Lowest price
Illustration of a noise-cancelling headphones; no product photo shown
JBL Tune 780NC
- Just 225 g
- Folds into a bag
Cheaper alternatives to the Nothing Headphone (a)
Three lighter headphones for about half the price or less, all built to last.
Updated 5 November 2026
Nothing's budget label
CMF Headphone Pro
- Up to 50 hours with ANC
- Handy roller control
Light and balanced
Sennheiser Accentum Wireless
- Only 222 g
- Very effective noise cancelling
The original
Nothing Headphone (a)
Worth it if: You forget to charge things
- Days of battery, up to 75 hours
- Roller and paddle controls
What are you actually paying extra for with the Headphone (a)?
What the extra money buys
- Days of battery, up to 75 hours
- Roller and paddle controls
- Big, lively sound
- Eye-catching retro design
Worth it if
- You forget to charge things
- You prefer real buttons
- You want headphones people notice
Not worth it if
- You wear glasses and dislike tight clamps
- You want them to pause automatically
Good to know
Why each one made the list, and our final recommendation.
JBL Tune 780NC
The Tune 780NC costs about a third of the Headphone (a) and weighs much less. HIFI.DE found it a reliable everyday pair, with sound and noise cancelling on a par with rivals but nothing special. Les Numériques praised the battery and found the shallow pads press a little.
CMF Headphone Pro
CMF is Nothing's cheaper brand, so the Headphone Pro shares the playful look, a roller control and LDAC for about half the price. TechRadar praised its bassy, detailed sound and long battery. SoundGuys found the controls cramped and heard the plastic creak.
Sennheiser Accentum Wireless
The Accentum weighs about 90 g less than the Headphone (a) and costs about half. Tom's Guide rated the noise cancelling highly, called the battery class-leading and heard a warm tone. What Hi-Fi found it clean but a bit flat. There's no case, and the cups don't fold.
Final recommendation: Spend the least with the JBL Tune 780NC, which is light and folds. The CMF Headphone Pro keeps the Nothing style and roller for about half. The Sennheiser Accentum is the light, balanced pick for long trips. Keep the Headphone (a) for its record battery and easy controls, if the weight doesn't bother you.
Side by side
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | Illustration of a noise-cancelling headphones; no product photo shown Lowest priceJBL Tune 780NC | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Budget | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| Battery, noise cancelling on (claimed) | Up to 75 hours | Up to 50 hours | Up to 50 hours | Up to 50 hours |
| Weight | 310 g | 225 g | 283 g | 222 g |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| Two devices at once | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Folds / case | Pouch, no hard case | Folds, no case | Folds flat, soft pouch | Doesn't fold, no case |
| Headphone cable | 3.5 mm and USB-C | USB-C to 3.5 mm cable | Yes, 3.5 mm (powered on) | No |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
Is the Nothing Headphone (a) comfortable?
It depends on your head. At 310 g it's heavy and grips firmly; TechRadar and Expert Reviews both said it could be more comfortable. It is better balanced than Nothing's first headphones.
Does the Headphone (a) have good noise cancelling?
Good for the price, not class-leading. Reviewers found it handled busy roads and public transport well, but Sony, Bose and Sennheiser's flagships block more.
Can I use the Headphone (a) with a cable?
Yes, by 3.5 mm or USB-C, which also carries digital audio. That's handy on planes, where you can plug into the seat.
Related guides
How we reached this
We compared the Nothing Headphone (a) with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Nothing: Headphone (a), TechRadar: Nothing Headphone (a) review, Expert Reviews: Nothing Headphone (a) review, JBL UK: Tune 780NC, HIFI.DE: JBL Tune 780 NC im Test, Les Numériques : test JBL Tune 780NC, Nothing UK: CMF Headphone Pro, TechRadar: CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro review, SoundGuys: CMF Headphone Pro review, Sennheiser: introducing Accentum Wireless, What Hi-Fi?: Sennheiser Accentum Wireless review, Tom's Guide: Sennheiser Accentum review.