Nothing Headphone 1 [Full Review]: Is It a Good Buy in 2025?

The Nothing Headphone One stands out more than any other pair I’ve used. They draw stares and comments—especially from kids who seem both curious and baffled by their style. If you’re looking for headphones that get attention, these certainly do the trick.

Nothing offers these headphones in two colors:

white and black. After spending a couple weeks with the white version, I’m now switching to the black model for this review. The headphones arrive packed in a sturdy, square case with a fuzzy exterior for a soft feel. Inside, you’ll find the headphones, a Nothing-branded USB Type-C to Type-C cable, and a 3.5mm audio cable. The storage case is roomy enough for the headphones and accessories, and is well built for everyday use.

The design immediately stands out. The boxy, transparent cups and red marker for the right earcup look bold and unusual. There aren’t any flashy LEDs—so you won’t be pulling off any disco effects—but the style is unique even without the extra lights. The build is mostly plastic but feels solid. The headband is tough, and the structure seems built to last.

Comfort is good, even for longer listening sessions. While there’s less padding on the headband than some other brands, I had no issues during use, even with very little hair to cushion things. The earcups have enough padding to keep things comfortable. One drawback: these headphones don’t fold compactly for travel. The earcups rotate flat so they’re easier to wear around your neck, but they can knock together as you walk, which causes a bit of wear over time. The square corners aren’t great for avoiding scuffs.

The Nothing Headphone One is IP52 rated,

so they can handle a bit of rain but aren’t fully waterproof. If you’re caught in a downpour, keep them dry when you can.

Pairing with your phone is simple with the Nothing X app, available for both iOS and Android. The headphones support Bluetooth 5.3 and can connect to two devices at once. The app lets you adjust active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and audio settings, and switch between LDAC and AAC codecs. There’s a “find my headphones” feature that plays a sound to help you track them down if they get misplaced.

All controls and ports sit on the right earcup, which keeps things convenient but a bit crowded. You’ll find the power button, Type-C charging port, and 3.5mm jack here. There’s a control paddle for skipping tracks and fast-forwarding, plus a scroll wheel you push to play or pause, or roll to change volume. The wheel moves left and right instead of up and down, which may take some getting used to. Smaller nudges don’t do much—you’ll need a bigger movement to adjust volume. Head detection is included, pausing playback when you take the headphones off. You can cycle through noise cancellation and transparency modes with the scroll wheel or assign controls as you prefer in the app, though some options are fixed.

Each earcup houses a 40mm driver, with tuning by British audio company KEF. Despite the LDAC support for high-resolution audio, the default sound profile is somewhat flat. Luckily, the app includes an equalizer with both basic and advanced settings, giving you control over bass, mids, and treble. An eight-point EQ allows for detailed adjustments, and a multi-level bass boost helps add punch to your music. However, the handy hearing test found in Nothing’s true wireless earbuds is missing here.

Noise cancellation works well enough, offering settings for low, medium, and high, plus adaptive mode that adjusts to your environment. It deals with most daily noise, including traffic, though it’s not as strong as competitors in higher price brackets. Wind noise is minimal and doesn’t interfere much with listening.

Microphone performance holds up in both quiet and noisy places, using a four-mic setup with AI noise suppression. Calls sound clean, even outdoors near busy roads.

Battery life is solid. With everything on and volume up, you’ll get about 30 hours on a full charge. Turn off noise cancellation and battery life stretches to 50 or even 60 hours. This matches Nothing’s own estimates, and you should get several days of normal use before needing a charge. Charging takes a couple of hours from empty, but a quick charge gets you enough power for a long commute.

In summary, the Nothing Headphone One delivers a bold design that turns heads, comfortable fit, good battery performance, and a full set of app features. While audio quality could offer more punch and the folding design isn’t as travel-friendly, it’s a strong first try from Nothing. If you want headphones with personality and plenty of features, these are worth considering.