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Nothing Ear vs Beats Fit Pro: Premium features meet fitness focus
Shopping for wireless earbuds? You might find yourself choosing between Nothing’s latest offering and the workout-ready Beats Fit Pro. While Nothing has dropped the numbering scheme for their third-generation earbuds (simply calling them “Nothing Ear”), these feature-packed earbuds rival premium options at a competitive price point. The Beats Fit Pro, with its secure fit and Apple ecosystem integration, has been a go-to choice for both athletes and iPhone users. Let’s compare these compelling options to help you decide which best suits your needs.
Editor’s note: this article was published on December 4, 2024, and is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.
What’s it like to use the Nothing Ear compared to the Beats Fit Pro?
The Nothing Ear maintains its predecessor’s distinctive transparent design while weighing just 4.6g per earbud. Its charging case is highly portable and features an eye-catching see-through aesthetic. With an IP54 rating for the buds and IP55 for the case, the Nothing Ear offers solid protection against dust and water.
The Beats Fit Pro takes a more conventional approach with slightly heavier 5.6g earbuds featuring integrated wingtips for workout stability. While its case is notably larger than the Nothing Ear’s, both earbuds are comfortable for extended wear. The Beats offers a lower IPX4 rating, providing basic sweat and splash resistance.
| Left earbud | Right earbud | |
|---|---|---|
Single pinch | Left earbud Play/pause, answer/end call | Right earbud Play/pause, answer/end call |
Double pinch | Left earbud Skip forward, decline call | Right earbud Skip forward, decline call |
Triple pinch | Left earbud Skip back | Right earbud Skip back |
Pinch and hold | Left earbud Noise control | Right earbud Noise control |
| INPUT (either bud) | ACTION |
|---|---|
One click | - Play/pause music - Answer/end call - Answer a second incoming call, place first on hold - With two active calls, this alternates between calls |
Two clicks | - Next track - Send call audio from earbuds to phone |
Three clicks | - Previous track |
Press and hold | - Toggle listening modes (ANC, off, Transparency) - Increase or decrease volume - Reject incoming call |
"Hey Siri" (iOS/iPad OS only) | - Change volume - Request directions - Playback control - Receive messages and more |
Automatic ear detection | - Remove one bud: pause music, resume when inserted - Remove both earbuds: pause music, won't resume when reinserted |
Do the Nothing Ear or Beats Fit Pro have more features?
Both earbuds pack impressive feature sets. The Nothing Ear provides customizable controls through pressure-sensitive stems and extensive sound customization via the Nothing X app, including both basic and advanced parametric EQ options. It also offers personal sound profiles through Mimi Hearing technology.
The Beats Fit Pro counters with physical button controls and seamless iOS integration through the H1 chip, enabling features like hands-free “Hey Siri” and Spatial Audio with head tracking. Android users get similar functionality through the Beats app, though without Spatial Audio support.
How do the Nothing Ear and Beats Fit Pro connect?
The Nothing Ear has a clear advantage in connectivity. It features Bluetooth 5.3 with support for high-quality LHDC 5.0 and LDAC codecs. It also offers Bluetooth multipoint and a low-latency gaming mode.
The Beats Fit Pro uses older Bluetooth 5.0 and supports only basic AAC and SBC codecs. While this works perfectly for iOS devices, Android users may experience variable AAC performance.
Is battery life better on the Nothing Ear or Beats Fit Pro?
The Nothing Ear wins the battery battle with 8 hours of playback per charge and up to 40 hours total with the case. It also supports both wireless and fast USB-C charging, providing 10 hours of listening from a 10-minute charge.
The Beats Fit Pro manages 6 hours with ANC enabled and 18 additional hours from the case. While it offers quick charging via USB-C, it lacks wireless charging capabilities.
Do the Nothing Ear or Beats Fit Pro block noise better?
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The Nothing Ear provides approximately 20dB of low-frequency noise cancelation and 30dB of high-frequency passive isolation. It features a Smart ANC that adjusts based on the ear canal seal and an adaptive mode that responds to environmental noise.
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The Beats Fit Pro also uses adaptive ANC and, in our testing, attenuates about 80% loudness of perceived outside noise. Both earbuds offer effective transparency modes for environmental awareness, though the Nothing Ear’s implementation sounds more natural.
Do the Nothing Ear sound better than the Beats Fit Pro?
The Nothing Ear delivers clearer, more balanced audio that will please most listeners, while the Beats Fit Pro emphasizes bass, which is perfect for workout motivation.
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)
Both earbuds score well in MDAQS testing, with the Nothing Ear achieving slightly higher scores:
The Nothing Ear provides a more balanced sound signature with excellent clarity and spatial presentation. The Beats Fit Pro offers a stronger bass emphasis typical of workout earbuds, making it better suited for bass-heavy genres.
- Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
- Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
- Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
Objective Measurements
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When comparing frequency responses to our house curve, the Nothing Ear shows a more pronounced bass emphasis between 20-100Hz and maintains closer adherence to our target curve in the mids. It has a noticeable dip around 500Hz but generally follows our preference curve more closely in the treble region.
The Beats Fit Pro shows a more moderate bass boost but has a significant dip in the lower mids around 200Hz. Both earbuds show similar treble responses above 1kHz, though the Beats have more variation in the upper frequencies. This tuning is typical for workout-focused earbuds, emphasizing both low and high frequencies while reducing presence in the midrange.
ANC mode selection can affect both earbuds’ frequency responses, with the Nothing Ear showing reduced bass emphasis when ANC is off.
Do the Nothing Ear or Beats Fit Pro have a better microphone?
The Nothing Ear’s three-mic system with AI noise reduction performs exceptionally well, maintaining voice clarity even in challenging environments. The Beats Fit Pro’s microphone performance is adequate but struggles more with background noise during calls.
Nothing Ear microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Beats Fit Pro microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Nothing Ear microphone demo (Street conditions):
Beats Fit Pro microphone demo (COMPARISON conditions):
Nothing Ear vs Beats Fit Pro: Price and availability
The Nothing Ear launched in April 2024 at $149 at Amazon, while the Beats Fit Pro remains available at $159 at Amazon since its November 2021 release.
Should you get the Nothing Ear or Beats Fit Pro?
Choose the Nothing Ear if:
- You want better sound quality with high-res codec support
- Battery life is a priority
- You appreciate detailed sound customization options
- Price is a deciding factor
- You need better water/dust resistance
Choose the Beats Fit Pro if:
- You’re primarily an iOS user wanting seamless integration
- Workout stability is your top priority
- You prefer bass-forward sound
- You want Spatial Audio with head-tracking
- You need secure wing tips for intense workouts
The Nothing Ear offers better overall value with newer technology, superior battery life, and more extensive features at a lower price point. However, the Beats Fit Pro remains a compelling choice for iOS users and fitness enthusiasts who prioritize stability during workouts.
Android and iOS compatible
In-app ear tip fit test
ANC and transparency
Consider the Nothing Ear (Open) instead
If neither the Nothing Ear nor Beats Fit Pro quite match your needs, the Nothing Ear (Open) offers a compelling alternative at $149.99. These open-ear earbuds use an innovative design that places the driver outside your ear canal, allowing you to maintain natural awareness of your surroundings while listening. With an IP54 rating, excellent EQ options, and surprisingly good bass response for their design, they’re ideal for outdoor athletes who need to stay aware of their environment. Just remember that their open design means you won’t get any noise isolation – but that’s exactly the point.
Frequently asked questions
Nothing Ear has IP54 rating (dust/splash resistant), while Beats Fit Pro has IPX4 (splash resistant only).
Nothing Ear supports wireless charging at 2.5W. Beats Fit Pro does not have wireless charging.
Yes, both work with iPhone and Android. Beats Fit Pro offers additional features for iOS users (Spatial Audio, “Hey Siri”). Nothing Ear provides consistent features across both platforms.
Beats Fit Pro is better for intense workouts due to its secure wing tip design. Nothing Ear is suitable for light to moderate exercise but lacks additional stability features.
Nothing Ear supports Bluetooth multipoint for connecting to two devices simultaneously. Beats Fit Pro does not support multipoint connection.
Beats Fit Pro supports Spatial Audio with head tracking (Apple’s version of Dolby Atmos) on iOS devices. Nothing Ear does not support Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio.