Nothing ear (2) guide

Nothing Ear (2) Truly Wireless Headphones Review

The Nothing Ear (2) are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1) Truly Wireless. These updated earbuds have a very similar build to their predecessor, with the most noticeable visual change being the case, which looks more square. They also come with new features focused on delivering an individualized listening experience, like a personalized adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) and a 3-band graphic EQ in the companion app. They also have an improved IP54 rating for protection against dust and water splashes.

Nothing Ear 2 review: it’s what’s on the inside that counts

The second-generation earbuds might look almost identical to the Ear 1s but with a $50 higher asking price. Lucky for Nothing, their sound quality is in a different league.

hat a difference two years makes.

Back in 2021, Nothing, the consumer tech startup led by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, had only publicly existed for a few short months before launching the Ear 1 true wireless earbuds. They were feature rich for their $99 price point but, at launch, suffered from plenty of bugs and so-so noise-canceling performance.

Two years later and it’s time for a refresh with the imaginatively named Ear 2 earbuds. They add some nice quality-of-life features like support for multipoint connectivity, but fundamentally they’re very similar to their predecessors. Put the two next to each other, and it can be hard to tell them apart.

In use, however, the Nothing Ear 2s feel like a much more polished product. There are fewer bugs, more capable active noise cancellation, and a much better and more refined sound. It’s enough to turn the Ear 2s from a good-looking pair of earbuds with only okay performance into an accessory that (almost) sounds as good as it looks. It’s just a shame that, at $149, they’re not quite the entry-level bargain this time around.

The Nothing Ear (2) takes an unconventional approach to true wireless earbuds with its Android and iOS friendly design. It features the LHDC and AAC codecs, alongside some luxuries like ANC and a comprehensive app. Despite having some considerate features like IP54 and IP55 ratings for the buds and case respectively, the app's generated personalized sound and ANC don't feel custom. Put in the leg work and the lightweight earbuds might just outdo the price tag.

The Nothing Ear 1 earbuds were a success, but not a tough act to follow. Their see-through design was stylish and original and they offered features normally found for earbuds twice as expensive. At the same time, their experience was marred by one too many bugs – a constant reminder that they were a first-gen product from a nascent brand.

Two years later, the London-based startup Nothing is back with a successor, the Ear 2, which not only fixes all that ailed its predecessor but also adds a series of meaningful upgrades, including better sound, multi-device connectivity, and noise cancellation that can adapt to your hearing.

These improvements have come at a hefty cost, however. At $149, the Nothing Ear 2 earbuds are 50% costlier than the Ear 1 were at launch. Yet, after carrying them around for two weeks everywhere, from airplanes to gyms, Nothing has made it worth it: the Ear 2 offer a far superior experience than the Ear 1 with improved sound, a sturdier see-through build, and multi-device connectivity.

The Nothing Ear 2 earbuds now start at $149, a 50 percent increase over the starting price of the Nothing Ear 1s original $99 price point. That’s not entirely unexpected after Nothing increased the price of the Ear 1 earbuds by the same amount last October, but it impacts who the Ear 2’s competitors are. $149 is within striking distance of the (often discounted) AirPods and the same price as Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2, for example. It means Nothing’s buds have to hit a much higher bar than their predecessors.