When Nothing launched their first product, the Nothing Ear (1), I used to be passionate about its design language. The clear industrial design and general vibe have been completely different from what we had seen earlier than, because of Carl Pei’s collaboration with Teenage Engineering, the Swedish electronics firm identified for his or her quirky designs.
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With the corporate’s third product, the Nothing Ear (Stick), their deal with design appears to have doubled down. However, the single-minded deal with design could have pressured Nothing to compromise on sound high quality and match.
Throughout my few weeks of testing, I discovered the Nothing Ear (Stick) to be a well-balanced product. It’s actually eye-catching and satisfying to make use of, with the twist-to-open case motion. However, in case you are searching for the best-sounding earbuds, you might need to look elsewhere as a result of design takes precedence over sound right here. Here is our evaluation of the Nothing Ear (Stick). Read on.
Design and Fit
Upon first unboxing the Nothing Ear (Stick) a few weeks in the past, I used to be stunned by how good the Nothing Ear (Stick) appears and feels. It’s fairly the attention sweet, actually! But, in the meantime, the fast realization of what the clear would look a number of months down the road additionally fearful me. The case is made out of clear plastic, and it actually attracts scratches and an entire lot of mud should you maintain it out within the open. So, nearly as good because it appears, you might need to child it just a little—if you need it trying good and scratch free.
The earbuds themselves do look phenomenal as effectively, with nice plastic supplies on provide. And, let’s be sincere, the entire clear, see-through aesthetic does look cool. However, what’s not cool is the match of the earbuds, at the very least for some individuals. I, for one, am proud of the match of the Nothing Ear (Stick), however once I handed the earbuds to my brother, who has bigger ears than me, he complained that the buds didn’t match him effectively, loosening each occasionally, and he even skilled ear ache.
Therefore, it’s clear that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer right here, which can be true for widespread earbuds just like the second and third-generation AirPods. From what I can perceive, you’ll fare higher if in case you have a smaller ear canal, like I do, and may battle if in case you have larger ears.
Now, let’s handle the elephant within the room—the half in-ear design. Yes, these aren’t the in-ear sort just like the Nothing Ear (1) and as a substitute go for a extra conventional half in-ear design, paying homage to the unique AirPods. While this can be a deal-breaker for a lot of, individuals who prefer to take pleasure in their audio whereas being conscious of their environment or those that don’t just like the seal that in-ear earbuds type within the ear canal may admire the Nothing Ear (Stick) earbuds.
Hence, it comes all the way down to desire, and to be honest, extra individuals these days desire the in-ear sort, with rising demand for options like noise cancellation and punchier bass.
Sound Quality and Pairing Process
Like most TWS earbuds these days, it’s comparatively straightforward to pair the Nothing Ear (Stick) with an Android telephone. Upon first twisting the Nothing Ear (Stick) case, I used to be instantly prompted to hook up with the earbuds on my Samsung Galaxy S23—much like first-party Samsung Galaxy Buds. There was no lag whereas pairing, and as soon as I put in the Nothing X app, controlling the buds was straightforward. Once paired, I solely needed to twist the case to open, and the earbuds have been routinely linked to my Android gadget—fairly rapidly. In reality, I’d say it’s as fast because the expertise one will get with AirPods and an iPhone, so this can be a stable plus level for me.
As for the sound, merely put, for Rs 8,499, there are higher sounding options accessible available in the market, with a extra sensible (and in-demand) in-ear type design. But, the lengthy reply is that the Nothing Stick could not provide the very best sound for the cash, however it has sure traits that remind me of the unique AirPods. The sound isn’t too bass-heavy, and it delivers clear vocals and balanced mids and highs. Don’t get me improper, the readability is there, and the Nothing Ear (Stick) does provide bigger audio drivers than the Nothing Ear (1). However, the half in-ear design doesn’t permit the earbuds to ship heavy bass and doubtlessly enchantment to the common client.
But, if calls are your precedence, I’d fee the Nothing Ear (Stick) extremely. After receiving a fair proportion of calls utilizing the earbuds, the other social gathering by no means as soon as complained that I sounded muffled, and the voice from their finish was additionally fairly clear.
Battery Life and Connectivity
Nothing claims that the earbuds ought to present as much as 7 hours of playback time, and whereas attaining that length was uneventful, we have been ready to make use of the Ear (Stick) for practically 6 hours earlier than the battery depleted. This utilization included taking calls, listening to music and audiobooks, and even a little bit of gaming on my Nintendo Switch. Thus, you possibly can anticipate actually good battery life when utilizing the Nothing Stick. Additionally, the case can absolutely cost the earbuds about 4 occasions. Furthermore, you possibly can rapidly high up the cost inside a couple of minutes and get round two hours of listening time, so that they cost rapidly.
The Nothing Ear (Stick) helps SBC and AAC codecs by Bluetooth 5.2 and has an easy pairing course of. It is advisable to obtain the Nothing X app from the Play Store for an enhanced expertise. Unlike the Nothing Ear (1), the Stick exhibited no bugs and maintained a secure Bluetooth reference to a outstanding vary. The app has been up to date with a recent design and extra functionalities, equivalent to a three-band customized EQ and presets you possibly can select primarily based in your desire.
Verdict: Design over Function?
I actually just like the Nothing Ear (Stick), and I’d fortunately pay Rs 8,499 for them solely for his or her eye-catching design. It is a gorgeous piece of {hardware}, however I can’t say the identical for the common client, equivalent to gym-goers who would love punchy bass and a sturdy (and extra sensible) case design, or that one audio purist who may not like how the Nothing Stick represents the general sound stage. So, sure, the Nothing Ear (Stick) belongs to the rising listing of tech merchandise which can be in a state of limbo, making it troublesome to advocate to most individuals. However, should you like fairly devices, you ought to be all in for these earbuds. I fee them 7/10.
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