Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) vs Nothing - Ear (3)
Between the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) and Ear (3), the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) comes out ahead in several specs, while the Ear (3) wins on battery — with case and battery — buds. Overall, the QuietComfort Earbuds (II) scores 58.4 and the Ear (3) scores 70.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Ear (3) is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.4 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
The QuietComfort Earbuds (II) 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 Ear (3) if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery — with case, battery — buds, driver size, among others.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, spatial audio, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Ear (3) is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Nothing - Ear (3) wins
- ▲Battery — with case — 122.22% more. 40 h vs 18 h.
- ▲Battery — buds — 41.67% more. 8.5 h vs 6 h.
- ▲Driver size — 18.28% more. 11 mm vs 9.3 mm.
- ▲Weight per bud — 1.60 g less. 4.6 vs 6.2.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
- ▲Water resistance: IP54 (vs IPX4).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 6.2 g | 4.6 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IPX4 | IP54lead |
Audio
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 9.3 mm | 11 mmlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | false |
Battery
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 6 h | 8.5 hlead |
| Battery — with case | 18 h | 40 hlead |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds (II) | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Codecs | AAC,SBC | LDAC,LHDC 5.0,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | false | truelead |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or Ear (3)?+
Ear (3) lasts 8.5h per charge vs 6h.
Do QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or Ear (3) support multipoint?+
Ear (3) supports multipoint; QuietComfort Earbuds (II) does not.
Which has ANC, QuietComfort Earbuds (II) or Ear (3)?+
Both have active noise cancellation.
Spec-level deep dives
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