Between the Ear (a) 2 and Buds Pro 3, the Ear (a) 2 comes out ahead in several specs, while the Buds Pro 3 wins on battery — with case and spatial audio. Overall, the Ear (a) 2 scores 74.5 and the Buds Pro 3 scores 74.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are evenly matched on the broad strokes, with the decision sitting on which individual spec advantages weigh more for your use.
The Ear (a) 2 doesn't pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the Buds Pro 3 if audio quality and feature breadth (ANC, codecs, multipoint) are the lead criteria for your purchase. Its strongest claims are battery — with case, spatial audio, water resistance.
Both ship with comparable battery — buds, active noise cancellation, driver size, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Nothing - Ear (a) 2 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 2.38% more. 43 h vs 42 h.
- ▲Has Spatial audio.
- ▲Water resistance: IP55 (vs IP54).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Nothing - Ear (a) 2 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 4.8 g | 4.8 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP54 | IP55lead |
Audio
| Spec | Nothing - Ear (a) 2 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | truelead |
Battery
| Spec | Nothing - Ear (a) 2 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 10 h | 10 h |
| Battery — with case | 42 h | 43 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | false | truelead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Nothing - Ear (a) 2 | OnePlus - Buds Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.4lead |
| Codecs | LDAC,AAC,SBC | LHDC,LDAC,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, Ear (a) 2 or Buds Pro 3?+
Buds Pro 3 lasts 10h per charge vs 10h.
Do Ear (a) 2 or Buds Pro 3 support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, Ear (a) 2 or Buds Pro 3?+
Both have active noise cancellation.
Spec-level deep dives
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