Headsets and headphones / Compare
Nothing Headphone (a) vs Sony WH-1000XM4C
Product A: Nothing
89 of 161 known
Change Nothing Headphone (a)
Product B: Sony
91 of 161 known
Change Sony WH-1000XM4C
75 of 152 fields differ
- 36 different values
- 39 known for one only
- 29 the same
- 48 missing for both
Biggest differences
Each bar uses the scale of all 149 headsets and headphones.
- Quick chargeA: 8hB: 1hNothing is 8 times higher.
- Battery life (claimed, max)A: 135hB: 34hNothing is 4 times higher.
Weight
0 to 400 g
Headset weight
A310g
B253g
All 161 fields
Every value links to where we found it.


General
6 of 8 differ
Series
Not available
Model numbers
GTIN / EAN
6974434227446, 6974434227453, 6974434227439, 69744342275696Maker product pagede.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Store variant data on the Nothing EU store: SKU and barcode 6974434227446 White, 6974434227453 Black, 6974434227439 Pink, 6974434227569 Yellow.
Announced
5 March 20264Reviewtechradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/the-nothing-headphone-a-are-here-and-they-rock-here-are-5-things-you-need-to-know-about-themRead 15 October 2026Article published 5 March 2026 on the launch. Pre-orders opened on 5 March 2026 and sales started on 13 March 2026 for white, black and pink. The yellow edition followed from 6 April 2026 (Hardware Busters). iFixit says the newsroom announcement was on 26 February, which is a teaser date.5Press articlehwbusters.com/news/nothing-launches-affordable-headphoneRead 15 October 2026Available starting March 13 for black, white and pink and April 6 for the limited-edition yellow. Pre-orders open at launch. The article gives EUR 189 for Greece, a country price that is not stored.
Status
Predecessor
Not available
Sony WH-1000XM49Reviewsoundguys.com/we-benchmarked-the-revamped-sony-wh-1000xm4c-heres-how-the-new-hardware-performs-163130Read 7 October 2026Exact current review explicitly calls WH-1000XM4 its predecessor. This is the revived M4 branch, not a claim that XM6 is its predecessor.26Reviewsoundguys.com/sony-wh-1000xm4c-launch-162596Read 23 October 2026SoundGuys calls the WH-1000XM4C an updated version of the WH-1000XM4 and calls the XM4 its predecessor.
Successor
Not available
Not available
Launch price (US)
Launch price (EU)
€1596Maker product pagede.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026German Nothing store lists EUR 159. Trusted Reviews and GSMArena give the same EUR 159 MSRP at launch. Tax treatment is not stated.13Reviewtrustedreviews.com/reviews/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026MSRP of GBP 149 in the UK ($199 / EUR 159).14Press articlegsmarena.com/nothing_headphone_a_unboxing-news-72043.phpRead 15 October 2026At GBP 149 / $199 / EUR 159 you're getting a lot for not a lot.
Not available
Markets
Not available
GB, FR, US3Press releasesony.mediaroom.com/2026-09-07-Sony-Electronics-Introduces-WH-1000XM4C-M4-2nd-Gen-Wireless-Noise-Cancelling-Headphones-and-Updates-Popular-Mid-and-Entry-Level-Wireless-Headphones-with-WH-CH730N-and-WH-CH530Read 7 October 2026US maker launch release offers the M4 2nd Gen through Sony Electronics and authorized US dealers.10Retailer pageargos.co.uk/product/9899456Read 7 October 2026Exact WH1000XM4CB.CE7 current UK listing and delivery availability establish GB.11Press releasesony.fr/presscentre/sony-ravive-ses-incontournables-le-wh-1000xm4c-fait-son-grand-retour-aux-cotes-de-ses-best-sellers-milieu-et-entree-de-gammeRead 7 October 2026France price and availability section explicitly offers the current model in September 2026. UK exact retail listing and US Sony announcement separately establish their markets. Not an exhaustive worldwide list.
Colours
Segment
Design
1 of 7 differ
Form factor
Ear cup enclosure
Wearing style
Folding
None9Measurementsoundguys.com/product/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Spec list: Foldable No. Which? also lists Headphones fold: No.10Reviewwhich.co.uk/reviews/headphones/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Public spec list: Headphones fold No. The rest of the review is paywalled and was not used.
Swivelling ear cups
RGB lighting
Not available
Not available
Lighting zones
Not available
Not available
Drivers and sound
12 of 20 differ
Driver type
Dynamic1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Page text: a 40 mm titanium-coated diaphragm with a next-gen magnet and voice-coil system. HeadphoneCheck calls them 40 mm dynamic drivers.16Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Custom-developed 40 mm dynamic drivers. Technical specifications: transducer principle dynamic.
Driver size
Drivers per side
Not available
Not available
Diaphragm material
Frequency response (wired or passive)
Wireless audio transmission band
Not available
Impedance (passive when specified)
Sensitivity (passive when specified)
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
THD (claimed)
Not available
Not available
Max input power
Not available
Not available
Max digital audio sample rate
Not available
Max digital audio bit depth
Not available
DAC
Not available
Not available
Personalised sound
Not available
Custom EQ bands
EQ presets
Balanced, More Bass, More Treble, Voice13Reviewtrustedreviews.com/reviews/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Four default EQ settings. The names come from the Nothing support article on equalisers for the Headphone (a): Balanced, More Bass, More Treble and Voice, plus Custom and Advanced modes.15Maker product pagesupport.nothing.tech/hc/en-us/articles/44186010442001-How-many-equalisers-does-Nothing-Headphone-a-offerRead 15 October 2026Four preset EQ modes, Balanced, More Bass, More Treble and Voice, with Custom and Advanced modes. The page is behind a bot check, so the wording was read through search result text.
Volume limit
Not available
Not available
Spatial audio
2 of 3 differ
Spatial audio support
Static Spatial Audio: Cinema mode, Static Spatial Audio: Concert mode1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Nothing X: Static Spatial Audio modes inspired by live concerts and cinematic moments. SoundGuys and TechRadar name the two modes Cinema and Concert.3Reviewtechradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/nothing-headphone-a-reviewRead 15 October 2026Spatial audio with Concert and Cinema modes, processed by Nothing, with no head tracking or Dolby Atmos.
Spatial audio licence included
Not available
Not available
Head tracking
No1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026TechRadar says there is no head tracking or Dolby Atmos. The maker page lists none.3Reviewtechradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/nothing-headphone-a-reviewRead 15 October 2026You do not get head tracking or Dolby Atmos here.
Not available
Noise cancelling
4 of 10 differ
Active noise cancelling
ANC type
Hybrid1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Spec table: 2mic Hybrid ANC (single side). Page text: dual feedforward and feedback microphones.16Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026The hybrid noise cancelling is effective in the low-frequency range.
ANC microphones
Adaptive ANC
ANC levels
31Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Page text: three levels of Active Noise Cancellation. Expert Reviews names Low, Mid and High plus an Adaptive setting.12Reviewexpertreviews.co.uk/technology/headphones-audio/nothing-headphone-a-reviewRead 15 October 2026Three levels, Low, Mid and High, plus an Adaptive setting.16Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026The app has a three-level ANC mode (Low, Medium, High) and an adaptive option.
Not available
ANC attenuation (claimed)
Not available
Transparency mode
Adjustable transparency
Conversation detection
Not available
Wind noise reduction
Not available
Not available
Measured
3 of 21 differ
Frequency response notes
Against the SoundGuys house curve the response sits about 4 to 5 dB above it in the sub-bass, dips to about 7.5 dB below it near 250 Hz and rises to about 7 dB above it near 3 kHz. The treble stays above the curve to 10 kHz and rolls off above 12.5 kHz.9Measurementsoundguys.com/product/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Lab chart, SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve: about +3.7 to +5.1 dB from 20 Hz to 100 Hz, +2.5 dB at 125 Hz, -7.5 dB at 250 Hz, -0.1 dB at 1 kHz, +6.8 dB at 3.15 kHz, +4.0 to +4.9 dB at 5 to 6.3 kHz, +1.5 dB at 10 kHz, -6.4 dB at 16 kHz and -20.9 dB at 20 kHz. The SoundGuys target is its own house curve and the test rig is not named. iFixit describes a bass-forward signature with a dip near 200 Hz.
Even bass, recessed upper mids from about 1.6 to 3.4 kHz, a dip near 7 kHz and extended upper treble.16Measurementsoundguys.com/we-benchmarked-the-revamped-sony-wh-1000xm4c-heres-how-the-new-hardware-performs-163130Read 7 October 2026Objective Measurements prose and current product chart, Default profile. SoundGuys published method uses B&K 5128 and SoundCheck. Connection, codec and firmware not stated. No numerical deviation from target inferred.17Measurementsoundguys.com/how-we-testRead 7 October 2026Published headphone method: B&K 5128 head and torso simulator, 1704C-102 interface and SoundCheck. Do not infer unreported M4C codec, firmware or connection.
Bass amount
Not available
Not available
Treble amount
Not available
Not available
Deviation from target
Not available
Not available
Consistency between fittings
Not available
Not available
Harmonic distortion
Not available
Not available
Sound leakage
Not available
Not available
Measured noise isolation
Not available
Not available
Noise isolation (measured, best)
Not available
Not available
Passive isolation (measured)
Not available
Not available
Mic quality notes
On a phone call the voice was audible and intelligible but a little muffled, and traffic noise was fully silenced.11Reviewtomsguide.com/audio/headphones/nothing-headphone-a-reviewRead 15 October 2026Call quality section: the callee found the voice audible and intelligible but a little muffled, and traffic noise around the caller was completely silent. This is a phone-call listening test and not a lab measurement.
Street and incidental noise are attenuated. Office noise and wind are less effectively suppressed. The review unit also had call crackles and dropouts near three previously paired devices.16Measurementsoundguys.com/we-benchmarked-the-revamped-sony-wh-1000xm4c-heres-how-the-new-hardware-performs-163130Read 7 October 2026Current article microphone test section and ideal, office, street, wind and reverberant samples. SoundGuys method uses a calibrated artificial mouth and recorded speech with controlled background noise. Source unit caveat retained. Connection codec and firmware unstated.17Measurementsoundguys.com/how-we-testRead 7 October 2026Published speech method uses calibrated artificial mouth, recorded speech and controlled ideal, background-noise, wind and reverberation conditions.
Mic low-frequency extension
Not available
Not available
Mic high-frequency extension
Not available
Not available
Mic speech-to-noise ratio
Not available
Not available
Measured latency
Not available
Not available
Bluetooth latency (measured, worst)
Not available
Not available
2.4 GHz latency (measured, worst)
Not available
Not available
Measured battery life
Not available
Not available
Battery life (measured, max)
Not available
Not available
Clamping force
Not available
Not available
Weight (measured)
Not available
Microphone
4 of 16 differ
Microphone
Microphone element
Not available
Not available
Microphone pickup pattern
Not available
Not available
Voice microphones
Not available
Total microphones
Not available
Mic frequency response
Not available
Not available
Mic sensitivity
Not available
Not available
Mic signal-to-noise
Not available
Not available
Mic sample rate
Not available
Not available
Mic noise reduction
Not available
Flip to mute
Not available
Not available
Mute button
Not available
Not available
Mute indicator
Not available
Not available
Sidetone
Not available
Adjustable sidetone
Not available
Not available
Foam microphone windscreen
Not available
Not available
Connectivity
10 of 20 differ
Audio connections
Analog source plugs
Cable connector on headset
Longest included cable
Headset USB plug or port
Audio over USB-C cable
Passive wired listening
Not available
Wireless receiver
Not available
Wireless receiver connector
Not available
Not available
Wireless range (claimed)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth codecs
Auracast
Not available
Bluetooth multipoint
Yes1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Spec table: Dual connection YES. SoundGuys says it is not true multipoint but two devices stay connected and swap streams. Dual connection is off by default and is switched on in Nothing X.8Reviewsoundguys.com/nothing-headphone-a-review-154232Read 15 October 2026Dual connection: two devices on the connections list swap audio streams at the same time, no true multipoint.
Multipoint devices
Paired devices remembered
Not available
Mixes 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth audio
Not available
Not available
Fast pairing
Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Spec table, Tech Integrations: Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair.
Base station
Not available
Not available
Latency
2 of 2 differ
Low latency mode
Yes1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Spec table: Low lag mode. TechRadar finds a low-lag mode for gaming in the app.3Reviewtechradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/nothing-headphone-a-reviewRead 15 October 2026The app has a low-lag mode for gaming.
Not available
Claimed latency
ANothing Headphone (a)
| Connection | Mode | Latency (ms) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | Game Mode on Nothing phones | 120 |
BSony WH-1000XM4C
Not availableCompatibility
2 of 3 differ
Compatible platforms
Connection per platform
ANothing Headphone (a)
Not availableBSony WH-1000XM4C
| Platform | Connection | Microphone works |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Bluetooth | Yes |
| iOS | Bluetooth | Yes |
| Windows | Bluetooth | Yes |
| macOS | Bluetooth | Yes |
Official licence
Not available
Not available
Battery and charging
11 of 13 differ
Battery capacity
930mAh19Retailer pagedigitec.ch/en/s1/product/sony-wh-1000xm4c-dnc-27-h-wireless-headphones-73105609Read 7 October 2026Exact M4C technical battery table: 930 mAh. Headset capacity, not an external case or combined packs. Minimum/typical qualification not published. Maker Reference Guide confirms rechargeable 3.7 V lithium-ion battery but does not publish mAh. No Wh-derived capacity. Independently corroborated by exact Black CE7 RTV Euro AGD table, which explicitly labels 930 mAh nominal. No Wh-derived number.25Retailer pageeuro.com.pl/sluchawki/sony-wh-1000xm4c-anc-nauszne-bluetooth-czarny.bhtmlRead 7 October 2026Exact Black WH-1000XM4CB.CE7 table explicitly Pojemność nominalna 930 mAh. Published nominal headset battery capacity, corroborates retained Digitec claim, not inferred from 3.441 Wh or 3.7 V.
Swappable battery
Not available
Batteries included
Not available
Claimed battery life
ANothing Headphone (a)
| Connection | ANC | Codec | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | No | AAC | 135 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | AAC | 75 |
| Bluetooth | No | LDAC | 90 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | LDAC | 62 |
BSony WH-1000XM4C
| Connection | ANC | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes | 27 |
| Bluetooth | No | 34 |
| Analog | Yes | 19 |
| Analog | No | 32 |
Battery life (claimed, max)
135h
34h
Battery life with ANC (claimed)
75h
27h
Battery life without ANC (claimed)
135h
34h
Charging port
Full charge time
Quick charge time
Quick charge playback
Use while charging
Not available
Charging dock or stand
Not available
Not available
Controls
4 of 6 differ
Controls
Volume control
Game and chat mix
Not available
Not available
Remappable controls
Wear detection
Voice assistant
Comfort and build
7 of 11 differ
Headband type
Not available
Headband material
Liquid silicone1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Page text: form-fitting headband made of liquid silicone.
Not available
Frame material
Flexible steel arms with metal injection molded hinges and a glass-fibre reinforced nylon slider1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Page text: flexible steel arms, Metal Injection Molding hinges and a sliding component of 55% glass fibre reinforced nylon. Trusted Reviews says the housings are plastic with steel hinges.
Not available
Ear cup material
Ear pad material
Memory foam with leatherette1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Page text: memory foam ear cups. Trusted Reviews says the cushions are covered with leatherette over memory foam.13Reviewtrustedreviews.com/reviews/nothing-headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Ear cushions covered with a leatherette material with soft memory foam underneath.
Replaceable ear pads
Not available
Ear pad attachment
Not available
Not available
Ear pad opening
Not available
Not available
Ear tips included
Not available
Not available
Dust and water rating
Not available
User-replaceable parts
Not available
Ear pads, Headphone cable1Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/3013/v1/en/print.pdfRead 7 October 2026Exact model guide 72 detachable headphone cable. Pads separately proven by current SoundGuys review. Battery assembly remains report-only because the European reference self-repair sentence could not be independently reread during verification. Normal-operation battery swapping is not inferred.9Reviewsoundguys.com/we-benchmarked-the-revamped-sony-wh-1000xm4c-heres-how-the-new-hardware-performs-163130Read 7 October 2026Build section explicitly allows removing current ear pads by hand for cleaning and replacement.
Software
1 of 3 differ
Companion app
App platforms
User firmware updates
Dimensions and weight
2 of 2 differ
Headset weight
Headset dimensions
Width177Height190.4Depth78mm(7 × 7.5 × 3.1 in)1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026Spec table labels: Height 177.0 mm, Width 78.0 mm, Depth 190.4 mm. Those labels do not fit a wearing orientation. A 78 mm width cannot be across the head. Tom's Guide lists 7 x 3.1 x 7.6 in. The values are stored as across the head 177.0, top to bottom 190.4 and front to back 78.0. The maker does not state the headband or cup position.
Not available
Certifications
1 of 3 differ
Hi-Res Audio
Communication certifications
Not available
Not available
Other certifications
Not available
In the box
3 of 3 differ
In the box
Headphone (a), Carry pouch, 3.5 mm audio cable (1.2 m), USB-C cable (1.2 m) for charging and USB audio, Quick start guide1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026In the box: Headphone x1, Carry pouch x1, 3.5 mm audio cable (1.2M) x1, USB-C cable (1.2M) x1 (charging and USB Audio), QSG x1.
Wireless Noise Canceling Stereo Headset, Headphone cable, Carrying case, Documents4Owner's manualhelpguide.sony.net/mdr/3013/v1/en/print.pdfRead 5 October 2026Page 12 headset, analog cable, case and documents. USB-A to USB-C cable supplied only for mainland China, omitted from European base.
Cables included
ANothing Headphone (a)
| Type | Length (m) | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 mm audio cable | 1.2 | 1 |
| USB-C cable for charging and USB audio | 1.2 | 1 |
BSony WH-1000XM4C
| Type | Length (m) | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Headphone cable | 1.2 | 1 |
Carrying case
Links
Not compared
Product page
Spec sheet
us.nothing.tech/products/headphone-a1Maker product pageus.nothing.tech/products/headphone-aRead 15 October 2026
www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wh-1000xm4c/specifications5Maker product pagesony.co.uk/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wh-1000xm4c/specificationsRead 7 October 2026Official exact-model Specifications page. HTML specification sheet, not a fabricated PDF document.
Manual
Not available
EPREL registration number
Not available
Not available
Warranty
0 of 1 differ
Manufacturer warranty (source market)
Both are also in the API. Back to all headsets and headphones.















