Earbuds · Model guide · Maker specs
Nothing Ear (open)
Get Nothing Ear (open) if you want to hear what's around you while you listen: each bud hangs on a hook outside the ear canal.
Product images
Nothing Ear (open), from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get Nothing Ear (open) if you want to hear what's around you while you listen: each bud hangs on a hook outside the ear canal. There's no noise cancelling, but you get a 14.2 mm driver, IP54 protection and an 8.1-gram bud. Nothing lists 6 hours of music per charge, or 24 with the case. Skip it if you want LDAC or noise cancelling; Nothing's sealed Ear has both.
Who it is for
- Runners and cyclists who need to hear traffic. The open design keeps your ear canals clear, and a nickel-titanium hook holds each bud in place.
- People who don't get on with ear tips. There are no tips to push in; a silicone hook does the holding.
- Callers on the move. Nothing says its microphones keep calls clear of wind and traffic, and dual connection keeps a phone and a laptop linked.
Who should skip it
- Commuters on loud trains and planes. With no noise cancelling and no seal around your ear canal, the noise comes through.
- Hi-res listeners on Android. Ear (open) plays AAC and SBC; Nothing's sealed Ear adds LDAC and LHDC.
- Anyone who wants wireless charging. The case charges over USB-C only, while Nothing's sealed Ear also charges wirelessly.
What sets it apart
- An open-ear design: a silicone hook around aerospace-grade nickel-titanium wire, and nothing in your ear canal.
- A 14.2 mm dynamic driver with a titanium-coated PET diaphragm, tilted at 50 degrees, in a design Nothing says is patent-pending.
- IP54 against dust and water, plus a 48-hour sweat test at 55 °C and 95% humidity, by Nothing's account.
- An 8-band EQ, community EQ profiles and a low-lag mode in the Nothing X app.
Caveats
- The case is big for a pocket: 125.9 mm across, 44.0 mm tall and 63.8 grams.
- Nothing gives the buds an IP54 rating but gives the case none.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Open-ear with an ear hook; doesn't seal the ear canal | Nothing US store |
| Fit | Silicone hook with aerospace-grade nickel-titanium wire; no ear tips | Nothing US store |
| Driver | 14.2 mm dynamic; titanium-coated PET diaphragm; tilted 50 degrees | Nothing US storeNothing calls the diaphragm design patent-pending. |
| Noise cancelling | No | Nothing US storeNothing's sealed Ear has Smart ANC. |
| Transparency | Open design keeps you aware of your surroundings, in Nothing's words | Nothing US store |
| Spatial / 360 audio | No spatial or 360 audio listed | Nothing US store |
| Battery, buds | 6 hours of playback; 8 hours of talk; 64 mAh Li-ion | Nothing US store |
| Battery, with case | 24 hours of playback; 30 hours of talk | Nothing US storeNothing's marketing says up to 30 hours of listening, which matches the talk-time total. |
| Charging | USB-C; 10 minutes ≈ 10 hours; Type-C cable in the box | Nothing US store |
| Wireless charging | Not listed; USB-C only | Nothing US storeNothing's sealed Ear charges wirelessly. |
| Water and dust, buds | IP54; Nothing cites a 48-hour sweat test at 55 °C and 95% humidity | Nothing US storeNot a swim rating. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3; profiles RFCOMM, SPP, HFP, A2DP, AVDTP, AVCTP, AVRCP | Nothing US store |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC | Nothing US storeNo LDAC or LHDC; those are on Nothing's sealed Ear. |
| Microphones and calls | Count not listed; Nothing says they keep calls clear of wind and traffic | Nothing US store |
| Controls | Customizable controls; 8-band EQ in Nothing X | Nothing US store |
| Multipoint | Dual connection | Nothing US store |
| Weight, one bud | 8.1 g | Nothing US store |
| Weight, case | 63.8 g | Nothing US store |
| Dimensions, one bud | 14.4, 51.3 and 41.4 mm (axes not labeled) | Nothing US store |
| Dimensions, case | 44.0 mm high × 125.9 mm wide × 19 mm deep | Nothing US store |
| Colors | White, Blue | Nothing US store |
| Phone compatibility | iOS 5.0 and above, as Nothing lists it; Android through the Nothing X app (no version given) | Nothing US store |
| Finding and pairing | Find my earbuds; no Fast Pair listed | Nothing US store |
| App and firmware | Nothing X: 8-band EQ, community EQ profiles, customizable controls, firmware updates, Find my earbuds, low-lag mode | Nothing US store |
| US price | $99 on sale, $129 original (Nothing US store) | Nothing US storeOn 19 September 2026 the store showed the $129 price struck through. |
| Price band | Entry (about $100) | Based on Nothing's US prices |
| Availability | On sale at Nothing's US store in September 2026, at $99 against a $129 original price | Nothing US store |
Nothing Ear (open) extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel-titanium hook | Aerospace-grade nickel-titanium wire inside the silicone hook, in Nothing's words | Nothing US store |
| Fast charging | 10 minutes ≈ 10 hours | Nothing US store |
| 30-hour marketing figure | Nothing's marketing says up to 30 hours for the set; its spec list gives 24 hours of playback with the case | Nothing US store |
| In the box | Earbuds; charging case; Type-C cable; user guide; safety and warranty information | Nothing US store |
Open-ear or sealed: how it differs from Nothing Ear
Ear (open) is the Nothing pair for people who want to stay aware of their surroundings. To get there it gives up three things that Nothing’s sealed Ear has: Smart ANC, the LDAC and LHDC codecs (Ear (open) plays AAC and SBC), and wireless charging. If you want your ears sealed against noise, start with Nothing Ear or the other sealed model, Nothing Ear (a).
What you gain is a fit with nothing in your ear canal, and you can hear a car or a colleague without pausing anything.
Battery and charging
| Mode | Buds | With case |
|---|---|---|
| Music | 6 hours | 24 hours |
| Talk | 8 hours | 30 hours |
| Fast charge | 10 minutes ≈ 10 hours | — |
The buds hold 64 mAh of lithium-ion battery and the case 635 mAh. The case charges over USB-C, and a Type-C cable comes in the box.
Calls, controls and the app
Nothing doesn’t give a microphone count, but says the mics keep calls clear of wind and traffic. The controls can be customized, dual connection keeps two devices paired, and the Nothing X app adds firmware updates and Find my earbuds alongside the EQ.
Price and what’s in the box
Nothing’s US store had Ear (open) at $99, down from $129, on 19 September 2026, in White or Blue. The box holds the buds, the case, a Type-C cable, a user guide and safety and warranty information. The sale price may not last, so check before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Nothing US — Ear (open) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Nothing — Ear (open) — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Does Nothing Ear (open) have noise cancelling?
No. It's an open-ear design that leaves your ear canals open, so you keep hearing what's around you. For noise cancelling, Nothing's sealed Ear has Smart ANC.
Is the Ear (open) battery 24 hours or 30?
24 hours of music, by Nothing's spec list: 6 hours per charge, topped up from the case. The up-to-30-hour figure in Nothing's marketing matches the talk-time total instead, which is 8 hours per charge and 30 with the case.
Does Nothing Ear (open) work with iPhone and Android?
Yes. Nothing lists iOS support, giving the minimum as iOS 5.0, and names Android alongside its Nothing X app, though without an Android version.
Is $99 the regular price of Nothing Ear (open)?
No. $129 is the original price, which Nothing's US store had struck through when it showed $99 on 19 September 2026.
Official product page: Nothing Ear (open). Tech specs: Nothing Ear (open) specs.