Oliver Haslam on March 22, 2023, 7:35 pm

Nothing Launches Its $149 Ear (2) Earbuds As AirPods Pro 2 Competition

Apple’s high-end AirPods Pro 2 have some new competition thanks to the arrival of the Nothing Ear (2) wireless earbuds. The new earbuds replace the previous Nothing Ear (1) offerings.

What makes the Ear (2) buds so interesting is the fact that their spec sheet reads much like that of Apple’s latest AirPods Pro 2 but also happen to cost less thanks to their $149 asking price. They even manage to look a little like AirPods Pro 2 while still looking very distinctive.

In terms of features, the Ear (2) earbuds feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) including custom ANC that claims to create the best possible effect based on the shape of the wearer’s ears. There’s also a feature similar to Apple’s Transparency mode, although early reports are that it isn’t quite up to the same level of Apple’s.

As you’d expect from earbuds that aren’t from Apple or Beats, the Nothing Ear (2) earbuds do lack some of the better features that make AirPods Pro 2 so competing. One example is the auto device switching, while instant pairing is also missing due to the lack of Apple-built chip inside.

Nothing says that Ear (2) buyers can expect around 26 hours of listening time when using the battery case, and that’s with ANC disabled as well. Other features include an IP54 water resistance rating that should ensure these things survive sweat and rain.

The Nothing Ear (2) earbuds are now available to buy for $149, and while a much better option for Android users they might well be a good option for those who don’t want to choose AirPods Pro 2.