Nothing Headphone (1) review – bold, brave, and brilliant

Nothing is a truly unique rising tech company that has been turning a lot of heads over the past few years, releasing an impressive range of tech with a goal of “building a world where tech is fun again.” Well, they’ve certainly achieved that with their first entry into the over-ear audio category, as you’ll see in this Nothing Headphone (1) review.

When I first opened the box that the Nothing Headphone (1) came in, I was immediately impressed with just how premium everything felt. The packaging itself is delightfully well thought-out, with the headphones snug and secure in their case inside of a sleek box. The case is a firm shell with a felt cover and a chunky, Nothing-branded zipper that feels very sturdy. Inside, the material is a softer felt around a molded inlay that fits around the headphones perfectly, along with a small pocket for accessories. The headphones also come with two Nothing-branded cables – one USB-C to USB-C and one 3.5mm audio cable.

Now, onto the headphones themselves. I received the white version as a review unit before seeing any photos or leaks of the design. I’ve noticed that their appearance has since proven to be quite contentious online, but after seeing them for the first time in person, I was immediately smitten. The headphones sport a predominantly monochromatic design, with black cushions and a white and grey extendable band, allowing the unique silver and white cups to take center stage.

While I understand they’re quite the statement piece considering their size and visibility when wearing them out and about, I’m personally a fan of the neo-retro vibes they give off. With their rectangular ear cups, rounded edges, and the clear plastic oval centerpieces showing off the inner workings, they’re almost reminiscent of cassette tapes, reminding me of what I imagined future tech would look like when I was a child. I also feel they look significantly cooler when worn than what you’d first expect and certainly stand out in a sea of samey earbuds and over-ear headphones.

I can’t fault the build quality here. The foam cushions are extremely soft and comfortable, extending the band feels smooth but firm to prevent any slips, and every element feels expertly assembled. They’re incredibly comfortable to wear. In fact, I’d say they far surpass my beloved Razer Kraken Kitty V2s on the comfort scale, and I’ve worn them for extended periods without any pressure or tension around my head or ears. I have a pretty small head, so I wear them at the smallest size, but they also extend quite far, so I’m sure they’ll be just as comfortable for larger noggins.

I found connecting the Nothing Headphone (1) to my phone to be a super simple process using Bluetooth via the Nothing App. Simply flick the power switch on the base of the right cup, search for a device in the app, and you’re up and running in seconds. Once connected, the app launches you into a quick interactive tutorial that walks you through each of the buttons and what they do by default.

In addition to the small power switch, the base of the right ear cup features an LED power light alongside the USB-C and 3.5mm audio ports. The back of the cup features two sleek buttons. The first is a wide roller switch that you can (naturally) roll, click, or hold, while the second is a thin rectangular paddle switch that you can flick back and forth.

By default, rolling the first button adjusts volume, clicking it pauses or resumes audio, and holding it toggles noise cancelling. The second button allows you to skip or rewind the media you’re currently playing, while holding it allows you to fast forward or rewind. I was also delighted to find that this button works with skipping YouTube ads, which is a great option when listening to podcasts while cleaning or out and about.

However, you may note that I said ‘by default’ – well, that’s because the Nothing app allows you to rebind the controls and tweak them to your liking. Alongside this, the app also shows you the headphones’ battery life, and offers a great level of customization, enabling you to change your noise-cancelling level, toggle head tracking or fixed spatial audio, alter the equalizer and bass enhancement, and more. It’s all really intuitive, allowing you to tweak the headphones to your liking.

The sound quality on the Headphone (1) is truly impressive, and, in my opinion, blows both my Razer headset and my Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds out of the water. The spatial audio is incredibly immersive, whether you’re listening to music, watching a movie, or playing games, and the noise cancellation is dizzying. After using it for a while, I genuinely forget just how loud the world is without them, which is great as someone who gets very overstimulated in busy places. Plus, the option to switch to adaptive when you’re out and about is very convenient.

I also tried using the Headphone (1) with my Nintendo Switch 2 via the audio cable, both in handheld mode and using the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller‘s audio jack, and it was a delight to play all the best Switch games like Breath of the Wild with that crisp surround sound. I imagine it’ll be a great help with all the best FPS games – and perhaps the perfect way to give yourself a heart attack with all the best horror games.

In terms of battery life, the Headphone (1) continue to impress me. I found that the quoted time of up to 35 hours of listening time to ring true, as after two hours of constant use via Bluetooth with noise cancelling and spatial audio on, they only dropped 5% battery. They juice up incredibly fast, too, with a quick five-minute charge providing 2.4 hours of playback.

The Nothing Headphone (1)’s Bluetooth connection is yet another win. I can leave my phone in one room and run all over the house, up and down the stairs, and even into my garden without losing connection. This is significantly better than other Bluetooth headphones I’ve used in the past, where I generally get drops in connection if I’m upstairs while my phone is downstairs. I was also pleasantly surprised by the built-in microphone and its ability to cancel out background noise while you’re on the phone. While you’re not gonna be recording your next album or producing professional streamer-quality audio with this mic, it definitely does the job for day-to-day calls.

The Headphone (1) have an admittedly steep price of $299 / £299, which does push them far out of the budget bracket. And, with their unusual appearance and plenty of budget-friendly competition on the market, that may be a pretty big ask, even for big fans of Nothing. However, after spending the last two weeks with them, I’d say they’re worth the price and they have easily become my favorite on-the-go audio solution I’ve tried to date.

Overall, the Nothing Headphone (1) is a genuinely impressive set of over-ear headphones that have quickly become my favorite pair for daily use. While their unique design and steep price may not be to everyone’s taste, I’m excited to see Nothing once again pushing the boat out and taking risks with its new wave of tech, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.

If you’re not sold on these headphones, be sure to check out our guides to the best earbuds for iPhone and the best Nintendo Switch 2 headsets for a wide range of different options. Or, if you’re looking for a new device to pair your fresh headphones with, head over to our list of the best Android phones or the best gaming phones to see what’s out there.