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Last month, Nothing's CMF brand unveiled a new pair of $25 earbuds called the CMF Buds Neo. Although too good to be true, after getting my hands on them, I must admit that I'm pleasantly surprised by their performance, despite some expected downsides. The CMF Buds Neo boast an impressive list of features on paper, including 52-hour battery life, active noise cancellation, flashy colors, dual-device connections, support for the Nothing X app, and EQ presets.

For the price of $25, it's a tempting offer. After spending a few hours testing the CMF Buds Neo, I must say that I'm quite impressed! At their core, they get the job done. While the earbuds deliver decent sound quality, they tend to be a bit hollow on default settings. However, I found that lowering the bass enhancement improves the overall sound quality, making them more optimized for speech (such as podcasts) rather than music.

While Nothing Ear (3a) headphones offer superior sound quality, it's important to note that the CMF Buds Neo are priced significantly lower than their competitors, making them a great value for the money. The sound quality is undoubtedly the most crucial aspect when considering the low price point, and it's more than capable of justifying the purchase.

The CMF Buds Neo do have a few drawbacks. The charging case feels cheap in hand, despite its attractive appearance, and the earbuds themselves have a similar feel, with materials that may feel a bit flimsy. Nevertheless, they fit comfortably in the ear and remain comfortable during extended use. The touchpads on the earbuds are responsive but lack a play/pause gesture by default.

Additionally, the connection range leaves something to be desired, as the earbuds disconnect more quickly from my Fold 8 compared to other earbuds I've tested recently. The magnetic case that holds the earbuds in place works well, and there are some nice touches like a snappy hinge and a lanyard hole on a rotating corner piece. However, the absence of a pairing button on the case, which will undoubtedly irk users, is somewhat of a nuisance.

Fortunately, Google Fast Pair is available, which alleviates this issue to some extent. While the CMF Buds Neo have a multitude of downsides that shouldn't come as a surprise, at their core, they offer earbuds that sound good enough, come packed with most essential features, and cost just $25. If you're in need of a spare pair of earbuds to toss into a backpack or keep at your bedside, or if you're looking for a budget-friendly daily driver, these earbuds are a winner in my opinion.