The Nothing Ear (stick) are budget-friendly earbuds with a sleek, futuristic design. They're the second pair of headphones released by this manufacturer but differ as they have a one-size-fits-all bud, which means that their comfort is highly dependent on your ear shape. Although their unique look helps them stand out from other headphones on the market, they don't offer much in the way of new or revolutionary features.
Our Verdict
The Nothing Ear (stick) are decent for neutral sound. Thanks to firmware update 1.0.1.67, they have a bit more bass than their original sound. Although they're earbuds and still lack some thumpy, punchy bass, they sound more even and neutral. They also have a balanced treble range, so vocals and instruments sound bright but not harsh. However, a dip in the mid-range nudges these sounds to the back of the mix and weakens them. While their passive soundstage is more immersive than in-ear headphones, audio still seems to be coming from inside your head rather than from speakers around you.
- Graphic EQ and presets available in companion app.
- Bad passive soundstage.
The Nothing Ear (stick) are passable for commute and travel. They have a comfortable fit and under seven hours of continuous playback time to last through long trips. However, even though they have a noise reduction feature, they have a hard time blocking out most background noise, including the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They also leak audio at high volumes, which can bother others around you.
- Very comfortable and well-built.
- Barely block out background noise.
The Nothing Ear (stick) are great for sports and fitness. Their one-size-fits-all design means that their fit highly depends on your ear's shape. However, they won't move around too much during a run if you can get a good fit. They can fall out if you do much more rigorous activities like push-ups. On the upside, they're well-built, very comfortable, and are certified IP54 for resistance against water splashes.
- Rated IP54.
- Very comfortable and well-built.
- Bad passive soundstage.
The Nothing Ear (stick) are mediocre for office use. Although they have a noise reduction feature, they struggle to block out chatty co-workers and leak audio at high volumes, which can bother others around you. They don't support multi-device pairing, so you can't connect them to multiple devices at a time. That said, they have a comfortable fit suited for long listening sessions, and the headphones last just under seven hours continuously. If you need to top them up, their carrying case holds three additional charges.
- Very comfortable and well-built.
- Barely block out background noise.
- No multi-device pairing.
The Nothing Ear (stick) are Bluetooth earbuds. Even though they have a low latency mode to help reduce lip-syncing issues, their latency is likely too high for competitive gaming, even when using this mode.
The Nothing Ear (stick) are wireless earbuds; you can't use them wired.
The Nothing Ear (stick) are mediocre for phone calls. They have an integrated mic, and while it can capture your voice so that you sound intelligible, speech still sounds a bit robotic. The mic can separate your voice from moderate background noise well, which is handy if you're taking a call from a noisy office. Unfortunately, even though they have a noise reduction feature, they don't block out background noise effectively, making it harder to hear your call well.
- Very comfortable and well-built.
- Barely block out background noise.
- Passable recording quality.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 15, 2024: The Nothing Ear Truly Wireless have been added for comparison in the Case and Noise isolation boxes.
- Updated Aug 03, 2023: Added a note in Bluetooth that the Amazon Echo Buds True Wireless 2023 (3rd generation) support multi-device pairing.
- Updated Jul 20, 2023: We've retested these headphones using firmware 1.0.2.85 and the following tests have changed: Test Settings, Noise Isolation, and App Support.
- Updated May 15, 2023: Firmware 1.0.1.67 has changed the sound of these earbuds. We have retested and updated the Sound results, and the scores have changed. This firmware is also advertised to improve battery life during calls, and we have updated the Battery text to reflect this. However, the scoring of this test has stayed the same.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Nothing Ear (stick) come in one color variant: 'White', and you can see our model's label here. If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Nothing Ear Stick are the lower-end sibling of the Nothing Ear (1). Unlike the more premium model (which are in-ear headphones), these buds have an earbud design that doesn't enter your inner ear. In addition, similar to other earbuds like the Apple AirPods (3rd generation), their one-size-fits-all design causes them to lack a touch of low bass. They have an otherwise fairly neutral sound, which is versatile enough for most kinds of content.
Check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best wireless earbuds for Android, and the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $100.
The Nothing Ear (2) are better earbuds than the Nothing Ear (stick). The Ear (2) are a more premium offering from Nothing and have more features than the Ear (stick), like ANC and multi-device pairing. Their build quality is also better, and their silicone ear tips are more comfortable over long durations than the Ear (stick)'s tipless earbud design. Sound-wise, the Ear (2) have a deeper bass extension, giving hip-hop and EDM more thump and punch by default. However, the Ear (stick) have a longer battery life, and their minimal feature set results in a lower price that won't put as big a hole in your wallet as the Ear (2).
Depending on your preferences, you may prefer either the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) or the Nothing Ear (stick). The Apple headphones offer an H1 chip for seamless pairing with other Apple devices, which can be handy if you're already immersed in this ecosystem. They also support Qi Wireless charging. However, if you're an Android or Nothing user, you'll want to check out the Nothing as they're more comfortable and have a better overall mic performance, and their app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize their sound.
The Nothing Ear (1) are better headphones than the Nothing Ear (stick). The Ear (1) are in-ears that have a more stable fit and come with a couple of differently-sized ear tips, so you can find one that works for you. They also have a more neutral sound profile, and thanks to their ANC, they can block out a significant amount of ambient noise around you. However, if you prefer earbuds, you'll want to check out the Ear (stick), which are more comfortable. Their companion app also offers more robust sound customization features.
Depending on your preferences, you may prefer either the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) or the Nothing Ear (stick). The Apple headphones offer a lot more features like Spatial Audio and an H1 chip for seamless pairing with other devices in your Apple ecosystem. Their battery life is better too. However, if you're an Android or Nothing user, you'll enjoy the Nothing, which have a more comfortable fit, better overall mic performance, and more customization features via their companion app.
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Test Results
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