I tried the Nothing Headphone (1): First impressions review

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Nothing is better than getting high-quality tech without paying high prices.

That's the idea behind the release of tech start-up Nothing's first pair of over-ear headphones, the aptly named Headphone (1). Clocking in at $299, these headphones are a good $100 to $150 cheaper than most premium flagship releases these days, and as of July 15, available to order.

As someone who's tested their share of budget to premium headphones, I know that budget headphones these days can often punch above their weight, but that a lower price also comes with some trade-offs, whether that be slightly less powerful ANC, less customizability for sound and on-ear settings, or a less comfortable wear.

With that in mind, I expect the $299 Nothing Headphone (1) to be great in some areas, and just OK in others — so far, my initial testing has proven that expectation true.

(Note: the following are my first impressions based on a couple of days of use. Though not likely to change dramatically, my opinions may develop as I spend more time with these headphones.)

Before we get into my thoughts, here's the basics of what you'll encounter with these headphones:

• Size: 174mm x 189mm x 78mm

• Case size: 220mm x 220mm x 52mm

• Weight: 329 grams

• Playback with ANC: Up to 35 hours

• Playback without ANC: Up to 80 hours

• Fast charging: 5 minutes for 5 hours of playback (or 2.4 hours with ANC)

• Codecs: AAC, SBC, LDAC

• Water resistance: IP52 rated for water and dust resistance

• Inputs: USB-C and 3.5mm headphone jack

• Microphones: 4

Nothing Headphone (1): The good

Design

First and foremost, these headphones don't look like anything else on the market. That's typical for Nothing, whose earbuds and phones lean on a futuristic, often transparent design. While the look isn't exactly my favorite, I do appreciate a brand not going for the blatant copy of already popular headphones. And I can appreciate them offering two distinct colorways: white and black.

Aesthetics aside, I love that Nothing went for tactile on-ear controls over touch controls. I find buttons to generally be more reliable and easier to use than the touch controls on headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6s. Along with the dedicated on/off switch, these headphones have a Bluetooth button, an exterior round button, a paddle button, and a roller button. Each comes with its own presets that can be customized, earning these headphones even more points. This thoughtfulness of design and level of customizability definitely makes them feel like a premium pair of headphones.

Less practical is the lack of folding ear cups, but Nothing does keep the carrying case profile ultra slim. I also have to shout out the clean design of the companion app, which offers plenty of avenues for customization without much of a learning curve.

Active noise cancellation

Speaking of customization, Nothing's headphones come with customizable ANC, at three different levels, plus an adaptive ANC mode. After the discontinuation of the Bose 700 headphones, adjustable ANC seemed to take a back seat for a few years, but I've been seeing it pop up in more budget models from EarFun and Skullcandy, though it's not in more premium options like the Bose QC Ultras or Sony's latest release.

Overall, the AI-powered ANC is solid. It's not quite as powerful as Bose or Sony's flagships — which makes sense, considering those headphones have 10 and 12 mics respectively, which help out with ANC. Still, these headphones do muffle the sound of my typing and my partner, who also works from home.

Sound quality

These headphones were created in partnership with KEF to produce high-fidelity sound, and the result is a sound profile that, so far, epitomizes the word decent.

I also have a sound quality section below — that's because I truly feel like these headphones fall most in the middle in this specific category. For its good points, it has some depth out of the box with a respectable amount of clarity, but it just doesn't compare to more expensive options. However, with the companion app, it does have the most intricate equalizers I've ever seen on consumer headphones. I need to play around with it more before I give my final thoughts, but I am impressed by its existence.

Alongside the equalizer, the app also offers a bass enhancement mode with several different levels, and two different kinds of spatial audio (fixed and head-tracking) that, upon a listen to "In My Life" by the Beatles, definitely makes a difference in the listening experience.

Battery life

At 35 hours per full charge with ANC on, these headphones have better battery life than the AirPods Max, Bose QC Ultras, and Sony WH-1000XM6s. The Dyson OnTrac have them beat at 55 hours, but they also cost $500. At a $300 price point, I'm impressed.

Nothing Headphone (1): The bad

Comfort

I'll start with the point that could easily be in someone else's pro column: how these headphones wear. Other reviewers have found the stronger grip and heft of these headphones preferable, but it wasn't my cup of tea. For me, I like the feeling of headphones so comfortable and lightweight that I forget I'm wearing them. Though the Headphone (1) were not outright uncomfortable, they do squeeze and weigh down my head — I much prefer options like the Bose QuietComfort line or the Sony WH-1000XM5 or XM6s for long-term wear. All this to say, headphone fit can be so personal.

So-so sound quality

To be clear, these headphones don't sound at all bad. They just don't quite match up with the rest of the premium market right out of the box. The more bass-heavy cover of "God Only Knows" by Scary Pockets and Pomplamoose lacked a richness and some clarity, while "Cookie" by New Jeans sounded good enough, but not excellent in the way it sounds on the Sony WH-1000XM6s. In other words, so far, the sound profile of these headphones reflects their lower price point.

It's also worth pointing out again that these are my very initial, out-of-the-box impressions. I'm curious to play around more with the extensive equalizer settings and test out the spatial audio more to see how that impacts my experience with the sound.

No passive playback

Where I don't imagine my opinion changing is the lack of passive playback. Though not a hugely important feature, I cannot wrap my head around the trend of requiring headphones to be on for the aux cord to provide audio playback — it defeats the purpose. It's a smaller gripe (and one also seen on the QC Ultra headphones), but one worth mentioning.

On-ear volume control

As much as I love the tactile experience, the volume roller is my least favorite of the on-ear buttons. I appreciate the thought behind swiping left or right to change the volume, but the reality is that it's hard to control the amount either way, and the way it registers touch is inconsistent.

Where to buy the Nothing Headphone (1)

If you're ready to check out the Nothing Headphone (1) based on the above, you can buy it now from Amazon or Nothing's website.