Nothing Headphone (1)
Exact average 73.4 · 9 printed, 1 estimated · printed scores only: 73
Image: Nothing10 professional reviewers tested the Nothing Headphone (1), and 2 recommend it. Most praised: battery life and design. Most common complaint: case and folding.
Reviewed by WIRED, Pocket Tactics, Expert Reviews and 7 more
The catch: Sound and comfort are only average for the price.
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What 10 critics said
Highest score first · all converted to 0–100- 90WIRED
Among the best near-premium headphones, delivering most of the flagship features and fun KEF-tuned sound for far less money, with only small drawbacks.
Read WIRED review - 90Pocket Tactics
A distinctive, premium over-ear pair with excellent sound, noise cancelling and battery life that became the reviewer's daily favorite despite a steep price and divisive looks.
Read Pocket Tactics review - 80Expert Reviews
A head-turning, reasonably priced first effort with good noise cancelling and controls, but uninspiring sound and tiring comfort make better rivals more appealing.
Read Expert Reviews review - 70Android Central
An easy recommendation for about $300, with stunning design, tunable sound and great buttons, though bass can overpower some tracks and the style is polarizing.
Read Android Central review - 70The Verge
A bold design with decent sound and noise cancelling at a lower price than big rivals, but odd omissions and awkward folding hold it back.
Read The Verge review - 70TechRadar
A striking, well-built and customizable debut dragged down by sound that does not justify the price, leaving value just acceptable.
Read TechRadar review - 70Trusted Reviews
Distinctive and solid with decent sound, good noise cancelling and ample battery, but near-£300 pricing and merely average sonic punch make value unconvincing.
Read Trusted Reviews review - 60What Hi-Fi?
Distinctive and solid-sounding with clear detail, but the listen lacks drama and rhythmic drive, leaving the reviewer frustrated and unwilling to give a strong recommendation.
Read What Hi-Fi? review - 60Tom's Guide
Good-looking, well-priced headphones with strong noise cancelling, but middling out-of-box sound that needs EQ fixes makes them hard to recommend over rivals.
Read Tom's Guide review - 74est.ShortCircuit
The Nothing Headphone (1) features a unique, stylish design and excellent, highly customizable EQ software that can significantly improve its sound quality.
Read ShortCircuit review
"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
Watch a video review
- ShortCircuit on YouTube ↗Counted in the score: 74
From YouTube channels we vetted by hand. Videos paid for by the brand are never listed.
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
Other noise-cancelling headphones critics rate highly
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Common questions
Is the Nothing Headphone (1) worth it?
Critics are divided: 2 of 10 recommend it. Sound and comfort are only average for the price.
Do critics agree about the Nothing Headphone (1)?
Critics split: scores range from 60 (What Hi-Fi?) to 90 (WIRED), a spread of 30 points across 10 reviews. Reviewers disagree, so read the individual reviews before buying.
What do critics dislike about the Nothing Headphone (1)?
Case and folding (4 of 10 reviews), Price (3 of 10 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Nothing Headphone (1)?
The Dali IO-8 (critic score 93), top pick, narrowly.