Nokia has a long and storied history in consumer technology, although it is mostly associated with phones. After being one of the major phone manufacturers in the 2000s, the brand has lately had a rebirth owing to HMD Global. The same business is in charge of Nokia's existing audio lineup, which includes wireless earbuds, over-ear headphones, and a Bluetooth speaker.
As one might assume, the "Essential" line focuses on providing an excellent core experience at a low cost. But, at less than £50, have the E1200 wireless headphones taken too many shortcuts to achieving such a cheap price? I stayed with them for a few weeks to find out.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones Review: Design & build
Nokia's E1200 headphones have a relatively classic style, with two cushioned ear cups joined by an adjustable headband. It definitely looks the part, especially in the glossy black finish I tested — it's also available in blue if that's more your style.
However, it is clear within seconds that this is not a quality product. The entire exterior is wrapped in a cheap-feeling plastic, and at only 197g, they're far flimsier than the photographs show. It's convenient to be able to fold away the earcups, but the metal hinge that allows it doesn't seem especially sturdy.
Nokia's E1200 headphones have a relatively classic style, with two cushioned ear cups joined by an adjustable headband. It definitely looks the part, especially in the glossy black finish I tested — it's also available in blue if that's more your style.
However, it is clear within seconds that this is not a quality product. The entire exterior is wrapped in a cheap-feeling plastic, and at only 197g, they're far flimsier than the photographs show. It's convenient to be able to fold away the earcups, but the metal hinge that allows it doesn't seem especially sturdy.
The headband, like any other set of headphones, may be adjusted to fit your preferences. There are 10 various positions to choose from, but with no number markers, it's a guessing game every time you put them on. Because I have a large head, I maintained it at the highest setting, but you might not be that lucky.
Nokia's branding isn't subtle here, with its emblem emblazoned on the exterior of each earcup. This region appears to be ripe for touch controls, but the E200s rely on traditional buttons instead. The system is relatively simple, consisting of a volume rocker, a bass boost toggle, and a power button.
The latter, on the other hand, has some extra features: a single click will play/pause music, while a double press will call your most recent contact. This was quite a surprise when it initially happened, so you'll have to be cautious not to accidentally activate it. These controls cannot be customized in the absence of a companion app.
All of these controls are positioned on the left earcup, above a 3.5mm headphone port for wired audio — a 1.2m jack-to-jack cable is included in the package to assist you. Regrettably, charging is done via Micro USB, despite the fact that most modern items adopted USB-C some years ago.
Although there is no protective cover, Nokia has supplied a stylish drawstring carrying bag that should absorb most of the impact of any bumps or drops. When the headphones are folded down, there is plenty of space for any items you may wish to bring with you.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones Review: Sound Quality & Features
Sound quality will always be an issue at this ultra-low pricing range. I'm happy to say, however, that the Nokia E1200s were a nice surprise. Its 40mm drivers contributed to the strong sounds that you'd expect from more costly headphones, even though there is a significant drop-off when compared to premium headphones.
To investigate this further, I checked a number of songs from Amazon Music's 'Best of Ultra HD' playlist. According to Amazon, 'Ultra HD' is roughly ten times the quality of conventional audio streaming, and is comparable to a CD. Any audio flaws are thus due to the headphones or their Bluetooth connection with the phone, rather than the music itself.
The first song was "Rumors" by Lizzo and Cardi B. While the words are fairly explicit, the music is really stunning acoustically. A terrific experience is created by combining powerful, evocative audio with thundering bass, even if some information is sacrificed.
Songs that are heavily produced are a crucial strength, as Ed Sheeran's "Bad Habits" demonstrates. By using the bass boost button, you may increase the intensity while keeping the vocals crystal clear. It's a similar scenario to Camila Cabello's "Don't Go Yet," which takes you to a Latin American party.
This pleasurable sensation, however, is not restricted to pop music. High-tempo country songs like Walker Hayes' "Fancy Like" are enjoyable to listen to, even if the guitar backing track is partially lost on this particular tune.
Slower tracks that centre on vocals or simply a few instruments, on the other hand, reveal some of the E1200's flaws. That's clear in Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever," which loses some of its customary emotional power.
To see how the headphones handled older tunes, I had to search elsewhere. "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen was remastered in 2011 and it shows — I could hear each individual instrument, even though Freddie Mercury's vocals lacked some of their normal clarity.
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell is also a good listen. However, it lacks punch in ordinary mode and loses some clarity when the bass is turned up.
Beethoven's "Für Elise" sounds a little washed out on the E1200s. I wasn't shocked given that this tune is entirely composed of piano, but other classical tracks aren't especially amazing either.
As you can see, the music experience is quite erratic. Expect not every music to sound fantastic, but those that do are really pleasurable. The E1200s are typically outstanding for podcasts and call reception, but with only one microphone, your own voice loses some clarity.
There are no additional options for customizing the audio experience apart from raising the bass. Both a companion app and active noise cancellation (ANC) are absent here - both are found on more pricey cans. It's especially frustrating to lose out on ANC, but it's not surprising at this price. If that is a deal-breaker, there are lots of alternative options.
The E1200s, on the other hand, enable virtual assistants such as Siri and Google Assistant. I put the latter to the test, and it picked up my voice perfectly and produced crisp replies. Simply enable the "Hey, Google" function in the Assistant settings to gain hands-free access.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones Review: Battery life & charging
Nokia has taken the uncommon step of disclosing the battery capacity of its headphones, revealing that the E1200s include a 500mAh cell. If you're accustomed to smartphones, this may seem worrisome, but it's enough for a set of headphones.
Indeed, Nokia claims that users may listen to music for up to 40 hours on a single charge. That's on par with the greatest battery life you'll find on any set of headphones, however, viewing films and making phone calls depletes the battery significantly faster.
I couldn't test the 40-hour claim because I wasn't using the E1200s exclusively for music, but battery life performed admirably during testing.
One small quibble is that you'll have to rely on your phone (or other linked device) to determine how much battery life is left. It would be wonderful if, like the PuroPro headphones, the battery level was announced when you turned them on. The E1200s, on the other hand, will automatically switch off after a few minutes of not being connected, allowing you to conserve some additional battery power.
When the headphones do need to be charged, they do so through Micro USB. It will take you around three hours to get from empty to full with the provided cable. There's no rapid charging here, nor are there any guarantees if you can't stay plugged in for that long.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones Review: Price & value for money
The E1200 headphones aren't commonly accessible, but they're quite cheap. They're now available for $49.99 on Amazon.
Amazon is also presently providing an additional 20% discount through an on-site coupon box. The official Nokia website lists a number of different retailers, but none are headquartered in the United Kingdom or the United States.
The E1200s, of course, aren't attempting to compete with the greatest headphones money can buy. Many of the alternatives at this price point are wireless earbuds, which have a whole different physical factor.
These headphones indeed include ANC support, however, they appear to be limited to China for the time being. The advertised price of 349 is around £40/US$54, however, the RRP is likely to be more if they ever emerge in the West. If noise cancellation is crucial to you, our best noise-cancelling headphones list provides many options.
However, there's no denying that the ordinary version featured here still represents excellent value for money.
Thought
If you're on a low budget but still want a good set of wireless headphones, Nokia's E1200s could be the way to go.
They provide excellent sound quality for the budget, excelling notably at pop music and voice-based material. Even the less outstanding songs are a significant improvement over most built-in speakers, particularly those found on phones.
Another major asset is the battery life, which can last up to 40 hours of music playing, which translates to many weeks of use for most individuals. The cheap plastic construction may turn some people off, but I didn't find it to be an issue in terms of comfort.
You'll be pleasantly impressed by everything on offer hereafter you accept the obvious sacrifices scattered throughout the E1200 experience. As a result, it's an excellent entry point into the world of wireless headphones.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones Review: Specs
- Driver: 40mm
- Frequency range: 20-20,000Hz
- Wireless: Bluetooth 5.0
- Features: Physical volume controls, Bass boost mode
- Microphone: 1x Electric Condenser Microphone (ECM) Voice control: Google Assistant, Siri
- Battery life: 500mAh battery, up to 40 hours music playback (advertised)
- Charging: Micro USB, around 3 hours for a full charge
- Weight: 197g (without carrying bag)
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