<\/p>\nArticle jumplist<\/p>\n
<\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n\n1. Looking nicer counts for something<\/li>\n 2. Push-to-talk<\/li>\n 3. Connectivity, app, and durability<\/li>\n 4. Wireless and audio performance<\/li>\n 5. Conclusion: Doing something is not always better than Nothing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\nIf you\u2019re confused by Nothing\u2019s product naming scheme, you\u2019re not alone. While its latest ANC-capable Nothing Ear (3) <\/b>is the latest offering, it\u2019s not even the third generation of Nothing\u2019s flagship earbuds. The actual third model is the Nothing Ear (review here)<\/u>. <\/p>\n
Our trial with Nothing Ear (3) made us realise that it was only the beginning of Nothing\u2019s puzzling earbuds approach, which we\u2019ll uncover in this review.<\/p>\n
Looking nicer counts for something<\/h2>\n We\u2019ll be fair and admit that there are nice upgrades here. The new earbuds feature metallic accents on the charging case, a new\u00a0Super Mic<\/b>\u00a0feature that lets you use the charging case as a microphone, and a new 12mm driver.<\/p>\n
The charging case is still very similar to before with the same transparent design. However, Nothing updated its appearance with matte metal accents that reduce its plastic sheen and add\u00a0a touch of class.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re keeping this section short because our hands-on article provided a comprehensive overview and summary of the earbuds.<\/p>\n
Push-to-talk<\/h2>\n\nNothing Ear (3) charging case<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
You\u2019ll also notice a new button on the side of the charging case with the word \u201cTALK\u201d on it. This activates the microphone in the charging case<\/b>. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s designed for short voice memos, and also supports a double-click to toggle on for longer phone calls. If you\u2019re wondering which way the mic faces, it\u2019s toward the USB-C charging port.<\/p>\n
A few things have to change to accommodate this added feature. First, the charging case (74.1g) is now heavier than before (51.9g). While it\u2019s noticeably heavier, an added feature feels like a worthwhile trade-off.<\/p>\n
The earbuds are also slightly heavier at 5.2g each, likely due to the metal accents and a larger 12mm dynamic driver utilising a\u00a0PMI+TPU<\/b>\u00a0diaphragm, similar to the more affordable\u00a0Nothing Ear (a)<\/u>. <\/p>\n
What feels odd is that Nothing is moving away from the superior ceramic drivers that they\u2019ve been using for the last few flagship earbuds. We\u2019ll talk more about how this switch has affected sound quality later.<\/p>\n
Connectivity, app, and durability<\/h2>\n\nNothing Ear (3)<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Just like the Nothing Ear, the Ear (3) comes with a bunch of features like Google Fast Pair<\/b>, multipoint connectivity<\/b>, in-ear detection, low lag mode and active noise cancellation<\/b>. <\/p>\n
The company claimed that the Ear (3) can cancel out up to 45dB<\/b> of noise thanks to the three-microphone array in each earbud. The ANC removes background noise quite effectively, and Transparency mode is also decent for short conversations.<\/p>\n
In addition to those three microphones, there\u2019s a new bone-conducting voice pickup unit<\/b> (VPU). That supposedly carries voice clearly and reduces environmental noise, since it follows the vibrations you make when you speak. The earbuds’ microphone quality is serviceable; it reduces wind noise, but it\u2019s not perfect because it occasionally clips my voice. That feels like a step forward and two steps back, since a microphone that can\u2019t pick your voice in full isn\u2019t much of a microphone at all.<\/p>\n
I was also surprised by the quality of Super Mic\u2019s recordings, considering the effort Nothing put into an add-on like this. The quality was even lower than the earbuds\u2019 mic, with one sole exception: If you\u2019re in a quiet environment, the charging case microphones do perform better than the earbuds.<\/p>\n
In everyday situations, however, the Super Mic doesn\u2019t cancel nearly as much background noise. When it did, it muffled my voice, even though I could still see its receiver clearly. We judge that the VPU offers better voice pickup and environmental noise rejection, and the Super Mic feels redundant given its unclear use case and suboptimal noise-cancellation or voice clarity. Bear in mind that Nothing Ear (3) is also pricier than its predecessors.<\/p>\n
The compatible Nothing X app offers software updates, control customisation, and more. Beyond its basic equaliser function, there\u2019s also a parametric EQ<\/b> feature that allows you to control values, which is excellent and much needed, due to Nothing\u2019s tuning for these earbuds.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s IP54<\/b> dust and water resistance for both the earbuds and the case, and just like before, there\u2019s ChatGPT integration<\/u> if you\u2019re using a Nothing device with the earbuds. However, you still can\u2019t use ChatGPT to make calendar events, send texts, call contacts or anything that you\u2019d traditionally want with a voice assistant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nothing has removed LHDC support from the Ear (3), so it\u2019s only left with SBC, AAC and LDAC<\/b>. Even though it\u2019s a shame that there\u2019s no more LHDC support, most phones typically do support LDAC, so it\u2019s not too big of a loss. The earbuds do get an upgrade to Bluetooth 5.4<\/b>, which is nice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Multipoint <\/b>connectivity, or Dual Connection<\/b> (Nothing\u2019s marketing name for this feature) is still available and works well when switching between phones and other devices like a laptop or computer. The connection is generally solid with no dropouts, stuttering or latency.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nNothing Ear (3) with Nothing Phone (3)<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Unfortunately, the battery life is below average. With the AAC codec and ANC turned on, the earbuds are supposed to last around\u00a05.5 hours<\/b>, which was the maximum I could eke out of them. If you want high-res LDAC and ANC, that will further reduce the earbuds\u2019 battery life to 3.5 hours.<\/p>\n
The USB-C charging speed is decent, with all components fully charged in 67 minutes. There\u2019s also wireless charging, but it takes up to 120 minutes to reach a full charge, according to Nothing.<\/p>\n
The audio performance is quite different from the predecessor Nothing Ear earbuds, no doubt due in part to the change in diaphragm material. Ceramic is pricey and pretty, but its TPU alternative gives the bass a huge boost while also elevating the treble. These changes give the Nothing Ear (3) an unmistakable V-shaped sound signature with a significant dip in the mids.<\/p>\n
At times, the mids sounded recessed or overshadowed, and it affects vocal-reliant songs. The elevated treble makes up for it with energetic highs that are crisp, and borderline harsh depending on how the song is mastered.<\/p>\n
We recommend using the EQ feature (either the simple equaliser or the advanced parametric EQ) to reduce bass and, if needed, treble, to help earbuds handle your phone audio reasonably.<\/p>\n
Aside from the aggressive V-shaped signature, the earbuds are actually quite decent in clarity and spaciousness. The soundstage is noticeably wider. Once you sort out the EQ, it reveals fairly impressive detail and clarity. Vocals can also come to the forefront once the lows are adjusted, and the overall sound isn\u2019t bad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So it bears repeating once more: remember to tweak the sound to your liking<\/b>. Don\u2019t simply use it right out of the box with no adjustments.<\/p>\n