Apple AirPods Max has been the commercial darling since 2020, all the way until the updated version (AirPods Max 2) launched in 2026. Such is the shadow of this Apple product that the Nothing Headphone was advertised as the best AirPods Max alternative before its launch. Well, if you count being a cheaper over-ear headphone alternative to Apple, then yes, it certainly did. Both the Nothing Headphone (a) and Headphone (1) offer a longer battery life than Apple's AirPods Max. They're also lighter, and since AirPods Max 2 aren't waterproof, Nothing's IP52 dust and water resistance makes its headphones seem like viable competition for the giant that is Apple.