Nothing Ear (open) Review: Are These Made for You?

Nothing introduced its first open-style earbuds in September of last year. But sadly, they could not make their way to the Indian shores due to some licensing issues. It seemed like that was the end of it, but after a year-long wait, Nothing Ear (open) is officially on sale in India. If you have been patiently waiting for the release of the Nothing Ear open, then you might want to read this review first to learn whether they are worth the asking price. 

Nothing Ear (open) Unboxing 

Nothing Ear (open) comes in a slim case, which is surprising for a pair of earbuds that are supposed to go around your ears. So, when I unboxed the Ear (open) for the first time, here's everything you will find inside:

Nothing Ear (open) Design and Fit 

People liking the design of the Nothing Ear (open) will be quite subjective. I used these every day for a month before putting them away, and here's my take on its design and fit.

The Ear (open) have an unconventional look with a curved silicon stem and a metallic weight at the tail end. This helps them stay securely on your ears and prevents them from falling off. When I used them, they felt uncomfortable, especially on the roof of my ears. 

I could barely have them on for more than an hour. But since I had to use them for the review period, I got used to it over time. It's a process you'll need to commit to, given that you are giving up on soft silicone in-ear buds for open ones. Once I got used to the Nothing Ear (open), there were times I at times forgot that I even had them on.  Also, a word of advice, if you have big ears, then they do tend to wobble a lot while exercising. 

For everyone else, don't worry, they don't fall off easily, because they wrap around your ears pretty well. That said, the design is something you need to get used to since everyone's ears are different, and your experience can be completely different from mine. 

The look of the Nothing Ear (open) is transparent, so you can see some internal components, like the driver and the PCB. The case carries the same design language with a transparent lid. I quite liked the case because of its slim profile, which makes it easy to carry around. 

Nothing Ear (open) Sound Quality

The Nothing Ear (open) are the first open earbuds I've tried for this review, and they sound decent. They deliver good bass, but the sub-bass feels absent - possibly due to the lack of a good seal in the ear. That is why songs like "Limit to Your Love" by James Blake don't sound as impactful. There is a Bass Enhance feature in the app, which should boost the lower frequencies, but I don't think it's doing much.

Alt-rock tracks like "Emptiness Machine" by Linkin Park have an enjoyable punchy effect at 80% volume. However, static and distortion start to creep in at anything above that volume. This is a problem, as you need to crank up the volume as noise from your surroundings constantly drowns out music from the buds. The sound also feels hollow and cheap, at times, as a result of the peaks at higher frequencies. 

That is a big issue with the open-style earbuds. I couldn't mute or completely get rid of the environmental sound. This made it difficult to understand the clarity of the music in some conditions. This was my main gripe when listening to podcasts or watching YouTube videos.

So, in the best-case scenario, I used the Nothing Ear (open) early in the morning when there was little to no traffic or mostly at home and office during the review period. These earbuds also have a sound seal system, which is essentially noise-cancelling, but for everyone around you to minimise sound leakage. The feature works 50% of the time, as anyone standing around 0.5 feet from your proximity will be able to hear what you're listening to. 

These open buds only support AAC and SBC audio codes, so there is no high-res audio support, which is a bummer given the high price. So overall, I would say that the sound quality is okay-ish and comes with its share of compromises. I believe Nothing has done its best to offer a commendable sound experience on the Ear (open). So if you are not an audiophile, then you will do just fine. 

Nothing Ear (open) Microphone Quality 

As far as the Nothing Ear (open)'s microphone goes, I think it's the best in any Nothing product out there. It's almost as good as the high-end Nothing Ear (2024) buds. It only has two microphones on each bud, which are paired with the AI mic technology. We have seen it before in the CMF Buds, but they work a lot better here.

During the review period, I took several calls on my way to the metro, in the metro, and at home using the Nothing Ear (open). Not once did anyone complain about the mic or my voice clarity. I even asked about the background noise, but they said it was pretty minimal. I guess Nothing has improved their AI voice enhancement feature, and it is one part I am pretty satisfied with.

Nothing Ear (open) Controls and Companion App

To use the various features that ship with the Nothing Ear open, you need the Nothing X companion app on your Android phone or iPhone. It gives you access to the equaliser, touch controls customisation, and more.  The standout feature is the Advanced Equaliser, which allows you to handle 8 frequencies and alter the Q Factor, which represents the sound curve.

While it is tough to make the most out of the sound in the Ear (open), I like that Nothing has still added the option for audio enthusiasts. I used it to tone down the higher frequencies and increase the bass.

Coming to the touch controls, the Ear (open) features pinch-style controls that let you play/ pause music or adjust the volume. The pinch point is located at the top of the earbuds with a small indentation letting you know where to press. Here are the default pinch controls:

I enjoyed the Nothing Ear (open)'s companion app experience. It's clean, minimal, and doesn't require sign-in like the Realme Link app. All options are laid out in an easily understandable manner, in a way that non-tech-savvy people wouldn't have a hard time figuring their way around it. 

Nothing Ear (open) Battery Life and Charging

Nothing promises up to 8 hours of battery life for the buds and 30 hours if you take into account the case. I got similar results during the review period. I used the earbuds throughout my Saturday outing, listening to songs, podcasts, and even more than a few calls. They lasted about 7 hours with 8% left in the tank.

Now I was listening to music at around 90% volume, which could explain the faster battery drain, but the battery life is much better than most in-ear style earbuds you can find on the market. When it comes to charging, they take an hour to fully refill. 

Bottom Line: Should You Buy the Nothing Ear (open)?

Before I answer whether you should buy the Nothing Ear (open), it is necessary to understand who these are for. If you're uncomfortable with in-ear style buds, have issues with your ear canals, or are sensitive to loud noises, then you should consider the Ear open.

Remember, these are not for the best audio experience, noise cancellation, or other such features that most people look for in expensive TWS. 

The Rs 17,999 retail price is steep, but what you are getting is a premium open-ear experience. You can find other options like these for cheaper, but I think Nothing Ear (open) has a premium and reliable feeling that would last you much longer than any other alternative.

So if you are someone who feels like you are in need of open-ear earbuds, then I would recommend you buy the Nothing Ear (open). But for almost everyone else, you can get something better for less.