Nothing’s new in-ear buds land with meaningful audio upgrades, but the smart charging case steals the show. The Ear 3 maintains the brand’s see-through look (now complete with better drivers, smarter microphones, and LDAC support) capped with a case that can function as its own voice mic — essentially turning your pocketable accessory into an entire production tool for creators on the go.
A case that also works like a microphone
The Ear 3 case includes two internal microphones and a dedicated Talk button, so you can shift the pickup for voices from the earbuds’ own mics to the case’s “Super Mic” for clearer voice capture. It’s not all rubbish though – the system has a claimed ability to slap down to 95 dB of background noise, while routing your voice through the connected mobile phone or device via the earbuds. Consider it a mini field recorder for short interviews, voice notes, or walk-and-talk clips.
It’s a shrewd pivot to the realm of creator workflows. There are other brands that make competing portable mics like DJI and RØDE, but those options add bulk (and cost). Nothing’s approach isn’t going to usurp a dedicated wireless lav on a film set, but for the occasional shot of spontaneous content or to take calls in busy environments, having a mic-equipped case already in your pocket is a slick flourish.
Sound and call quality actually get upgrades
Inside, the Ear 3 moves up to 12 mm dynamic drivers (a boost from the 11 mm ones found on earlier models) with PMI + TPU diaphragms. That composite is designed to enhance durability and transient response compared with the ceramic membranes employed earlier, emphasizing bass tightness while maintaining upper-midrange clarity.
On the codec side, where compatible, we get LDAC for high-bitrate wireless audio — Sony’s standard can ratchet up to 990 kbps depending on connection quality. Those with compatible phones using Android benefit the most; but on iOS you’ll still be limited to AAC, which is fine for everyday listening but not quite true high-resolution. There’s no reference to LHDC or 24-bit/196 kHz playback this time around.
Active noise cancellation goes up to a claimed 45 dB of attenuation, on par with the company’s recently reviewed in-ear model and ahead of ourselves when we were listening to Gen 1. Each bud contributes a bone-conduction voice pickup unit to supplement three directional mics, which the company claims can strip around 25 dB of ambient noise before ANC even activates. The practical payoff ought to be a cleaner call in wind or transit without over-aggressive noise gating.
Tuning is still adjustable via the Nothing X app, which houses an eight-band EQ and personal hearing profiles.
The ability to easily custom-tailor the sound based on your personal taste is more valuable to enthusiasts than the kind of three- or five-band presets run-of-the-mill rivals offer.
Battery, charging and sustainability notes
The buds pack 55 mAh cells and are good for up to 10 hours per charge, with the case’s own 500 mAh pack chipping in another 38 hours — numbers based off ANC being switched off. And as usual, turning on LDAC, cranking ANC, or using the case as a mic will shave that down. A fast 10-minute top-up via USB-C gives you up to 10 hours of playback, and the case supports wireless charging (takes approximately two hours for a full charge).
Further upstage, the bottom half of the case is crafted from 100% recycled aluminum while the lid remains clear.
It’s a small but heady sustainability nudge that feels in step with the way many consumer electronics brands are heading, especially given ongoing environmental design guidance from organizations like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Design tweaks that matter for durability and style
The Ear 3 is still clearly a Nothing headset, but it’s the small differences that add up: the metallic inserts in the stems appear more premium and the character has slightly erased some of the complaints around durability that some users had with previous models. The fact that you can see-through design language ensures it will remain distinctive on a crowded shelf even while not slavishly devoted to ergonomics.
Price and positioning among creator-friendly earbuds
The Ear 3 bumps up to $179, but offers a clearer value story. With the beefier drivers, enhanced ANC (and that sweet LDAC support) and case-as-mic trick, these sit in a space between your everyday buds and creator-friendly gizmos. Though traditional competition in this bracket — think compact ANC models from Sony or Jabra — don’t present a mic-ready case as Nothing has, giving Nothing a unique feature hook.
Early takeaway after first look at Nothing Ear 3
The Ear 3 opts for practical benefit, rather than headline-chasing gimmick. The new driver assembly promises an improvement in audio fidelity, calls ought to sound clearer with bone-conduction-assisted pickup, and LDAC will keep Android listeners happy. But it’s the double-duty case, which operates as both charger and on-the-go microphone, that changes how these earbuds can be used day to day. If you’ve ever had to scrabble for better voice capture in a noisy room, that’s the feature to watch.
