Is Nothing Ear (2) better than OnePlus Buds Pro 2
India's TWS earbuds market is expanding at a rapid pace. While homegrown brands are dominating the affordable segment, OnePlus and Nothing are making their way into the mid-premium category. Nothing's Ear (2) has been launched at Rs. 9,999. It comes with significant upgrades over its predecessor, Ear (1). However, can it compete against OnePlus' Buds Pro 2? Let's find out.
The Nothing Ear (2) has IP55 protection for the case
The Nothing Ear (2) has a transparent design and protruding stems with pinch controls. It offers IP54 and IP55 protection for buds and the case, respectively. The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has a dual-tone design, and touch controls. It gets IP55-rated water resistance for buds. The clamshell-style charging case for Buds Pro 2 supports IPX4-rated protection.
OnePlus' earbuds offer Spatial Audio with head tracking
The Nothing Ear (2) is equipped with 11.6mm dynamic drivers. The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 packs dual drivers co-created with Dynaudio (11mm woofer/6mm tweeter). Both offer Adaptive Noise Cancellation. Nothing's model cancels up to 40dB of noise and offers a personalization feature. OnePlus' offering reaches up to 48dB. Both earbuds support Transparency mode too but the Buds Pro 2 also provides Spatial Audio with head-tracking.
Both TWS wearables support Hi-Res Audio
The Nothing Ear (2) and OnePlus Buds Pro 2 get Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, with LHDC 5.0, AAC, and SBC codes. OnePlus' counterpart also supports LC3 Bluetooth codec. Both earbuds feature Hi-Res Audio certification for lossless audio over wireless connections. They support Google's Fast Pair technology for easy connection with Android/ChromeOS devices. Nothing's earbuds also get Microsoft's Swift Pair for seamless pairing with Windows PCs.
The Nothing Ear (2) supports Clear Voice technology for calls
The Nothing Ear (2) and OnePlus Buds Pro 2 support in-ear detection and dual connections. Both house three microphones (on each bud). But, Ear (2) has an edge over Buds Pro 2 for voice calls, with its Clear Voice technology. The Ear (2) has a trebly sonic sound profile. However, Buds Pro 2 is certainly fuller sounding. Its profile was designed by Hans Zimmer.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 delivers nine hours of usage
With ANC turned off, the Nothing Ear (2) can offer up to six hours of listening time per bud, and up to 36 hours of playback with the case. On the contrary, OnePlus Buds Pro 2 provides nine hours of usage per charge, and up to 39 hours of playback with the case. The charging case for both earbuds is Type-C and Qi-compatible.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 comes in two colorways
In India, the Nothing Ear (2) is priced at Rs. 9,999, and is available in a White color variant. It will go on sale starting March 28 via Flipkart. The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 costs Rs. 11,999. It can be purchased in Arbor Green or Obsidian Black. Buyers can save up to 18% on business purchases with a GST invoice.
Which one should you pick?
Nothing Ear (2) has some notable improvements over its predecessor, Ear (1). It is also less expensive than Buds Pro 2. However, OnePlus Buds Pro 2 offers better battery life, additional codec support, and Spatial Audio. If the price difference of Rs. 2,000 is not a deal breaker for you, we recommend you go for the Buds Pro 2.
