Nothing’s Headphone (1) Pro wowed me with the sound and shocked me with the hardshell case
The Headphone (1) Pro deliver bold, lively sound and strong noise cancellation, but their hardshell case adds surprising weight.
It's debatable whether the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro are the best wireless headphones of 2026. But I'm confident they're the most unique, interesting ones to drop in a while.
They feature three dedicated drivers on each side targeting different frequency ranges: 20Hz to 10 kHz; 5kHz to 15 kHz; and 10kHz to 40kHz. The audio is about as lively and dynamic as I've heard. If you don't want that sound profile all the time, there's a physical switch to change to a flat EQ, removing colorization and processing.
The Headphone (1) Pro include 10 mics for stellar active noise cancellation. The casing has been updated with scratch-resistant glass and titanium. More padding has been added to offset the weight. If those things weren't enough, the carrying case is molded hard plastic that makes a bold statement.
Between the Sonos Ace Ultra, Bose QuietComfort Gen 2, Sony 1000X The Collexion, Beats 360, and others, there are a lot of new headphones to consider. I've used all of these, and each has its strengths. The Headphone (1) Pro manages to stand out with an all-around exciting total package and a reasonable $399 retail price. But there are still reasons it might not be right for you.
The listening experience is anything you want it to be
The triple driver architecture isn't common for wireless consumer headphones. Nothing is branching out, trying to do something new. I've spent a couple of weeks with the headphones prior to release, and I've been impressed by their sound.
Music sounds big, bold, and lively. Especially for pop music and casual listening, these headphones will make your songs sound fun and inviting. Of course, that's only half of the story.
For more serious work or times when you don't want the liveliness, there's a dedicated "flat" EQ switch on the inside earcup. This changes the EQ to be more neutral, while also disabling ANC, spatial audio, and transparency.
I've found these two settings to be a perfect pairing. For times I do need more focused listening, I've switched on the flat EQ. But other times I'm listening for fun, I revert to the default processing. There are other listening modes and settings you can select in the app, but I've been happy bouncing between these two options.
For blocking out distractions, these headphones feature real-time adaptive ANC, using 10 microphones. It's strong and competent. It fares well compared to the other top models. If Sonos, Sony, and Bose are neck and neck for the best ANC, then I would put the Headphone (1) Pro right behind those.
These use Bluetooth 6.1 and can have a dual connection. Codec support includes AAC, SBC, LDAC, and LC3. The headphones can do USB-C audio and come with a USB-C to 3.5mm cable in the box.
The weight is the biggest downside of the Headphone (1) Pro
There's not much to complain about, which makes the biggest downside of the Headphone (1) Pro the weight. At 327 grams, they're heavier than Sony or Bose's latest offerings. Sonos' Ace Ultra comes in at 322 grams. AirPods Max remain among the heaviest at 385 grams.
Despite some extra heft from the glass and different materials, the Headphone (1) Pro aren't heavy to wear. I've found the increased padding in the ear cups and headband to be sufficient to make them very comfortable. So, the reason the weight is such a downside is the carrying case.
The ANC performance would make the Headphone (1) Pro worth traveling with except the hard plastic carrying case weighs 383.5 grams, bringing the total of the headphones and protective case to 710.5 grams, or 1.57 pounds. For comparison, the 11-inch iPad Pro weighs 444 grams, or 0.98 pounds.
I wouldn't hesitate to throw the Headphone (1) Pro in my backpack to go to a coffee shop for a few hours. Unfortunately, these headphones wouldn't make the cut for my carry-on traveling internationally.
To add insult to injury, neither of the two cables that come with the headphones fit in the protective case.
Is the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro worth buying?
On its own, the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro is a stellar product. With so many other good headphones available, it's arguable which is actually the best. But the Headphone (1) Pro should certainly be in the conversation. They're a fun product for people who are tired of the status quo.
However, even if you like these, Nothing now has three different headphones to choose between: the Headphone (a ), Headphone (1), and Headphone (1) Pro.
It's hard to ignore the lowest-priced Headphone (a), which has been as low as $139.99. Those headphones offer standout style, solid sound, and excellent media control buttons.
The Headphone (1) Pro, on the other hand, makes sense for people less concerned about the price who want the best ANC and audio quality.