If you want noise cancellation, long battery life, and a sealed in-ear fit for jogging, choose CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2; if you need to hear more of your surroundings while you run, choose Nothing Ear Open Ear. The key difference is how they handle the outside world: Buds 2 can reduce surrounding sound, while Ear Open is designed to leave your ears open to it.
For jogging, that trade-off matters more than a small difference in Bluetooth version or call features. I’d choose the CMF pair for a more isolated listening session and the Nothing pair for routes where awareness is a priority.
• CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2: Its strengths are hybrid active noise cancellation, up to 55 hours of combined listening with the case, and IP55 water and dust resistance. Its trade-off is an in-ear fit that reduces the open-ear awareness some runners want.
• Nothing Ear Open Ear: Its strengths are an open-ear hook design, multipoint connection, and up to 30 hours of combined playback. Its trade-off is that it does not offer the Buds 2’s stated hybrid active noise cancellation.
• Choose Buds 2 if you want a sealed in-ear design, stronger noise control, and longer stated total battery life.
• Choose Ear Open if hearing traffic, announcements, or other nearby sounds while listening is central to your routine.
The Buds 2 is the more straightforward pick if you want earbuds that can turn down the noise around you. Its hybrid active noise cancellation is rated up to 48 dB, and its adaptive mode is designed to adjust noise reduction as surroundings change. That makes it a better fit than an open-ear pair for a noisy commute, a focused workout, or listening where outside sound is more distraction than benefit. It is not a reason to ignore your surroundings when exercising outdoors, though; noise reduction can make nearby sounds harder to hear.
For music, the 11 mm driver and Dirac Opteo tuning are intended to combine deep bass with clear treble and distinct vocals. There is also a spatial audio effect for compatible listening situations, along with settings for EQ, bass, and noise cancellation in the Nothing X app. Six microphones and AI-powered call processing are listed for calls, including wind-noise reduction. Those features give the Buds 2 a broad set of options, but the everyday appeal is simpler: you can customize the sound and reduce noise without switching to a different style of earbud.
Battery life is a major practical point. The stated listening time is up to 13.5 hours on a single charge and up to 55 hours with the case. A 10-minute charge is listed as providing up to 7.5 hours of playback. The IP55 rating also gives the Buds 2 a stronger stated water-and-dust resistance rating than the Ear Open’s IP54. That is useful context for sweaty exercise or a run in changeable weather, but it is not a promise that either pair is suitable for submersion.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-19 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it: Skip the Buds 2 if your priority is an open-ear fit that lets you hear more of the environment while running.
Nothing Ear Open Ear is built around a different running priority: keeping the ear canal open rather than sealing it with an in-ear tip. Its hook-style design is described as lightweight, with a 50-degree tilt and three-point balance intended to hold the speaker over the ear. The design aims to stay secure during activities such as running and HIIT while leaving environmental sounds more audible. That is the clearest reason to consider it for outdoor jogging, especially on routes where traffic, other people, or announcements deserve your attention.
The open design also changes what you should expect from listening. The Buds 2 explicitly offers hybrid active noise cancellation; the Ear Open information does not describe active noise cancellation. Instead, the Ear Open is intended to let ambient sound through. Its stepped driver is designed for balanced audio, with bass detection and EQ customization available through the Nothing X app. The product information also describes sound-leakage controls, but that should not be mistaken for noise cancellation: the listening approach remains open rather than isolating.
Calls and device switching are notable strengths. The Ear Open has two microphones with AI noise reduction for calls, Bluetooth 5.3, and multipoint connection for switching between two devices. That can suit someone who moves between a phone and a computer during the day, then takes the same earbuds along for exercise. It provides up to 8 hours of playback from the earbuds and up to 30 hours total with the case. A 10-minute charge is stated to provide up to 10 hours of playback, which is a particularly useful quick-charge claim if you forget to charge before heading out. Its IP54 rating indicates dust and water resistance, though it is a different rating from the Buds 2’s IP55.
Who should skip it: Skip the Ear Open if you want active noise cancellation or prefer the more isolated feel of an in-ear fit.
• Best for reducing surrounding noise → CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2. It has hybrid active noise cancellation, including an adaptive mode. The Ear Open is designed to keep ambient sounds more accessible.
• Best for outdoor awareness → Nothing Ear Open Ear. Its open-ear design lets you listen without sealing the ear canal, which is useful when you want to hear traffic or other nearby activity.
• Best for longer stated total battery life → CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2. The figure is up to 55 hours with the case, compared with up to 30 hours for the Ear Open.
• Best quick-charge claim → Nothing Ear Open Ear. A 10-minute charge is stated to provide up to 10 hours of playback, while the Buds 2 lists up to 7.5 hours from a 10-minute top-up.
• Best for dust and water resistance on paper → CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2. Its rating is IP55, compared with IP54 for the Ear Open.
• Best for switching between two devices → Nothing Ear Open Ear. Multipoint pairing is specifically listed, which suits someone moving between a phone and a computer.
• Best for adjusting sound and noise controls → CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2. Its app settings include EQ, bass, and active noise cancellation, giving you direct control over those features.
• Best for a call-friendly open-ear setup → Nothing Ear Open Ear. Its two microphones and AI noise reduction are paired with a design that keeps the ear open during listening.
Buying Considerations
Fit is another practical difference. Buds 2 uses rounded in-ear tips, while Ear Open uses adjustable ear hooks with a three-point balance. If you dislike having an earbud seated in your ear, the open design may be more appealing. If you prefer a conventional sealed earbud and want the option of noise cancellation, the Buds 2 has the clearer case. The Ear Open instructions emphasize distinguishing left from right and adjusting the position to suit your ear, so getting its placement right is part of the intended fit.
Battery figures also need a little context. The Buds 2 has the larger stated total with its case, while the Ear Open claims more playback from a short charge. Those are different advantages: the first matters when you want longer use between charging opportunities, while the second is handy if you notice a low battery shortly before heading out. Neither figure should be read as a guaranteed duration in every listening setup.
For shoppers comparing the best noise cancelling headphones for jogging, the Buds 2 is the more relevant option of these two because it explicitly includes hybrid ANC. But for someone looking for the best Bluetooth earbuds for jogging in a setting where hearing nearby sound matters, the Ear Open’s design may be the better match. The search for a multipoint Bluetooth headset for jogging points more directly to the Ear Open, since multipoint pairing is specifically included in its feature set.
There is no universal winner here, and “better sound” is not a simple specification contest. The Buds 2 lists an 11 mm driver and Dirac Opteo tuning; the Ear Open describes a stepped driver, bass detection, and EQ customization. Those details indicate different approaches, not a definitive sound-quality result. Consider whether you value the sealed, configurable listening experience of the Buds 2 or the more open presentation of the Ear Open.
In my opinion, I would choose the Nothing Ear Open Ear for jogging on routes where hearing what is happening around me matters most. Its open-ear hooks, stated quick-charge performance, and multipoint connection make a practical combination for runs and everyday device switching.
I’d choose the CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2 instead if noise reduction, IP55 resistance, or the longer stated total battery life matters more. For my jogging pick, though, preserving awareness is the deciding factor.
FAQ
The listed features describe an open-ear listening design, not active noise cancellation. It has two microphones with AI noise reduction for calls, which is a call-processing feature rather than a stated function for cancelling surrounding sound during music playback.
The CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2 lists up to 13.5 hours on a single charge and up to 55 hours with its case. The Nothing Ear Open Ear lists up to 8 hours from the earbuds and up to 30 hours combined with its case.
The Nothing Ear Open Ear specifically lists multipoint pairing for connecting with two devices. That may suit someone who switches between a phone and a computer; multipoint is not listed among the Buds 2 features provided here.
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