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Nothing debuts gadget-filled over-ear headphones with retro design
16 hours ago
- Nothing debuts its first over-ear headphones for $299 (€299/£299).
- The cans will ship in Black and White colorways and feature USB-C audio, an IP52 rating, and native spatial audio.
- Global pre-orders begin on July 4, 2025, from Nothing’s website and select partners. Open sales start July 15, 2025.
Nothing has just unveiled its first-ever over-ear headphones — the Nothing Headphone (1). Blending the Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise bridge with Sony’s 1983 Walkman WM-4 portable cassette player, the cans are unlike anything else on the market today. In true Nothing fashion, the headphones feature transparent elements, aluminium components, and resilient plastic. The ear cup padding is oil-resistant and consists of polyurethane memory foam. The headphones opt for tactile buttons instead of touch controls, featuring a multifunction button, roller, and paddle. Combined, the headphones weigh 329g and measure 78 x 189 x 174 mm.
The ear cups house 40mm dynamic drivers with 8.9mm polyurethane surrounds for freer air movement. Noise canceling is delivered using Dual feedforward and feedback microphones. Similarly, a 4-microphone Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) system, powered by AI, delivers transparency mode. The headphones are IP52-rated, so you don’t need to worry about internal components being damaged by water droplets or small solid particles.
According to Nothing, the Headphone (1) should last 35 hours with ANC enabled and 80 hours without it. Similarly, the cans should provide 37 hours of talk time with ANC and 53 hours without it. They run Bluetooth 5.3 and connect wirelessly via the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. While absent at the time of writing, the headphones may support Auracast with LE Audio in the future. However, if you enjoy listening over wires, the Nothing Headphone (1) support USB-C audio and feature a 3.5mm headphone port. The relevant cables are supplied out of the box, along with a 264g softshell carry case.
Nothing’s companion app provides access to Adaptive ANC and built-in spatial audio with head tracking. The last allows you to experience any stereo track in surround sound without necessarily being mixed for Dolby Atmos. Nothing provides an 8-band custom EQ with horizontal sliders for fine-tuning each band’s frequency and quality factor. Additionally, there are four EQ presets and a simple three-band visualizer. A separate bass enhancer boosts the low end without adjusting the main EQ.
The Nothing Headphone (1) use Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair to connect in a cinch and support Nothing’s Dual Connection feature. The last allows you to hook the headphones up to and seamlessly switch between two separate devices. On-head detection also means you won’t miss a beat when you lay the headphones down.
Gamers can enable low-latency gaming mode for a streamlined wireless experience. The Nothing X app also has provisions for customizing the headphones’ controls. For example, you can enable voice assistant, noise control, spatial audio, mic mute, and EQ presets with the multifunction button. Users can assign and activate a second function by pressing and holding the multifunction button. Those wanting to replay their favorite riff can rewind or fast-forward tracks in supported media players by pressing and holding the paddle in either direction. Those prone to losing their belonging can also make use of Nothing’s Find My feature. This emits a loud alert to help you locate the headphones.
If you have a Nothing phone, you can use the multifunction button to enable the company’s AI-powered Essential Space feature. This lets you capture voice notes and more without having to navigate through your phone. Similarly, those with a new Nothing Phone (3) can use the headphones’ Channel Hop feature. This cycles between recent audio apps and more directly from the headphones.
The Nothing Headphone (1) will be available for pre-order for $299 (€299/£299) from nothing.tech and select partners from July 4, 2025. Open sales start from July 25, 2025.
