My nine-to-five involves testing and reviewing products at the Good Housekeeping Tech & Engineering Lab, and I’m also a DJ and music producer, so it’s safe to say that I have some very strong opinions on headphones.
My hottest take? The brand Nothing is giving Apple a run for its money, and I think its Headphone (1) is actually better than the popular AirPods Max 2. It already costs a fraction of the price, and it’s nearly 40% off for Amazon Prime Day.
Nothing Headphone (1)
Nothing Headphone (1)
Pros
- High-quality sound for a mid-tier budget
- Up to 80 hours of battery life
- Customizable settings with the Nothing app
- Easy to use
- Unique style
Cons
- Default sound can be dark
There’s a lot to love about these headphones, but my favorite part is that they offer really premium-level sound at a mid-tier price. At $300 (at full price), it’s still a hefty price tag, but it’s much more affordable than popular headphones like the Apple AirPods Max 2, which are $550. Despite being $250 less, the Nothing Headphone (1) beat out most of the really expensive models in our Lab tests for sound quality and noise cancellation, both quantitatively and in real-life road testing.
So, not only are the Nothing headphones priced extremely fairly, but snagging them for less than $200 (a $110 discount) on Prime Day means you’re saving hundreds while getting the same—if not better—sound quality and features.
You can also connect the Headphone (1) to the Nothing app to customize your settings. I noticed that the default sound of these headphones sounded a bit dark, so I recommend tweaking that in the app, which has advanced EQ settings. You can also customize the level of Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) and adjust the latency for a faster response, which I like for DJing or gaming.
The battery is impressive, too, with the brand claiming up to 35 hours with ANC on and 80 hours with it off, which is much more than the AirPods Max 2’s 20 hours of battery life with ANC on (Apple doesn’t report a battery life with ANC off).
Beyond its superb sound quality and battery life, Headphone (1) is also easy to use. With on-unit controls that each use a different tactile sensation, the device is intuitive to set up. It has a roller for volume, a switch to turn it on and off, and a paddle to switch tracks. Instead of needing different press combinations on a single button like many other headphones, the controls on Headphone (1) are intuitive and give the device a retro vibe.
Lastly, I know you’re probably thinking: “But the AirPods Max 2 are so trendy.” I hear ya, but the Headphone (1) has an incredibly unique and cool style, so if you’d rather stand out from the crowd, go with this pair from Nothing instead. You can get them in silver or black, too.
All in all, I’m a huge fan of the Nothing Headphone (1), and I recommend it to everyone, even at full price. So, it’s truly a great time to snag the headphones while they’re nearly 40% off, and they make for a great gift that won’t totally break the bank this holiday season. Apple makes some excellent products, but trust me on this one: The Nothing Headphone (1) takes the cake when it comes to over-ear headphones.
