Despite its exorbitant pricing, Apple’s AirPods lineup is a popular choice among buyers in the premium audio gear segment. The AirPods Pro 2nd Gen has gained a reputation for its blissful audio performance and incredible noise cancellation, continuing to be a top pick for Apple users on a budget. That leaves us with the AirPods 3rd Gen – the middle child in Apple’s AirPods lineup.
The AirPods 3rd Gen is logically the successor to the AirPods 2nd Gen but continues to be positioned as the middle option for those who want a better fit and nicer audio quality than the latter. The lack of basic features like ANC and adaptive EQ has made the AirPods 3rd Gen seem underequipped, considering the premium that Apple charges. That has given upstart brands like Nothing a chance to shine with premium products at more accessible prices. The latest Nothing Ear is a great example.
Released as the third generation in the flagship Nothing Ear lineup, the Ear ditches the number in its name and sets its eyes on delivering a more premium experience at a price that’s still palatable. Along with Ear (a), Nothing expects to serve the affordable end of the TWS earbuds segment with high-quality products delivering great aural performance.
But what should you do if you have an iPhone and the new Nothing Ear is hindering your decision to get the AirPods 3rd Gen? Our Nothing Ear vs Apple AirPods 3 comparison aims to iron out your dilemma.
Nothing Ear vs Apple AirPods 3: Has Nothing’s flagship caught up?
Before we begin our Nothing Ear vs Apple AirPods 3 comparison, it is important to note that we haven’t tested any of these products in person and the analysis is solely based on the specifications sheet released by Nothing and Apple.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
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Design, comfort and ergonomics
Given that the Nothing Ear is Nothing’s flagship and the AirPods 3rd Gen is a midrange offering in Apple’s lineup, there is bound to be a difference between these in terms of build and comfort.
The AirPods 3rd Gen resembles the AirPods Pro’s short-stem design as well as the egg-shaped in-ear element minus the silicon ear tips. With pressure-sensitive touch controls, the AirPods 3rd Gen is easy to use. The charging case is compact and comes with a Lightning charging port. You can, however, choose to equip it with the MagSafe wireless charging by paying a bit more.
The Nothing Ear is a style statement in comparison. Right from its semi-transparent charging case to the uniquely shaped earbuds that come with comfy silicon ear tips as standard, the Nothing Ear looks premium. Similar to the AirPods 3rd Gen, the Ear features pressure-sensitive buttons for playback controls. The case features a USB-C charging port that makes it compatible with most phone and laptop chargers. You also get support for wireless charging as standard on the Nothing Ear.
Hence, the Nothing Ear takes the win in this category for its superior build, design and ergonomics.
Winner: Nothing Ear
Performance
Both the Apple AirPods 3rd Gen and the Nothing Ear feature 11mm drivers to pump music into your ears. However, Nothing has given the Ear ceramic drivers that promise to improve clarity and reduce distortion compared to the outgoing Ear (2).
The Nothing Ear supports Hi-Res audio along with the latest iterations of LDAC and LHDC codecs for high-quality wireless streaming with supported Android smartphones. With iPhones though, it is limited to the AAC codec that’s present on the AirPods 3rd Gen. Hence, for an iPhone user, there shouldn’t be a discernible difference in the streaming quality.
While the AirPods 3rd Gen brags about Spatial Audio support for Apple Music, the Nothing Ear one-ups it with an advanced active noise cancellation system (ANC) and adjustable equaliser. The 45dB ANC system supports full isolation, partial passive isolation, a transparent mode and an Adaptive ANC mode for letting the algorithms manage background noise levels. The silicon eartips also aid with better passive noise isolation. When combined, the noise isolation system is effective in delivering a superior experience in a noisy ambience.
For gaming, Nothing has also included a low lag mode that reduces the latency to 120ms. The AirPods 3rd Gen lacks it.
Hence, while the AirPods 3rd Gen promises good audio quality with its native support for Spatial Audio, it is the Nothing Ear that provides a better experience with its superior hardware.
Winner: Nothing Ear
Battery life
For a premium pair of TWS earbuds, the Apple AirPods 3rd Gen delivers decent battery stamina on a full charge.
Apple promises up to six hours of listening time without Spatial Audio (five hours with Personalised Spatial Audio) and up to four of talk time. The charging case offers a total of 30 hours of audio payback. The Lightning port fills up the battery in considerable time and if you opt for the MagSafe case, you can rely on Apple’s MagSafe chargers and Qi-certified wireless chargers for up to 2.5W of charging.
On the other hand, Nothing Ear promises over eight hours of music playback without ANC and approximately five hours with ANC switched on. The charging case adds to a total of 40.5 hours of listening time. You can use a USB-C port to recharge the battery faster and there’s support for 2.5W Qi wireless charging.
Between these two, Nothing Ear wins another round in this comparison, thereby helping it extend a healthy lead.
Winner: Nothing Ear
Price
The AirPods 3rd Gen is positioned as an economical alternative to the pricey AirPods Pro 2nd Gen, starting at HKD 1,399. If you fancy getting the MagSafe charging case, you will need to pay a sum of HKD 1,499.
However, the Nothing Ear impresses us again with its accessible pricing, considering all the extras that Nothing throws at us with this one. You can order the Nothing Ear in black and white colourways for GBP 129 (HKD 1,250 approx.). Not only does that make the AirPods 3rd Gen look pricey but also undercuts the older AirPods 2nd Gen by a fine margin.
Winner: Nothing Ear
Nothing Ear vs Apple AirPods 3: Our verdict
Winner: Nothing Ear
With its highly accessible pricing and bucketloads of features, the Nothing Ear takes an easy win in this comparison versus the Apple AirPods 3rd Gen. The presence of a 45dB ANC system, great battery stamina and an interesting design seal the victory in its favour, thereby making it a better recommendation for both iPhone and Android users.
In comparison, the Apple AirPods 3rd Gen fairs worse, considering its premium price tag. Not only does it lack active noise cancellation, but the absence of silicon ear tips also reduces the overall audio experience. Apple’s Spatial Audio does make a compelling case for those who like surround sound but a lower battery stamina and the presence of the Lighting charging port make it inadequate in comparison to the Nothing Ear.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Apple and Nothing)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Are Apple AirPods 3rd Gen worth it?
Considering this comparison with the Nothing Ear, the AirPods 3rd Gen fares poorer and hence isn’t worth it for the asking price.
– Is Nothing Ear good for iPhone users?
The Nothing Ear is supported by the Nothing X app on the iPhone and hence, gets access to all the software features as well as timely firmware updates. Hence, the Nothing Ear is a good recommendation for iPhone users on a budget.
