Verdict: The Nothing Headphone (1) Pro is the most beautiful pair of wireless headphones Nothing has ever made — and the most conflicted. At $399, its triple-driver hardware, studio-grade Flat EQ switch and meticulous build are genuinely impressive, but reviewers are split on whether the sound justifies a $100 jump over the standard Headphone (1). If you are a creator who will actually use the Flat EQ, it is a fascinating buy; if you just want a quiet commute, the cheaper models remain the smarter pick.
Price and availability
Nothing launched the Headphone (1) Pro on September 28, 2026, with sales starting September 29 at $399 in the US (£349 in the UK, €349 in Europe), in black and white. That is $100 more than the standard Headphone (1)'s $299 launch price, $50 less than Sony's WH-1000XM6 and $150 below Apple's AirPods Max. It is sold through Nothing's own store, Amazon and Best Buy in North America. Nothing also named V of BTS as its new global brand ambassador to mark the launch.
Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Over-ear, closed-back wireless |
| Drivers | 3 per earcup: 40mm dynamic (bass), 13×8mm precision driver (mids), xMEMS solid-state driver (treble) |
| ANC | Adaptive, up to 46dB, 10-mic array, 8mm silicone baffle wall |
| Bluetooth / codecs | Bluetooth 6.1; AAC, SBC, LDAC; Auracast transmitter/receiver |
| Wired | USB-C lossless up to 24-bit/192kHz; 3.5mm up to 24-bit/96kHz |
| Battery | Up to 30h ANC on / 68h ANC off (less with LDAC); 5-min charge = ~4h playback |
| Tuning | With Metropolis Studios; physical Flat EQ switch; 5 spatial-audio modes with head tracking |
| Build | Aluminum + titanium arms, 9H Panda Glass earcup windows, IP52 |
| Weight | 327g |
| App | Nothing X (Advanced EQ per driver, Personal Sound, presets) |
| Colors / price | Black, White / $399 |
What reviewers love
The hardware is the headline. The Pro keeps Nothing's signature transparent aesthetic — 9H Panda Glass panels reveal the triple-driver stack — but moves to an aluminum-and-titanium chassis with softer ear cushions (50% softer, per Nothing), a 10% wider padded headband and titanium arms that cut weight to 327g. Reviewers who wore them for two weeks report excellent comfort on long sessions, including with glasses, and praise the tactile physical controls — a volume paddle and wheel plus a dedicated Flat EQ switch on the left earcup that instantly drops to a neutral profile for critical listening.
The pro audio story is real: the triple-driver split (bass/mids/treble on dedicated units), Metropolis Studios tuning, five spatial-audio modes including a Studio B room emulation, and lossless USB-C playback make this Nothing's most serious pitch to creators yet. Geek News Central, after two weeks of use, concluded the Pro "delivers on its promises — sonically detailed and with impressive ANC." TechRadar gave it 4/5, scoring features and noise cancellation 4.5/5; CNET scored it 8.6/10.
Where it stumbles
Sound quality is where reviewers split. BGR's Connor Jewiss, after two weeks including a long-haul flight, found the hardware easy to like but the sound — "the thing you're actually paying for at this price" — falling short of what $399 should deliver. The carrying case drew rare unanimity in the other direction: Jewiss called it "perhaps one of the worst I've ever seen," while others note Nothing itself lists the case as heavier than the headphones. Battery life is a step back from the standard model (30h vs 35h with ANC on), and the $200 gap to the Headphone (a) buys a sound improvement that TechRadar and SlashGear found too small for most buyers. Memeburn's verdict is blunt: until the case and battery issues are addressed, the $199 and $299 models "remain the more complete purchases for most people."
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Stunning aluminum/titanium build with transparent glass driver windows
- Genuinely useful Flat EQ switch for creators and critical listening
- Triple-driver architecture with xMEMS treble and Metropolis Studios tuning
- Excellent long-session comfort and tactile physical controls
- Strong feature set: LDAC, Auracast, lossless USB-C, IP52, 68h battery (ANC off)
Cons:
- Sound quality divides reviewers at the $399 price
- Carrying case widely panned — bulky and heavier than the headphones
- Battery life with ANC on trails the cheaper standard model
- $100 more than the Headphone (1) for an incremental upgrade
Where to buy
The Nothing Headphone (1) Pro is available now in black and white for $399:
It is also sold on Amazon in North America.
Sources: BGR via Ghanamma · Droid Life · MusicTech · Memeburn