By Kavita Mistry 
Nothing’s first open ear buds, the Ear (Open) have finally arrived in India, almost a year after their international launch. They bring to the open earbuds table a very eye-catching design and a price tag that fluctuates as wildly as the stock index on a particularly volatile day. But are they too late to the earbuds party in a very crowded Indian market, or do they still have what it takes to carve out a niche for themselves? Let us find out.
Nothing Ear (Open) Design and Appearance: Open ear buds never looked THIS good
Open ear buds with ear clips are generally functional rather than fashionable in terms of design. They generally comprise a tiny speaker-like tip that rests near the ear canal and a clip that can be worn around the ear to keep the tip in place. The Nothing Ear (Open) stick to this template but still look very good indeed, thanks to some neat design touches.
The Ear (Open) are available in a single color, white, and come in a case that has a transparent cover, and a glossy white lower portion with metallic accents on the front and back. While the buds and case are mainly made of plastic, that transparent cover and metal accents give them a premium and elegant appearance. Incidentally, the lid shuts magnetically. There is also a small fidget spinner-like depression on the cover, allowing it to be spun around – the magnets are strong enough to ensure it does not open while you spin it.
The case is long (125.9 mm) and is definitely large by TWS standards, although it is not too heavy (64 grams without the buds, 80 grams with them inside). It will fit into most pockets, but will bulge a little. The case comes with IP54 dust and water protection, but will pick up scratches, so we suggest getting a good transparent cover for it – something we rarely recommend for any TWS.
The Ear (Open) themselves are very eye-catching too. The part of the buds that is placed over our ear canals is round and relatively small, unlike the large, slightly rectangular shapes we have seen from some brands, although there is a TWS-like stem extending from it that joins the ear hook. The buds have a transparent back that is very similar to what we have seen in Nothing’s classic TWS range. The ear hook is white, culminating in a metallic tip at the other end. Each bud is about 8 grams in weight. In a neat touch, there is a prominent red dot on the right earbud and a white dot on the left.
The buds are comfortable to wear as the plastic on the ear hooks is soft. The fit, however, is going to vary from person to person as the angle of the placement of the bud cannot be changed – the tiny speaker might either be directly over your ear or a bit above or below it, depending on your ear size. In my case, they covered most of the upper part of the ear canal, but my mum’s ear canal was completely covered. We really think that it is time brands gave us options to adjust fits, as Soundcore has done with the V20i.
Both the case and buds have an IP54 dust and water resistance, so are good enough to use while working out and running, and the earhooks ensure that there is literally no chance of them falling off. However, the white earhook gets stained with sweat and dust (it lies on the back of the ear), so we would recommend giving the buds a quick rub after extended use. Thanks to that color, though, the Nothing Ear (Open) are the most distinct open earbuds on the market.
Nothing Ear (Open) specs and hardware: Decent, without being exceptional
The Nothing Ear (Open)’s specs are more routine than its design. The buds come with a 14.2 mm dynamic driver with a titanium-coated diaphragm. That is not a particularly large driver (16 mm is relatively common), but Nothing claims to have used a stepped driver rather than a straight one for more immersive sound. They also have two microphones with Nothing’s “AI-enhanced Clear Voice Technology,” which the brand claims delivers crystal clear calls.
The buds have Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and also come with dual point connectivity, which means one can connect them to two devices simultaneously. In terms of codecs, they support the popular AAC and SBC, and although open ear buds are generally not purchased for high audio quality, the absence of LDAC at this price is surprising. Also on board are Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, a sound seal system to ensure sound does not leak outside (a common problem with most open earbuds), and a low lag mode for gaming.
The buds have 64 mAh batteries each, while the case itself has 635 mAh. Nothing claims the buds will last 8 hours on a single charge, with the case adding another 22 hours to the equation, making it 30 hours in all. Charging happens through the USB Type-C port on the back of the case, but there is no support for wireless charging, which will disappoint those who expect it at this price point. Of course, as a result of their open design, there is no ANC.
Nothing Ear (Open) interface, controls, and app: Smooth controls, terrific app
Pairing the Ear (Open) is just a matter of opening the case with the buds inside. This puts them in pairing mode, and one just needs to choose them from the available devices shown in the Bluetooth section on the notebook or phone. To pair with a new device, one needs to press the button inside the case to put them in pairing mode, and then follow the same process.
Controls revolve around pressing the small stem-like attachment to each bud. A single press will play or pause audio, and will also answer and end calls. A double press rejects a call, or moves to the next track, while three presses takes one back to the previous track. Pressing and holding the right bud leads to an increase in volume, while doing the same on the left bud decreases it. In the best Nothing tradition, all controls except the single press can be customised using the Nothing X app – we allotted the double press and hold to invoke a virtual assistant.
The Nothing X app is one of the best audio companion apps we have seen from any brand. It comes with a clean interface, and apart from the basic equaliser presets (Balanced, More Bass, More Treble, and Voice), it actually lets one heavily customise the audio. What’s more, it is actually very effective. While we stuck to the default Balanced preset, we switched to More Bass for our runs and workouts, and switched on voice for podcasts, and the difference was discernible. The app also comes with the Find my Earbuds function, and lets one install firmware updates on the buds, and this being Nothing, there are plenty of updates around.
The Nothing Ear (Open) Performance: Very good sound and call quality, decent battery life
In terms of performance, the Nothing Ear (Open) tick all boxes very thoroughly, and among the best sounding open ear buds we have heard. Although their open nature means that bass is always a little understated, the audio sounded reasonably detailed, with decent mids and trebles. The bass situation does improve with the More Bass setting, but even then is unlikely to satisfy more bassheads. These are not buds for purists, but are decent enough for casual listening, rather than intense and serious audio sessions. They are great for podcasts, pop music, and audiobooks, and can be used for gaming and watching films too, but the absence of a rumble-y bass might put some folks off. These buds are for those who want to listen to audio while being aware of their surroundings, rather than for those who want to be lost in sound. Volume levels seem good in quiet conditions, but might appear to be relatively low when there is a lot of ambient sound. We found ourselves often listening to content at close to the maximum volume, as the sound was often lost at lower volume levels.
That is because, like all open earbuds with ear hooks, the Nothing Ear (Open) allow some ambient noise inside. While this is great for the times when one is outside, especially in areas where there is traffic, it rules out immersive hearing. Ironically, it also makes the buds difficult to use when the surroundings are too loud. We found we could barely hear the audio on them when travelling in an autorickshaw, or in cafes where the music is a little on the louder side. These are the times when the absence of both active and passive noise cancellation hits really hard. We actually think these are very good for wearing on walks and in the office, and even at home, as we were able to listen to the audio even while being reasonably aware of others. But their utility goes down the moment ambient sounds become too loud – these will not be of much use even in noisy gyms. That said, sound leakage from the buds is negligible. People sitting near us could not hear what we were listening to, even when the sound was close to maximum volume. The sound stage of the buds is slightly more open than one finds in in-ear buds, but the presence of external sounds tends to muddle it.
The press-oriented control system works very smoothly, and one clearly hears a tone whenever one presses the buds, which helps in the process. Call quality on the Ear (Open) is superb and comfortably on par with the best TWS out there. Unless we were in very noisy conditions, most people we spoke to were able to hear us very clearly and often did not even realise we were using earbuds for the call. Battery life is decent too – we easily got about 7 hours from the buds themselves, and often got through 4-5 days of normal to heavy usage on a single charge of the case. This is not exceptional, but quite adequate for most of us. Nothing claims that a 10-minute charge provides 10 hours of battery, which is a super touch.
In terms of pure performance, the Nothing Ear (Open) have no major shortcomings, as long as one can make one’s peace with external sounds making their presence felt and the relatively low volumes in noisy conditions.
Nothing Ear (Open) Price: A price that fluctuates like the Sensex
This is perhaps the biggest pain point of the Nothing Ear (Open): their price. The Nothing Ear (open) had appeared very briefly on Flipkart in late 2024 at a price of Rs 17,999 (about USD 200) but had not been available for almost a year. Nothing brought them back to the Indian market a few weeks ago at a special price of Rs 9,999 (about USD 110). It has been yo-yoing up and down like a stock index gone crazy ever since.
When we started writing this review, the Ear (Open) were priced at Rs 9,999. Within a few days of that, they were retailing for about Rs 17,999, and as this gets set to be published, they are available at BOTH those prices from different retailers. We have used our share of devices over the years, but have never seen a device’s price fluctuate this wildly within a few weeks of its release. In simple terms, they fluctuate between high-end and premium. We recommend keeping your eyes open and grabbing them when their price is at Rs 9,999, if you are keen on them. At Rs 17,999, they are definitely too expensive for what they offer.
Nothing Ear (Open) Challengers: It is a pretty open field with Apple and Sennheiser out there!
- AirPods 4th Gen – The boss to beat
Rs 12,900
Still the best option for those who want the OG TWS experience and do not want buds that tunnel into their ear canal. Very good call quality and slightly bassy sound. But no ear clip to keep the buds in place. - Sennheiser Accentum Open – Super simple, super sound
Rs 7,990
Again, no ear clip. No companion app, even. Just great sound with surprising clarity and very good volume levels. Easily the best-sounding open earbuds out there. - Soundcore Aerofit Pro
Rs 6,999
Not as good-looking as the Ear (Open), but with very similar functionality. Stiffer ear clips, but with the option to keep them connected with a band. Good audio quality for open ear and with LDAC support, spatial audio, and head tracking. - Eye-catching design
- Good audio quality for open earbuds
- Superb call quality
- Comfortable to wear
- Simple and effective controls
- Excellent companion app with equaliser options
- Constantly fluctuating – and rather high – price
- Audio quality not comparable with similarly priced in-ear buds
- External sound keeps coming in (as in all open earbuds)
- Volume might seem low in noisy conditions
- Case picks up scratches, and the white ear hook needs constant cleaning
Nothing Ear (Open) Review Verdict: For those wanting a bit of style on open buds…and willing to pay for it
So, should you be buying the Nothing Ear (Open)? That depends really on how much you value that transparent-ish white design and that very stylish-looking carrying case. Apart from that, the Ear (Open)’s features are comfortably matched by the competition even at Rs 9,999. The Soundcore Aero Fit Pro might have a slightly less refined sound profile, but offer LDAC support, head tracking, and much better battery life and call quality. The Nothing Ear (Open) bring an elegant design, good sound, and very good call quality to the open earbuds table, but do so at an eye-watering price. We are not even going to ask you to consider them at a price above Rs 9,999, forget Rs 17,999.
Buy Nothing Ear (Open) – India
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SUMMARY
Initially priced at Rs 17,999 (about USD 200) in India, the Nothing Ear (Open) are presently available at a variety of prices, going from as low as Rs 9,999 to Rs 17,999, which makes them a very confusing proposition. |
3.7
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