Nothing Headphone (a) review: The superior option for design and button enthusiasts

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Nothing’s new Headphone (a) can be found now for $199.
• They provide a novel design, lengthy battery, nice sound, and intuitive button controls.
• Though they’re lighter than their predecessors, they nonetheless really feel just a little clunky after prolonged put on.

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Today, good sound is not that tough to come back by. So how do headphones differentiate themselves? Should you’re the London-based Nothing, you will give your headphones nice battery life, add some sensible quality-of-life enhancements, and a definite visible fashion.

Additionally: Forget iPhone 17e: Nothing’s Phone 4a Pro costs less and looks a whole lot better

However most significantly, you worth them at $200 — considerably lower than opponents. I am speaking about Nothing’s Headphone (a), the model’s newest over-ear pair. I examined them over the course of per week, and located heaps to like, however they are not good. 

Nothing launched its Headphone (a) alongside its Phone 4a series on March fifth, with compatibility with the Telephone 4a Sequence by way of ChatGPT to listen to Nothing Information or Important House, its data hub app.   

Nothing nailed the audio high quality in its earlier headphones, as I’ve written whereas testing its open-ear Nothing Open and the Nothing Ear (a). It is no totally different right here, with impartial and clear sound match for all-day listening. 

I beloved working and commuting with these headphones on, and located the sound profile fantastic with out in-app configuration. However if you wish to customise the EQ, you are able to do so within the app. It’s also possible to entry customized EQs created by Nothing neighborhood members. 

Additionally: These fashion-forward headphones have no business sounding this good for the price

One thing I recognize with Nothing’s audio merchandise is noise cancellation that does not utterly alienate you out of your surroundings. I discover that stronger noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones are likely to over-noise-cancel, that’s, suck you into silence in a approach that may be overstimulating after hours of use. 

I did not get that with the noise cancellation in Headphone (a). It makes customers much less prone to endure from headphone fatigue for prolonged use. Plus, with a battery lifetime of 75 hours with ANC on, you technically might use these all day — for a number of days — earlier than recharging. With ANC turned off, Nothing says the Headphone (a) has 135 hours of whole energy. 

The smallest a part of Nothing’s latest headphones made the most important distinction for me. I am speaking in regards to the paddle management, its mechanical button, and the curler — bodily buttons on the headphones which might be so good, you do not have to the touch your telephone in any respect. 

Additionally: After weeks of listening to these Fender headphones, I’m still wondering who should buy them

The button might be assigned to sure actions within the Nothing X app, together with the power to seize photographs hands-free. The paddle can skip tracks, and the curler will increase and reduces quantity. For each headphone consumer’s sake, I hope different manufacturers see these buttons and implements them into their very own headsets; they had been the simplest headphones to navigate with out touching my telephone – and that is saying rather a lot. 

What I might prefer to see on Nothing’s subsequent headphones 

Nothing says it improved consolation by lightening the load of the Headphone (a), however prolonged put on over the workday proves they’re nonetheless just a little clunky for my liking. In addition they harm my earring-clad ears, regardless of its claims the headphones had been made to accommodate ear piercings. 

Additionally: What is Bluetooth 6.0? How the latest standard fixes audio problems we’d learned to live with

Whereas Nothing nails most of its small touches, there was one beloved characteristic it skipped. I hoped there could be an in-ear detection characteristic, for instantly pausing music once I take off the headphones, and resuming as soon as put again on. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation 

The Nothing Headphone (a) have sufficient coloration configurations to please shoppers who need one thing impartial, however there’s additionally an expressive child pink coloration, and an unique yellow that resembles an egg yolk. The headphone’s distinct design is the preliminary draw, however after utilizing them over the previous few days, I’ve rapidly grown to like their sound, large battery, and considerate contact controls that main headphone manufacturers lack. 

Plus, these headphones are value-rich. They cost $199, for crying out loud, and provide most of the identical options that far dearer, established headphone manufacturers boast.