According to WIRED's review, Nothing's Headphone (1) Pro is the brand's most premium product yet and belongs in the same conversation as top-tier noise-canceling headphones from Sony, Bose, and Apple. The reviewer gave it a 9/10 score, praising its sound quality, premium materials, comfort, and highly customizable EQ after nearly a month of testing.
The $400 price positions it below the $450 Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen), as well as the $550 Apple AirPods Max 2, which frequently sells for $450. WIRED notes that the Nothing headphones don't win on ANC or transparency, but their triple-driver design delivers outstanding mids and treble, and the build uses aluminum, titanium, and glass instead of plastic.
For the business angle, the review signals that Nothing is making a serious push into the premium audio segment, where it faces entrenched rivals with stronger noise-canceling reputations. The main trade-offs, according to the review, are a less punchy bass response and a love-it-or-hate-it carrying case. Still, the strong overall score suggests Nothing has a credible contender at a slightly lower price point.