Nothing Ear 2: More of the same or the next cool earbuds?

The startup Nothing founded by Carl Pei, the co-founder of OnePlus, has returned with a new set of wireless earbuds.

Despite appearing almost indistinguishable from the Ear 1s, the second-generation earbuds come with a $50 price hike. Fortunately for Nothing, their sound quality is on a completely different level. Similar to other products from Nothing, the Nothing Ear 2 earbuds feature a recognisable, semi-transparent appearance.

To be specific, the Ear 2 earbuds follow in the footsteps of the Nothing Ear 1, maintaining the same basic form factor. What sets Nothing's products apart is their transparent design, which offers a glimpse of the internal components and creates a distinctive and attractive appearance. 

Priced at $149, the Nothing Ear 2 earbuds boast an exceptionally distinct design, impressive features, and an enticing price tag. However, the big question remains: Are they a better choice than AirPods, Galaxy Buds? At this price range, $100 lower than Apple's AirPods Pro, the Nothing Ear 2 appears to be a compelling alternative and a clear rival to the former.

The device has undergone some important changes though, now encompassing an 11.6mm driver, active noise cancellation with a transparency mode, hi-res audio support, 36 hours of playback time (including the charging case's extra battery life) and IP54 water and dust resistance. Its accompanying app, accessible for both iOS and Android, allows for adjustments to most features, including noise cancellation, equaliser, and sound profiles.

However, it is worth noting that the Ear 2 earbuds don't offer several features that come with using ‌AirPods Pro ‌2 on Apple devices, such as instant pairing, automatic device switching, and Spatial Audio.