The first time I saw the Nothing Headphone (1), I did a double take. It looked like someone crashed a Cybertruck into a stereo and said, “Yeah, that’ll do.”
I’m starting to wonder if Elon Musk has a secret stake in Nothing. Kidding—sort of. But look at the Nothing Headphone (1). It gives off strong Cybertruck vibes. The design? Wild. You’re either into it or you’re not. No fence-sitters here.
Most headphones just blend together, whether it’s a Sony or a Sennheiser. But the London-based Nothing came in swinging. They dropped something that looks different—with that clear, retro style they kicked off with the Phone (1). And hey, if you’re thinking I’m stuck on looks, don’t worry. We’re getting into the features, too. What better way to do that than a full-on Nothing Headphone (1) vs. AirPods Max face-off?
Design
We’re heading into a bold stretch in consumer tech. Motorola’s razr 60 ultra folds with flair, and Nothing’s Phone (3) throws minimalism out the window. Then comes the Headphone (1) ($299), bringing even more attitude to the table.
Nothing’s Headphone (1) runs with the same exposed, mechanical style as the Ear (A), but lands at $300—a price that undercuts Sony, Bose, and Apple.
And the look? It’s unapologetic. No other pair on the market carries this kind of design. It’s the Cybertruck effect—polarizing on purpose. Some will vibe with it because it stands out. Others won’t touch it for the exact same reason.
On the flip side, Apple’s AirPods Max ($549) wear smooth anodized aluminum cups that pop in bright colors. You’ll catch them on someone’s head from across a terminal. Most headphone makers go with plastic, but Apple’s choice gives their build a cold, sturdy edge that still holds up next to Nothing’s out-there design.
Comfort
When Bloomberg got hands-on time with the Headphone (1), they noticed a few things right away. The ear pads didn’t pop off as easily as the ones from Apple or Sonos. They also trapped a bit of heat, which could lead to sweaty ears. The volume roller felt nice—just the right amount of resistance. The paddle controls worked fine, too.
Nothing’s headphones come in at 11.61 oz, so they feel lighter than AirPods Max, which are 13.6 oz. That said, weight isn’t the full story. It depends on how the headphones sit on your head and how the design spreads out the load. Those two things play a big role in how heavy or light they actually feel when you wear them.
Apple’s Max go for a premium build with aluminum and stainless steel. That adds polish, but also bulk. They weigh about 0.29 pounds more than many rivals, and most of that heft sits in the ear cups. Luckily, the mesh headband keeps everything balanced. When you tip your head forward or back, the cups may shift a little, but the band stays planted.
Comfort-wise, the Max do a solid job. The memory foam cushions have a soft woven fabric that keeps your ears cool. You get a height adjustment with the arms, and the cups swivel to follow the shape of your head. Springy hinges hold everything snug but not tight. Once you get the fit right, you can wear them for hours without feeling bothered.
Sound
The AirPods Max offer superb sound quality, whether you listen to rock, classical or pop music. They provide rich, crisp and spacious audio with excellent detail, all of which helps to justify their high price.
Apple’s headphones keep a nice, deep bass sound while protecting the integrity of the rest of the track. Reviewers found that vocals are crisp as well and they enjoy that as they turn up the volume, that don’t get any distortion.
Nothing Headphone (1) vs. Apple AirPods Max: ANC
Nothing Headphone (1)’s noise cancellation works well outside of calls. Since over-ear headphones cover your whole ear, they have an easier time blocking noise compared to earbuds. The Verge’s Andru Marino noticed that the Nothing headphones handle subway rumble, loud hums, and city noise without much trouble. That makes them great for travel.
AirPods Max take noise cancellation a step further by using custom drivers paired with Apple’s own audio chip. This combo reacts instantly to your environment, cutting distractions and adjusting the sound to fit what’s around you.
The AirPods Max offer 2 main modes: Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency. You can also turn both off if you want. Even without those modes, the headphones still block out general hums and buzzes. When you switch on ANC, they almost completely drown out things like plane engine noise and background chatter in an office. Transparency mode lets important sounds through, like train announcements, while keeping other noise at bay.
One neat thing about AirPods Max is Dynamic Spatial Audio. It moves the sound around based on how you turn your head, making music and videos feel more immersive. Nothing’s Headphone (1) has a similar head-tracking feature that shifts sound with your head movements. This kind of tech is becoming a standard for high-end headphones, like Bose’s immersive mode and Sony’s spatial audio.
A Reddit user shared how head tracking helped them while running on a treadmill. They could glance over to check on their dogs in the gym, and the sound adjusted naturally with their head movements.
Controls
The buttons on the Nothing Headphone (1) don’t follow the usual playbook. You won’t find boring touchpads or standard buttons here. Instead, Nothing went with unique switches and controls that actually stand out.
There’s a paddle and a roller—both pretty hard to miss. They help you keep track of what each control does without guessing. One neat trick is “Channel Hop.” It lets you flip through your recent audio apps without diving into your phone. The roller on the side? It handles volume with a quick spin, pauses with a tap, and flips ANC modes with a press.
On the right ear cup, there’s also a button you can make your own. Want to launch Google Gemini? Mute your mic? Flip noise modes or turn on spatial sound? It’s your pick—all set up through the Nothing X app.
Now, if you’re rocking AirPods Max, the setup’s a little different. Apple stuck a digital crown on top of the right ear cup for volume and playback. It glides smooth, almost too smooth. Reviewers say it’s easy to change volume by mistake while adjusting the fit. Inside the cups, there are tiny sensors that pause the music when you take the headphones off. Pop them back on, and your tunes kick right back in.
When it comes to Bluetooth sound, both use the basic SBC codec. But the Nothing Headphone (1) also throws in AAC and LDAC. The AirPods Max sticks with AAC—which sounds great, but can be a little picky with some Android phones. If your phone works better with aptX or LDAC, don’t expect much from the AirPods Max on that front.
Battery life
Nothing says you can get up to 35 hours of listening time with noise canceling on and using AAC, or 37 hours if you’re just taking calls. Turn noise canceling off and you’re looking at 80 hours with AAC or 54 with LDAC. After using them here and there all week—and keeping them on through a couple of full workdays—Marino didn’t even reach for the charger. He managed two days straight without needing to plug in.
Meanwhile, the AirPods Max tap out around 20 hours if you’ve got noise canceling and spatial audio going. That’s not exactly top-tier. Sony and Sonos both stretch it to 30 hours, and Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 pushes all the way to 60.
Verdict
Nothing’s Headphone (1) feel like a breath of fresh air in a sea of safe, polished gear. The bold design, smart controls, and long battery life give it a strong personality, whether you’re into the look or not.
AirPods Max still lead when it comes to sound and comfort, but they’re heavier, pricier, and need more charging. If you care more about style, features, and getting something different, Nothing makes a pretty compelling case. I’m not saying it’s better across the board—but it definitely stands out.