Earbuds · Model guide · Maker specs
Nothing Ear (a)
Get Nothing Ear (a) if you want LDAC and noise cancelling for less than Nothing Ear, and can live without LHDC 5.0 and wireless charging.
Product images
Nothing Ear (a), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get Nothing Ear (a) if you want LDAC and noise cancelling for less than Nothing Ear, and can live without LHDC 5.0 and wireless charging. It lists at $99, on sale for $79 in September 2026, against $109 for Ear. With noise cancelling off it outlasts Ear: 9.5 hours, or 42.5 with the case, against 8.5 and 40.5. Skip it if you want a better-protected case: Ear (a)'s is IPX2, where Ear's is IP55.
Who it is for
- Android owners who want LDAC for less than Nothing Ear costs. Ear (a) plays AAC, SBC and LDAC, and Nothing sells it as Hi-Res Audio with LDAC.
- Listeners who mostly leave noise cancelling off. That's where Ear (a) beats Ear's battery, by an hour per charge and two with the case.
- Anyone juggling a phone and a laptop. Dual connection, Google Fast Pair and Find my earbuds come with it.
Who should skip it
- LHDC users. Ear (a) stops at LDAC; Nothing Ear adds LHDC 5.0.
- Anyone who charges on a wireless pad. Ear (a) charges over USB-C, and wireless charging is a Nothing Ear feature.
- People who keep noise cancelling on all day. It's rated for 4 hours a charge that way, 18 with the case.
What sets it apart
- Cheaper than Nothing Ear: $99 list and $79 on sale in September 2026, against $109.
- Longer battery with noise cancelling off: 9.5 hours per charge and 42.5 with the case, against 8.5 and 40.5 on Ear.
- LDAC alongside AAC and SBC, over Bluetooth 5.3.
- Noise cancelling that Nothing calls both Smart ANC and Adaptive ANC, plus Transparency mode and an 11 mm dynamic driver.
Caveats
- Two more battery pairs, 5.2 and 5.5 hours per charge and 23 and 24.5 with the case, appear in Nothing's specs with no mode attached.
- Nothing names no spatial audio or hearing features for Ear (a).
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Sealed stem in-ear | Nothing US storeNothing describes the fit as compact and comfortable. |
| Fit | Ear tips (sizes not listed) | Nothing US store |
| Driver | 11 mm dynamic driver | Nothing US store |
| Noise cancelling | Smart ANC and Adaptive ANC; 45 dB, by Nothing's headline | Nothing US store |
| Transparency | Transparency mode | Nothing US store |
| Battery, buds | Up to 9.5 hours with noise cancelling off; up to 4 hours with it on; 5.2 and 5.5 hours listed for unnamed modes | Nothing US store |
| Battery, with case | Up to 42.5 hours with noise cancelling off; up to 18 hours with it on; 23 and 24.5 hours listed for unnamed modes | Nothing US store |
| Charging | USB-C; 10 minutes of charging ≈ 10 hours (noise cancelling off); LED charging status | Nothing US store |
| Wireless charging | Not listed; charges over USB-C (Nothing Ear lists wireless charging) | Nothing US store |
| Water and dust, buds | IP54 | Nothing US store |
| Water and dust, case | IPX2 | Nothing US storeIPX2 covers dripping water, with no dust rating. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3; profiles RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, AVRCP | Nothing US store |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC, LDAC | Nothing US storeNo LHDC 5.0, which Nothing Ear adds. |
| Microphones and calls | No microphone count listed (Nothing Ear lists 3 per bud) | Nothing US store |
| Controls | Pinch controls, customizable | Nothing US store |
| Multipoint | Dual connection | Nothing US store |
| Sensors | In-ear detection | Nothing US store |
| Weight, one bud | 4.8 g in Nothing's product copy (49.2 g with the case); 4.6 g in its spec list | Nothing US store |
| Weight, case | 39.6 g | Nothing US store |
| Dimensions, case | 22.7 × 63.3 × 47.6 mm | Nothing US storeNothing labels 63.3 mm as the width and 47.6 mm as the height. |
| Colors | White, Black, Yellow | Nothing US store |
| Phone compatibility | Android 5.1 and above; iOS 11 and above | Nothing US store |
| Finding and pairing | Google Fast Pair; Find my earbuds; Microsoft Swift Pair not listed (Nothing Ear has it) | Nothing US store |
| App and firmware | Custom EQ and bass enhance in Nothing's app | Nothing US store |
| US price | $99 list, $79 on sale (Nothing US store) | Nothing US storeOn 19 September 2026 the store showed $79 with $99 struck through. |
| Price band | Budget true wireless (under $100 on sale; $99 list) | Based on Nothing's US prices |
| Availability | On sale at Nothing's US store in September 2026 | Nothing US store |
Nothing Ear (a) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Versus Nothing Ear | No LHDC 5.0; IPX2 case (Ear: IP55); no wireless charging listed; 9.5 and 42.5 hours with noise cancelling off (Ear: 8.5 and 40.5); $99 list, $79 on sale (Ear: $109) | Nothing US store, Ear (a) and Ear pages |
| Hi-Res with LDAC | Nothing's headline for Ear (a)'s sound; LDAC is in the codec list | Nothing US store |
| Lifecycle carbon | 2.72 kg CO2e | Nothing US storeNothing's own figure. |
| In the box | Plastic-free packaging (box contents not listed) | Nothing US store |
Ear (a) or Ear: what the lower price drops
Ear (a) and Nothing Ear both pair noise cancelling with a Transparency mode. Here’s where they part ways:
| Spec | Nothing Ear (a) | Nothing Ear |
|---|---|---|
| US price, September 2026 | $99 list, $79 on sale | $109 |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC, LDAC | Adds LHDC 5.0 |
| Battery, noise cancelling off | 9.5 hours; 42.5 with case | 8.5 hours; 40.5 with case |
| Case rating | IPX2 | IP55 |
| Wireless charging | Not listed | Yes |
| Microsoft Swift Pair | Not listed | Yes |
| Microphones | Count not listed | 3 per bud |
If you listen on an Android phone over LDAC, charge from a cable and keep the case in a pocket, Ear (a) gives up little. If your phone supports LHDC or the case rides in a gym bag, the extra money goes on things you’ll use. Nothing’s open-ear model, Nothing Ear (open), is a different design with its own trade-offs.
Sound and noise cancelling
Ear (a) uses an 11 mm dynamic driver. Nothing describes its noise cancelling as both Smart ANC and Adaptive ANC, with a 45 dB headline figure, and Transparency mode lets voices and announcements through. Nothing sells the sound as Hi-Res Audio with LDAC, which takes an Android phone that supports LDAC.
Battery and charging
| Mode | Buds | With case |
|---|---|---|
| Noise cancelling off | Up to 9.5 hours | Up to 42.5 hours |
| Noise cancelling on | Up to 4 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| Unnamed modes | 5.2 and 5.5 hours | 23 and 24.5 hours |
Ten minutes on the charger buys up to 10 hours with noise cancelling off, by Nothing’s figure. Charging is over USB-C, with an LED for status.
Fit, controls and phones
Ear (a) is a sealed stem in-ear. Nothing doesn’t list tip sizes. The case weighs 39.6 grams and measures 22.7 × 63.3 × 47.6 mm. Pinch a stem to control playback (Nothing lets you remap the controls), and the buds detect when they’re in your ears.
Nothing lists Android 5.1 and above and iOS 11 and above. Google Fast Pair handles pairing on Android, dual connection keeps two devices linked, and Find my earbuds helps track down a lost bud. Nothing’s app adds a custom EQ and bass enhance.
Price and colors
On 19 September 2026 Nothing’s US store listed Ear (a) at $99 and sold it for $79, in White, Black or Yellow. Nothing puts its lifecycle footprint at 2.72 kg CO2e, and the packaging is plastic-free. Sale prices come and go, so check before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Nothing US — Ear (a) product page — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is Nothing Ear (a) worth it over Nothing Ear?
Yes, if you can do without LHDC 5.0, wireless charging and the IP55 case. Ear (a) costs less and lasts longer with noise cancelling off; Ear is the one to buy if any of those three matter.
Is $79 the regular price of Nothing Ear (a)?
No. On 19 September 2026 Nothing's US store showed $79 with the $99 list price struck through, so $79 was a sale.
How much does a Nothing Ear (a) bud weigh?
Nothing gives two figures: 4.8 grams in its product copy and 4.6 grams in its spec list. The 4.8-gram figure is the one that adds up, with the 39.6-gram case, to the 49.2 grams Nothing quotes for the whole set.
Does Nothing Ear (a) work with an iPhone?
Yes, on iOS 11 or later (Android needs 5.1 or later). LDAC is an Android codec, though, so an iPhone falls back to AAC.
Official product page: Nothing Ear (a). Tech specs: Nothing Ear (a) specs.