Nothing to unveil cheaper over-ear headphones, design will again be bold

British Nothing entered the premium over-ear headphone market last July with the Headphone (1) model, which captivated with its original design and physical controls. Now, it is preparing to expand its portfolio with a more affordable alternative named Headphone (a), which will be unveiled together with the Phone (4a) series phones as early as March 5.

What do we know about Headphone (a)?

From current leaks and official teasers, it appears that Nothing Headphone (a) will adopt the characteristic design of its more expensive sibling – rectangular earcups with oval padding should remain. New will be striking color variants, including yellow, which the brand showed in the first teaser.

Headphone (a).
5 March, 10:30 GMT. pic.twitter.com/tiNOUQgJIf

— Nothing (@nothing) February 26, 2026

Nothing promises that Headphone (a) will offer the longest battery life of all the brand’s audio products to date. The Headphone (1) model lasts up to 80 hours without active noise cancellation, so the new product could break the 100-hour barrier, similar to the sister model CMF Headphone Pro.

Regarding the price, leaks suggest an amount around 159 euros, or approximately 3,900 CZK. This is significantly less than the 7,699 CZK Nothing demanded for the Headphone (1) at launch.

How did we rate Headphone (1)?

In our Nothing Headphone (1) review, we primarily appreciated the bold design with transparent parts, which stands out from the uniform competition. A big plus was the well-thought-out physical controls using a rotary dial and a lever, replacing frustrating touch surfaces.

The headphones also scored with record battery life – we measured over 38 hours with active ANC, which even exceeded official specifications. The Nothing X app then offered a sophisticated 8-band equalizer.

On the other hand, we criticized the sound quality, which did not reach the level of competitors like Sony WH-1000XM5. The sound lacked spaciousness and airiness. When worn for longer periods, the higher weight of 329 grams also became apparent. Overall, we awarded the Headphone (1) a score of 78 out of 100.

It will be interesting to see what compromises Nothing chooses for the cheaper (a) version. If it can retain the strengths of the original and offer them at half the price, the Headphone (a) model could shake up the segment of affordable over-ear headphones.

Are you interested in the cheaper version of Nothing Headphone?

Sources: Nothing/X, Android Authority, 9to5Google, Notebookcheck