The wait is officially over for Nothing’s rather elusive true wireless earbuds. Known as the Nothing Ear (1), the $99 buds are the first product to drop under the new startup, founded by OnePlus’ co-founder Carl Pai.
On the outside, it’s safe to say the Ear (1) buds have a unique aesthetic compared to what’s currently on the market. The transparent design (case included) allows you to see all of its internal components, including the magnets, circuit board, and microphones.
Credit: nothing
As for durability, the earbuds have an IPX4 certification making them sweat and water splash resistant. So, yes, you can designate these as your official workout buds if you want.
Weighing in at 4.7 grams per bud, the Ear (1)’s are super lightweight, too —they’re only slightly heavier than Apple’s AirPods 2, which weigh 4 grams. They also come equipped with pressure-relieving vents and three customizable silicone tips, so you can secure the right fit for your ears.
On the inside, the earbuds pack an 11.6mm driver. To fine tune the sound quality, Nothing partnered with Swedish electronics company Teenage Engineering (the ones behind the OP-1 synthesizer and Pocket Operator).
Credit: nothing
According to Nothing, “the audiophiles at Teenage Engineering painstakingly dialed in the software and hardware for balanced bass, mid, and treble performance.” Of course, we’ll have to test these buds out ourselves to believe it.
The Ear (1)’s also feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). Equipped with three high-definition microphones, you have the ability to switch between Light Mode (for moderate noise cancellation) and Maximum Mode (when you need to drown out a good deal of noise). There’s also transparency mode, for when you want to let some sound in from the outside world.
Nothing has thrown in some additional features too, including Find My Earbud, Fast Pairing (for Android devices), and Gesture Control Customization (which you can tweak using the connected app).
Credit: nothing
As for battery life, the Ear (1)’s pack up to 5.7 hours on the earbuds themselves and 34 hours with the case (with ANC turned off). A quick 10-minute charge will also get you up to 8 hours of battery life. And since the case is Qi-certified, it’s compatible with any third-party wireless charger.
The Ear (1)’s aren’t available just yet, though. Nothing’s earbuds officially go on sale starting Aug. 17. But you can also attempt to get your hands on the limited supply, currently available on Nothing’s official site.
