What you need to know
- Nothing Ear 3a provides Audio Snapshot with built-in memory.
- The headset can also record phone calls and meetings.
- Includes new 12mm drivers, 45dB ANC and Hi-Res Audio support.
- Prices start at just $99.
Nothing makes some best wireless headphones on the market, and the company today unveiled its latest pair, the Ear 3a, with a new feature that’s especially relevant in the age of artificial intelligence.
The main feature of Nothing Ear 3a is 32MB of internal memory. It goes without saying that it allows users to record what they call Audio Snapshots, which essentially lets you remember everything that’s being heard through the headphones at any given moment. The feature captures the sound before and after the trigger gesture, creating an “audio screenshot” without ever taking out your phone.
Recordings are automatically synced to the companion app, where you can playback, edit, share and transcribe them.
The memory also allows you to record calls and meetings directly on the headphones. Users can start recording with a simple gesture and record conversations for up to two hours. With privacy in mind, other participants are notified when a call or meeting is recorded.
On the audio side, the Ear 3a gets a new 12mm dynamic driver designed to deliver stronger bass and improved detail. The headphones also support Hi-Res Audio Wireless up to 24-bit/96kHz and an 8-band equalizer that you can customize right in the app.
There are also ANC improvements. The Ear 3a now offers up to 45dB broadband ANC, with Nothing claiming a 17.1% improvement in overall noise cancellation coverage compared to the previous generation.
Design-wise, they’ll look familiar to anyone who’s used Nothing’s headphones before. The headphones are available in four colors: Black, White, Yellow and the new Pink, while the case retains the brand’s signature transparent aesthetic.
The Nothing Ear 3a is priced at $99, which puts them in direct competition Google Pixel Buds 2a and Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.
Android Central’s Take
At this point I stopped getting excited about ANC upgrades and bigger drivers. But an internal memory that records and transcribes what you hear? It’s something I’ll really use every day, especially when I’m totally out of focus at this point.
