I wasn’t sure about the Nothing Headphone 1, but they just blew me away

When I first heard that Nothing was making a pair of headphones, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The Nothing Ear buds were decent enough, and the Nothing Ear (a) offered excellent sound quality. However, when it came to the Nothing Ear Open earbuds, they fell a bit flat. So, if anything, Nothing’s venture into the audio world has been a bit mixed. As the company takes its first step into the headphones market, I can definitively say it’s breaking a few traditions with the Nothing Headphone 1, and I am here for it.

Editor’s choice

Nothing Headphone (1)

9
/
10

Battery Life

35 hours with ANC / 80 without ANC

Microphones

4-mic ENC call architecture (6 mics total)

Weight

329g

Dimensions

173.8 x 78 x 189.2mm

The Nothing Headphone (1) are a refreshing new entry to the headphones scene, with a unique design and immersive sound. While the design might not be for everyone, they are cleverly engineered for long-term listening. Plus, they offer the luxury of more expensive headphones at a much lower cost.

Pros & Cons

• Adjustable, and curated sound profile
• Earpads and headband are comfortable after long periods of wear
• Offer a low-lag mode for responsive gaming
• Long battery life and quick charging
• Tactile buttons

• A little bit heavy
• The design may not be for everyone

$300 at Nothing

Expand
Collapse

Price, availability, and specs

The Nothing Headphones 1 will be available for pre-order globally starting July 4th, 2025 on Nothing’s site and at select retailers. Official sales open on July 15th. These headphones come in black or white, with a carrying case, a 3.5mm cable, and a USB-C charging cable. The starting cost sits at $299, £299, and €299.

What I like about the Nothing Headphones 1

Comfort that stands out from the crowd

As soon as I opened the case, I was pretty impressed by the retro-futuristic style. It instantly reminded me of cassette tapes, but the look was on par with Nothing’s usual unique designs. The cans aren’t the typical round, black and basic style of most headphones. Instead, Nothing’s paired geometric details that are both eye-catching and functional. I wasn’t quite sure how much I’d like the square cans, but after putting them on, I can easily say they fit snugly and comfortably.

Overall, the headphones are very comfortable. They sport an adjustable headband with a padded center, and the earcups have plush padding that hugged nicely around my ears, making good seal. Headphone cups are usually a hard sell for me, since I have so many ear piercings, but I am happy to report that I had no problem wearing the Nothing Headphone 1 for over 6 hours.

Sticking to the design, the look is the only thing retro on these headphones. The Headphone 1 actually have a physical switch to toggle them off/on. You won’t find gesture controls here. Instead, there’s a roller, a paddle, and a few buttons. The volume roller is a bit touchy at first, but it is satisfying. You can roll the volume up or down, and little sounds indicate just how much you’re going in either direction. I only needed to press down lightly to pause or play my music, whereas a long press would turn on Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency Mode.

The Paddle is even simpler; I just needed to click it forward or backward to select or replay tracks. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed these design choices. I hate wrestling with gesture controls. Whether I’m wearing my Sony WH-1000XM4 or my Pixel Buds 2 Pro, I constantly have to swipe, press, tap, and eventually get fed up when they don’t respond or perform the right action, and just take out my phone. With the Headphone 1, there’s no struggle or guessing. Two different sounds play when you turn ANC off or on, the volume clicks, and everything just feels intuitive.

There’s also a programmable button you can use to launch whichever smart assistant you’re loyal to, or something else, and a separate button just for syncing with Bluetooth. It’s clear that Nothing had ease-of-use in mind when designing the Headphone 1, and if you need more proof, you need only look at the app. The Nothing App is very minimalistic, clearly labeled, and it offers a lot of customization. You can really tweak it to your preference, and find everything pretty fast thanks to the user-friendly layout.

I like the sound of that

Okay, with the design out of the way, we can finally dive into what headphones are all about, and the Headphone 1 do not disappoint. They sound great right out of the box, but if you want to tweak your sound, there are simple and more advanced options to get it to your taste. I tested out the different codex options using Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory to test the full range the headphones had to offer. With crystal highs, and pumping bass, and impressive mids, Chester Bennington’s vocals were made that much more powerful.

Not to be outdone, I did a call back to the ’60s with Jimi Hendrix’s All Along the Watch Tower, and the guitar is the clear show-stopper, but a good mix with all the instruments performing distinctly, even at the highest volume. Finally, I tested out a symphony with Nobuo Uematsu’s Dancing Mad. I was impressed with how all the instruments in the movement stood out, despite the mix of modern and classical instruments. Long story short: everything sounded great and at every volume. Considering these headphones are mid-range at $300, I feel like they are punching way above their weight class.

I synced the headphones to my laptop first to test out the video call quality, and the voices came in crystal clear; no trouble on either end. Phone calls were also great; better than any earbuds or headphones I’ve previously used. Usually, someone sounds muffled or there’s a hollow echo, but with the Headphone 1, it was just like normally talking on a phone.

Of course, I had to test out the low-lag mode, playing the Early Access Hades 2 on Steam just to see how the sound synced up, and it was surprisingly good. There was little to no lag, and the soundtrack, sound effects, and voice acting synced up seamlessly. I want to add that switching between my phone and laptop was also pretty smooth, since Nothing has a Dual Connection option right in the app.

Also, syncing the Headphone 1 to both devices was also incredibly easy. As far as ANC and transparency, both worked extremely well. My test here was my wild home with two kids under six on summer break, and I happily say, I can easily tune out the noise. While it may be slightly less than my Sonys, it still does an incredible job of blocking out the world. And transparency works just as well. Plus, battery life is great. I haven’t had to charge them much, but you can get up to 35 hours with ANC turned on, and 80 without. Plus, the fast charge can get you some quick juice if you forget to charge them. 5 minutes can get you over 2 hours.

What you might not like about the Nothing Headphones 1

A few little nitpicks

My experience with the Nothing Headphone 1 has been largely positive, so I feel like I’m splitting hairs a bit looking for negatives, but there are one or two things. For one, these are a bit heavier than my other headphones, coming in at 329 grams, whereas the Sony WH-1000XMG are 254 grams. They still weigh less than the AirPods Max, which weigh 385 grams, so again, we’re in the middle. However, the extra weight hasn’t really stopped me from wearing them for extended periods. Also, while the style is eye-catching, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Nothing has a black option that is a bit more muted, but it still has the same design. I really like the look, but I can see how it could be off-putting.

One final nitpick is that they don’t fold. Not like it’s a huge deal, since the ear cups twist to fit into a slim case, which is pretty compact. All of these are hardly deal-breakers, especially regarding what you get.

Should you buy them?

To say I was impressed by Nothing’s first go at headphones is an understatement. They sound great, fit comfortably, and certainly set themselves apart. While the lastest Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones might have slightly better ANC, they cost $150 more. Honestly, I prefer the functional buttons over gesture controls, so if that’s something you’re interested in, the Headphone 1 are for you. If this is where Nothing is starting, I’m excited to see what they do with their next pair.

Editor’s choice

Nothing Headphone (1)

9
/
10

Battery Life

35 hours with ANC / 80 without ANC

Microphones

4-mic ENC call architecture (6 mics total)

Weight

329g

Dimensions

173.8 x 78 x 189.2mm

The Nothing Headphones (1) are a refreshing new entry on the headphones’ scene, with a unique design and immersive sound. While the design might not be for everyone, they are cleverly engineered for long-term listening. Plus, they offer the luxury of more expensive headphones at a much lower cost.

$300 at Nothing

Expand
Collapse