Sony WF-C700N vs Nothing Ear (a): which cheap earbuds are the best buy for you?

Sony WF-C700N and Nothing Ear (a) on yellow background, with TR branding .

Sony WF-C700N

Battery (buds): 7.5 hours with ANC on
Weight (bud): 4.6g per earbud
Noise cancellation: Yes
Spatial audio: Yes, Sony 360 Reality Audio
Water resistance: IPX4

Sony essentially took everything we loved about its pricier, 1000XM-suffixed earbuds and squirrelled it into even smaller earbuds, at a lower price point, in April 2023. There are a few bits left off the spec sheet – you don't get lossless LDAC or the firm's top-tier DSEE upscaler – but for this money, the audio quality and feature set are incredibly tough to equal, let alone beat.

For

• Incredibly detailed, immersive audio for the level
• Very comfortable and secure
• 360 Reality Audio support

Against

• No on-ear volume control
• No LDAC support

Nothing Ear (a)

Battery (buds): 5.5hrs (9.5hrs without ANC)
Weight (bud): 4.8g per earbud
Noise cancellation: Yes
Spatial audio: No
Water resistance: IP54 buds / IPX2 case

Congratulations, Nothing, the Ear (a) are a stone cold hit. The ANC is excellent for the level, the stamina is solid, the sound is superb and the classy build feels like it should require one to lay down a lot more money to buy them. OK, wireless charging is absent, as is Nothing's top-tier sound profiles and the ceramic driver you get in the more expesnive Ear proposition, but that's where the criticism ends. 

For

• Zealous, meaty, expansive sound
• Vastly improved active noise cancellation
• Smaller, more pocketable case

Against

• No wireless charging support
• No flagship sound profile curation