Why the Nothing Ear are my designated Tortured Poet's Department earbuds

I'm an earbud fanatic, but even I can admit that after a while, in-ears can all start looking (and even sounding) relatively the same. For that reason, it's always exciting when Nothing releases a new set, as the company is known for its innovative, futuristic designs. Its latest release — the Nothing Ear — is no exception. Succeeding last year's Nothing Ear (2), the buds drop the numerical naming simply going by the Ear, instead of the perhaps predicted Ear (3).

Like its predecessors, the Ear features a familiar, but refined luxury design along with the battery upgrade we wanted, wireless charging, and enhanced ANC. Plus, the custom 11mm drivers and advanced equalizer have me catching details in my favorite Taylor Swift songs just in time to inevitably over-analyze every nuance in her new album.

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Nothing Ear

The Nothing Ear is simple, yet makes a statement in both name and performance with a transparently cool aesthetic, great in-app enhancements, and pro-grade sound quality.

Pros

• Intuitive touch controls
• Cool aesthetic
• In-app features make for a pro feel
• Pro features for $149

Cons

• In-ear pressure build-up after long wear hours
• ANC could be more powerful
• «Sharp» sound isn't for everyone

$149 at Nothing

Design, comfort and fit

Style, hinges, and bonus features

A staple feature, Nothing's transparent, statement designs are what I look forward to most when the company drops a new product. The Nothing Ear, like the Ear (2), features an entirely transparent case with a thumb-shaped dip in the center. An exposed matte hinge sits subtly at the back of the case to open jewelry box-style to reveal the buds looking as if they float atop the magnetic cut-out beds on either side of a black divider, which features Nothing's dot matrix logo.

The magnets are fairly strong, which is great for clumsy audiophiles like myself, as the buds stay in the case even when dropped from a short distance, relieving me of the embarrassment of searching for a lone bud on the New York City streets. If,