After almost a year of waiting, Nothing Year Open has finally arrived in the Indian market. First unveiled in 2024, the earbuds have recently become available to Indian consumers, and we got a chance to test them. As expected, they carry on Nothing’s legacy of distinctive design. Priced at Rs 17,999, the Ear Open represents the brand’s first step into the open-ear category, a marked departure from the familiar in-ear style of the previous Nothing Ear and Ear 1. But are they worth their looks and premium price? Let’s find out in this review.

Nothing Ear Open: Design and fit

Nothing has always broken the boundaries of aesthetics, be it smartphones or audio products, and Ear Open is no exception. This pill-shaped case immediately catches the eye. Yes, it’s a little bigger than a traditional case, but it’s slim enough to fit in your denim pocket. The case is also designed with functionality in mind. There is a button right in the middle of both the earphones, which makes pairing even easier.

Its transparent plastic construction, though attractive to look at, attracts scratches easily, especially on the opaque lower portion. This is a familiar compromise in the name of design, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you want to keep your devices flawless.

Earcuff-style earbuds are undeniably stylish, designed to fit snugly and securely around the ear. However, in my case, wearing them for long periods of time proved a bit difficult, as I wear glasses and have multiple piercings. This sometimes makes it difficult to keep the Nothing Ear Open in a comfortable position for long periods of use.

That said, for short sessions, around an hour or so, they felt surprisingly comfortable, even with my setup. On the other hand, they are an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts. During workouts, the Nothing Ear Open stayed firmly in place, unlike many other TWS options that tend to slip or fall out during movement.

Another unique design feature is the pinch-based control system. A pinch on either stem lets you play or pause your music, or answer and end a call. Two pinches skip to the next track or reject an incoming call, while three takes you back to the previous song. You can also pinch to adjust the volume. By relying on pinch instead of touch, the system cleverly reduces the chance of accidental input. The controls on the NothingX app can be customized.

Nothing Ear Open: Sound and connectivity

Nothing Ear Open delivers great sound quality. It provides a good performance at all frequencies. The midrange is crisp and detailed, the highs are refined without sounding harsh, and vocals come through with impressive clarity, blending seamlessly into the overall mix.

The default “Balanced” EQ profile is tuned so precisely that I didn’t feel the need to manually tweak this sound profile. But, if you prefer, you can do so within the NothingX app. There are 5 sound profiles available on the app: balanced, more bass, more treble, voice and a custom option to suit your style. Additionally, you can also play with frequency and Q factor.

That said, Nothing Year Open is not without compromises. Due to its open-ear design, it does not offer active noise cancellation (ANC). Although this isn’t a big problem indoors, in fact, it can be beneficial, allowing you to remain aware of what’s going on around you. But, the experience changes as soon as you step outside. In noisy environments like busy streets or public transport, the lack of isolation means ambient sounds can easily overpower your music.

I used the earbuds for over a week while traveling in the Delhi Metro, and though the open-ear design made it convenient to hear announcements clearly, the overall music experience felt somewhat lacking. Compared to traditional in-ear TWS models, the sound didn’t feel as full or deep, making it less enjoyable during daily commutes.

Additionally, the open ear construction naturally results in a slight sound leakage. This isn’t significant enough to bother others, but someone standing too close may catch faint traces of your music, especially at high volumes. This design also limits how much depth and overall sound the buds can produce.

However, this compromise is part of the design philosophy, which prioritizes comfort and awareness over complete acoustic isolation.

Speaking of microphones, the Nothing Ear Open offers excellent performance. The call quality is so clear that most callers won’t even realize you’ve switched from your phone to the earbuds, thanks to the AI-powered Clear Voice technology.

Pairing is fast, connections remain consistently stable, and the dual connection feature makes switching between two devices a breeze. Even when watching videos, the audio remains perfectly in sync with the visuals, with no noticeable lag even in standard mode.

Nothing Ear Open: Battery

Without a doubt, battery life is one of the strongest features of the Nothing Ear Open, and it really exceeds expectations. The company has officially claimed that its TWS can run continuously for 8 hours on a single charge. And it’s impressively accurate. Even during extended listening sessions, including long outdoor trips and hours of streaming, the earbuds remained consistent without any fatigue.

I used the earphones for a week, and every day I used it for at least 4-5 hours in sections. The battery died only on the 5th day. When paired with the charging case, total playback increases to approximately 30 hours, giving you several days of comfortable use before you have to think about plugging in.

Nothing Ear Open: Is It Worth It?

Priced at Rs 17,999, the Nothing Ear Open positions itself as a premium offering. To its credit, it justifies most of that tag through its thoughtful design and performance. The open-ear architecture ensures exceptional comfort, making them ideal for long periods of use without the fatigue that often comes with in-ear buds. They also shine in day-to-day practicality, offering excellent call quality, fast connectivity and staying aware of your surroundings, perfect for joggers, commuters and professionals who are constantly switching between work calls.

However, the same open design that enhances comfort and situational awareness also brings some compromises. The absence of active noise cancellation means they’re not best suited for noisy environments like flights or subway rides, where background sounds can easily overpower your audio.

In short, for those who prioritize all-day comfort, awareness, and attractive aesthetics over perfect noise isolation, the Nothing Ear Open is a beautiful and well-engineered option worth considering.