'You could've given me 10 guesses, I wouldn't have gone for this': my
favorite cheap Nothing earbuds finally have a successor, but the USP isn't my idea of 'joyful'

Date:
Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Description:
Nothing's new Ear (3a) don't just deal in the odd use of parentheses and new colorways; there's also on-ear chat recording and a host of new features

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Nothing wants you to 'Go all in with Ear (3a)', its new $99 / 99 earbuds Their top feature? 32MB of built-in flash storage, for 'Audio Snapshot' capture You can clip up what you're hearing, (voice note / lecture / call) by pinching both buds New budget Nothing earbuds are in! And they're called wait, what are they called?

Let's sort out the naming strategy early doors: Nothing calls its
(a)-suffixed series its mid-range "playful" and "joyful" offering, for its "young, creative, engaged" followers. The company adds that the Ear (3a) are "designed for a generation that sees technology as an extension of their personality." Furthermore, while these are to be seen as a solid update on
the excellent, five-star 2024 Nothing Ear (a) take note, there is no Nothing (2a), so don't look for them they're also to be seen as a product that
slides in nicely next to the still-current, but more expensive and definitely more flagship Nothing Ear (3) . Okay? Good. This is important, because the
Ear (a) are some of the best budget earbuds I've ever had the pleasure of testing. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

You'll likely have noticed there's a new striking pink finish alongside the traditional black, white, and an (updated, so I'm told) yellow, but the big selling point with this iteration is the introduction of 32MB of built-in flash storage, "allowing users to capture audio moments directly through
their earbuds".

Essentially, the Ear (3a) let the wearer instantly clip up media theyre listening to, just by pinching both earbuds before the content you want starts, and after the audio finishes, thereby creating an audio 'snapshot' of the moment. You may like Best earbuds: top buys, all TechRadar-tested and recommended The best budget earbuds, all real-world tested by our expert
audio team The 9 best wireless earbuds for all budgets, all tested by our reviewers

So, a Dear Diary idea, or perfect for lyric capture when inspiration grabs you? Yes, but there's more: the Ear (3a) also allow users to start in-call recording on the earbuds with a simple gesture, and you'll apparently be able to get approximately two hours of 'tape' on your buds without reaching for your phone.

Is this a wholly good idea in the era of active consent? Because to me it sounds potentially problematic regarding consent to being recorded during private phone conversations although Nothing tells me a privacy notification alerts participants whenever recording is active. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Nothing also tells me said recordings are automatically synced to the Nothing X app, where they can be replayed, edited, shared and/or transcribed (using your Nothing device). Users can also transform key transcript moments into shareable quote cards.

Honestly? You could've given me 10 guesses as to which direction the company would head with its "playful" Nothing earbuds, and this wouldn't be on that list. Nothing might call it an 'Audio Snapshot', but when used for calls (and because I am a woman of a certain age in the UK) my mind goes to another phrase: phone hacking. Nothing Ear (3a): other specs and features you need to know (Image credit: Nothing) I was lucky enough to attend an early briefing
on the Nothing Ear (3a) and so I know that under the hood is a new 12mm driver, 1mm bigger than the one in Nothing's current flagship buds.

As with the splendid Ear (a), LDAC is back for budget hi-res audio, too. There's also a new three-LED status light that Nothing says is "joyful", and it can perform a total of six status indications (for battery status, pairing status, charging levels and so on) in a lil matrix array. I'll hand it to Nothing there its really quite fun. Elsewhere, the corner radius of the case has been softened by 50%, making it rounder and easier on the palm. While I'm on the subject of comfort, there's an improved ear-tip design (the tips are a little thicker and more flared across the outer wall) and you get an extra XS size too, plus an 8-band EQ tab in Nothing's a-series for the first time. Other firsts include an aerospace-grade diaphragm on that larger driver, plus the first ever wide-band 45dB ANC algorithm in Nothing's a-series. Nothing tells me said noise nixing is actually improved by 17.1% compared to the Ear (a), thanks to a software upgrade and improved architecture concerning where the mic sits. Nothing has also thrown in its own Static Spatial Audio for first time in the a-series (think head-tracked spatial audio), plus presets
in the Nothing X app. Finally, Nothing is claiming improved voice clarity thanks to the 3-mic AI voice algorithm which should be handy for recording those 'Audio Snapshots' onto the 16MB flash drive storage in each bud.
Battery life? Of course: the claim is 10 hours on the earbuds alone with ANC disabled. With ANC enabled, users should be able to enjoy up to 25 hours of total listening time (which is huge), and up to 42 hours with case. Also, you'll get an IP54 rating for both buds and case so essentially they're
dust- and splash-proof.

The Ear (3a) are available now, priced at $99 / 99 (or around AU$190, where sold). And while I can't vouch for the sound yet, I'm working on it Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best wireless earbuds for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best earbuds 1. Best overall: Technics EAH-AZ100 2. Best mid-range: Cambridge Audio A100 3. Best budget: Nothing Ear (a) 4. Best for noise-cancelling: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra 2nd Gen



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/you-couldve-given-me-10-guesse s-i-wouldnt-have-gone-for-this-my-favorite-cheap-nothing-earbuds-finally-have- a-successor-but-the-usp-isnt-my-idea-of-joyful


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