 🫣 )
3. Crisp Sound Quality
For open-ear earbuds, the sound quality is impressive. No, it’s not quite the same as in-ear options like the Nothing Ear but you won’t miss much during daily use. The ability to hear your surroundings while enjoying your audio content is a game-changer.
4. Phenomenal Battery Life
This is where Ear (open) truly shines. The battery life is amazing—after 6 hours of continuous music playback, I still had 40% left. It’s comparable to battery life OG neckband earphones, easily beating most in-ear buds.
5. Customizations via Nothing X
The Nothing X app continues to offer a polished experience with tons of customizations. You can even tweak the pinch and pinch-hold controls for each earbud. Plus, the integration with quick settings on Nothing Phone makes life so much easier.
6. ChatGPT Integration
A seriously underrated feature—ChatGPT can be activated with just a pinch of the earbud, no need to unlock your phone. How many other earbuds can do that? It’s super handy for quick searches on the go.
Cons:
1. Not for Everyone
Unlike the Nothing Ear or Ear (a), which were easy to recommend, the Ear (open) is for a specific type of user. If you want immersive sound or need noise cancellation for a noisy office or flight, these aren’t for you. But if you’re into sports, need awareness of your surroundings, or want to catch some audiobook chapters while overhearing your partner’s daily boring commentary, these are perfect! Having Nothing Ear and (open) actually can be made for each other combo with best of both worlds.
2. Not Ideal for Noisy Environments
As these aren’t noise-canceling and are open, not in-ear, they may not provide best experience in loud settings. They let in ambient sound by design, so they’re not the best option in busy, noisy areas. Keep Nothing Ear or Ear (a) for those scenarios.
3. No Wireless Charging
For premium earbuds, wireless charging would have been a nice addition. That said, the slim case (just 19mm) is still a big plus.
4. No In-Ear Detection
Since these don’t sit inside your ear, there’s no auto-play/pause function. It would’ve been great if they used some sort of laser/ sensor technology, but it’s a small miss.
Conclusion:
If you fall into the niche that Ear (open) caters to, you’ll just LOVE these earbuds.
They’re fantastic for staying aware of your surroundings while enjoying your audio content. But for a large section, Nothing Ear or Ear (a) remain the go-to TWS options.
