Nothing is no stranger to trying stuff out. Sometimes that penchant for uniqueness works (see: the Ear A wireless earbuds, the Headphone 1, or the polarizing Phone 3), and other times it doesn’t quite hit the mark (see: the Ear 3’s “Super Mic” feature or failed experiments like Nothing Chats).
That spirit of experimentation is something fans have come to expect, for better or worse, and in its newest pair of wireless earbuds, the Ear 3a, Nothing might actually hit the sweet spot between price, flair, and fundamentals. 4 Nothing Ear 3a The Ear 3a are a great value, with solid sound, unique recording features, and a unique look for $99. Pros Sound as good as the flagship Ear 3 Call recording features work as advertised Fun colors and transparent pillbox-shaped charging case Cons ANC is just okay No personalized EQ Hidden subscription for "pro" transcription Like the Ear A, but better The Ear 3a is the successor to the Ear A, which are Nothing’s more budget-focused pair of wireless earbuds released alongside the flagship Ear series in 2024. Like the Ear A, the Ear 3a cost less than its flagship counterpart at $99, but still share a lot of the same design sensibilities, like added pops of color. The Ear 3 are only available in black and white, while the Ear 3a come in pink, yellow, black, and white. The pink is a more vibrant hue than the pink Nothing used in the Headphone A, but the yellow looks fairly similar to yellows in the past. The Ear 3a has a new three-block LED indicator. © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo Like the Ear A from 2024, the Ear 3a also have a pillbox-shaped charging case, which I loved—it looks like a tiny lunchbox. This version is a little rounder, and inside there’s a refreshed LED indicator. This new three-column LED indicates battery life and when the wireless earbuds are in pairing mode. It’s like a very, very, very simplified version of the Phone 4a’s Glyph Bar. The stems of the Ear 3a look almost identical to the Ear A, too, with a good amount of transparency to see the inside circuitry.
