OnePlus Buds 4 vs. Nothing Ear: The Ultimate Wireless Earbuds Clash You Can’t Ignore

Hello everyone. If you’ve ever wandered into the wireless earbuds aisle – be it a digital store or a physical retailer – you’ve probably noticed it’s less of an “aisle” and more of an unholy spawning pit of identical-looking plastic ear bullets. It’s a minefield of buzzwords, false promises, and marketing guff so thick you could choke on it. Today’s gladiator match: the $130 OnePlus Buds 4 versus the $150 Nothing Ear. Both wield ANC, custom EQ, and marketing hype; only one escapes my scalpel alive. Let’s dissect, shall we?

Design – Flash vs. Flatline

Here’s the thing about design: some companies treat it like a statement, others treat it like an afterthought. The Nothing Ear is like a flashy, see-through gaming PC with RGB lighting – you know it’s screaming, “LOOK AT ME” from across the room. Transparent elements, exposed internals – it’s the earbud equivalent of flexing your custom-built rig mid-LAN party. I like that. It harks back to those translucent landline phones in the ‘90s, perfect for anyone who lovingly gazed at circuit boards as a kid.

The OnePlus Buds 4? Sleek minimalism in the most unimaginative way possible. They disappear into your ears like a politician’s promises post-election. Sure, they won’t draw attention, but that’s because there’s absolutely nothing to notice. They appeal to those who believe “function over style” means “avoid having style entirely.” Winner for design: Nothing Ear. At least they make you feel like you bought something with personality instead of a generic placeholder model.

Sound – The Theatrics of Tuning

In the end, it doesn’t matter how pretty your earbuds are if they sound like they were tuned by a cat walking across a mixing console. Here, OnePlus brings the bigger guns. Out of the box, both sound decent enough. But it’s the ear-testing, software-assisted calibration that puts the Buds 4 ahead. Think of it as a healer in an MMO finally casting the right buff instead of spamming the wrong spell – suddenly, you hear mids and highs like someone drew back the curtain.

Nothing Ear’s tuning via the Nothing X app? Better than stock, sure, but less transformative. Their ceramic drivers do give the highs a bit of zing, but in bass territory, the OnePlus Buds 4 stomp over them like a raid boss mechanics check you didn’t prepare for. Winner here: OnePlus Buds 4.

Comfort – The Non-Issue Category

Here’s where the fight turns into two people slapping each other with silk scarves: both come with silicone ear tips in multiple sizes, both fit well, neither made me scream in agony mid-test. It’s like comparing two bottles of water – unless it actively sets your ears on fire, comfort here is a draw.

Battery Life & Features – Marginal Gains

Battery life is where physics rears its stubborn head – ANC chews through juice like I demolish coffee on a Monday morning. The industry ceiling: 6 hours with ANC on. The Nothing Ear caps out at 5; OnePlus Buds 4 reach the mythical 6. Not life-changing, but a win all the same. Feature set is largely neck and neck – adaptive ANC, spatial audio, customizable EQ. OnePlus throws in a “long-range mode” for when you want to stroll into another room without Bluetooth having an existential crisis, plus better personalized tuning. Also, touch controls versus Nothing’s pinch controls – I’ll take OnePlus’ swipes any day over delicately fondling my earbuds like a bomb trigger.

Advantage: OnePlus Buds 4.

ANC – Decibel Smackdown

Active Noise Cancellation – the one feature that separates “premium tech” from “cheap gas station earbuds.” Nothing offers 45dB of cancellation, OnePlus offers 55dB. In real life, that’s the difference between “the subway sounds quieter” and “the subway could be a gentle windstorm for all I care.” These numbers aren’t magic, but the OnePlus Buds 4 do block just that little bit more reality out of your miserable commute. Winner: OnePlus Buds 4.

Final Verdict – Style or Substance?

If you’re judging purely on technical merit – sound quality, ANC, features – the OnePlus Buds 4 win. They’re the DPS build that quietly but consistently out-damages the flashy tank in glitter armor. The catch? They’re dull as dishwater to look at. Nothing Ear is for those who want their tech to make a statement, even at the expense of a little functionality – think “gamer RGB keyboard with mediocre switches.”

Personally? I give the edge to the OnePlus Buds 4, because substance matters more than style when you’re three hours deep into a playlist and just want the outside world to shove off. But if your identity depends on your earbuds being conversation starters, Nothing Ear won’t let you down – assuming you’re fine paying $20 more for less ANC and battery life in exchange for a design flex.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.

Article source: OnePlus Buds 4 vs. Nothing Ear: Which Pair of Wireless Earbuds Wins?, https://gizmodo.com/oneplus-buds-4-vs-nothing-ear-which-pair-of-wireless-earbuds-wins-2000639230