This is the Nothing Ear (open) – the flamboyant maker’s entry into the open-ear TWS market. The buds ship in a semi-transparent charging case with a USB-C cable.
The Nothing Ear (open) combine behind-the-ear silicone hooks with Nothing’s standout transparent look. Nothing says the buds have a three-point balance system with the hooks enabling a secure fit.
Each bud has a custom diaphragm with a titanium coating, an ultralight, yet large 14.2mm driver. Nothing says the shape reduces distortion and enhances low frequencies. The titanium helps with high notes.
The Nothing Ear (open) offers 8 hours of playback on a single charge and 30 hours more from the charging case. A 10-minute top-up gives you 2 hours of playing time. However, due to the open-wear nature of the (open), it lacks ANC.
The Nothing Ear (open) is comfortable to wear though putting them on for the first time requires some thinking, especially if you’re not used to OWS earbuds.
Nothing is opening pre-orders for the Ear (open) today in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe, and will ship the (open) from October 1. The buds cost $149/€149/£129. We’ll be sharing more impressions of them in the following weeks.