It’d be easy to get lost in the sea of wireless earphones today. With so many choices, it can be difficult to decide what to buy. But if you’re looking for something special, then you should take a look at ex-OnePlus CEO Carl Pei‘s latest TWS project, Nothing Ear 1

The Nothing Ear 1 garnered a lot of buzz when it launched. A new entrant into the saturated true-wireless earbud category has devised a solution to stand out: unique design and clean sound. What’s more, the company promises a whole lot for an affordable set of TWS buds.

In this article, we’re going to review the Nothing Ear 1 — a set of wireless earbud headphones designed for music lovers in style.

Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the Nothing Ear (1) is how attractive they are. They’re made out of transparent plastic, so you can see the tech inside. It also comes in two colors: white and black.

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Inside each earbud is a magnet, which keeps them securely attached to the charging case no matter how you put it back.

However, one downside to using a transparent plastic case is that it’s likely going to be prone to scratches. So if you’re worried about it getting bruised, go with a different one or slap a case on it.

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The shape and style of these earbuds are very close to the popular Apple AirPods Pro. They come with 3 different-sized silicone ear tips that can help you find a comfortable fit. Using the right one also gives the best listening quality.

Moreover, with just 4.7 grams per pair, they’re easily one of the best options out there if you’re looking for wireless headphones that won’t weigh down your ears and comfortable to use.

Sound Quality

Nothing really wants to set itself apart by not going bass-heavy with the Nothing Ear 1. Instead, it focuses on providing an accurate representation of the low and mid frequencies. It has four EQ presets: Voice, More Bass, More Treble, and Balanced).

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Playing different types of music through Nothing Ear 1, one thing that stands out to me is how clear the vocals and guitar riffs are.

The vocals sound great as they’re not overpowering or lacking any punch. The instruments are really audible and distinct, perfect if you want to really appreciate music. But if you want that thumping bass sound for hip-hop or pop music, look somewhere else.

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Still, you can play with the EQ presets to achieve the sound you want — or at least close to it. Under Balanced mode, it offers warm bass with low mids and clear highs. Female and male vocals have good presence and fullness, and electric guitar tones are much richer and fuller.

Moreover, the Nothing Ear 1 has a good-quality built-in mic, which means it picks up voices well during calls. However, noise isolation is not as good, so it may still pick up the noise surrounding you.

Active Noise Cancelation

The Nothing Ear 1 has ANC (active noise cancellation) as well as transparency mode, so you can listen to your headphones without them completely blocking outside sound. You can activate these features by pressing the buttons on the right side of the earphones.

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Nothing Ear 1’s noise cancellation works pretty well. It reduces ambient sound by filtering out the majority of unnecessary noise, like distant car horns, street traffic, or electronic hums from appliances. However, it doesn’t remove mid-tone noises, like slamming doors, radios, televisions, or people talking near you.

Another thing good about this is the Transparency mode. It works naturally, even at high volumes of background noise, so you can easily talk and listen to music at the same time. In fact, it amplifies the voice of people you’re conversing with to help you hear them better.

Battery

Nothing claims that the battery life of Nothing Ear 1 lasts for 4 to 5 hours on full charges with ANC on and 6 hours with ANC off. During our tests, the buds lasted around 4 hours and  30 minutes with ANC turned on, and while ANC was off we lasted 5 hrs and 41 mins at high volume levels.

Unfortunately, battery life could be its biggest letdown. Most rivals reach around 5 to even 7 hours of playback time with active noise cancellation on.

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The charging case can then provide a total of 34 hours of playback. A quick 10-minute top-up can already provide an hour of music.

Conclusion

It may not be the best TWS earphone in the market, but considering the price, the Nothing Ear 1 sure does deliver.

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At a lower price point, Nothing Ear (1) stands out from its competitors because of its excellent sound quality, unique design, ANC, and comfortable fit. It also offers some extras like IPX4 water resistance, automatic pause/play, and wireless charging.

The Nothing Ear 1 has an SRP of only Php5,990 in the Philippines and is available at Digital Walker stores and through the brand’s online and offline outlets nationwide.

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