Since its inception, almost all of Nothing’s new releases have been gaining attention. That’s mostly because of their unique approach to design, and the new Nothing Ear 3 is no different.
While there is obviously more to this ANC wireless earbuds, the most striking feature of the Nothing Ear 3 is its transparent design — in line with the brand’s design language also found on the Ear (a) and their smartphones.
The charging case has been cleverly designed. Apart from the transparent look, there were tiny details we really appreciated. There are red and white dots that match the ones on the buds so, you can easily distinguish which one is left or right.
There’s also a dimple on the front that lets you pick it up easily. A subtle pairing button is on the right, next to the USB-C port. A small but visible LED light is on the front.
The buds themselves look equally nice as well. The stems are sleek and have pressure-sensitive buttons you can pinch to answer calls, play/pause music, skip tracks, shuffle through ANC or Transparency modes, and more.
As for the case itself, it has a bean-like shape, which provides a really comfortable fit to the ears. I even used it during our runs, and it didn’t fall or have any fit issues.
For the best fit and comfort, make sure you’re using the right ear tip size. The one pre-installed is the medium size, but there’s also a small and large size included in the box. Using the right size also improves sound quality and noise isolation.
Speaking of sound quality, the Nothing Ear 3 has large 11mm drivers with a new ceramic diaphragm that improved airflow by 10%. The best part is, that it has support for Hi-Res Wireless Audio and LDAC/LHAC.
The sound quality is great for the price. The treble is very clean and crisp, which is great for dialogues and vocals, while the bass is nice and beefy but not overpowering.
It has become my daily driver since the first time I’ve used it. After spending a lot of time with it for weeks, I found it really great for listening to all kinds of music, podcasts, movies, and my favorite series over Netflix and Disney+.
While the audio quality is already great out of the box, you can fine-tune the sound with the Nothing X companion app, available for both Android and iOS devices.
Talking of the app, you’d really want to download this one to go with your Nothing Ear 3. It lets you seamlessly pair the buds to your mobile device, show individual battery status, adjust the equalizer, configure the controls, and adjust the Bass Enhance feature.
You can also adjust the Noise Control with three levels for noise cancellation and one Adaptive feature.
The noise isolation has been pretty effective. It can block out buzzing noise from air conditioners or car engines. Chatters from loud coffee shops can also be lessened but not all.
You can also use the app to enable/disable the in-ear detection and Low Lag Mode. Sound Personalization will test your ears to create a sound profile that’s fit specifically for you.
Ear Fit Test verifies if you’re using the right ear tip size. Find My Earbuds is pretty cool as it will play a loud and distinct sound through the earbud’s small drivers so you can find it quickly. We tested it out and it worked surprisingly well.
The buds come with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity that has support for the aforementioned LHDC 5.0 and LDAC codecs, as well as SBC and AAC. It also supports Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and Dual Connection.
This modern connectivity also offers good power efficiency. With ANC On, it lasts for up to 24 hours on a single charge with 5.2 hours for each bud. Turn off the ANC to stretch the battery up to 8.5 hours (5.2 hours for each bud).
It also has fast-charging support via USB-C with a quick 10-minute charge already providing 10 hours of use.
Apart from the good audio provided by the drivers, the Ear 3 also has triple microphones on each earbud with Clear Voice Technology that ensures your voice is nice and clear during phone calls.
What’s more, the earbuds have an IP54 dust and splash-resistance rating while the case has IP55. That’s enough to protect the device from sweat when working out, rain, or accidental water splashes.
Overall, the Nothing Ear 3 is definitely one of the best wireless earbuds you can get on the market. For only Php8,990, you’re getting a pair of cans with great sound quality, tons of features, intuitive app support, and one of the most distinct designs in the market today.
It’s currently available in the Philippines through Digital Walker stores both online and offline.