Let’s face it: most over-ear headphones today are about as visually exciting as an airport security tray. The usual suspects—Sony, Bose, Sonos—are all great on sound, but they don’t exactly spark joy.
This is where Nothing came in – the UK-based tech company that’s been slowly and steadily carving its name into the gadget hall of fame. They have offbeat product names, this cheeky anti-corporate strategy energy that feels refreshingly fresh, and a brand name that is confusing as hell. Oh also, they have great design.
As part of their latest launch, they’ve thrown their hat into the premium over-ear headphone ring with the Nothing Headphone (1)—a name as minimalist as the product’s branding, but the hardware is honestly anything but minimal.
At first glance, the Headphone (1) feels like the AirPods Max’s artsy cousin—the one who studied product design in Berlin and only drinks single-origin cold brew (or maybe matcha now). The transparent earcups show off just enough of the internals to keep it interesting, while the aluminium and PU leather build balances futuristic and functional. It’s sleek, sturdy, and surprisingly lightweight for something that looks like it might’ve been dreamt up in a sci-fi movie.
The buttons do deserve their own shoutout though. In a world of endless swipes and taps, Nothing gives you tactility. Each control has a distinct shape and function: toggle, flick, push. It’s designed so you can operate it by feel, without yanking it off mid-meeting call to figure out which one’s the volume.
Design aside, these cans come loaded with every flagship spec checkbox you’d want. There’s active noise cancellation (adaptive, with AI, no less), spatial audio with head tracking, support for high-res codecs, and a generous 35-hour battery life (with ANC on). Turn it off and you’re looking at nearly 80 hours—a small miracle in a world where most wireless headphones tap out before the weekend.
Partnering with British HiFi stalwarts KEF, Nothing’s gone all-in on audio fidelity. The custom 40mm dynamic drivers deliver crisp highs, balanced mids, and punchy, restrained bass.
The Headphone (1) doesn’t just look like a modern gadget, but it does act like one. If you’re deep in the Nothing ecosystem, you’ll unlock the full suite of perks. Channel Hop, for instance, lets you switch between apps like Spotify, YouTube, and your favourite podcast platform with tapping the earcup. There’s also the new Nothing X app—offering customisable controls, and full transparency vs ANC toggling—all delivered in the brand’s signature stripped-down UI.
There’s even a 3.5mm jack, for those of us who still believe in cables. And a hard-shell case (thank god for that) that you can actually throw at the bottom of your backpack.
At USD299, the Headphone (1) undercuts Apple, Sony, and Bose by a decent margin while delivering 90 per cent of what those flagships do—plus a lot more personality. They sound excellent, feel expensive, and look like nothing else on the market. Sure, the ANC isn’t quite Sony-level, and the earpads—while plush—aren’t replaceable (a design quirk that might age poorly). But for most real-world users, these are nitpicks, not deal-breakers.
If you’re tired of audio gear that looks like tech-bro beigeware, and want something that turns heads and tunes, the Nothing Headphone (1) might just be the most exciting pair of cans you can put on your head right now.
