Nothing's Ear (3) pairs a fun, bass-heavy sound (SoundGuys' 4.7/5 MDAQS) with a distinctive Super Mic case and 45dB adaptive ANC. But reviewers split sharply on call quality, and 5.5-hour ANC-on battery is merely average. Worth a look on deal, not at full stretch against Apple's and Sony's best. Check the live Amazon price.
— THE VERDICT · JUDGEANY EDITORSWhat the Ear (3) are
Nothing launched the Ear (3) in September 2025 as its new flagship earbud: pre-orders opened September 18, general sales followed on September 25, with a list price of $179 in the US (£179 / €179). Per Nothing's launch materials, each bud carries a 12mm dynamic driver with a PMI + TPU diaphragm, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, SBC and LDAC, Hi-Res Wireless certification, and static spatial audio. Noise cancelling is rated up to 45 dB with real-time adaptation, and each bud packs three microphones plus a bone-conduction voice pickup unit. The charging case, machined from 100% recycled aluminum, adds the headline trick: a dual-mic Super Mic, fired by a dedicated Talk button, which Nothing says filters up to 95 dB of background noise for calls and voice notes. Battery is rated at 10 hours per charge (5.5 with ANC on), or 38 hours total with the case (22 with ANC on), with USB-C and Qi wireless charging. The buds weigh 5.2 g each, carry an IP54 rating alongside the case, and come in black or white. Everything below comes from published reviews and launch coverage: JudgeAny runs no lab and measured nothing ourselves.
Sound and codecs
SoundGuys' lab data is the most objective published evidence: an MDAQS overall score of 4.7 out of 5, with low distortion and strong stereo width, but also a bass-heavy, V-shaped tuning that sits well off their preference curve, with elevated treble and a dipped midrange. Their reviewer called the sound fun and energetic out of the box. TechRadar heard the same energy but scored sound 4 out of 5, noting occasional treble harshness that can turn wearying on bright recordings. Tom's Guide's early hands-on was blunter, calling it "so-so audio quality" with brash highs, though their later comparison credited "powerful bass and nuanced vocals." The codec list is generous on Android: LDAC joins AAC and SBC, and the Nothing X app's 8-band advanced EQ is a genuine escape hatch for taming the default bass, per SoundGuys. GSMArena's real-world testing found one trade-off: LDAC cuts playback to about 3.5 hours per charge with ANC on.
Noise cancelling and the Super Mic: where reviewers split
The ANC is rated up to 45 dB with adaptive tuning. Tom's Guide counted strong noise cancelling among the Ear (3)'s early strengths; GSMArena judged it merely "decent," still behind Sony and Apple flagships; HowToGeek found that switching ANC on audibly changes the sound signature. The Super Mic is the biggest point of disagreement. Tom's Guide found call quality on par with the AirPods Pro 3, with the Super Mic cancelling ambient noise so the caller's voice comes through loud and clear. SoundGuys heard the opposite: the Super Mic reduced clipping but sounded muffled, and the in-ear mics (despite bone-conduction assistance) produced calls "less clear than I'd like," especially in wind. In SoundGuys' direct comparison, the older 2024 Nothing Ear delivered cleaner calls than the Ear (3). HowToGeek sided with the skeptics, calling the mics mediocre and muffled even in ideal conditions, and questioned whether the case mic earns its keep. Call quality is the Ear (3)'s most contested trait. Heavy callers should treat the Super Mic as a bonus, not the deciding feature.
Battery, comfort and the case
Nothing rates the buds at 5.5 hours with ANC on (10 hours off); the case pushes totals to 22 hours (38 hours off). Published measurements land close: SoundGuys recorded 5 hours 12 minutes with ANC on, HowToGeek got just over five hours before the case was needed, and GSMArena managed 6.5 hours over AAC, slightly beating the claim. The case supports Qi wireless charging alongside USB-C, and Nothing's 10-minute fast charge yields up to 10 hours of playback for buds plus case. Comfort splits reviewers: TechRadar gave design 4.5 out of 5 but found the earpieces no longer among the comfiest, while HowToGeek called them comfortable and easy to wear for hours. The aluminum case looks premium but scuffs easily, HowToGeek notes. Both buds and case carry IP54 dust and water resistance, and each bud weighs 5.2 g.
Who should buy them
Buy the Ear (3) if you want Nothing's flagship tuning in its most premium-feeling package yet: punchy, bass-forward sound with LDAC on Android, plus solid feature depth (8-band EQ, multipoint, wireless charging, ChatGPT on Nothing phones). Skip them if calls are your top priority, or if bright treble bothers you. On value, reviewers are cautious: TechRadar scored value 3 out of 5, and Gadget Pilipinas rated price 7 out of 10. Both see the $179 list price putting these against Apple's and Sony's best, where Nothing can't quite match. Deals soften the math: Neowin logged $159.99 at Amazon US in November 2025 against the $179 MSRP, and a pre-October-Prime-Day roundup in late September 2026 listed the Ear (3) at $129/$149. Check the live Amazon price.