Nothing Ear Open Review: Unconventional Looks, Good Audio

Ever since Nothing announced itself and launched its product — Nothing ear (1) — an unconventional-looking pair of TWS with a unique transparent design, it has the tech enthusiasts divided. Some love Nothing's

design treatment to its gadgets. Others absolutely hate it. And, there is simply no in between. The newly launched Nothing Ear Open operate in the same territory. There are the most unconventional looking pair of earbuds from a brand which has barely done anything conventional. A lot of people might find these TWS awkward. They don't have ANC despite costing nearly Rs 10,000. Yet, they work. Maybe for a very specific set of audience. But, for them, they really do. Before I delve into the details, let me be clear about one thing — the Nothing Ear Open are essentially priced at Rs 17,999 but are available at Rs 9,999, as part of company's introductory offer. Most of my views about them are assuming this price sticks for a while. If doubles to original price over the next few months, I may have to reconsider my thoughts.

Design and Fit

Open-ear designs are very different from regular earbuds. Instead of going inside your ear canal, they rest above or around your ear. The idea is to keep your ears open to be able to hear your surroundings. Of course, this also means you don’t get much noise isolation, and there’s a bit of sound leakage.From the very first glance, Ear Open felt distinctively Nothing. The transparent finish, metallic accents, and minimalist aesthetic immediately stand out. Nothing uses flexible silicone grips and a soft hook design that follows the natural curve of your ear. If you wear glasses like me, you’ll appreciate how these don’t interfere with the frames.

The charging case is shaped like a flat medicated tablet and is slightly on the bulkier side. Similar to the buds, the case also reflects Nothing’s design philosophy, featuring a transparent top and matte white base held together by a solid metal hinge. However, since the build is plastic, it has gathered all sorts of scratches within just a month, making it look like it has been used for years. Coming back to the buds, I appreciate the IP54 rating, meaning they can handle a little sweat, light rain, and dust without any issues.

When it comes to fit, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the Ear Open. Sounds odd, I know, but here’s the thing: once you position them correctly, they stay put. However, because of their open design, I often found myself wanting to push them in tighter just to block out ambient noise. That said, if you can live with that bit of openness, these are so light and comfortable that you can wear them for hours and almost forget they’re even there.

Sound

The Nothing Ear Open comes with 14.2mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds are tuned in such way that the overall sound is focused slightly more on mids and highs, giving vocals and instruments a clean output. Looking at the design, the bass on the Ear Open isn’t as punchy as you get in a regular TWS.

I heard a lot of podcasts, audiobooks and songs on them. While the overall sound was great, the bass-heavy music might leave you wishing for a bit more depth. There’s a wide soundstage which I appreciate considering the nature of the buds. Clarity of the sound is also not an issue, and also there’s no distortion even at higher volumes, though a little extra loudness would have been nice.There’s no Active Noise Cancellation here, but that’s intentional. These are made for people who don’t want to drown in their music, but rather enjoy it while staying aware of their surroundings. Runners or commuters who prefer hearing ambient noise will appreciate this.

Application and Features

Whether it’s Nothing or CMF’s audio products, the software experience has always been one of their biggest strengths, and the Ear Open is no exception. Using the Nothing X app, you get complete control over your earbuds to update their firmware, remap gestures, tweak the EQ, and even enable low-latency mode. The earbuds also support pinch input, which can be customised via the app.

You get all the features typically found in earbuds around Rs 10,000, such as dual-device pairing, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and a low-lag mode. However, if you are a Nothing Phone user, there’s ChatGPT integration as well, something we’ve already seen in past Nothing TWS models.

Battery Life

Generally, the battery life on open-earbuds is quite good. We’re so accustomed to earbuds with ANC that non-ANC earbuds naturally feel longer-lasting. As for the Ear Open, you get slightly more than 8 hours of playback on a single charge, and with the charging case, the total backup goes up to around 30 hours.A quick 10-minute charge gave me about 1.5 hours of listening, which is great if you’re in a hurry. Sadly, there’s no wireless charging, which would have made the overall package a bit more appealing, especially at this price point.Judging by my usage pattern of workouts, walks, and occasionally while working in the office, it all totals to about two to three hours daily. I only had to charge the case once a week, which is impressive.

My Take

After using the Nothing Ear Open for more than a month, I wouldn’t call it a replacement for my everyday ANC earbuds. However, based on my usage I noticed it would prove to be a great companion for workouts and office use. These are designed for users who prioritise comfort, style, and situational awareness rather than absolute isolation or deep bass. The design is stunning, minimal, and a real conversation starter. The sound is clean and balanced, though not bass-heavy.

If you’re after thumpy bass, noise cancellation, or maximum volume, you might find them underwhelming. They also aren’t ideal for noisy environments or flights. But for runners, commuters, and anyone tired of ear fatigue from in-ear buds, the Ear Open could be their best friend. Even at their introductory price of Rs 9,999, they’re not cheap, but they deliver a different kind of value, one that’s practical and solves a genuine problem for many people.