CMF Buds Neo Review: If You're On A Budget, Look No Further
CMF by Nothing has launched the Buds Neo, its most affordable pair of true wireless earbuds yet, priced at Rs. 1,999. Positioned below the CMF Buds 2a, the Neo still packs Active Noise Cancellation, a 12.4mm dynamic driver, and a claimed 52-hour total battery life with the case. The earbuds are available in three colourways - White, Dark Blue, and Black - each pairing a two-tone case with a…
The CMF Buds Neo is Nothing's latest budget-friendly pair of true wireless earbuds. Priced at Rs. 1,999, they sit below the CMF Buds 2a. Despite being affordable, they include features like Active Noise Cancellation, a 12.4mm dynamic driver, and up to 52-hour battery life with the case. Available in three colours - White, Dark Blue, and Black - the earbuds come with contrasting cases and rotating dials.
I tested the Neo over several days, using them for commutes, calls, and workouts to gauge if the price justifies its features.
Design-wise, the Neo's case is square with rounded corners and measures 54.3 x 54.3 x 23 mm, weighing 50.3 grams when the buds are inside. Its standout feature is the circular dial on the lid, which rotates and doubles as a lanyard attachment point. Made of PC + ABS with a matte finish, the case boasts IPX2 splash resistance. The earbuds themselves are small, weighing 4.5 grams each and measuring 33.4 x 20.6 x 22.8 mm.
They offer a secure fit, even during intense workouts, though they don't feature an optical wear-detection sensor. Instead, you need to tap the touch panel to pause playback.
Sound-wise, the Neo houses a 12.4mm dynamic driver with a titanium-coated PET dome and PEEK + PU surround. This setup delivers deep bass without sacrificing clarity in the mid and high frequencies. The Ultra Bass Technology option amps up the bass even more, with two levels available via the Nothing X app. The app also provides six EQ presets and a custom EQ option for fine-tuning.
A spatial audio mode widens the soundstage, working particularly well with video content. However, the earbuds only support AAC and SBC codecs, which is typical for this price range.
The Buds Neo's Active Noise Cancellation scores up to 35dB, slightly lower than the 42dB found in the original CMF Buds. While it reduces indoor noises like fans and air-conditioners well, it doesn't provide the same level of aggressiveness as higher-end ANC earbuds. Transparency mode is functional, and the ANC can be completely switched off in the app if desired. For calls, the earbuds' four HD microphones and Clear Voice Technology produce clear audio even with some background noise.
Battery life is another strong point. CMF claims 11 hours of playback with ANC off and 8 hours with it on, based on a 45mAh battery per earbud. In real-world use, we came close to these numbers, especially when ANC was mostly enabled. The 460mAh charging case extends the playtime to 52 hours with ANC off and 30 hours with ANC on.
A full charge via USB-C takes about 70 minutes, and 10 minutes of fast charging delivers roughly 5.5 hours of playback without ANC. Call times hover around 5 hours with ANC on, extending to a full day when the case is included.
Connecting to two devices simultaneously is possible, though the earbuds reboot momentarily whenever you toggle dual-device mode. Both Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair are supported, and pairing with an Android device was straightforward and reliable during my testing. Controls are entirely touch-based, with double taps for play/pause and answering calls, triple taps for track skipping, and a tap-and-hold gesture to switch between ANC and Transparency modes.
Volume adjustment can be enabled through the app, though it's disabled by default. The Nothing X app manages most of the Neo's features, including EQ settings, ANC controls, low-latency gaming mode, and gesture remapping. The app's design aligns with Nothing's aesthetic, offering a clean and intuitive interface for both Android and iOS users.
In conclusion, at Rs. 1,999, the CMF Buds Neo offers a comprehensive package for first-time ANC earbud users. It delivers a large driver with punchy bass, solid noise cancellation, clear call quality, and battery life that easily outlasts a day of use. While it lacks an optical wear-detection sensor and has a slightly less aggressive ANC system compared to the CMF Buds 2a, these are minor drawbacks given the price point.
The Neo is a great choice for students, commuters, or anyone taking their first steps into the world of ANC earbuds.
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