Apple AirPods Pro 3
Nothing Ear 3

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Nothing Ear 3

Common Features

  • Both products are in-ear.
  • Neither product has wires or cables.
  • Neither product has a neckband.
  • Both products include stereo speakers.
  • Neither product has RGB lighting.
  • Neither product has a UV light.
  • Neither product has a display.
  • Both products have active noise cancellation.
  • Both products have passive noise reduction.
  • Both products support spatial audio.
  • Neither product has Dirac Virtuo.
  • Neither product has a neodymium magnet.
  • Both products have wireless charging.
  • Both products have a rechargeable battery.
  • Both products have a battery level indicator.
  • Both products support fast charging.
  • Both products have a mute function.
  • Both products can be used as a headset.
  • Both products have a control panel placed on a device.
  • Both products have voice prompts.

Main Differences

  • Ingress Protection (IP) rating is IP57 on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and IP54 on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Water resistance is rated as waterproof on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and water resistant on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Weight is 10.1 g on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 10.4 g on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Driver unit size is 10.7 mm on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 12 mm on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Highest frequency is 20,000 Hz on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 40,000 Hz on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Dolby Atmos support is available on Apple AirPods Pro 3 but not on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Battery life of charging case is 20 hours on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 32 hours on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Battery life with ANC is 8 hours on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 5.5 hours on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Charge time is 1.5 hours on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 1.2 hours on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Bluetooth version is 5.3 on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 5.4 on Nothing Ear 3.
  • LDAC support is not available on Apple AirPods Pro 3 but is present on Nothing Ear 3.
  • Apple AirPods Pro 3 can read notifications, while Nothing Ear 3 cannot.
  • Apple AirPods Pro 3 includes a temperature sensor, while Nothing Ear 3 does not.
  • Apple AirPods Pro 3 has a built-in camera remote control function, while Nothing Ear 3 does not.
  • Apple AirPods Pro 3 has 4 microphones, while Nothing Ear 3 has 6 microphones.
Specs Comparison
Apple AirPods Pro 3

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Nothing Ear 3

Nothing Ear 3

Design:
Fit In-ear In-ear
Ingress Protection (IP) rating IP57 IP54
water resistance Waterproof Water resistant
weight 10.1 g 10.4 g
has no wires or cables
are neckband earbuds
wingtips included
has RGB lighting
has stereo speakers
has UV light
Has a display

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3 both feature an in-ear fit, providing a similar wearing experience. However, there are some differences when it comes to water resistance and durability. The AirPods Pro 3 are rated IP57, making them both waterproof and resistant to dust, while the Nothing Ear 3 has a slightly lower IP54 rating, offering water resistance but not the same level of dust protection.

In terms of weight, the two products are nearly identical, with the AirPods Pro 3 weighing 10.1 g and the Nothing Ear 3 slightly heavier at 10.4 g. Both are completely wireless and do not feature neckbands or wingtips, keeping their design clean and simple. Neither model includes RGB lighting, UV light, or a display.

Both earbuds have stereo speakers, ensuring a high-quality audio experience for users. Neither product includes features like RGB lighting, UV light, or a display, focusing solely on essential audio performance and a minimalist design.

Sound quality:
has active noise cancellation (ANC)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 10.7 mm 12 mm
lowest frequency 20 Hz 20 Hz
highest frequency 20000 Hz 40000 Hz
supports spatial audio
has Dolby Atmos
has Dirac Virtuo
has a neodymium magnet

Both the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3 feature active noise cancellation (ANC) and passive noise reduction, allowing for an immersive listening experience. The AirPods Pro 3 have a 10.7 mm driver unit, while the Nothing Ear 3 slightly upsizes to a 12 mm driver unit. Both models have a frequency range starting at 20 Hz, but the Ear 3 extends slightly further, reaching up to 40,000 Hz, compared to the AirPods Pro 3’s 20,000 Hz.

When it comes to advanced audio features, both earbuds support spatial audio, enhancing the overall sound experience. However, the AirPods Pro 3 include Dolby Atmos support, while the Nothing Ear 3 does not. Neither model includes Dirac Virtuo or a neodymium magnet for their drivers.

In summary, while both products offer similar sound quality features, the Ear 3 offers a wider frequency range and larger driver unit, while the AirPods Pro 3 stand out with Dolby Atmos support.

Power:
Battery life 10 hours 10 hours
Battery life of charging case 20 hours 32 hours
Battery life (ANC) 8 hours 5.5 hours
charge time 1.5 hours 1.2 hours
has wireless charging
Has a solar power battery
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery

Both the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3 offer similar battery performance. Each product provides up to 10 hours of battery life for continuous listening. However, the charging case for the AirPods Pro 3 provides an additional 20 hours of power, while the Nothing Ear 3's case extends battery life to 32 hours, offering more total playtime.

When using active noise cancellation (ANC), the AirPods Pro 3 offers 8 hours of battery life, whereas the Nothing Ear 3 lasts 5.5 hours. For charging, the AirPods Pro 3 takes 1.5 hours to fully charge, while the Nothing Ear 3 charges slightly faster in 1.2 hours.

Both models support wireless charging, have rechargeable batteries, and include a battery level indicator, ensuring users can easily track their charge. Neither product features a solar power battery.

Connectivity:
has fast pairing
Has USB Type-C
Bluetooth version 5.3 5.4
has LDAC
has LDHC
has Bluetooth LE Audio
has aptX Adaptive
has aptX Low Latency
has aptX HD
has aptX
has aptX Lossless
has aptX Voice
has Auracast
maximum Bluetooth range 10 m 10 m
supports Bluetooth pairing using NFC
Can be used wirelessly
has AAC

Both the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3 offer fast pairing, USB Type-C support, and wireless usage, ensuring convenient and seamless connections. The AirPods Pro 3 uses Bluetooth version 5.3, while the Nothing Ear 3 is equipped with the slightly newer Bluetooth version 5.4, providing a potential edge in connectivity stability and range, though both have a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 meters.

When it comes to audio codec support, the AirPods Pro 3 has AAC support, but it does not include LDAC, LDHC, or other high-definition Bluetooth codecs. On the other hand, the Nothing Ear 3 supports LDAC, allowing for higher-quality audio streaming over Bluetooth, but it does not support LDHC or any aptX variations either.

Neither model supports Bluetooth pairing via NFC, and neither includes Auracast, Bluetooth LE Audio, or other advanced Bluetooth features, focusing primarily on standard wireless connectivity and reliable performance.

Features:
release date September 2025 September 2025
has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find device feature
Supports fast charging
can read notifications
has a mute function
can be used as a headset
control panel placed on a device
Has voice prompts
travel bag is included
Has an in-line control panel
Has a temperature sensor
Has a built-in camera remote control function

Both the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3 come with a variety of features aimed at enhancing user convenience. Both models include ambient sound mode, in/on-ear detection, a find device feature, support for fast charging, a mute function, and the ability to be used as a headset. They also both have control panels placed on a device, voice prompts, and include a travel bag. Neither product features an in-line control panel.

The AirPods Pro 3, however, includes a temperature sensor and a built-in camera remote control function, which the Nothing Ear 3 does not have. Additionally, the AirPods Pro 3 can read notifications, a feature that the Nothing Ear 3 lacks.

In summary, while both earbuds offer similar core features, the AirPods Pro 3 has additional functionalities like reading notifications, a temperature sensor, and camera remote control support, which are not present in the Nothing Ear 3.

Microphone:
number of microphones 4 6
has a noise-canceling microphone

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3 both feature noise-canceling microphones, ensuring clearer calls and better voice isolation. However, the AirPods Pro 3 is equipped with 4 microphones, while the Nothing Ear 3 has 6 microphones, offering a greater number of microphones for capturing sound.

Both models aim to improve call quality with their noise-canceling microphone technology, but the difference in microphone count may result in slight variations in performance, especially in more challenging environments.

In summary, while both products share similar noise-canceling capabilities, the Nothing Ear 3 offers more microphones, potentially enhancing its ability to isolate and capture voice more effectively.

Comparison Summary

This is a specification comparison between Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Nothing Ear 3. Both products are in-ear, have no wires or cables, and support spatial audio and active noise cancellation. However, they differ in several areas, including their Ingress Protection rating (IP57 on Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs IP54 on Nothing Ear 3) and water resistance (waterproof on Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs water resistant on Nothing Ear 3). The battery life of the charging case is 20 hours on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 32 hours on Nothing Ear 3. Additionally, the Bluetooth version is 5.3 on Apple AirPods Pro 3 and 5.4 on Nothing Ear 3.