I tested Nothing's new pink earbuds, and they look as good as they sound
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Tech Why you can trust ZDNET : ZDNET independently tests and researches products to bring you our best recommendations and advice. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Our process 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Close Home Tech Wearables Headphones I tested Nothing's new pink earbuds, and they look as good as they sound The Nothing Ear (3a) have surprised me for several reasons - the price is one of them. Written by Nina Raemont, Editor, Wearables & Health TechEditor, Wearables & Health Tech July 18, 2026 at 2:30 a.m. PT Nothing Ear (3a) 4.5 / 5 Very good pros and cons Pros Thoughtfully designed and affordably priced.They pack value and special features not found in rivals.Well worth the $100. Cons Their design may not be for everyone.Some of the new features require a subscription. View now at Nothing Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.I've been vocal about my love for Nothing products ever since I tested the brand's first generation Ear (a) earbuds several years ago. Their yellow and black design language was so striking when compared to competitors, and the earbuds matched great sound with great value. So when Nothing sent its third-generation buds my way, I was eager to give them a go. In a sea of minimalist gray tech, Nothing offers bold products with an edgy vibe and unique form factor. Also: Nothing Headphone (a) review: The superior option for design and button enthusiastsPlus, these earbuds have some unique recording functionalities I have yet to see in competitors. I spent a week working, exercising, and listening to music with the $100 Ear (3a) earbuds, and I can confidently say they're worth your money -- with a few caveats. ZDNET RECOMMENDS Nothing Ear (3a) For $100, you're getting a uniquely designed, bass-enhanced earbud with up to 42 hours of battery life. details View at Nothing Best headphone deals of the week Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Black): $248 (save $152) Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black): $170 (save $181) Apple AirPods Max ANC Wireless Headphones (USB-C Charging, Midnight): $400 (save $150) Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Lunar Blue): $299 (save $130) Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones: $199 (save $150) Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article. I got to test out the Ear (3a) in its pink colorway, and they have been so fun to wear for a few reasons. I can always spot them in my backpack or my room, standing out among the clutter. But they not only stand out in my purse -- they're also the subject of many compliments and conversations when I wear them in the office or show them to friends. The case itself is transparent, as are the earbuds inside, with a punchy pink color and a LED status light that shows battery percentage, connectivity, and more. Plain and simple, the earbuds are fun to look at and wear.I enjoyed the tactility of the Ear (a)'s ear tips when I tested a few years ago. The same goes for Ear (3a). They stay put comfortably, and Nothing's four ear tip sizes makes it easy to find a size that fits well. They also stay charged, thanks to 42 hours of playback time in the charging case and ten hours of power in each bud after a single charge. Not too shabby. Nina Raemont/ZDNETNothing adds a new 12mm driver to the Ear (3a) to increase the bass by 5 db. Even before I knew about that update, I detected a richer bass in the buds -- and quite enjoyed that improvement. They deliver enhanced bass and clear sound, and the app simplifies creating custom EQs for different listening preferences. These features result in a pleasant listen every single time.Another improvement in the Ear (3a) is its noise cancellation. Nothing altered its functionality to cancel noises across a wider frequency range, with the new earbuds offering three modes: low, mid, high, and adaptive. The noise cancellation on high is strong enough to dim the majority of the New York City subway's screeches during my workday commute. Also: Forget iPhone 17e: Nothing's Phone 4a Pro costs less and looks a whole lot betterBut equally as important is the transparency mode, which lets enough sound in to feel grounded to your environment without feeling berated by ambient environmental noise.Other features on the Nothing app add to the already enjoyable user experience of the Ear (3a). I tried out Nothing's fixed spatial audio feature while listening to Ariana Grande's no tears left to cry, and it was so immersive it felt like I was listening to the singer in a church with beautiful acoustics. Nina Raemont/ZDNETNothing brings two interesting new audio features to the earbuds, thanks to the addition of 32 MB of flash storage. This enables recording on the earbuds through Audio Snapshots, which record up to two minutes of content after pressing both buds, and call recording, which records up to an hour of a meeting or phone call. The recordings live on the Nothing X app, and yes, a subscription is required for unlimited audio recordings and transcriptions. This is a great idea that I'm sure a bigger company will snatch up and implement into their next generation earbuds and phone software. Also: I tested the Ultrahuman Ring Pro: It's a biohacker's dream that's not for meWhile I hadn't tried the call recording feature, my test of the Audio Snapshots captured bits of songs and videos with a quick press of the buds to begin and end recording. It was simple, and I look forward to using the call recording feature during interviews and meetings. I can see this feature being of great help to students attending virtual lectures, because the earbuds not only record audio but also transcribe it in a pinch. ZDNET's buying adviceI'd recommend these earbuds to anyone. The Nothing Ear (3a)'s quality rivals that of higher end earbuds, like the AirPods Pro 3 or Samsung Galaxy Buds, but they're significantly cheaper with a refreshing design. Students looking for an affordable but high-quality earbud would love these, as would anybody who is tired of the boring device options available in other mainstream options. 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