Nothing Ear (1)
There’s a very good chance even your grandmother who still enjoys music through a gramophone is familiar with the Nothing Ear (1) wireless earbuds. In 2021, the company undertook one of the most aggressive promotional campaigns we’ve seen in years for its first product. But despite the over-saturation of hype, the Ear (1) wireless earbuds turned out to be an incredibly polished and feature-rich alternative to Apple’s dominant AirPods, boasting more features for an impressive $99.
The Nothing ear (1) are some of the most capable wireless earbuds you could buy for less than $100, with active noise cancellation, excellent call quality, and surprisingly solid sound performance given the price tag. Battery life is even 10 hours longer than what the second-generation AirPods offered, although that was thanks to a larger and flashy charging case that put the Ear (1) on display (and even doubled as a fidget spinner.) Are they the best sounding wireless earbuds on the market? No, but the balance of performance and functionality offered for under $100 is still unmatched. —Andrew Liszewski
