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Nothing’s latest partially see-through active noise cancellation earbuds feature a unique innovation: a premium mic built into the charging case that allows you to press a button to talk into it.

This dubbed Case Microphone is designed for individuals who desire a microphone-in-the-hand experience for clearer conversations, audio notes, and voice recordings in noisy settings. For those who often talk into the bottom of their phone while holding it out, these earbuds are an ideal choice.

However, this charging case enhancement has also increased the cost, with the Ear 3 costing €179/$179/A$299 – which is a €50/$50/A$50 jump over their previous model at release. They continue to undercut leading rivals but have edged much closer to models like the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3.

Internal components and elements seen via the exterior of the earbuds add a little interest to the aesthetic.

The Ear 3 retain the brand’s signature partially clear style, with numerous tiny design elements that differentiate them from more plain buds, but some of the polymer have been replaced with metal for a glossier appearance.

The shape of the earphones has been adjusted to be slightly more comfortable over extended listening sessions. They are light, fit securely, and create a effective seal in the ear. The stalks feature squeeze controls for media control, noise cancelling, volume, or activating your AI assistant. They are a little limited but can be customised and function well enough.

The buds fit into the square flip-top charging case for charging, which is pretty compact but quite heavy in this iteration. The power lasts a reliable 6h of playback, with ANC between charge in the case for a combined of at least 22 hours. The case refuels via USB-C in a little over an hour or approximately 2 hours via inductive charging.

Press and hold the ‘Talk’ button on the case to use the Ear 3’s Case Mic party trick, playing a short tone in the earphones as the microphone turns on.

The earphones have decent mics in them, which sound a somewhat robotic at times but do a good job of reducing background noise. The Case Microphone performs better, with more body and less compression, making it ideal for audio memos, speech-to-text, or calls. But the audio quality isn’t fully good enough for use as a professional microphone or comparable equipment for producing recordings.

Technical Details

• Water resistance: IP54 rated (splash resistant)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 version (SBC, AAC codec, LDAC codec)
• Battery life: 5.5h with ANC (22h with case)
• Earbud size: 30.5 x 21.5 x 20.8mm
• Earbud mass: 5.2 grams each
• Driver diameter: 12 millimetres
• Case size: 56 x 55.5 x 22.3mm
• Case mass: 61g
• Charging method: USB-C port

Solid Audio and Decent ANC

Included are multiple options of silicone tips for a secure seal and effective isolation.

The earphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.4 with the typical SBC and AAC codecs, plus the higher-quality LDAC format for those phones that can use it. They can also pair to two devices at once, but doing so caused the Case Microphone to be slower to activate.

Nothing’s previous models have consistently performed impressively for the price, with a good balanced audio profile, plenty of detail, and good separation of frequencies. The Ear 3 continue the trend but have a bigger soundstage overall with quite a lot of low-end by default. It is well and controlled without overriding the other parts of the frequency spectrum, but the outstanding companion app on your phone has many adjustment settings for those who prefer something a little more subtle.

The noise cancelling performs adequately dampening the general background noise and low-frequency hum of the commute, and handles the troublesome higher tones such as typing sounds or conversations more effectively than previous brand earphones. But they can’t muster the equivalent performance of noise cancelling of the top-tier earbuds, such as the slightly higher-priced Apple AirPods Pro 3.

The ambient sound mode is also pretty good, sounding realistic, but neither mode can manage wind interference effectively.

Sustainability

One of the mics in the case is adjacent to the USB-C charging port, with an indicator light that glows in green when the microphone is in use.

The manufacturer says the batteries in the earbuds and charging case will retain at least 80% of their initial capacity for 500 full charge cycles. The earbuds are not user-serviceable but separate post-warranty replacements are offered through support.

The charging case uses recycled aluminum and metal, but Nothing does not offer trade-in. It calculates the earbuds’ carbon footprint to be 2.87 kilograms.

Price

The Ear 3 are priced at €179/$179/A$299.

For comparison, the Ear cost £119, the Headphone 1 costs €299/$299/A$499, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are priced at £219, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are priced at £219, and the Apple AirPods Pro 3 cost €219/$219/A$359.

Conclusion

Nothing has tried something I’ve never seen before in a set of earbuds, sticking a mic and push-to-talk control into the charging case. It is a innovative concept and would be ideal for an recording or video microphone substitute. Unfortunately, the microphone isn’t quite such expectations.

But for users who are not content creators, it works well for phone calls, making audio notes, or speaking to your phone’s virtual assistant, somewhat like a contemporary version of a dictaphone for your smartphone. I just can’t see myself utilizing it very often.

The earbuds themselves are another excellent set from the company, which combine solid sound, decent ANC, reliable endurance, and a secure wear into something far more interesting to see than your usual plain buds.

The increase in cost into the £180 range pushes them dangerously near to some of the very best earbuds in the market, to which they can’t quite hold a candle. And like so many competing products, the devices are not able to be fixed, costing them a star in environmental ratings.

Pros: Super Mic, distinctive aesthetic, solid audio and noise cancelling, secure {fit|