Made in partnership with Nothing. The testing and the verdict are our own.
This is our own video. Harith used the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro for a couple of weeks before filming it, and everything we say about how it sounds, blocks noise and lives in a bag comes from that time with it. Where a number comes from Nothing rather than from us, we say so.
Contents
- Our verdict in short
- Sound: three drivers, and a good stock tuning
- Noise cancelling is the highlight, transparency is good
- You will want the app
- Physical controls, and they are pleasant to use
- The case: the part we would change
- Key specs, from Nothing
- What it costs, and where it fits
- What we liked and what we did not
If the player does not load, watch our review on TikTok.
Our verdict in short
The Headphone (1) Pro is the best-sounding Nothing audio product Harith has used, headphones or earbuds, and its noise cancelling is the highlight. It is also a headphone you have to set up in the Nothing X app to get the most from, and its hard case is big, heavy and has no opening for a charging cable. It costs RM1,499 on Nothing's Malaysian online store (checked 12 November 2026).
Sound: three drivers, and a good stock tuning
Nothing lists three drivers per side on its Malaysian product page: a 40 mm dynamic driver for bass, a 13 x 8 mm precision dynamic driver, and an xMEMS treble driver, each handling part of the frequency range.
Out of the box, Harith found the tuning pretty good: boosted bass, with treble that is detailed and crisp. It is not perfect. He heard some minor dips in the highs. All of it can be adjusted in the Nothing X app.
There is also a physical Flat EQ switch. Nothing says it was tuned by the engineers at Metropolis Studios and is meant for reviewing music, producing or mixing. Flipping it removes the added colouration for a flatter, more neutral sound, which is useful if you edit audio for your own videos.
Noise cancelling is the highlight, transparency is good
This is where the Headphone (1) Pro impressed us most. With noise cancelling on, it blocked the sound of keyboard typing and background chatter around Harith, and it did so without the pressure-in-the-ears feeling some headphones give you, the kind you feel in an aeroplane cabin. Nothing quotes up to 46 dB of noise cancellation with 10 microphones; that is Nothing's own lab figure and its theoretical maximum, not something we measured.
Transparency mode is good. Harith has used Apple's AirPods Max, and to his ear their transparency mode still sounds more natural; that is his impression from using both, not a side-by-side test we ran. Of the other headphones he has tried, this is the closest he has come to it: his own voice sounded natural, with only a small blocked feeling.
You will want the app
The headphone works without the Nothing X app, but you miss a lot if you skip it: the advanced parametric EQ, EQ for each driver on its own, and spatial audio, including a 'Studio B' mode that Nothing says was tuned with Metropolis Studios. If you do not want another app on your phone, know that the out-of-box experience is only part of what you are paying for.
Physical controls, and they are pleasant to use
There are no touch controls. Everything is physical: a roller and a paddle, with a button beside them. Harith found them pleasant to use, and changing the volume or skipping to the next or previous track felt natural, with no tapping on an ear cup and hoping it registers.
The look follows from the same idea. A glass panel sits over the aluminium ear cup, which gives the headphone a retro-futuristic feel that is very much Nothing.
The case: the part we would change
Harith says much of the talk he has seen about this headphone has been about its case, which he thinks is a shame, because the headphone deserves the attention. Still, the case matters. The finish is like an AirPods case: hard, smooth plastic. Where the AirPods Max came with a soft sleeve, this is a full hardshell case, and a big one.
There is no charging cutout, so to charge the headphone you have to take it out of the case. Harith calls the case quirky, and it looks like a deliberate choice rather than an oversight, but it is still an extra step every time.
The bigger problem is size and weight. By Nothing's own figures the case weighs more than the headphone it holds:
| Item | Weight (Nothing's figure) |
|---|---|
| Headphone (1) Pro | 327 g |
| Hardshell case | 383.5 g |
| Both together | 710.5 g |
In Harith's judgement, that makes it less convenient to carry than a soft pouch would be. Our reading is that Nothing wants the case to be part of what you carry and wear, not something you toss into a bag. If you commute with a small bag, try the case before you buy.
Key specs, from Nothing
These are Nothing's figures from its Malaysian product page, checked on 12 November 2026. Battery life and noise cancellation are the maker's claims; we did not run a battery test.
| Spec | Nothing Headphone (1) Pro |
|---|---|
| Price in Malaysia | RM1,499 (Nothing's Malaysian store, 12 Nov 2026) |
| Colours | Black, White |
| Drivers | 40 mm dynamic (bass), 13 x 8 mm precision dynamic, xMEMS treble |
| Noise cancellation | Up to 46 dB, 10 mics (Nothing lab figure) |
| Battery (AAC) | Up to 68 hours ANC off, up to 30 hours ANC on (maker's claim) |
| Fast charge | 5 minutes for up to 4 hours, ANC off (maker's claim) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 6.1, LDAC, lossless USB-C audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz |
| Water and dust | IP52 |
| Controls | Roller, paddle, button, Flat EQ switch |
| In the box | Hardshell case, 3.5 mm cable, USB-C cable |
What it costs, and where it fits
If you are weighing the Pro against the original, read our Nothing Headphone (1) review and our early look at the Headphone (1). For when and where the Pro went on sale here, see Nothing Headphone (1) Pro now on sale in Malaysia at RM1,499, and for the launch itself, Nothing Headphone (1) Pro debuts with V of BTS.
We also filmed the unboxing:
What we liked and what we did not
Liked: the best sound Harith has heard from Nothing; strong noise cancelling without cabin pressure; the Flat EQ switch for anyone who edits audio; physical controls that are easy to use; a distinctive glass and aluminium design.
Did not like: minor dips in the highs on the stock tuning; transparency that, to Harith's ear, still sounds less natural than the AirPods Max he has used; the best features need the Nothing X app; no charging cutout in the case; a case that is big, heavier than the headphone and less convenient to carry.
Harith is working on a more in-depth review. If there is something you want us to test on the Headphone (1) Pro, tell us in the comments on our video.
