Nothing Ear (1) comes with a strikingly transparent design and the promise of great audio as well as ANC. Rather remarkably, it brings all of this at a price of Rs 5,999, which makes it potentially one of the best options for anyone wanting a bit more on their TWS but not having the bucks to get close to the five-figure zone.
It has been quite a while since we heard a pair of truly wireless earphones (TWS) being as talked about as the first product from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei’s new venture, Nothing. The TWS have been hyped and leaked and speculated upon in a manner that would make flagship smartphones blush with pride. And now, they are out in the open. With great hype come great expectations. How do the Ear (1) live up to those? Rather unusually for TWS, which are considered to be eyesores (“EarPods with the wires cut off,” “accessories for Frankenstein’s monster,” and so on), a lot of talk around the Ear (1) has been around their design. And well, they definitely do look very different from other TWS. Whether they look good or not is going to be a matter of opinion, but they do stand out. The buds themselves are made of plastic and are transparent, although you will need to look at the inside of the stems to really see some components – the external part seems almost like a black band beneath clear transparent plastic. The bud for the right has a red dot on it, evidently to help people realize it is the “right” one (pun intended). While this is a nice design touch, we suspect it tries to solve a problem that does not quite exist – we have not seen folks having problems figuring out which is right and left in TWS with stems. That said, it adds a bit more to the design aura of the buds. As does the recessed thumb-like imprint on the case, which honestly does not add much to the portability of the buds. The case itself is rather square and semi-transparent and grabs attention for this very reason. It seems a bit fragile, though, especially when compared to the hard, thick plastic cases we have seen with other TWS. It did split open when it fell, although it was totally undamaged, which could concern some folks. Incidentally, the buds are splash and sweat resistant, and that case supports fast charging and wireless charging. You get two other ear tip sizes in the box – the buds come with “medium” sized tips and the box contains “small” and “large” options. The case is also likely to turn a few more heads than the buds themselves – that transparent lid does remind you of jewelry and wristwatch cases. And of course, also the iPods. All said and done, the Ear (1) are one of the most distinct-looking TWS out there in terms of appearance. They are also very light at less than 5 grams, although you will not really sense the difference as much unless you have a digital scale fitted into your ears. In terms of usage, Nothing has kept the Ear (1) pretty simple. Connecting is as easy as flipping the case open and pressing a button on its side (right next to the USB Type C port for charging). There are apps for iOS and Android for the TWS, but you can connect directly to the Bluetooth settings on your phone. We would suggest using the app, though, as it will enable you to get firmware updates and change ANC levels and use the in-app equalizer to tune your audio.
