Wireless Earbuds / Soundcore Liberty 4 NC vs Nothing Ear (3a)
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC vs Nothing Ear (3a)
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
LDAC and wireless charging under $100 — the budget benchmark.
Wins overall by 0.0 points
Quick Verdict
This is close. The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC edges ahead by 0.0 points, but that margin is inside the noise — the Nothing Ear (3a) is a defensible pick on its own terms. An 8-band parametric EQ and Bluetooth 6.0 for $99 — remarkable value.
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and Nothing Ear (3a) are both closely matched wireless Earbuds models, and they're priced almost identically ($99.99 vs $99). On Battery, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads (9.0 vs 7.0/10) — playtime in the buds and total runtime with the case. On Comfort & Fit, the Nothing Ear (3a) leads (8.5 vs 7.5/10) — weight, fit options and how they feel over long sessions. On Sound Quality, the Nothing Ear (3a) leads (8.0 vs 7.5/10) — tuning, detail and codec support. Overall, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 7.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 7.9/10 for the Nothing Ear (3a), though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | Nothing Ear (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $99.00 |
| Release Year | 2023 | 2026 |
| Battery (ANC on) (hrs) | 8✓ | 6 |
| Battery with Case (hrs) | 40 | Nothing publishes per-bud and case capacities but no verified ANC-on total |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC 2.0, hybrid, with a claimed 98.5% noise reduction | Hybrid ANC up to 45dB with three strength modes |
| Driver Size (mm) | 11 | 12 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6.0 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IP54 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Weight per Bud (g) | 5.2 | 4.5✓ |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Spatial Audio | Not published by the manufacturer | Yes; head tracking is not confirmed |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, White, Blue, Pink | Black, White |
Category Scores
Sound Quality
The Nothing Ear (3a) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.5 — a 0.5-point margin on tuning, detail and codec support. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Noise Cancelling
The Nothing Ear (3a) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.5 — a 0.5-point margin on how much ambient noise is actually removed. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Battery
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.0 — a 2.0-point margin on playtime in the buds and total runtime with the case. If that is what you are buying for, the Nothing Ear (3a) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Comfort & Fit
The Nothing Ear (3a) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.5 — a 1.0-point margin on weight, fit options and how they feel over long sessions. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Call Quality
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and Nothing Ear (3a) are level here, at 7.0/10 each. microphone performance and background noise rejection is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Features
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and Nothing Ear (3a) are level here, at 8.5/10 each. app depth, spatial audio, multipoint and extras is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Durability
The Nothing Ear (3a) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.5 — a 0.5-point margin on IP rating, build materials and case robustness. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and Nothing Ear (3a) are level here, at 9.5/10 each. features and performance relative to price is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Best For
Choose the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC if…
- • Battery matters most to you — the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 9.0/10 here (playtime in the buds and total runtime with the case).
- • Your main use case is workout.
Choose the Nothing Ear (3a) if…
- • Comfort & Fit matters most to you — the Nothing Ear (3a) scores 8.5/10 here (weight, fit options and how they feel over long sessions).
- • Sound Quality matters most to you — the Nothing Ear (3a) scores 8.0/10 here (tuning, detail and codec support).
- • Noise Cancelling matters most to you — the Nothing Ear (3a) scores 8.0/10 here (how much ambient noise is actually removed).
- • Durability matters most to you — the Nothing Ear (3a) scores 7.0/10 here (IP rating, build materials and case robustness).
- • Your main use case is travel.
Pros & Cons
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
Pros
- +LDAC and Qi wireless charging at under $100 is an unusual combination
- +8 hours in the buds with ANC on matches flagships costing three times as much
- +Full custom EQ plus hearing personalisation
- +Frequently discounted well below list
Cons
- −Plastic build feels its price
- −ANC is strong for the money but short of Bose or Sony
- −Only IPX4, so no dust protection
- −Soundcore now sells the Liberty 5 above it, so this is the value tier rather than the newest
Nothing Ear (3a)
Pros
- +8-band parametric EQ at $99 — nothing else here comes close on tuning control
- +Bluetooth 6.0 and LDAC hi-res at a budget price
- +Lightest buds here at 4.5g
- +12mm drivers, the largest in this group
Cons
- −Short nozzles may compromise the seal, which affects both bass and ANC
- −Call recording and transcription are a paid add-on
- −The ChatGPT voice shortcut requires a Nothing phone and a subscription
- −Nothing does not publish a total ANC-on battery figure
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC or Nothing Ear (3a) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Battery, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC or the Nothing Ear (3a)?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores higher on Battery (9.0/10 vs 7.0/10) — playtime in the buds and total runtime with the case.
Which is better for Comfort & Fit, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC or the Nothing Ear (3a)?+
The Nothing Ear (3a) scores higher on Comfort & Fit (8.5/10 vs 7.5/10) — weight, fit options and how they feel over long sessions.
Which is better for Sound Quality, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC or the Nothing Ear (3a)?+
The Nothing Ear (3a) scores higher on Sound Quality (8.0/10 vs 7.5/10) — tuning, detail and codec support.
Which is better for Noise Cancelling, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC or the Nothing Ear (3a)?+
The Nothing Ear (3a) scores higher on Noise Cancelling (8.0/10 vs 7.5/10) — how much ambient noise is actually removed.
Is the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC worth the price difference over the Nothing Ear (3a)?+
The Nothing Ear (3a) is the cheaper option at $99 versus $99.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Battery.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the better fit if you mainly care about workout. The Nothing Ear (3a) is the better fit for travel.
What's the warranty on the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC vs the Nothing Ear (3a)?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ships with a 12-month warranty; the Nothing Ear (3a) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Premium Option
JBL Tune Beam 2 — $109.95
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.