In our Breakdown of Nothing Ear 2 vs Ear 1, we will delve into the key differences between the two models, examining their design, performance, battery life, and overall value.
Back in 2021, Nothing stepped into the world of in-ear wireless earbuds with Nothing Ear 1. This product is highly appreciated due to its unique transparent design, ANC capabilities, and competitive pricing. However, these feature-rich wireless earbuds still had a few areas that received criticism upon release.
To cover up the criticism, the company comes up with the latest innovation after 2 years, Nothing Ear 2, with enhanced active noise cancellation, superior sound quality, and quality-of-life features like multipoint connectivity.
However, if you put Nothing Ear 2 and Nothing Ear 1 side by side, it’s difficult to distinguish between the two at first glance. That’s why, we put Nothing Ear 2 vs Nothing Ear 1 against each other to help you to make a decision regarding these in-ear wireless earbuds.
Nothing Ear 2
The newly released Ear 2 is the improved version of its predecessor with better sound quality and ANC. Plus this time Company also added support for multipoint connectivity. However, battery life is not as strong as some of its noise-canceling competitors.
Pros:
- Very comfortable
- Squeeze controls
- Supports Multipoint Connection
- Improve call quality and mic
- Custom sound and ANC
Cons
- Average Battery Life
- No support for aptX/LDAC codec
- Decent ANC performance
Nothing Ear 1
The Ear 1 was the company’s first-ever release with a unique transparent design which was loaded with features such as noise cancellation, wireless charging, and IPX4 water resistance for only $99. While the earbuds’ performance is buggy and does not compete with established players in the market.
Pros:
- Find My buds
- IPX4 rating
- Fast and wireless charging
- Lightweight and comfortable
Cons:
- No Multipoint Connection supports
- Average Battery Performance
- Minimal Sound Quality
Nothing Ear 2 vs Nothing Ear 1: Specs Compared
| Specs | Nothing Ear 2 | Nothing Ear 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149/- | $149/- |
| Wireless charging case | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (rated) | 4 hours ANC on), 22 hours (ANC on with charging case); 6.35 hours (ANC off), 36 hours (ANC off with charging case) | 4 hours ANC on), 24 hours (ANC on with charging case); 5.7 hours (ANC off), 34 hours (ANC off with charging case) |
| IPX rating | IP54(for buds), IP55(for the case) | IPX4(for both earbuds and case) |
| Size and weight (buds) | 1.16 x 0.85 x 0.93 inches,4.5 grams | 1.14 x 0.85 x 0.93 inches, 4.8 grams |
| Size and weight (charging case) | 2.19 x 2.19 x 0.87 inches, 51.89 grams | 2.31 x 2.31 x 0.93 inches, 57.37 grams |
| Special features: | ANC with adaptive mode, improved transparency mode, sound personalization features, in-ear detection, Ear Tip Fit Test, multipoint connectivity, dual-mode audio, support for the default voice assistant, and Find My Earbuds. | Active Noise Cancellation, transparency mode, EQ presets, and Find my earbuds |
Nothing Ear 2 vs Ear 1: Price
Newly released in-ear wireless earbuds Nothing Ear 2 is priced at $149/£129/€149, which is 50% more than the original starting price of its predecessor, Ear 1, which was priced at $99/£99/€99.
However, in October 2022, the company increases the price of its Nothing Ear 1, from $99 to $149, due to the rising costs of raw materials.
Since the current price of Nothing Ear 2 and Nothing Ear 1 is the same, the price would not be the deciding factor here. So we must have to consider other factors such as comfort, sound quality, or battery life before making a purchasing decision.
Here are the top deals on Nothing Ear (2) and Nothing Ear (1):
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Nothing Ear 2 vs Nothing Ear 1: Design
In terms of physical appearance both in-ear wireless earbuds have minor differences. Nothing Ear 2 is slightly taller than Nothing Ear 1 by a mere 0.02mm and also weighs 0.3 grams less than the predecessor.
Moreover, the same goes for the charging case of both earbuds, as the former is lighter and slimmer than the latter. However, when you look at the dimension of both earbuds and charging case a bit closer, you can find the earbuds themselves can fit into either case. But though the company did not enable cross-compatibility between the earbuds and their respective cases.
The two significant changes in the design of Nothing Ear 2 are the constructional material and water-resistant capabilities. According to the company claim this time Nothing Ear 2 comes with more durable plastic which makes the earbuds and their respective case more resistant to wear and tear over time.
Additionally, while Nothing Ear 1 had the IPX4 rating, the successor comes with IP54 and IP55 ratings for the earbuds and the charging case respectively. With this improved water-resistant rating, Nothing Ear 2 can be used in any realistic environment.
Another noticeable difference is the control mechanisms on both in-ear wireless earbuds. Instead of tapping on the earbuds like on Nothing Ear 1, you have to squeeze the stems on the successor to control various activities.
However, when we test the controls of Nothing Ear 2, we found that they can be customized by using the companion app, Nothing X, and plus we never encountered any accidental activations during our use.
Lastly, the Company equipped both earbuds with three different sizes of ear tips which help to achieve a comfortable and secure fit for your sensitive ears.
Winner: Nothing Ear 2
Nothing Ear 1 vs Nothing Ear 2: Features
When Nothing Ear 1 was released, it was equipped with many advanced features for its price point, which you can find on many premium earbuds. Which includes Active Noise Cancellation, transparency mode, EQ presets, and Find my earbuds. However, earbuds still fell short on some of the features when compared with other premium earbuds like AirPods Pro, and Bose QC earbuds.
But this time, with Nothing Ear 2, the company has addressed some of the shortcomings of its predecessor. The successor comes with enhanced ANC with adaptive mode, improved transparency mode, sound personalization features, in-ear detection, Ear Tip Fit Test, multipoint connectivity, dual-mode audio, supports for the default voice assistant, and Find My Earbuds.
Now with these features, Nothing Ear 2 becomes a more competitive option in the in-ear wireless earbud market. Plus these features also set it apart from its predecessor and other competitors like Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
Winner: Nothing Ear 2
Nothing Ear 2 vs Ear 1: Audio Quality
In earbuds, the most important factor is sound over the look. And when we put Nothing Ear 2 against its predecessor, we found out there are some notable differences in audio performance.
The Ear 2 features a balanced and refined sound profile, which as result gives an enjoyable listening experience with clear and accurate sound. This is because Nothing Ear 2 is equipped with redesigned 11.6mm custom driver.
However, when playing some busy tracks on both earbuds like “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, the Ear 2 makes each and every instrument of the song enjoyable with cleaner and more detailed audio. Whereas, Ear 1 Produces a muddy and overly bassy sound, with less separation between instruments and less distinct vocals.
Moreover, on the less busy tracks like “Wonderwall” by Oasis both Nothing Ear 2 and 1 perform well by providing crisp and clear audio.
Another significant difference between Nothing Ear 2 and 1 is the support of Hi-Ris Audio streaming. Whereas Ear (1) streams the audio with standard Bluetooth codecs, Ear (2) provides the playback with Hi-Ris Audio streaming using the LHDC 5.0 codec across frequencies up to 24 bit/192KHz. This ensures users can enjoy the detailed listening experience with the Ear 2 as compared to the Ear 1.
Winner: Nothing Ear 2
Nothing Ear 1 vs 2: Battery Life
When we take battery life into account of Nothing Ear 2, it lies in both better and worse positions when compared to its predecessor.
When we use Nothing Ear 2 with ANC ON, the Buds last for about 4 hours, whereas without ANC, buds provide 6.35 hours of playback time. Moreover, the Charing Case provides an additional 4 charges with the ANC, which is a total of 22 hours of listening time. Whereas, we get up to 36 hours of playback time in the case when ANC is turned OFF on Nothing Ear 2.
In the contrast, when we test the Nothing Ear 1 with ANC ON, the buds provide 3.9 hours of battery life. But without ANC, they last within 5.5 hours. The charging case provides 24 hours of playback time with ANC and without ANC, they last for 34 hours.
Furthermore, just like Nothing Ear 1, Ear 2 can last up to 8 hours or more with 10 minutes of juices. Which is quite impressive for a quick charging time.
Winner: Nothing Ear 1
Nothing Ear 2 vs 1: Final Words
Overall, Nothing Ear 2 is a significant improvement over its predecessor, Nothing Ear 1. With improved design, ANC, and audio quality. However, At $149, the Nothing Ear 2 got all the style and necessary features to compete against top-class midrange in-ear earbuds like Bose Sports Earbuds or Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
I created this blog to help people find the right Headphones, Earbuds, and headsets for their taste, to keep tabs on the latest news and leaks, and to share my experience with different Headphones.
Here are the top deals on Nothing Ear (2) and Nothing Ear (1):
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