Nothing Ear (stick) Vs Ear (1) TWS Earbuds Compared; Which One Should You Consider?

A little over a year after the arrival of its debut pair of TWS earbuds -- Nothing Ear (1), the brand has unveiled the next-gen model, the Nothing Ear (stick). The new earbuds are not a sequel to the yesteryear model, but more of a stripped-down variant, which misses out on some features. Should you still buy the new offering?

The Ear (stick) doesn't resemble the Ear (1) and comes with a different set of features. If you are curious to know how exactly these two pairs of TWS earbuds are different, then here is a comparison between them.

Nothing Ear (stick) Vs Ear (1): Price Comparison

The Nothing Ear (stick) has been launched for ₹8,499 and will be available on open sale via Flipkart and Myntra from November 17. The global availability of this product starts on November 4. In comparison, the Nothing Ear (1) white variant is priced at ₹7,299 while the black variant costs ₹8,499, which is similar to the latest offering, and these are available on Flipkart.

Related: Here's what we think about the Nothing Ear (1)

Nothing Ear (stick) Features a Unique Design

The Nothing Ear (stick) comes with a unique design identity and has been inspired by classic silhouettes in the cosmetics industry. Eventually, the product features a roll-in mechanism to reveal the earbuds. The case is vertical and cylindrical and shaped like lipstick. It does not have a lid or hinges, instead, it requires users to twist the cylindrical case to access the earbuds. There is a USB Type-C port on the case but it misses out on wireless charging as the Nothing Ear (1).

In comparison, Ear (1) features a squarish case with wireless charging tech. One thing that the company has continued with the Ear (stick) is its legacy of featuring a transparent design. Besides this difference and the company's iconic transparent design, the latest offering comes with support for 12.6 Dynamic drivers, a stem design, and support for SBC and AAC codecs.

Nothing Ear (stick) Vs Ear (1): Battery Life and Performance

Nothing Ear (1) earbuds deliver up to six hours of backup on a single charge. Taking the case into consideration, the total battery life delivered by the product is over 30 hours. With ANC turned on, the same drops to 24 hours. In terms of comparison, the Ear (stick) earbuds can last up to seven hours of listening time or up to three hours of calling. Counting the battery life of the charging case, its playback time is up to 29 hours.

Related: Nothing Ear (stick) will be available via Myntra

In terms of features and performance, the Ear (stick) misses out on some notable aspects. The accessory misses the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature, which is present on the Ear (1) and many other TWS earbuds priced above ₹5,000. Also, the company has used button-based gestures in place of silicone tips.

Otherwise, it includes features such as IP54 dust and water resistance, in-ear detection, and support for Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. There is Bluetooth 5.2 and it is compatible with devices running Android 5.1 and above as well as iOS 11 and above.

Should You Buy Nothing Ear (stick)?

The Ear (stick) and Ear (1) share a similar hierarchy as what Apple AirPods are to AirPods Pro. For an asking price of ₹8,499, the Nothing Ear (stick) misses out on some features, including ANC and wireless charging support. This makes it overpriced for its features given that the company's Ear (1) comes with all these goodies and is priced relatively lesser for the white variant. If you are just focused on the compact and unique design of this offering, then you can consider buying it irrespective of its pricing.