Between the MW09 and Ear (3), the MW09 comes out ahead in battery — buds and battery — with case, while the Ear (3) wins on weight per bud. Overall, the MW09 scores 79.3 and the Ear (3) scores 70.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The MW09 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 8.5 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.
Pick the MW09 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery — buds, battery — with case, water resistance.
Pick the Ear (3) if you care most about weight per bud. Its strongest claims are weight per bud.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, driver size, spatial audio, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the MW09 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Master & Dynamic - MW09 wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 88.24% more. 16 h vs 8.5 h.
- ▲Battery — with case — 20.00% more. 48 h vs 40 h.
- ▲Water resistance: IP57 (vs IP54).
Why Nothing - Ear (3) wins
- ▲Weight per bud — 1.40 g less. 4.6 vs 6.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Master & Dynamic - MW09 | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 6 g | 4.6 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP57lead | IP54 |
Audio
| Spec | Master & Dynamic - MW09 | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 11 mm | 11 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | false |
Battery
| Spec | Master & Dynamic - MW09 | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 16 hlead | 8.5 h |
| Battery — with case | 48 hlead | 40 h |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Master & Dynamic - MW09 | Nothing - Ear (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.4lead | 5.3 |
| Codecs | aptX Lossless,aptX Adaptive,AAC,SBC | LDAC,LHDC 5.0,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, MW09 or Ear (3)?+
MW09 lasts 16h per charge vs 8.5h.
Do MW09 or Ear (3) support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, MW09 or Ear (3)?+
Both have active noise cancellation.
Spec-level deep dives
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