Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation vs Nothing Ear (2024)
Quick take: The Nothing Ear (2024) lasts longer per charge (5.2 hrs); only the Nothing Ear (2024) supports multipoint (two devices at once).
Which one to buy
Same $119 price, opposite ideas. The AirPods 4 with ANC are open-fit with no silicone tips, built for people who can't stand anything sealing their ear canal. The Nothing Ear (2024) is a sealed, tipped bud loaded with features. If ear tips bother you, stop here: buy the AirPods. If they don't, the Nothing gives you a lot more for the same money.
On paper it isn't close. The Nothing has LDAC and LHDC 5.0 alongside AAC, an 8-band EQ with custom profiles, multipoint, and 5.2 hours with ANC against the AirPods' roughly 4. Apple offers no EQ and no multipoint, only auto-switching between Apple devices. Owners say the Nothing's 11mm ceramic driver competes with buds costing twice as much once you EQ it. The AirPods' bass depends on how the hard shell happens to sit in your ear, and some owners get thin sound from the same buds that sound fine for others.
ANC is where the pair gets interesting, because neither is strong. AirPods 4 owners say it dulls plane drone and office hum surprisingly well for an unsealed bud, but voices and clatter pass straight through. Nothing owners call its ANC the product's weakest point, with some saying it amplifies high-pitched sounds like cutlery and keys. On busy streets, some Nothing owners say the tip seal alone does better than its ANC.
On iPhone, Apple's H2 features (Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, excellent voice isolation on calls) are real advantages, and the Nothing's hi-res codecs do nothing there. On Android the AirPods lose almost everything.
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Best for an iPhone user who can't tolerate silicone tips, takes a lot of calls, and can live with charging from the case during the workday.
Nothing Ear (2024)
If you're on Android, or on iPhone and fine with tips, and want EQ, multipoint and better sound for the same price.
| Spec | Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation | Nothing Ear (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$119 | ~$119 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wireless Earbuds | Wireless Earbuds |
| Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC | Adaptive ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 4 hrs | 5.2 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | 20 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Quick Charge | 5 min = 1 hr | 10 min = 10 hr (with case) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LHDC 5.0 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | No | Yes |
| Driver Size | — | 11 mm |
| Weight | 4.3 g | 4.62 g |
| Water Resistance | IP54 | IP54 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | No |
| App EQ | No | Yes |
Pros & cons
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
- ✓Real ANC in an open fit — no ear tips required
- ✓Excellent H2-chip call quality
- ✓Featherweight 4.3g buds disappear in-ear
- ✓Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness at $119
- ✓ANC case adds wireless charging and Find My speaker
- ✓Takes the edge off planes despite no seal
- ✗4-hour ANC battery is bottom of the class
- ✗Fit lottery — hard plastic shape hasn't changed
- ✗Bass depends entirely on how they sit in your ears
- ✗Physics caps ANC well below the sealed Pro 3
- ✗AAC only, no EQ app — Apple as usual
Nothing Ear (2024)
- ✓LDAC and LHDC 5.0 hi-res at half flagship money
- ✓Punchy 11mm ceramic-diaphragm driver
- ✓8-band EQ with shareable custom profiles
- ✓Multipoint and wireless charging under $120
- ✓Pinch controls beat most touch surfaces
- ✓Transparent design still turns heads
- ✗5.2 hours with ANC on — commuters notice
- ✗45dB Smart ANC loses to plane roar
- ✗Mics only okay — wind leaks into calls
- ✗Occasional single-bud dropouts need a re-pair
- ✗No spatial audio; ChatGPT integration is a party trick
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation vs Nothing Ear (2024): common questions
Is the AirPods 4's open-fit ANC or the Nothing Ear (2024)'s sealed ANC more effective?▾
Neither is a plane-silencer. AirPods 4 owners are impressed it works at all without a seal, but it only handles low rumble. Nothing owners rate its ANC as the weakest part of the product, though the tip seal blocks a fair amount of noise on its own.
Is the Nothing Ear (2024) worth it on an iPhone?▾
Partly. iPhones can't use LDAC or LHDC, so you lose the hi-res codecs, but you keep the 8-band EQ, multipoint and pinch controls. The AirPods add Apple's switching, Conversation Awareness and stronger call quality, so iPhone owners trade EQ for those.
Will the AirPods 4's hard shell or the Nothing Ear's tips stay in better?▾
The Nothing is the safer bet, because you can swap tip sizes to dial in the fit. AirPods 4 owners call the fit a lottery: the hard shell either locks in or slowly works loose, and there are no tips to fix it.
Does the Nothing Ear's 5.2-hour ANC battery beat the AirPods 4 by much?▾
The Nothing Ear, at 5.2 hours with ANC against about 4 for the AirPods, with 24 total from the case versus 20. Commuters with either one notice how often they reach for the case.