After spending a few weeks with Nothing Ear (3a), I can say with confidence these are the best earbuds you can buy for $99, and I’d choose them over a whole host of other options that cost twice as much.
Rewinding back to 2024’s Nothing Ear (a), the template set was a pair of more affordable earbuds without compromising on design, sound quality, or core features. And they nailed it. While I largely gravitated to the higher-end model that year due to the lack of EQ on the cost-conscious option, Nothing Ear (a) have remained my #1 recommendation for earbuds ever since.
Until now.
Put simply, Nothing Ear (3a) pick up where that model left off, while also upping the ante by a considerable margin.
On the design front, it’s the same story. Nothing’s transparent aesthetic shines through, and the new pink colorway is pretty stunning – though you can still opt for black, white, or yellow. The case itself is also smaller than Nothing’s flagship earbuds, Nothing Ear (3), which feels better in my pocket. Throw in that the shape of the earbud fits perfectly in my ear for hours of comfortable wear, and these are a win across the board for me.
