Nothing just revealed a new pair of over-ear headphones as a relatively budget-friendly alternative to the pre-existing Headphone 1. The Headphone (a) earphones feature a similar design language to the company's previous cans, but with more color. As a matter of fact, these will be available in four colors, including yellow, pink, white and black.
Perhaps the most notable feature here, however, is the battery life. Nothing says these headphones will last over five days on a single charge. That's not five days of regular use, working out to several hours each day or whatever. It claims 135 hours of life per charge. As a comparison, Sony's WH-CH520 headphones, which are praised for great battery life, last around 50 hours.
Nothing boasts that the headphones can get five hours of juice from just five minutes at the outlet. They are also on the lighter side, at 310 grams, with breathable memory foam cushions that promise a "tailored, snug fit and all-day comfort for every user."
This new model includes the same tactile controls of the Headphone 1, with buttons, paddles and a roller. This offers a more sensitive way to adjust the volume and skip tracks. A button even lets users swap through different streaming and podcast apps without having to break out the phone. This button can be programmed to do other stuff like snap a photo or start a video
Beyond that, the Headphone (a) includes adaptive ANC that makes adjustments depending on ambient noise. This is further assisted by three microphones that monitor for external sounds. They can also approximate spatial audio and integrate with the Nothing X app, which features an equalizer and other goodies.
We don't yet know how these things sound, which is pretty important, but we also don't have long to wait. Preorders are open right now, with shipments going out on March 13 for most colorways. The yellow model doesn't ship until April. They cost $200, which is much cheaper than the $300 price tag accompanying the Headphone 1.
