Nothing

Nothing Headphone (1)

D
Ranked #22 in Headphones
247 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The strongest new entrant, with excellent reviews and battery, ranked this low purely because a first-generation product from a young brand has no proven longevity or support record - no one can say how firmware will be maintained in year four, and that uncertainty is exactly what this lens prices in.

Consolidated from 68 cited sources across 55 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

  • 1 enthusiastic source
  • 35 positive sources
  • 25 mixed sources
  • 5 unconvinced sources
See the sources
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Pros & cons

  • ✓ Excellent battery life - over 33 hours with ANC enabled
  • ✓ Friendly, excellent tactile physical controls
  • ✓ Solid, engaging, musically satisfying tuning
  • ✓ Great-looking and feeling, very good for travel
  • ✓ Distinctive, design-led looks
  • ✗ Microphone performance is the weak point
  • ✗ First-generation product from a young brand - long-term firmware support is unproven
  • ✗ MKBHD frames the whole review around skepticism: Nothing is 'a design company'
  • ✗ Substance unproven against established rivals at the same money
  • ✗ Community takeaway: style first

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 21 articles, 42 video reviews and 5 community sources

35 positive sources

I IGN Mark Knapp · reviewer
The controls on the Nothing Headphone 1 are a curious mix. In a few cases, they’re very simple and easy to understand. For instance, they have a straightforward power switch that you can flip on or off — little uncertainty there and no need to hold a button for several seconds to turn them off and on (or back off if you thought they were on but they were already off — you catch my meaning). But th
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C clipset clipset · 2.5M subscribers · Jul 2025
Let's see, you could say they're beautiful, and beautiful might not be the word. The word might be eye-catching. Yes, why? Well, because they have. let's see, they have a very futuristic design. They have a rather peculiar design. They don't resemble any headphones we 've seen to date.
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A Aaron x Loud and Wireless matthew tjen · reviewer
The first thing that jumps out at me about the Nothing Headphone (a) is that rock solid battery life, quoted by Nothing as up to 135 Hours without noise canceling, but since I always use it with noise canceling, I got about 70 hours playing over AAC codec at 50% volume. That’s way above what most noise cancelers offer, which is usually within the range of 20-30 hours of juice.
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T Tech Spurt Tech Spurt · 1.4M subscribers · Jul 2025
And nothing's design is certainly unique, distinctive, I guess, and uh yeah, remarkable. And some might be tempted to say completely bat mental, but one thing's for sure, they're certainly eye-catching. You'll be attracting a fair amount of attention if you've got these slapped on your Guliver as you're having a merry little stroll to your local odd bins.
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S SoundGuys Christian Thomas · reviewer
This section will not be finished before publish because Nothing gave the Nothing Headphone (a) an enormous 1,050mAh battery billed to give users 135 hours of listening time. Given that competing headsets tend to fall within 400-700mAh, I have a strong suspicion these things are going to last on our battery testing setup for just short of a week.
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T Tim Schofield Tim Schofield · 971K subscribers · Jul 2025
Hey everyone, Tim Scoffield here and I just landed in London with nothing to check out their first ever overear headphones and they are some of the most distinct and unique looking overear headphones I've ever seen. Here's just a quick sneak peek. All right, but we are going to unbox these. Take a look what comes inside. I did that back in the studio before I left.
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S Son-Vidéo.com: blog Coralie Claude · reviewer
The Nothing Headphone (a) Bluetooth headphones are for those looking for comprehensive, modern, durable headphones. Their record-breaking battery life means you can listen for weeks on end without worrying about recharging them. The physical controls are intuitive, and the multipoint connection makes it easy to switch from one device to another.
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N Nick Ackerman Nick Ackerman · 897K subscribers · Jul 2025
These things are pretty stunning.
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R RecordingNOW.com Odi Productions · reviewer
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Nothing Headphone (a) review for those who are wondering whether they are WORTH IT in 2026. I’ll also be comparing the Nothing Headphone (a) vs Nothing Headphone 1, CMF Headphone Pro, Soundcore Space One, Sony ULT Wear, Sennheiser Accentum, JBL Tune 770NC, and more!
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T Trakin Tech English Trakin Tech English · 870K subscribers · Jul 2025
And trust me, I am I am pretty impressed. All right, if you're watching me for the first time, I'm Ara. This is Track Tech English, your destination for detailed, incessive headphone reviews.
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S SoundGuys Christian Thomas · reviewer
However, there shouldn’t be many situations where it will fall below the price of the newer Nothing Headphone (a). Both products are easiest to obtain online, as the big box stores are hit-or-miss with stock in brands that aren’t household names.
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S Sam Beckman Sam Beckman · 621K subscribers · Apr 2026
Long story short, I actually think that they offer a really really interesting value proposition. I mean, for one, they carry across a very similar strikingly unique design that so many people loved about Nothing's flagship headphones, even offering two unique color options now. And for me, the design itself is a serious selling point.
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Q Quora Quora answer
The Nothing Headphone (a) actually sound pretty good for the price They have a punchy bass and clear vocals which makes them fun for everyday music podcastsand casual listening They’re not super audiophile but most people will enjoy the tuning.
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T This is Tech Today This is Tech Today · 502K subscribers · Jul 2025
So, when I heard that they were finally coming out with the Nothing Headphone 1, I was excited.
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F Facebook richersounds
Product review: Nothing Headphone (a) ANC Wireless Headphones - The Nothing Headphone (a) looked good enough to tempt me into buying them. Three weeks later, I’m still struggling to find a reason I shouldn’t have.
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T TechRadar TechRadar · 457K subscribers · Jul 2025
When it comes to features and the technical side, the Nothing Headphone One absolutely won me over.
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R RecordingNOW danielmoksmann5654 · owner · Jul 2025
That said, the fact they were able to produce something of quality and with a cool design, which can be justified as a purchase irrespective of the association with/support for the brand, that's an A++ in my book.
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6 6 Months Later 6 Months Later · 299K subscribers · Jan 2026
So, do I recommend the Nothing Headphone (1)? Yes. For the money, I don't think I've seen a better pair of headphones.
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G Gadgetbyte Nepal Nikhil Shrestha · reviewer
So that was the all-new Nothing Headphone (a). And if there’s one takeaway I’d like to leave you with, it’s that this is a great pair of headphones—despite a few flaws.
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G GadgetsBoy GadgetsBoy · 167K subscribers · Apr 2026
I love the design. The design is still very similar. Although we now have this plastic finishing on the front here.
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M MusicTech Article Read G GadgetsBoy GadgetsBoy · 167K subscribers · Jul 2025
It looks pretty cool and it's got that red dot on there like you always do with nothing and it's got nothing headphone written on there as well which is kind of cool. The whole point of this is you can see the inner workings of what the headphones about. Let's talk more about the design because it's kind of quirky as you can already see already.
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R RTINGS Article Read A Aaron X Loud and Wireless Aaron X Loud and Wireless · 163K subscribers · Apr 2026
In terms of microphone quality, the headphone A performed way beyond expectations. Clean and clear in quiet conditions, and in noisy, windy conditions, it cancels background noise to almost nothing, while leaving my voice relatively intact, albeit a little softer and a bit muffled at certain times compared to in quiet conditions.
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H Head-Fi Article Read E EL JEFE REVIEWS EL JEFE REVIEWS · 153K subscribers · Mar 2026
On paper, the specs are seriously compelling.
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W Well balanced and spot on Article
Well balanced and spot on
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E EL JEFE REVIEWS EL JEFE REVIEWS · 153K subscribers · Mar 2026
On paper, the specs are seriously compelling.
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P Picky Audio Picky Audio · 131K subscribers · Aug 2025
I've been playing around with some settings, playing around with the sound, and I think they're just a solid headphone. I think I get nothing's new direction they're taking with their products.
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T TechBroll TechBroll · 67.7K subscribers · Jul 2025
Its design and aesthetics are second to nothing, much like all of their Nothing phones. It features a combination of aluminum and transparent plastic with a little bit of retro touch thanks to its internal cassette-like aesthetics. I'm more of an earbuds kind of guy, but I would be lying if I said I didn't find this interesting to say the least.
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H Ho Young Won Ho Young Won · 66.5K subscribers · Feb 2026
And thankfully, I absolutely love how these look in person. I was pretty worried that the signature transparent nothing look might feel cheap when paired with the aluminum cups, but it's actually executed really well. This design reminds me of those old cassette tapes, which is very fitting since this is an audio product.
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D Drew Lipps Drew Lipps · 24.8K subscribers · Mar 2026
Right away I can tell you these feel a whole lot lighter than headphone ones. These are incredibly light really out of the box. We'll get more into that here shortly. In the box, the first thing you're greeted with aside from the headphones is a carrying pouch. It's not going to be a premium hard shell case like headphone one, but something you can easily toss the headphones into when on the go.
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D Drew Lipps Drew Lipps · 24.8K subscribers · Apr 2026
They are very comfortable, and that's an easy win in my book, especially compared to the more expensive headphone 1, which are heavier, and over time you do get some fatigue with these. I don't find myself getting any fatigue, and I have a larger head here, and they stretch very nicely and fit great all day. Bluetooth pairing is incredibly seamless.
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B BeebNG BeebNG · 15.1K subscribers · Nov 2025
I am actually a huge fan of this design. I believe it comes in both black and white color. But I actually prefer this white one. And what makes this stand out is its iconic transparent look. Now I'm not going to lie. Seeing this online and from other videos to me it looks like another flashy headphone. But having it in person, it looks clean and minimal while still standing out.
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T TechArchitect TechArchitect · 59 subscribers · Jun 2026
The battery life was phenomenal. Comfort stayed excellent for hours. Noise canceling performed reliably, and the overall audio experience felt refined and enjoyable. In the middle of this review, remember the product link is in the description for the latest deals on the Nothing headphone one.
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25 mixed sources

T Tom's Guide Article
The Nothing Headphone (a) are some of the most exciting new headphones on the market right now. I’m so sick of audio brands making boring — sorry, “discreet” — headphones that look like every other pair of over-ears. I respect a brand that goes above and beyond to make visually interesting tech, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Headphone (a).
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T Trakin Tech Trakin Tech · 15.5M subscribers · Jul 2025
If it's loose, it'll be a problem. Because that's one of the biggest problems with this. This cushion, Oh! They feel nice actually!
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F Fonearena Varun Krish · reviewer
However, you might want to look elsewhere if you are a purist audiophile seeking an impeccable out-of-the-box sound signature. Similarly, those who require a higher IP rating for use in rain or during exercise, or who simply prefer a more modest and formal design, may find other options more suitable.
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B Beebom Beebom · 3.5M subscribers · Jul 2025
See, when I first saw the leak, I was kind of confused and a lot of you on Twitter also didn't like the design, but when I actually got my hands on them, I was genuinely impressed. The build quality, the tiny details in designing, playback controls, and everything was just perfect. It wasn't exactly love at first sight, but the design kind of grew on me just like ARM songs.
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P Pickr Article
Pretty much everything that was questionable about the more expensive Headphone (1) is still questionable here. Nothing has left some of the issues as that — issues — essentially delivering a less expensive offering that could have been that little better overall.
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A ASBYT ASBYT · 1.1M subscribers · Jul 2025
These are the nothing headphone 1 and they might be the coolest overear headphones we've seen in years.
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W What Hi-Fi? Article
The Nothing Headphone (1) leave us feeling frustrated. We can sense that there are the makings of an interesting product in here, as shown by the headphones’ distinctive design, attractive price point and solid sonic foundation.
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I iKnowReview iKnowReview · 626K subscribers · Jul 2025
But there are two things about it that bother me . Underneath the faux leather, I get very hot very quickly, especially in summer . Fabric is much more comfortable, and you can't simply replace the cushions yourself if they get dirty or broken. For that, you have to send the headphones in, and I think that's completely unacceptable . They cannot be folded up small, only laid flat.
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R Reviews.org Fergus Halliday · reviewer
Nothing's new over-ear headphones cut a few corners when it comes to noise-canceling and material design, but make up for those subtractions with longer battery life and a more affordable price.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 323K subscribers · Jul 2025
The only downside with this rectangular design, as you might have heard the mic picking up, is that they ding into each other. You know, the corners can easily collide when you're handling them, especially if you're wearing the headphones around your neck and you have the headband extended. You know, these these clink into each other quite a lot.
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S SetupScore SetupScore · reviewer
However, while its design is a point of pride for some, its inability to fold up and the difficulty in replacing ear pads may be drawbacks for others.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 323K subscribers · Mar 2026
This is both good and bad, as we noted with the headphone one. You may have issues with it if you have a larger head.
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T techreviewer.de Timo Altmeyer · reviewer
It's sufficient for quick transport, but I would have preferred more protection in a fully packed backpack.
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S SoundGuys SoundGuys · 323K subscribers · Jul 2025
Both work well for long sessions, but I think Bose edges ahead slightly just because of that weight difference. One practical consideration though is that the Nothing headphones can't fold up. They can only rotate to lay flat, while Bose on the other hand gives you that traditional folding design that makes travel a lot easier.
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G Gadgetguy Article
The ostentatious Nothing Headphone (a) delivers the former, but falls a little short on the latter.
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A Adam Lobo TV Adam Lobo TV · 261K subscribers · Apr 2026
But, speaking of flights, the caveat is that this particular headphones does not fold flat. Like, you cannot bend it to fold flat, so keep that in mind when you're packing this on. Then, the memory foam ear cups and the headbands paddings are genuinely very well thought out even though if you have ear piercings.
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Q Quora Quora answer
However, they are not class-leading in pure sound quality.
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K KLGadgetTV KLGadgetTV · 211K subscribers · Jul 2025
But just like any tu material, it can get warm after a while, which can be really uncomfortable. Definitely not something that you'll want to wear during the summer or under a hot weather. But if you're wearing this in an air condition room, it is pretty manageable. Although the headphone one can be folded, I'm glad that nothing has provided a pretty nice hard case to store the headphone.
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A Aaron X Loud and Wireless Aaron X Loud and Wireless · 163K subscribers · Jul 2025
Everyone has mixed opinions about the aesthetics of the Nothing Headphone One. Some of you love it. Some of you don't really like it. You even called it ridiculous or weird in the comments section. Now, I for one think that it's one of the coolest looking headphones.
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K Kyle Erickson Kyle Erickson · 155K subscribers · Aug 2025
That being said, that reduction in cost does come with some downsides. And depending on what you value, that may or may not be a deal breakaker for you.
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P Picky Audio Picky Audio · 131K subscribers · May 2026
Scoring the headphone A a 10 out of 10, 2 points up from the headphone 1. Because you get a pretty unheard of 135 hours of battery with noise canceling off and a whopping 75 hours with noise canceling on. Even with LDAC on and noise canceling, you still get over 60 hours of battery life. It's great to see nothing advertises these amounts as well.
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S Spencer Scott Pugh Spencer Scott Pugh · 46.6K subscribers · Aug 2025
I think they go so well together. Without further ado, let's hop into the Nothing Headphone One. I've said it before, nothing is the first company that I've like really been excited for for like smartphones and stuff, an Appleesque kind of company since I fell in love with Apple. So to have a company that can do that is kind of crazy cuz I've been sort of an Apple fanboy for a very long time.
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L LegendaryBadass LegendaryBadass · 37.1K subscribers · Jun 2026
You got aluminum, stainless steel construction. Now, there is still plenty of plastic, synthetic materials, but these ear cups are quite comfortable. Clamping force, not so bad. Plenty of room for my ears. And yeah, I got to say, I can wear these for a while. Not to the extent of the 30-plus hour battery, but I've marathon sessioned these already.
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W WhatsNew WhatsNew · 24.2K subscribers · Jul 2025
Because of this squarish shape with the hard edges and whatnot, if you are walking against the wind, you can hear it. Even with noise cancelling on, wind noise is a little bit of an issue as a result of this design. Nonetheless, if you're looking to make an impression, if you're looking to stand out of the crowd, this is the way to do it. Now, I do love the build quality.
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H Holo Circuits Holo Circuits · 15 subscribers · Aug 2026
Now, I will say the build quality is very good, but I did notice that the headphone 1 are a bit tighter around the head than some other headphones on the market. Now, this won't bother a lot of people. Some people it may bother, but it doesn't make my head hurt over time or anything like that. It's just something I noticed.
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Frequently asked questions

It ranks #22 of 28 on our headphones tier list, in D tier. That placement draws on 68 cited sources across 55 outlets.

5 of the 66 sources with a clear view are critical of it, among them Dave2D, r/NothingTech and Septien Patterson. Microphone performance is the weak point. First-generation product from a young brand - long-term firmware support is unproven. MKBHD frames the whole review around skepticism: Nothing is 'a design company'. Substance unproven against established rivals at the same money. Community takeaway: style first.

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