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CMF Clip Pro Review: More Than Just a Pretty Case

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PROS:


  • Excellent physical controls

  • Distinctive case design

  • Comfortable open-ear fit

  • Balanced, clean sound

  • Polished Nothing X app

CONS:


  • Limited base weight

  • Price feels a little high by CMF standards

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

With smart physical controls, a comfortable fit, and more personality than most rivals, the CMF Clip Pro proves open-ear earbuds do not have to feel purely functional.

Open-ear earbuds used to feel like a niche product made for a very specific kind of listener. They were mostly aimed at runners, cyclists, and anyone who wanted to stay aware of their surroundings, and the category was long dominated by a small group of specialist brands. For years, that made open-ear audio feel practical rather than desirable, more about function than style.

That is no longer the case. Open-ear earbuds have quickly become one of the busiest segments in personal audio, with mainstream brands now entering the space and giving the format broader appeal. CMF, Nothing’s budget-focused sub-brand, is the latest to join them with the CMF Clip Pro. As you might expect, it leans heavily on design and distinctive hardware touches to stand out, including physical controls that give it more character than most rivals. On paper, it already feels more interesting than the average pair of open-ear earbuds. The real question is whether that personality translates into a product worth buying.

Designer: CMF (Nothing)

Aesthetics

CMF Clip Pro is a good reminder that an earbud case can matter just as much as the earbuds themselves. Here, the case is not just packaging. It is a big part of the product’s identity, and one of the first things that makes the Clip Pro stand out.

The shape is essentially a rounded rectangular pod. It is slightly chunky, but softly contoured, with curved corners, a matte finish, and a subtle rubber-like texture that feels warmer than the glossy plastic shells most earbuds still use. It also stands apart from the usual pebble-like cases, which gives it a more distinctive silhouette in the hand.

The detail that defines the whole design is the oversized circular dial at the top right corner, called Smart Dial. It immediately gives the case a focal point, but it also earns that space by being functional. The metallic finish, ridged edge, and two line markings give it a sharper, more engineered feel, which contrasts nicely with the softer body of the case.

The rest of the design is restrained. There is only a small CMF logo on top, with the status LED and USB-C port kept discreetly out of the way. That minimalism works in the case’s favor, because it lets the shape and the dial do most of the talking.

The color options reinforce that identity. Light Gray and Dark Gray are the safer choices, but Coral is the one that feels most like CMF. It is brighter, more playful, and better suited to a product that clearly wants to stand apart. Most importantly, the case feels designed with intent rather than treated as an afterthought, and that alone gives the Clip Pro an edge.

Ergonomics

The Smart Dial on the case is one of those details that immediately makes the product feel more thoughtful in hand. Each turn delivers crisp, clicky feedback, and pressing the dial has a satisfying weight to it. It feels tactile and deliberate rather than decorative, which makes everyday use that bit more enjoyable.

The case has a matte texture that feels soft in the hand, while the earbuds are mostly glossy. At around 52.1 x 26.7 x 51.0mm and roughly 38.8g, the case stays compact and easy to carry. I also like that it can stand upright on a surface, which is a small but practical advantage over the usual round, pebble-like earbud cases. Each earbud weighs just under 6g, and that lightness helps with long-term comfort.

The Clip Pro is easy to wear for hours without feeling pinchy or awkward. CMF has also built physical buttons into the rear section of each earbud, where they are easy to reach without much adjustment. The earbuds do not interfere with glasses either, which is a nice touch. They can clash slightly with earcuffs depending on their position, but in my experience that is only a minor issue.

There is still a small ergonomic quirk with the charging case. Putting the earbuds back can be a little confusing at first because the left and right sides are not interchangeable. The rear section needs to sit at the bottom with the C-bridge facing inward, and until that becomes second nature, the process feels slightly less intuitive than it should.

Performance

Sound quality is always the challenge with open-ear earbuds because the format comes with clear limits. Without a seal inside the ear canal, you do not get the same bass weight, isolation, or intimacy as you would from a good pair of in-ear buds. The goal here is not to beat traditional earbuds at their own game. It is to sound full and clear enough that the open-ear tradeoff feels worthwhile.

The CMF Clip Pro uses a 10.8mm dynamic driver and supports LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. In practice, the tuning is more restrained than on some of CMF’s other earbuds. I found the CMF Buds 2 and Buds 2 Pro I reviewed last year noticeably bass-heavy, but the Clip Pro does not lean in that direction, even with Bass Enhancement set to Level 2. Instead, it sounds more balanced, which suits this category better.

Bass still lacks the weight and punch you would get from sealed earbuds, but that is to be expected. The upside is that the sound never feels bloated or as if it is trying too hard to compensate. Clarity is decent, and the overall presentation is clean and easy to listen to. It is not especially rich or immersive, but for casual listening, podcasts, and everyday music, it works well enough.

There is no noise cancelling, and no real isolation either. Some leakage is still present, as you would expect from open-ear earbuds, but it is mild in everyday use. People nearby are unlikely to notice unless they are very close or you’re listening at high volume. CMF also includes an anti-leakage mode, but while it helps, it also makes the sound noticeably more muffled.

As for call quality, the CMF Clip Pro uses a four-mic setup, with two mics on each earbud, alongside noise reduction. It does a decent job of keeping voices clear enough for everyday calls, even in busier environments. It is reliable enough that taking calls on the go does not feel like a compromise.

The physical controls on both the earbuds and the case are easily one of my favorite things about the Clip Pro. In a category where touch controls often feel inconsistent, CMF takes a more tactile approach that immediately helps these stand out. The buttons on the earbuds are easy to use and support a surprisingly broad range of inputs, including double press, triple press, press and hold, and double press and hold. That gives the Clip Pro a level of flexibility that feels more thoughtfully implemented than many rivals.

What really elevates the experience is the Smart Dial on the case. It handles volume through rotation, and it can also be customized for playback, track skipping, voice assistant access, low lag mode, and call controls. That makes the case feel like more than a simple charging shell, giving the product a bit of personality in everyday use. More importantly, the physical controls work very well in practice. They feel responsive and dependable, which matters far more than simply offering a long list of possible shortcuts. My only complaint is that the sound cue for volume changes can lag slightly behind the actual adjustment.

The earbuds’ controls work right out of the box, while Smart Dial has to be enabled manually in the Nothing X app. Beyond that, the app lets you adjust features like spatial audio, anti-leakage mode, bass boost, low lag mode, and dual-device pairing. There are also five preset EQ modes, plus a custom three-band equalizer that gives you a good amount of control over the sound. Nothing X is not doing anything radically new, but it remains one of the best earbud apps around. It looks great, feels intuitive, and makes it easy to tweak settings without any fuss.

Battery life is rated at up to 10 hours on the earbuds themselves and up to 32.5 hours with the case, while a Long Battery Mode pushes that to 36 hours. In my testing, which included a mix of music, video, and a 20-minute video call, the earbuds still had more than 50 percent battery left after about five continuous hours of use, so CMF’s claim appears to hold up well. CMF also says a quick 10-minute charge can deliver up to four hours of playback, which adds to the overall convenience.

Sustainability

CMF leaves a few unanswered questions here. The Clip Pro earbuds themselves are rated IP54, which adds useful protection against dust and light splashes in daily use. The case, however, is only rated IPX2, so it is best kept away from water.

There is also less clarity around environmental impact than I would have liked. Unlike Nothing’s mainline products, CMF does not seem to clearly publish details on recycled materials, carbon footprint, packaging, or manufacturing for this line. That does not necessarily mean sustainability was ignored, but it does make the product harder to assess on those terms. For a brand that puts so much emphasis on design and presentation, a little more transparency here would have made the Clip Pro feel more complete.

Value

At $99, the CMF Clip Pro sits firmly in the mid-range. That price feels a little high by CMF standards, especially for a brand that has built its reputation on strong value. Even so, the Clip Pro still manages to punch above its price in a few key ways, particularly through its design, physical controls, comfort, and overall user experience.

That said, value here depends heavily on what you want from your earbuds. If you are drawn to the look, appreciate the physical controls, like the fit, and want an affordable open-ear option from a recognizable brand, $99 can still make sense. If you are comparing purely on specifications, protection, or feature depth, this one may feel a little less convincing.

Verdict

The CMF Clip Pro does not completely redefine what open-ear earbuds can be, but it gets more right than wrong. The sound still carries the usual limitations of the format, yet it is tuned with enough balance and clarity to work well for casual listening, podcasts, and everyday music. The price also feels a touch high for a CMF product. Even so, there is a lot to like here. The design is distinctive, the fit is comfortable, the controls are genuinely excellent, and the overall user experience feels more considered than most rivals in this space.

What makes the Clip Pro stand out is that it does not rely on one gimmick alone. The Smart Dial is clever, but it is also useful. The physical buttons are unusual, but they are there because they work. Add in a polished app and solid battery life, and you end up with a pair of open-ear earbuds that feels thoughtfully put together from top to bottom. It may not be the obvious value champion in CMF’s lineup, but it is one of the brand’s most interesting products yet, and one that gets the basics right in ways that matter.

The post CMF Clip Pro Review: More Than Just a Pretty Case first appeared on Yanko Design.

CMF Clip Pro open-ear buds come with a charging case dial to take calls

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Clip-on-style earbuds are the new trend, and the fever is catching on fast across mainstream brands. While Nothing has already impressed with the Ear (open) buds released a couple of years ago, the budget sub-brand CMF has not had one in its line-up till now. That changes now as they’ve launched the first-ever clip-on earbuds, and they look impressive.

Like most open-ear earbuds, the CMF Clip Pro targets budget-conscious users who want to experience open-ear listening without spending too much. With offerings like Bose Ultra Open, Sony LinkBuds Clip, Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2, and Shokz OpenDots One, Huawei Freebuds 6 gives plenty of options for music lovers who don’t mind the steep price tag; the CMF’s offering fills in the gap for users constrained by the price tag. Priced at $99, they directly pit against the likes of Moondrop Pill.

Designer: CMF

Comfort and long-term wearability are the USP of these IP54-rated earbuds as they cling to the ears with the 3-point Clip Design, which distributes the pressure during extended listening sessions. This reduces the pinching sensation attributed to some of the existing options on the market. On the inside, the elastic titanium wire structure keeps the structural bridge made out of skin-friendly material connected, resulting in a flexible fit that adapts to the individual’s unique ear shape. Weighing just 5.9 grams, each of the buds is designed to disappear in the ear.

CMF wants to polish out one quirk common with this style of earbuds: a very lean and dull low-end. The 10.8 mm dual-magnet dynamic driver tuned with Ultra Bass Technology (low-end enhancing) feature tweaks the sound signature to iron out the treble distortion and also refine the low end to a level that clip-on style earbuds hardly manage to achieve. I just hope the bass is not synthetic and masks all the other frequencies for a very bland audio output that audiophiles hate. The Hi-Res Audio certified LDAC codec should mean otherwise, but you never know with software-level tweaks of the audio signal. Other supported codecs include AAC and SBC.

What intrigued me about these open-ear buds is the inclusion of a Smart Dial on the charging case, which adjusts the volume, controls the playback, or can even answer calls. The dual device Bluetooth 5.4 support means you can connect to two devices simultaneously. Battery life on the earbuds is going to be around 10 hours, with a total of 32.5 hours with the case, weighing 38.81 grams. A fast charge of 10 minutes should juice up the buds for 4 hours of playback if you are on the go more often than not.

CMF will offer the Clip Pro open-ear buds in colors including gray, dark gray, and coral. The audio accessory is set to be available in the US, UK, and Japan from 15 August for $99 via the official website and retail partners. In Europe and other parts of the world, the buds will be available from 15 September.

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Nothing killed the Glyph Interface. This Teenage Engineering synth concept argues that was a mistake

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Nothing spent three phone generations convincing us that a few light strips on the back of a device counted as a personality. The Glyph Interface was the whole brand in one gesture, a Morse code of notifications you could read with the phone face-down on a bar table. Then Phone (3) arrived in July 2025 with the Glyph Matrix instead, a small dot matrix circle tucked in the corner, and the comment sections held a funeral. “NO GLYPH” became the shortest and angriest review of the year. Which makes it pretty funny that the most convincing argument for reviving that light language has come from a fan concept for a synthesizer.

Abdelrahman Shaapan’s Mini OP-3 wraps a semi-transparent rear panel around a compact synth, with LED effects and dynamic graphics that pulse along to whatever you’re playing. Flip it over and the front is pure Teenage Engineering, a clamshell with a touchscreen lid and a control deck of encoders, transport keys, numbered pattern buttons, and one red COPY key doing a lot of emotional labor. Shaapan calls the project an exercise in translating the design DNA of both brands into a single object. He also added a charm attachment point on the screen corner, because it is 2026 and everything needs a little guy hanging off it. The pitch is a smaller OP that keeps you off your laptop during production and live sets.

Designer: Abdelrahman Shaapan

Ten function keys run across the top of the deck, covering waveform and tape banks, sync, split, copy, paste, metronome, scissors, monitoring, and loop. Below them sit eight encoders arranged in a greyscale gradient from black to white, which is the single most OP-1 gesture available to any designer working in this language. A transport row follows with record, play, and numbered pattern keys, then a modifier row carrying shift, divide, ramp, and a random button. The hinge hides a perforated speaker band, and the front edge packs two USB-C ports beside four 3.5mm jacks. Every control is round, tactile, and spaced like it expects to be hit fast in a dark room.

Nothing built its identity on light as an interface, then retired it on the Phone (3) in favour of a dot matrix that most owners still describe as a downgrade. Shaapan’s rear panel puts that language back to work, running LED effects and dynamic graphics that respond to your audio in real time. On a phone, reactive lighting was always slightly decorative, a party trick for incoming calls and little else. On an instrument, it has an actual job, giving you a visual read on your track from across a stage or a crowded studio. Relocating the Glyph to the one product category where it earns its keep is a sharper piece of brand analysis than most fan concepts manage.

Shaapan rendered the whole thing in KeyShot. The soft-touch black body, the subtle sheen on the encoder caps, and that partially translucent rear panel with internals showing through all read as convincingly manufacturable rather than aspirational. The charm attachment point is the detail I keep coming back to, since TE has always sold straps and cases as identity objects and phone charms are having a genuine cultural moment. We covered a Teenage Engineering DJ console concept a couple of years back, and this one clears that bar comfortably. The presentation is good enough to be mistaken for a leak.

One thing undercuts the pitch. Shaapan says the goal was minimizing laptop dependence, but three renders show Ableton Live running on the touchscreen, which means the device became a laptop instead of replacing one. Ableton’s own Push 3 already solves the standalone problem and charges around two thousand dollars for it. That gap between the stated intent and the renders is the part a real product team would have to close first. Everything else here, though, is a better Nothing product than Nothing’s last one.

The post Nothing killed the Glyph Interface. This Teenage Engineering synth concept argues that was a mistake first appeared on Yanko Design.

What If Nothing Made an IEM for Audiophiles? This Community Concept Imagines One

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Music lovers are gradually developing a deeper appreciation for in-ear monitors (IEMs) as they explore the world of personal audio. The Chi-Fi market, in particular, has grown into a crowded space filled with brands such as Moondrop, Truthear, Simgot, Kiwi Ears, ThieAudio, and FiiO. At the same time, established names including Sennheiser, Final Audio, Campfire Audio, Meze Audio, and Audio-Technica continue to attract listeners looking for detailed and analytical sound.

One thing I’ve noticed while following the IEM space is how often these products embrace transparent or semi-transparent shell designs. There is something visually appealing about being able to see the components inside, while the distinctive form immediately sets IEMs apart from the everyday wireless earbuds most people use. This design language also happens to align closely with Nothing’s visual identity, making the idea of a Nothing-branded IEM feel like a natural extension of the company’s existing audio lineup.

Designer: Nothing Community

The concept in question comes from the Nothing Community, where a member shared renders imagining what an IEM designed by Nothing could look like. The idea explores a familiar IEM silhouette, but reinterprets it through the brand’s signature transparent aesthetic and restrained use of color. It is not a radical departure from the designs already seen across the IEM market, but the Nothing treatment gives the concept a distinct character that would likely appeal to fans of the brand.

The renders bring to mind the visual language of Nothing’s earlier audio products, particularly the transparent approach associated with the Ear (1). Instead of hiding the internal components behind an opaque shell, the concept makes them part of the visual experience. A transparent finish could also work particularly well with an IEM, where the intricate internal arrangement is often part of what makes these products interesting to audio enthusiasts.

The community response suggests that the concept has some room for further exploration. One commenter specifically expressed interest in seeing a black and transparent version, while another asked what specifications people would want from such a product. Those reactions highlight an interesting possibility: a Nothing IEM could potentially bridge the gap between the company’s design-focused consumer electronics and the increasingly popular world of enthusiast audio.

For now, this remains a community-created concept rather than an official Nothing product. Still, it is an intriguing exercise in imagining how the company’s transparent design philosophy could translate into a more enthusiast-oriented audio product. With Nothing already established in the personal audio space, the idea of a dedicated wired IEM does not feel entirely out of place.

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Nothing Phone (4b): Not Exciting, But Hard to Fault

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PROS:


  • Distinctive design that still feels recognizably Nothing

  • Large 120Hz AMOLED display is good for the price

  • Solid all–day battery life

CONS:


  • No telephoto camera

  • Noticeable bezel

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Not especially thrilling, but thoughtfully balanced, the Nothing Phone (4b) is an affordable phone that knows its priorities.

It’s no secret that rising memory prices have become a major challenge for tech companies of every size. Some brands have responded by simply raising prices. Others have had to rethink their product strategy entirely. You know the situation is serious when a company decides not to release a successor to one of its most popular series because it cannot build a phone that feels good enough for its target audience at the right price.

With no CMF phone upgrade arriving this year, the Nothing Phone (4b) becomes the company’s new affordable entry point. Rather than pushing ahead with a compromised CMF successor in a difficult market, Nothing has brought that mission back under its main label. It is an entry-level phone by positioning, but one that still tries to carry the visual character and brand personality that make a Nothing device feel distinct. Of course, affordability in a market like this never comes without tradeoffs. The question is whether Nothing has chosen the right ones. Has it cut back in ways most users can accept, while still delivering a phone that feels stylish, capable, and true to the brand?

Designer: Nothing

Aesthetics

Nothing has built its reputation on a strong and instantly recognizable design identity. That identity first emerged with the Nothing Ear (1), the company’s debut wireless earbuds, whose transparent look immediately gave the brand a distinct visual signature. When Nothing later expanded into smartphones, it introduced the Glyph design as a new defining element of its phone lineup. Since then, the company’s design language has continued to evolve, sometimes through refinement, sometimes through experimentation, but never by standing still.

At a glance, the Phone (4b) still feels part of that family. It carries over familiar cues such as exposed screw details, geometric panel treatment, and a transparent-inspired camera bump that gives the rear a sense of structure rather than mere decoration. The phone is offered in White, Black, and Blue, and its unibody design helps the overall form feel more cohesive. All three colorways use black buttons, which create a subtle contrast, especially on the lighter finishes. The rear itself has a dual-tone look, with a more solid lower section and a transparent-inspired camera bump above it. On that bump, two vertically stacked cameras sit alongside the flash and a Glyph Bar that echoes the Phone (4a).

It is not as fun or as visually exciting as some other Nothing phones, especially the earlier ones. The design feels more restrained, with less of the playful boldness that once made the brand’s devices feel genuinely surprising. Even so, for a budget phone, Nothing has balanced design ambition and cost control well, preserving enough character to keep the Phone (4b) from fading into the background.

Ergonomics

Measuring 164.4 x 78.2 x 8.6 mm and weighing 210 g, the Nothing Phone (4b) is very much a modern big-screen budget phone. Its unibody construction helps it feel solid and cohesive in the hand, and the weight distribution is even enough that it does not come across as awkward or top-heavy. The matte texture is a nice touch visually and helps the phone avoid looking overly glossy, though it does not completely translate into a secure grip.

For me, the biggest issue is the width. At 78.2 mm, it is just a bit too wide to handle comfortably with one hand, especially when trying to reach across the display for interface elements or app icons. The handling can also feel a little slippery at times, so simple actions such as pulling down menus or tapping controls near the opposite edge can require a grip adjustment. As a result, the Phone (4b) feels more natural in two-handed use than in quick one-handed moments.

The fingerprint scanner placement does not help much either. It sits near the bottom of the display, which makes the unlock motion feel less seamless than it should. Once the phone is unlocked, your thumb is already positioned too low, so moving directly into navigation feels less natural than it would with a scanner placed slightly higher. It is a small ergonomic detail, but one that becomes easier to notice in everyday use.

Performance

The Nothing Phone (4b) is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, paired with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. That places it firmly in the lower mid-range rather than the true bargain-bin tier, and in daily use, that positioning feels about right. This is not a phone that tries to impress with raw speed or benchmark theatrics. Instead, it aims for a level of performance that feels dependable enough for the people most likely to buy it.

In everyday tasks, the Phone (4b) holds up well. Navigating the interface, switching between common apps, browsing the web, replying to messages, and scrolling through social media all feel smooth enough that the phone rarely calls attention to its limitations. Gaming is where its limits become clearer. Casual titles should run without much trouble, and lighter 3D games are likely to be perfectly playable, but this is not a device built for demanding graphics or long sessions at high settings. Heavier games will almost certainly require reduced visual quality to maintain consistency, and even then, this is not the sort of phone that feels eager to push beyond its class.

The software experience plays a big role in making the Phone (4b) feel more polished than its hardware might otherwise suggest. Nothing’s interface has generally been one of the company’s strengths, and that remains true here. Notably, Nothing has not held back too much on software features, with AI tools and Essential Space both making their way to the Phone (4b). The software is also relatively clean, with only a small amount of pre-installed bloatware, something that remains surprisingly rare at this end of the market.

The Glyph interface is still here, though in reduced form as the rear Glyph Bar rather than the fuller system found on more expensive Nothing phones. It supports practical functions such as timers, charging progress, notifications, recording indicators, and one of my personal favorites, the camera countdown, so it is more than just a visual gimmick. Still, this pared-down implementation feels more like a modest nod to Nothing’s identity than a feature that adds much excitement to the experience.

The Phone (4b) features a large 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2344 resolution, a pixel density of 381ppi, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Nothing also claims a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and 1,300 nits in outdoor brightness mode. It is a solid display package for the segment, offering the kind of size and fluidity that most users will immediately appreciate in daily use.

Visually, the panel does not do much to surprise. The bezels are relatively thick all around, with a more noticeable chin at the bottom, so it lacks the sleek edge-to-edge impression of more expensive phones. Even so, this is still a good screen for the price. The AMOLED panel gives the Phone (4b) the contrast and richness you would hope for, while the 120Hz refresh rate helps the interface feel smoother and more modern.

Main Camera, 2x

Main Camera, 1x

The speaker quality follows a similar pattern. It is still not especially impressive, but it is better than merely acceptable. The stereo speaker setup gives the Phone (4b) a more balanced audio presentation, and the sound avoids becoming muddy. It is not a standout for richness or power, but for everyday listening, the result is solid for the class.

Main Camera 2x (B&W Film Filter), Main Camera 2x (Normal)

Main Camera 2x (Portrait Mode)

The camera system is another area where expectations need to stay grounded. On the back, the Phone (4b) pairs a 50MP main camera, using a 1/2.76-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, with an 8MP ultra-wide camera that uses a 1/4-inch sensor and an f/2.2 aperture. Up front, there is a 16MP selfie camera. This is a fairly typical camera setup for the segment, with the main sensor doing most of the meaningful work.

Ultra-wide 0.6x

Main Camera 1x

In good daylight, the results are generally solid. The main camera captures decent detail, pleasing contrast, and images that are more than good enough for social sharing. The phone can zoom up to 10x, but image quality starts to fall off noticeably beyond 2x, so that upper range is more there for flexibility than for genuinely reliable output. Low-light performance is also fairly good overall, though white balance can become a little wonky in certain scenes. For video, the main camera can record at up to 4K 30fps, while the ultra-wide and front-facing cameras are limited to 1080p, with the former capped at 30fps and the latter able to reach 60fps.

Main Camera 2x

Main Camera 5x

Main Camera 10x

Battery life should be one of the Phone (4b)’s more dependable strengths. The global version packs a 5,200mAh battery, and when paired with a relatively modest chipset and efficient software, the phone is clearly tuned for endurance rather than excess. In my use, it lasted a full day easily, which is exactly what most buyers in this category will want. Charging is less exciting. Wired charging tops out at 33W, which is not especially fast by current standards, but the inclusion of 5.5W reverse wired charging is still a welcome extra.

Sustainability

Sustainability is rarely a major talking point in the smartphone market, which is why Nothing deserves credit here. The company puts details such as the Phone (4b)’s carbon footprint and packaging composition directly on the product page instead of burying them elsewhere. That kind of transparency is still uncommon, and it makes the sustainability effort feel more concrete.

There is also a practical side to the story. The Phone (4b) has an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance, while its unibody construction should help with structural strength. Software support is solid, with three years of Android updates and six years of security patches.

Nothing lists the Phone (4b)’s carbon footprint at 54.7 kg CO₂e, and says more than 99 percent of the packaging is plastic-free, excluding the PET-paper composite label. These are not the kind of details most buyers will focus on first, but they are useful to have. More importantly, this level of disclosure is worth praising and reflects a company that is at least willing to treat environmental responsibility as part of the product conversation.

Value

At £299, or about $400, the Nothing Phone (4b) is not trying to be the absolute cheapest option. Instead, it aims to offer a more polished and distinctive experience than many budget phones at this price. That gives it a slightly different kind of value proposition.

That mostly works in its favor. You get a recognizably Nothing design, a large 120Hz AMOLED display, clean software, stereo speakers, solid battery life, and dependable everyday performance. The phone is not without compromises, especially in its chipset choice and the lack of a telephoto camera.

The Phone (4b) may not be the obvious bargain pick, but it still offers solid value. It feels less like a phone built to win on one headline feature and more like one shaped by careful compromise. For buyers who want an affordable phone with personality and few major weaknesses, it makes a convincing case for itself.

Verdict

The Nothing Phone (4b) is a sensible response to a difficult market. Rather than forcing out a compromised CMF successor, Nothing has created a new affordable entry point under its main brand. The result is a phone that feels carefully judged rather than boldly ambitious.

It is not an especially exciting device, and some compromises are easy to notice. The chin bezel, modest chipset, and limited camera versatility all remind you where costs have been kept in check. Even the Glyph Bar feels more like a restrained nod to Nothing’s identity than a standout feature.

Still, the Phone (4b) gets the fundamentals right. It offers a good display, clean software, solid battery life, stereo speakers, dependable everyday performance, and a design that still feels recognizably Nothing. For buyers who want an affordable phone with personality and few major weaknesses, it makes a convincing case for itself.

The post Nothing Phone (4b): Not Exciting, But Hard to Fault first appeared on Yanko Design.

Nothing Ear (3a) boasts built-in audio recording, smarter ANC, and 42-hour battery life for just $99

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Most wireless earbuds are designed to disappear into your daily routine. The Nothing Ear (3a) does the opposite. While the pair of buds brings the expected upgrades in sound quality, active noise cancellation, and battery life, the most compelling feature isn’t about listening at all. Instead, it’s about capturing the moments you want to remember. Whether that’s a brilliant idea during a meeting, an important takeaway from a lecture, or a favorite quote from a podcast.

Priced at $99, the Ear (3a) is sandwiched right between the budget-focused Ear (a) and the flagship Ear (3), bringing several premium features to the affordable segment without losing the transparent design language that has become Nothing’s signature. From improved ANC and Hi-Res audio support to thoughtful software additions, the Ear (3a) feels less like an incremental refresh and more like a pair of earbuds designed to be genuinely useful throughout the day.

Designer: Nothing

The biggest addition is Audio Snapshot, a feature powered by 32MB of onboard flash storage built into the earbuds. By pinching both earbuds simultaneously, users can instantly save short audio clips. These recordings automatically sync with the Nothing X app, where they can be edited, shared, and transcribed. The earbuds also support up to two hours of native phone calls and meeting recording, complete with audible notifications that let everyone know when recording begins. This is an uncommon capability in this price range and one that extends the earbuds’ usefulness well beyond music playback.

Nothing has also refined the listening experience with new 12mm dynamic drivers that deliver deeper bass while maintaining clarity across the frequency range. Support for Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LDAC allows compatible Android devices to stream higher-quality audio, while an expanded eight-band equalizer offers greater control for users who prefer to fine-tune their sound profile. Whether the preference is bass-heavy tracks or a more balanced signature, the earbuds provide enough flexibility to suit different listening styles.

Active noise cancellation has also received a noticeable boost. The Ear (3a) delivers up to 45dB of ANC across a wider frequency range, with Nothing claiming roughly 17 percent better performance than its predecessor. Clear Voice technology improves call quality by making speech easier to understand in noisy surroundings, while the inclusion of an extra-small ear tip size helps accommodate a wider range of users and enhances passive noise isolation. The IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance also makes the earbuds suitable for commuting and workouts.

Battery life remains one of the Ear (3a)’s strongest selling points. The earbuds offer up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC turned off, while the charging case extends total listening time to as much as 42 hours. Even with noise cancellation enabled, users can expect up to 25 hours of combined playback. A quick five-minute charge delivers approximately an hour of listening time, and Bluetooth 6.0 with dual-device connectivity makes switching between a phone, tablet, and laptop effortless.

The earbuds arrive in attractive pink and yellow, along with the standard black or white colorway. In the package there’s a new XS ear tip size for users with very small ears. Rather than relying solely on incremental hardware improvements, Nothing Ear (3a) introduces features that make wireless earbuds more practical throughout the day. That’s an undeniable USP at a price tag under $100. Nothing has also released the highly anticipated Phone (4b), which we’ll cover shortly, so stay tuned!

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Nothing’s Dream Phone concept fixes everything fans dislike about modern smartphones

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Let’s be honest, phones virtually look the same with no major design innovation, or for that matter, even hardware progression that would turn eyeballs. The improvements have plateaued and mostly arrive in small increments wrapped in loud marketing jargon to drive sales. So, do we actually own a phone with features that we genuinely desire? Not quite.

For that very reason, Nothing set out on a design experiment to craft a smartphone that reflects what fans actually want in their daily driver. This isn’t the first time the company has explored such an idea. Last year, it collaborated with MKBHD and JerryRigEverything on community-inspired Dream Phone concepts. This time, however, Nothing turned to its broader user base, gathering suggestions from enthusiasts and longtime smartphone fans to create what it calls the ultimate “Dream Phone.”

Designer: Nothing

Community feedback also brought back features that have largely disappeared from flagship devices. The concept includes a 3.5mm headphone jack and a dedicated microSD card slot, two additions frequently requested by users who value flexibility and long-term usability. While manufacturers have largely abandoned expandable storage and wired audio, Nothing’s exercise highlights that demand for these features still exists among enthusiasts.

One of the most interesting design choices is the elimination of both the display punch-hole and the protruding camera bump. To achieve an uninterrupted screen experience, the Dream Phone uses a pop-up selfie camera system that houses dual front-facing cameras. The rear camera arrangement sits flush with the body, creating a completely flat back that avoids the wobble commonly associated with modern smartphones. Beyond aesthetics, the design also touches on privacy, as the pop-up mechanism provides a visible indication when the front camera is active.

The project also explores the engineering compromises required to build such a device. According to Nothing, shrinking the phone while retaining fan-requested features significantly limits internal space. The company explained that maintaining a slim profile would force sacrifices in areas such as processing power, display quality, and biometric hardware. Instead, the concept adopts a slightly thicker chassis, allowing room for a 3,800mAh silicon-carbon battery and the additional hardware requested by the community.

Another unusual idea discussed during the concept’s development was reducing software restrictions. The Dream Phone imagines a device with minimal pre-installed software and maximum user control, reflecting ongoing conversations around bloatware and device customization.

As appealing as the concept may be, Nothing has made it clear that the Dream Phone is not headed for production. It remains a design exercise intended to visualize what a community-driven smartphone could look like when user wishes take priority over mainstream market trends. Still, the overwhelmingly positive reaction demonstrates that many consumers are eager for devices that prioritize practicality, individuality, and thoughtful design over spec-sheet competition. Whether or not this exact phone ever becomes reality, the Dream Phone serves as a reminder that some of the most desired smartphone features are not necessarily the newest ones; they are the ones people genuinely miss!

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Nothing Is Making the “Mini” Phone That Apple Abandoned in 2021, and It Costs Less Than $320

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Apple killed the iPhone Mini in 2021 and never apologized for it. The 13 Mini was the last of its kind, a genuinely pocketable smartphone with flagship intent, and when it quietly disappeared from the lineup, it took an entire product philosophy with it. Samsung followed by quietly retiring anything under 6.2 inches. Asus eventually walked away from the Zenfone altogether. The message from every corner of the industry was identical: small phones are a niche, niches don’t scale, and scale is the only thing that matters.

Five years later, a five-year-old British startup is doing what Apple, Samsung, Google, and every other major player refused to do. The Nothing’s Phone 4b (rumored for a July 7th launch) is allegedly 6.3 inches of transparent-backed, single-camera, software-supported compact smartphone, arriving in a market that had completely stopped believing one was coming.

Designer: Nothing

Image Credits: Techstream

I feel genuine frustration watching this industry gaslight itself. The compact phone didn’t die because people stopped wanting it. It died because building one well is genuinely hard, battery physics are brutal at small volumes, thermals get complicated, and every millimeter you shave off the chassis is a millimeter you’re fighting for. Apple tried, found the margin math uncomfortable, and left. Everyone else looked at Apple’s decision and treated it as consumer research. I think about this the same way I think about the restaurant that stops serving a dish because it’s difficult to prep, then tells you nobody was ordering it anyway.

The Phone 4b aims to sidestep this trap with a camera philosophy that evokes the abbreviation KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid. Rather than padding the spec sheet with the obligatory 2MP depth sensor and the equally useless 8MP ultrawide that most phones in this price range treat as a box-ticking exercise, Nothing will put a single Sony LYT-710 sensor with optical image stabilization behind that transparent back panel. One camera. A real one. In a world where phone makers routinely ship three cameras to advertise three cameras, with only one of them actually worth using, that restraint reads almost like a provocation. The 50MP sensor landing here is the same family of Sony silicon that shows up in phones costing significantly more, and OIS at this price point is the kind of decision that makes photographers quietly nod.

Image Credits: Techstream

The 6.3-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel running at 120Hz sits inside a form factor that, five years after the Mini’s death, still feels quietly radical. Pair that with LPDDR5X RAM, a rumored 5,000mAh battery with 50W charging, and Nothing’s 4-plus-6 software support commitment, four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, and the 4b starts looking less like a budget phone and more like a considered one. Those are flagship-tier update terms. OnePlus took years to get there. Samsung only started matching that recently. Nothing is offering it on its most affordable device yet.

I keep coming back to what the original iPhone Mini crowd actually wanted. They weren’t asking for a compromised phone in a small box. They were asking for the full experience in a form factor that fit their life, their pocket, their one-handed commute. The 4b, launching July 7 at somewhere below Rs. 30,000 (roughly $316), is the closest answer the market has produced since Cupertino walked away from the question entirely. Nothing built the phone Apple left behind, and somehow, five years later, it arrived right on time.

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Nothing 4a Pro with an E-ink Display Looks Way More Interesting than the Glyph Matrix

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The Glyph Matrix is nice, but it’s not really useful, is it? How much value can you extract from spinning the bottle on the back of your phone, or playing unique patterns on it every time your phone rings? Sure, Nothing will have you believe that the Glyph Matrix is the natural evolution of the Glyph Lights – but one redditor had a different idea. Ditch the matrix instead, give the consumers an actual screen.

This Nothing 4a Pro revised concept features a full-fledged e-ink display on the back, serving as a useful second space for notifications, alerts, QR codes, etc. It’s a little less manic than the original with the flashing lights and all, but I kind of like the silent seriousness of a phone that sports an e-ink screen on the back. Everything else remains the same, the exact same triple-camera layout, the same Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor, the same screen. Just, less flashy, more useful.

Designer: Taweros

Here’s where Carl Pei would come in objecting to this entirely. The Glyph Matrix is supposed to be Nothing’s secret sauce, the thing that makes you look twice at a phone, the element of surprise. Ditching flashing lights for an e-ink screen feels a little less TikTok and a little more LinkedIn. That’s not Nothing’s brand, and I can understand. It’s more YotaPhone or TCL NXTPaper than Nothing. However, reddit user ‘Taweros’ has a case to make.

“I’ve been thinking about an alternative to the Glyph Matrix on a future Nothing phone: a small always-on E-Ink display integrated into the same area on the back. Instead of only showing animations, it could display useful information with no power consumption,” Taweros says. “The idea is to keep the minimalist Nothing aesthetic while making the space more practical. Since E-Ink only uses power when the image changes, it could stay visible all day without significantly affecting battery life.”

This new glyph replacement offers a more discreet, low-power, always-on alternative that can be used for a bunch of things. Aside from actually displaying information (instead of wonky patterns), it becomes this ambient second screen that you learn to rely on. Keep it displaying weather notifications, or have it show the face of someone who’s calling, or even use it to display the QR code of your business at a networking event – all this is stuff you CAN’T do with the current Nothing 4a Pro, and to be honest, that feels like a bit of a shame.

To be clear, I don’t hate the glyph matrix. I saw it first-hand at a launch and was blown by how beautiful it looked. I just think beauty without utility is just… art. It’s fun. It isn’t function. Here’s to hoping the Nothing 5 will surprise us!

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Nothing Book laptop concept let’s you be more expressive with a slender secondary screen on the lid

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Nothing has revived and redefined the see-through design aesthetics that blew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That era was highlighted by colorful polycarbonate plastic material for translucent casings for the futuristic, fun vibe. Carl Pie took the bold step and weaved his brand’s design philosophy around clean minimalism and see-through designs in colorless aesthetics.

Over the years, Nothing’s products have inspired countless designs and concepts for good reason. Battery banks, headphones, turntables, vacuum cleaners, and whatnot. So how could we not bet against a Nothing-themed laptop tailored for gamers and creators?

Designer: Nikita Bukoros Design

The designer wants to grow on the idea of a Nothing laptop that Carl hinted at years earlier when the brand was taking its baby steps. The highly anticipated gadget never came to fruition thus far, and left Nothing fans yearning for one. Nikita wants to give the fans another reason to keep believing and perhaps subtly remind Carl of the prospect. He calls it the Nothing Book, and his idea is to reveal the complexity underneath, much like a see-through gaming PC case that reveals the innards in their glory. Everything from the inner architecture, dynamic cooling system boards, to the other components is layered in a hypnotic composition.

The designer labels the performance laptop as an industrial art piece, more than a high-end consumer electronics gadget. I totally agree with the emotion, as the PC, when flipped over, reveals all the inner electronics. One unique element that defines this laptop is the secondary screen on the lid of the machine. This external display breaks the monotony of the machines we are accustomed to, as you can show off any messages, symbols, emojis, or other elements in the classic Nothing font. To spice things up, Nikita goes beyond the monochrome color scheme and offers the concept laptop in peppy options. You can have it in hot red, cool green, subtle pink, or magnetic teal hues as well.

Going with the modern design aesthetics of the creator-focused laptop, the accompanying charging dock is purpose-built to flaunt the attractive make of the machine. When docked in, the cool charging animation is displayed on the secondary screen. At the end of the day, the laptop has to be highly practical, hence, it comes with the customary HDMI, USB-C, USB, and wired charging port.

Whether Nothing will release a laptop anytime soon is anybody’s guess, but one thing is for sure: the brand needs to look at it very seriously. The design aesthetics of the modern-day laptops are quite muted and predictable, and this concept gives fans one more reason to believe.

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