I can’t go back to Apple AirPods after using Nothing Ear buds for gaming

I dread to think about the money I’ve flushed down the drain for headsets and earbuds over the years. From buying into the Skullcandy hype in the late 2000s to suffering through awful ‘gamer-fied’ products at college, I’ve had my fair share. The Nothing Ear is ruining all other options for me at the moment, though, especially after previously declaring my allegiance to the AirPod nation.

That’s not to say that they aren’t some of the best earbuds in the game right now. Apple’s second-generation AirPods are nothing short of fantastic, and the Apple AirPods Max exude quality. Although they should do, considering their heavyweight price tag. However, I just find Apple’s design ethos to be a little stagnant. A long-running meme claims that the tech giant lacks innovation between each new iPhone or iPad release, and critics often apply the same argument to the company’s audio advancements.

Nothing is doing the complete opposite as of late. That’s not too surprising considering that the brand’s founder, Carl Pei, also co-spearheaded OnePlus’s ascension. Like those OnePlus presentations and product drops from the early 2010s, there’s a charming quality to Nothing. Its design embraces the quirky, adventurous side of technology, without steering too far into off-putting territory. Splashes of bold, primary colors adorn the Nothing Phone (3a), and a straightforward approach extends from this to products like the CMF Watch Pro 2.

I’ve been using the Nothing Ear for the last month, the brand’s foray into the AirPods-style arena. Split across the base Nothing brand and its CMF line, the standard Nothing Ear is a shot in the arm for the market. Typically retailing for $149.99/£119.99, it isn’t uncommon to see them on regular offers for a cool $99.99/£99.99. That’s already cheaper than the AirPods 4 and significantly cheaper than the version with active noise cancellation. And of course, these earbuds undercut the AirPods Pro 2 by at least $130.

Their aesthetic merges futurism and an affection for artistic expression, oddly enough, like the gorgeous art direction found in Embark Studios’ new extraction shooter, ARC Raiders. Better yet, there are color options! Sure, you can pay a heftier sum for the AirPods Max, which come in multiple colorways. But if you’re looking for a subtler way to listen to music, take calls, or game in solitude, earbuds are the way to go, in my opinion.

Nothing’s earbuds sit in their sleek case, a transparent container with grooves and indentations. It’s a sensory experience beyond just audio. The satisfying snap of them locking into their charging spaces, the confirmation they’re ready to use. It’s more than just the all-white blandness. The earbuds come with their dedicated app too, full of customization options. Battery indications for each earbud, noise level warnings, bass enhancement, and custom controls for their touch controls are all here. Oh, and there’s smart noise cancellation.

Equipped with three different options, Nothing’s noise cancellation tech is superb. I’ve been travelling a lot recently, stepping onto crowded trains, waiting in busy areas, and switching between my iPhone 15 and Asus ROG Ally Z1 for respites into other worlds. Pairing two devices at once is a massive help. But with a small press or a swipe in the app, I can hear train announcements, conductors, and the rest of the world around me with ease. Seemingly luxury AirPods feature like removing one bud to stop music? That’s here as well.

Taking it to another level is the addition of a low-latency mode specifically designed for an “improved gaming experience.” Using wireless earbuds with portable gaming consoles is somewhat of a gamble. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve become frustrated with the Nintendo Switch for feeding audio too slowly to otherwise great earbuds. Whether I’m playing a quick Marvel Rivals match or stealing the Cashout in FPS game The Finals, there is barely a hitch.

Of course, the real question is: how do they sound? And again, it’s top marks for Nothing here. The pulsating bass of Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories puts me in the studio, while crunchy Djent guitars riff with clarity in Spiritbox’s Tsunami Sea. It’s certainly not on the level of thousand-dollar IEMs from oBravo, but they’re exceptionally better than most options at this price point.

At this point, two months into using them, I’m still asking myself why Apple can’t meet its rivals on similar footing. Beyond the social status of owning Apple products, it isn’t enough anymore. The Nothing Ear’s play a small but important role in showing that everyday utilities can still inspire wonder.

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