I tested GHD's pricey new hair dryer against Dyson's Supersonic – and for ultra-fast drying, there was one clear winner

GHD recently brought out a new hair dryer, which comes with some impressive specs, an intriguing special feature, and a lofty price tag – you can read about it in depth in my GHD Speed review. However, I was also interested to see how it compared to another premium pick: the Dyson Supersonic Nural.

The GHD Speed is the cheaper of the two, but at £299 it's still an investment. The Supersonic Nural will set you back £399.99. I've tested many of the best hair dryers on the market, and these two brands consistently impress.

So which dryer offers the best value for money? If you're thinking of splashing out on a fancy new hair gadget, are you better off with the Dyson Supersonic Nural, or should you take a chance on the new GHD Speed? I tested the two side by side, and here's what you need to know.

GHD Speed vs Dyson Supersonic Nural dryer: efficiency

The GHD Speed is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to windspeed. It boasts four speed options, and the maximum delivers a hurricane of power. The Supersonic Nural (with its three speed settings) still packs a punch, but in my side-by-side tests, it was clearly the less powerful of the two dryers. If you need to dry your hair in the fastest possible time, the GHD Speed is the tool you need.

It's a similar story for temperature. On their maximum temperature settings, the GHD Speed is clearly hotter than the Dyson Supersonic Nural. In fact, I tended to stick to one of the GHD's two medium settings for general use. There are four heat options, so you have plenty of precise control. In contrast, the Dyson Supersonic Nural has three temperature settings, plus an innovative "scalp protect" mode, which I'll get into in the Special Features section.

To boost the offering further, GHD Speed has a continuously cool setting option, alongside a pulse button. The Supersonic Nural just has the pulse.

Winner: GHD Speed – the GHD Speed is hotter and more powerful on its maximum settings, and offers more precise control with its modes, too.

GHD Speed vs Dyson Supersonic Nural dryer: design & comfort

In terms of settings, GHD wins out. Not only does it have more heat and speed options (four each, compared to Dyson's three), it also offers the option to select "cold" as a continuous setting, as well as a pulse option and a setting lock slider. That last one might not sound very flash but it's actually super helpful – I've experienced far too many annoying accidental setting changes in my hair dryer reviewing career.

The current settings are displayed clearly using illuminated lights around the barrel.

It isn't that Dyson's setup is poor – and there is an argument that its small, tucked-away switches look more hi-tech than GHD's more functional ones – but it's slightly less user-friendly.

In terms of the overall look, I prefer Dyson's colorful, blocky, straight-edged dryer to GHD's curvy, segmented one; but that's just personal preference. The GHD hair dryer is heavier than the Dyson (around 620g for just the dryer, compared to around 455g for the Nural) and the Dyson option is also significantly more compact, making it easier to wield and more packable for when you're on-the-go.

Note, too, that it's possible to hold the GHD dryer by its barrel for drying rather than its handle, since it remains cool to touch. While this doesn't feel particularly natural to start, it does enable you to direct airflow more precisely. There's no such option on the Nural (if it's precision styling you want, Dyson would probably point you towards its weird, pipe-shaped Supersonic r instead).

Winner: Draw – the GHD's controls are better designed, but the Dyson has the benefit of being smaller and lighter.

GHD Speed vs Dyson Supersonic Nural dryer: special features

Neither of the two models here are just your average hair dryer, but I think the Dyson offers a more compelling package of special features over the GHD.

Interestingly, the USP of both models is a feature designed to protect your scalp. On the GHD Speed it's the brand's "halo dual-airflow technology", which delivers a "halo" of always-cool air around the heated airflow. GHD states this will enable you to get closer to your scalp without burning it – but based on my tests that's just not really true. Holding the dryer close to my head was immediately uncomfortably hot, even if I angled it from the side.

Dyson's effort is more coherent. Activate its scalp protect mode and sensors in the barrel will adjust the temperature of the airflow depending on how close it is to your head, to maintain what feels like a consistent temperature on your scalp. This means it's possible to get right up close without burning your head.

The Dyson Supersonic Nural also offers attachment memory, which means it knows which of the many attachments is affixed, and will revert to your last-used settings with each one. Further to that, it knows when it has been put down, so it will drop to a low-airflow mode so you're not just blasting your dressing table with hot air.

Of course, such features aren't essentials, but they do remove some minor pain-points when styling. And it also feels like you're getting a really premium experience for your premium investment.

Winner: Dyson Supersonic Nural

GHD Speed vs Dyson Supersonic Nural dryer: specs

Should I buy the GHD Speed or the Dyson Supersonic Nural?

Buy the GHD Speed if...

✅ You want ultimate power: On its maximum settings the GHD Speed is more powerful, and hotter, than Dyson's dryer. It will get your hair dry in double-quick time.

✅ You're not doing lots of meticulous styling: There's only one attachment included here – a concentrator – plus the option of buying a diffuser.

✅ You dislike fiddly controls: The GHD's control setup is more straightforward, the buttons are less fiddly, and the mode lock means no more accidental presses.

Buy the Dyson Supersonic Nural if...

✅ You're doing lots of complex styling: The Supersonic Nural comes with a plethora of styling attachments, and it will remember your last-used settings with each one.

✅ You want something compact and lightweight: The Supersonic Nural is the smaller and lighter of the two dryers.

✅ You're worried about hair health: The auto-adjusting Scalp protect mode works well and allows you to get up close to your head without scorching it.

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