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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is more affordable and still delivers good overall sound quality, making them a solid choice for everyday use and especially for music, calls, and meetings with a higher score in these areas. They're also light and feature both AAC and a low latency mode, which is good for watching videos and mobile gaming. However, they lack active noise cancelling. The Sony WF1000XM4 has superior noise isolation thanks to its active noise cancelling feature, which makes them ideal for air travel and more effective in noisier environments. They also have a longer battery life, which is beneficial for extended use without needing a recharge. The Sonys also support LDAC for high-quality audio streaming, but they are more expensive. If your priority is noise cancellation for travel or commutes and you don't mind spending more, Sony is a better choice, but if you're looking for a more budget-friendly earbud that's great for calls and everyday use, the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick could be more suitable. 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 "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Very good for air travel
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.1
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is only fair.
Gaming
8.1
5.6
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.6
6.7
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for phone calls, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.4
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good.
TV and Video
7.5
6.0
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
2.5
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM4 is very good for noise reduction, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$220
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has a price of $99 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $220.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
8.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick to have excellent build quality, while the Sony WF1000XM4 has very good build quality.
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How the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $220 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | "Nothing" Brand | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2022 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.2/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.2 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 22 | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.4 Grams | 6.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
"Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Jasper Lastoria | December 2022
"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."
Sony WF1000XM4
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What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick or the Sony WF1000XM4
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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.
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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.
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