Nothing Headphone (1) Pro: Studio Sound or Style First?

TL;DR: Nothing's best headphones yet, with rich three-driver sound, a genuinely useful Flat EQ control, and long battery life, though a bulky case and a few control quirks keep them from being an automatic pick.

Why it is trending right now

Nothing launched the Headphone (1) Pro at the end of September, and October brought a steady wave of reviews from major tech outlets. It is the brand's most premium over-ear model so far and it is aimed squarely at established flagships from Sony, Bose, and Apple, which makes it one of the most searched headphone launches of the season.

What you get

The biggest change from the original Headphone (1) is inside the ear cups. Instead of a single dynamic driver, the Pro uses a three-driver system, and reviewers consistently describe the sound as richer and more detailed than Nothing's earlier models.

The standout feature is a physical Flat EQ control. One press switches the headphones to a neutral tuning that is meant for reference listening, which is useful if you edit audio or video and want to hear a track without a boosted bass curve. For everyday listening, the Nothing X app offers extensive EQ options, including a parametric equalizer for people who like to fine-tune.

Nothing rates battery life at up to 30 hours with noise cancellation on and up to 68 hours with it off. The company also claims up to 46 dB of noise reduction. The headphones support Bluetooth 6.1 and lossless audio over USB-C.

Comfort and design

The design keeps Nothing's transparent, industrial look, and reviewers widely praise the tactile buttons and rollers. The headband is wider and more padded than on Nothing's cheaper models, which should help on long sessions.

The downsides

The included hard case is the most common complaint. The headband sticks out of it, it adds noticeable bulk to a bag, and there is nowhere inside to store the charging and 3.5mm cables.

Some reviewers found certain buttons hard to reach or easy to press by accident, and Nothing does not let you reassign many of the controls. Wired listening only works with the headphones powered on. At least one reviewer found the ear pads got warm during movement, so these are not a good gym pick. Opinions on noise cancellation are also mixed: several testers found it strong, while others rated it closer to average for this price class. The default tuning is also fairly bass forward, so many listeners will want to adjust the EQ.

Who should buy it

These make sense if you love Nothing's design, want sound you can customize deeply, or work with audio and would actually use a neutral reference mode on wireless headphones.

Who should skip it

Frequent flyers who want the very best noise cancellation and the most compact travel case should compare alternatives first. If you already own the original Headphone (1) and are happy with it, reviewers suggest the upgrade is a nice step rather than a must.

The bottom line

The Headphone (1) Pro is a confident flagship with standout sound and a smart Flat EQ feature. Just go in knowing the case is clunky and the controls are not fully customizable.