Nothing Ear 2 First Impressions: What’s New?

For the first time in its relatively short existence as a technology company, Nothing has launched a second-generation product. The Nothing Ear 2 true wireless headset is the follow-up to the brand's first ever product, and it looks and feels a lot like the Nothing Ear 1 as a result. Priced at Rs. 9,999 in India, the Nothing Ear 2 comes with some key improvements in the spec sheet, and promises a better overall experience when it comes to features and sound quality.

If you've been using the Nothing Ear 1 (Review) and are looking for an upgrade, or even if you're currently shopping for a mid-range true wireless headset anyway, the Nothing Ear 2 might have caught your eye. There are some big changes in the new true wireless earphones that help set it apart from its aesthetically similar predecessor. Here is what's new with the Nothing Ear 2.

The Nothing Ear 2 look very similar to the Nothing Ear 1 earphones

The Nothing Ear 2 is smaller and more compact

Although the Nothing Ear 2 looks quite similar to its predecessor, the charging case is considerably smaller and lighter. While this also means that the battery in the case has a lower capacity of 485mAh (the Ear 1's case is 570mAh), Nothing claims that optimisations to the earphones should ensure comparable battery life on the new headset.

The earpieces on the Ear 2 are practically the same size as those on the Nothing Ear 1, but feature a big change in how the controls are operated. The Nothing Ear 2 has force-touch controls on the stem, which can be customised through the app. The squeeze gestures are accompanied by a soft click sound that lets you know that the gesture has registered on the headset. The earpieces are IP54 dust and water resistant, while the case goes a bit further with an IP55 rating.

More customisation features in the Nothing X app

If you're using the Nothing Ear 2 with an iPhone or an Android smartphone from another brand, the Nothing X app lets you control and customise its features and functions. However, if you're pairing the Nothing Ear 2 with the Nothing Phone 1 (Review), the app-based settings are built into the smartphone's Bluetooth settings, letting you access and control everything from there directly.

The charging case of the Nothing Ear 2 is more compact but this comes at cost of battery capacity

Key new features include personalised and adaptive active noise cancellation, low-latency mode, and the ability to create a personalised sound profile. ANC now has three levels of intensity, as well as an adaptive mode which sets the noise cancellation according to environmental factors.

LHDC 5 Bluetooth codec support, dual-device connectivity

The Nothing Ear 2 sees some big changes in the spec sheet, notably getting Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with support for the SBC, AAC, and LHDC 5 Bluetooth codecs. There is also dual-device connectivity, letting you connect the Nothing Ear 2 with two source devices simultaneously.

For now, I've only been able to use the LHDC codec on the headset with the Nothing Phone 1. Testing on the Nothing Ear 2 is well underway, so stay tuned for our full review of the new true wireless earphones.