These Wireless Earbuds Have a Charging Case With a Lipstick Silhouette

Nothing has officially revealed the Ear (stick), its new budget-friendly wireless earbuds that come in a lipstick-style charging case.

By Tucker Bowe

Published October 26, 2022

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After months of rumors and teasing, Nothing has officially announced its second pair of wireless earbuds. The all-new Ear (stick) are essentially a more budget-friendly alternative to the company’s Ear (1), which were previously $99 but as of today are now $149.

The Ear (stick) cost $99 and you’ll be able to order them on November 4th.

As far as the design of the Ear (stick), they have a similar look and feel as the Ear (1) — both are fairly transparent — but the new earbuds lack the silicone tips that typically promise a more snug, customizable fit. This is a change that feels very similar to the difference between Apple’s AirPods 3 (which lack silicone eartips) and high-end AirPods Pro (which have silicone eartips); in this case, the Ear (stick) would be the AirPods 3.

nothing stick ear stick — The Ear (stick) look mostly similar to the Ear (1), but they lack the silicone eartip that typically offers a more snug fit and better water-resistance.

The other major (and obvious) difference — which is probably going to be the Ear (stick)’s major selling point — is the charging case. The Ear (stick) come in an innovative charging case that has a lipstick silhouette; you can pop out the earbuds in and out by twisting open the exterior of the case. And the whole thing is designed to slip easily in your pocket.

The Ear (stick) come with a few smart features that are unique. They support “Clear Voice Technology,” which filters out ambient sounds during calls so that you sound better. And they support what Nothing calls “Bass Lock Technology”; the earbuds use software to measure the shape of your ear canal, detect how much bass your music is losing, and then it adjusts the EQ levels accordingly. You can also adjust the EQ settings in the new Nothing X app.

According to Nothing, if you pair the Ear (stick) with its smartphone, the Phone (1) — which isn’t available in the US — then it can automatically switch the earbuds into a low lag mode when it detects that you’re playing a mobile game. The Ear (stick) also supports fast pairing (Fast Pair) with any Android device.

The Ear (stick) are still positioned as a budget-friendly pair of wireless earbuds — they cost less than $100 — and therefore lack some of the more premium features of the Ear (1), such as noise-cancellation and a case that supports wireless charging. That said, there are quite a few wireless earbuds that cost less than $100; some even support noise-cancellation. At first glance, it seems that the reason to go with Nothing’s Ear (stick) over everything else is its unique design and very interesting charging case.