Nothing Ear 3A review finds $99 earbuds strong but glitchy
The $99 earbuds earned praise for design, EQ and value, while The Verge flagged heavy bass and occasional ANC and call issues.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
The Nothing Ear 3A review from The Verge says the $99 wireless earbuds offer strong value, improved noise cancellation and better sound, but still show some software rough edges. The assessment matters for buyers comparing budget earbuds because reviewer John Higgins found the model competitive on features while flagging problems with adaptive ANC and call quality.
The Verge gave the Nothing Ear 3A a score of 7 and described the earbuds as a good overall performer for the price. Higgins wrote that Nothing has kept the visual identity it established with the Ear 1 in 2021, when the company sold a feature-rich pair of earbuds for $99.
According to The Verge, the new earbuds keep Nothing’s transparent design language, including a clear case and stem-style earbuds with a solid-color body. The review says the color lineup includes pink, yellow, black and white.
Is the Nothing Ear 3A worth buying?
Higgins’ review suggests the Nothing Ear 3A are worth considering if price, styling and app-based sound controls matter most. The Verge’s main caution is that buyers should expect a bass-forward default sound and some inconsistent behavior from adaptive noise cancellation.
The review lists the earbuds at $99 and says they are available through Amazon, Walmart and Nothing. The Verge’s scorecard names “great overall performance for the price” and a strong equalizer as positives, while naming heavy bass and uneven adaptive ANC as drawbacks.
What does the review say about sound?
The Nothing Ear 3A use 12mm dynamic drivers and support LDAC, SBC and AAC codecs, according to The Verge. LDAC is a Bluetooth audio codec that can carry higher-resolution audio than basic Bluetooth codecs when the phone and earbuds both support it.
Higgins wrote that the standard tuning pushes the low end hard, giving bass lines extra force. He found that the boosted bass can crowd the midrange, including vocals and guitars, and said the effect may appeal to bass-heavy listeners more than most buyers.
The review says Nothing’s app helps offset that issue because it includes a robust EQ. An EQ, or equalizer, lets users adjust frequency ranges so they can reduce bass or bring vocals and instruments forward.
Where did The Verge find problems?
The Verge said Nothing has improved both audio performance and active noise cancellation in the Ear 3A. Active noise cancellation uses microphones and processing to reduce outside sound, a feature that is common in higher-priced earbuds and increasingly expected in budget models.
Higgins also reported minor issues with adaptive ANC and call quality. Adaptive ANC changes noise-canceling strength based on surrounding sound, so inconsistent behavior can affect how predictable the earbuds feel during commuting, office use or calls.
The overall finding from The Verge is that the Nothing Ear 3A deliver a lot for $99, especially for buyers drawn to the design and tuning controls. The trade-off is that the earbuds still carry some of the glitches Higgins said have appeared in earlier Nothing models.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.