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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick and the Soundcore Space A40, consider the following: The Ear Stick offers better overall sound quality, superior microphone quality, and excels in calls, meetings, and gaming due to its low latency mode. However, it has weak noise isolation, which is not ideal for noisy environments. In contrast, the Space A40 has strong noise isolation, making it better for air travel and noisy places, and it provides longer battery life, with the case supporting wireless charging. While slightly more expensive, the Space A40 also features a dustproof certification and LDAC codec for high-resolution audio support, which may be important if audio quality is your priority. 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
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Soundcore Space A40
- Good for music
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
6.1
7.7
The Soundcore Space A40 is good for music, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is only fair.
Gaming
8.1
4.9
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.6
4.8
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for phone calls, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.4
4.9
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
TV and Video
7.5
5.3
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the Soundcore Space A40 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
9.1
The Soundcore Space A40 is excellent for noise reduction, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life. The Soundcore Space A40 has 8 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$80
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
$160
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has a price of $99 and the Soundcore Space A40 costs $80.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has excellent build quality, while the Soundcore Space A40 has very good build quality.
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How the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick and the Soundcore Space A40 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick | Soundcore Space A40 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $80 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | "Nothing" Brand | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2022 | August 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.7/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.2/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.6/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.2 Hours | 0.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 22 | 32 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.4 Grams | 4 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."
Soundcore Space A40
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Sound Guys
Sam Smart | May 2023
"The Anker Soundcore Space A40 is an excellent deal if you want affordable noise canceling earbuds with great sound. The baseline frequency response is enjoyable, and the many EQ presets to choose from plus the ability to customize your sound profile makes it good for pretty much anyone. The noise canceling is quite good, and the many ear tips to choose from ensure a good fit for the noise canceling and isolation to do its job."
Get a great deal on the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick or the Soundcore Space A40
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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Why trust us
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
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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