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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and battery life during your listening sessions, the Marshall Major IV headphones would serve you well due to their superior sound and long battery life; however, they are less portable and more expensive. On the other hand, if you are looking for a more affordable and highly portable option with a convenient case and the added benefit of low latency for calls or gaming, the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick earbuds might be more suitable. Both have an integrated mic, but the Ear Sticks have a better score for calls and meetings and feature sweat and dust resistance which are great for exercise, something the Marshall lacks. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Marshall Major IV
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
Very good for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
5.4/10
8.1/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Phone Calls
5.8/10
8.6/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for phone calls, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.1/10
8.4/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Marshall Major IV is only fair.
TV and Video
5.7/10
7.5/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.6/10
2.5/10
The Marshall Major IV and "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick are both poor for noise reduction, though the Marshall Major IV is somewhat better.
Battery
80.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Marshall Major IV has 80 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.5/10
9.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has excellent build quality, while the Marshall Major IV has very good build quality.
"The Marshall Major IV shares quite a bit in common with its predecessor, but a key upgrade appears to be softer ear cushions. They make upgrading worth it. As a set of basic wired or wireless headphones the Major IV ticks most boxes by remaining easy to use, and fairly comfortable (at least, as on-ear headphones go)."
"If the Ear (stick) fits your ears, its light weight means you can easily wear it until the unimpressive battery life totally drains. The IP54 rating of the buds lends some confidence that it’ll survive some light abuse too. Finally, for the person who only wears earbuds at their desk, the Nothing Ear (stick) with its decent microphone could offer a reasonable Zoom meeting solution."
Get a great deal on the Marshall Major IV or the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.