Nothing is back with the third generation of its wireless earbuds — and this time, it’s not just the buds doing the talking. The new Ear (3) takes a familiar formula and adds a few clever twists, including a unique mic system built right into the charging case. At $179 / £179 / €179, these earbuds land in the midrange price category, but offer features usually reserved for more expensive options.

If you’ve seen Nothing’s previous earbuds, the Ear (3) will feel familiar. They stick with that transparent shell design, now paired with polished metal accents for a slightly more durable and refined finish. The case itself is slimmer and uses recycled aluminum for a sturdier feel, while still showing off the internals in typical Nothing style.

Both the earbuds and case are rated IP54, meaning they’ll survive some sweat and light rain — good news for commutes or workouts.

One of the more unusual features this time around is the Super Mic system. Instead of relying solely on the microphones built into the earbuds, Nothing has added two extra mics directly into the charging case. Press the Talk button on the case once for quick access, or double-tap to keep it active for longer conversations.

Why put mics in the case? According to Nothing, the Super Mic does a better job of isolating your voice from background noise, especially during video calls or voice notes. It works with popular apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams — though not all phone recording apps are supported. And if you have a Nothing Phone, the button can also launch the Essential Space app to quickly record voice memos or notes.

Each earbud also has three built-in microphones, plus a bone-conduction sensor that picks up the tiny vibrations from your jaw and ear canal when you speak. This helps improve voice clarity, especially in loud or windy environments.

Noise cancellation has also been upgraded. The adaptive ANC system uses AI trained on over 20 million hours of real-world audio to filter out distractions in real time. It makes adjustments every 600 milliseconds, and even checks for sound leakage every 1.8 seconds to keep things consistent. A Transparency Mode lets in ambient noise when you need to stay aware of your surroundings.

At the core of the Ear (3) are 12mm dynamic drivers designed to deliver deeper bass and clearer highs compared to earlier models. The diaphragm design helps reduce distortion, and Nothing says you’ll get punchier low-end and more detailed treble overall.

There are also a couple of audio extras:

• Static Spatial Audio creates a 3D-like soundstage for music and movies.
• Dynamic Bass Enhancement boosts lower frequencies without adding unwanted distortion.

On the connectivity side, you’re getting Bluetooth 5.4, with support for LDAC, SBC, and AAC audio codecs. There’s a low-latency mode for gaming and video, and pairing is quick thanks to Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. You can also connect to two devices at once with Multipoint.

If you’re into customizing your audio, the Nothing X app gives you quite a bit of control. You can take a hearing test powered by Audiodo to create a Personal Sound Profile, which adjusts the audio based on how you hear different frequencies.

There’s also an 8-band EQ if you prefer manual tweaking. You can even save your settings and share them with a QR code. The app lets you do all the usual stuff too — remap earbud controls, run a fit test, update firmware, or find lost buds.

Battery life depends on how you use the earbuds. With ANC turned on, you’ll get around 5.5 hours of playback, or 22 hours total with the case. Turn ANC off, and that jumps to 10 hours per charge or 38 hours including the case.

The case supports USB-C and wireless charging, and a quick 10-minute charge gives you up to 10 hours of playback — handy if you’re in a rush.

The Nothing Ear (3) is available now in black or white finishes for $179 at Amazon. It’s a mid-priced option, but packed with features that aren’t usually found at this level — especially if you care about call quality and custom sound.