CMF Buds Neo review: These budget buds punch above their price

CMF, a Nothing sub-brand, has built a reputation around bringing affordable products, but without compromising on specifications and features. Over the years, the brand has introduced value-for-money smartphones, smartwatches, and audio wearables; now it is back with another audio product called CMF Buds Neo. 

Priced at just Rs 1,999, the Buds Neo flaunts some eye-catching offerings such as 12.4mm dynamic drivers, 35dB Adaptive ANC, Bluetooth 6.0, dual connectivity, app support and much more. While the specifications look impressive on paper, we put the earbuds to the test, and surprisingly, they delivered more than we expected. Here’s how CMF Buds Neo performs, and why we think it is the best audio wearable in the segment.

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CMF Buds Neo: Design and build quality

The CMF Buds Neo comes with an identical design to the Buds 2 Pro, consisting of a rotating ring with a lanyard attachment. However, it is not as functional as the Buds 2 Pro, which lets users control volume and listening modes. Apart from the similarities, the charging case has a matte finish with a plastic build, which feels premium and sturdy. 

You can get the Buds in three colours: Black, White, and Dark Blue, with contrasting colours of the rotating ring. We quite liked the White colour variant with an Orange ring on the case. It also features a USB Type-C port on the back, with an LED light on the front indicating that it's charging. 

While the design and build quality are promising, it does come with a critical compromise, which is the missing pairing mode button. This makes the connecting process tedious as well as confusing. The CMF Buds Neo also offers an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, which is quite decent for the price. 

In terms of comfort, the Buds Neo sit comfortably in the ear, and they feel extremely lightweight, making long listening sessions comfortable without causing noticeable discomfort. The box also includes silicone tips, which you can change to customise your desired fit.

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CMF Buds Neo: Sound quality, ANC, and connectivity 

The CMF Buds Neo features 12.4mm dynamic drivers that deliver a bass-heavy sound quality across the board, which makes the audio experience more engaging. In addition to a punchy and more energetic sound, the earbuds also offer clear audio, crisp vocals and instruments, offering an overall rich experience.

Furthermore, CMF Buds Neo also comes with Nothing X app support, where you get additional ways to customise your audio experience. Within the app, you’ll be able to choose between six EQ presets: immersion boost, pop, rock, electronic, enhance vocals, and classical. I frequently used the “Pop” and “Rock” presets, both delivering a more energetic sound and better separation across vocals and instruments.

Coming to its Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), the brand claims to block sound by up to 35 dB. In real-time use, it does an exceptional job of blocking surround sound, irrespective of whether you’re indoors or outdoors. You can also switch to transparency mode when you want to stay aware of your surroundings without taking the earbuds out. For ANC, you can customise between four modes: Low, Mid, High and Adaptive Mode for noise reduction levels.

Its call noise cancellation uses Clear Voice Technology, which also does a promising job of reducing background noise and keeping voices clear during calls.

Coming to connectivity, the CMF Buds Neo supports Bluetooth 6.0 with AAC and SBC codecs, delivering stable connectivity and a reliable wireless audio experience. It also has a Microsoft Swift Pair option to connect the earbuds to Windows. In addition, it supports dual connection, which means you can connect two devices simultaneously.

The earbuds also offer touch controls that let users control volume, play/pause music, answer/hang up calls, change tracks, and switch between ANC and Transparency mode./ Users can also customise these controls via the Nothing X app.

CMF Buds Neo: Battery

The CMF Buds Neo is backed by a 460mAh battery that claims to offer up to 52 hours with the charging case on a single charge. The earbuds claim to offer up to 11 hours of use and 8 hours with ANC enabled. 

I have been using the earbuds for over two weeks, and I only had to charge the device three times, so the battery life is quite impressive and should comfortably last through several days of regular use. It also offers a quick-charging feature that impressively gives up to five hours of usage from just 10 minutes of charging.

CMF Buds Neo: Verdict

The CMF Buds Neo offer exceptional value for the price. It delivers a punchy, bass-heavy sound profile, surprisingly effective active noise cancellation, and outstanding overall battery life. Despite a few minor trade-offs, they comfortably stand out as top contenders in the entry-level TWS segment.

Therefore, if you are looking for earbuds under Rs 2,000, then CMF Buds Neo could be a great choice to consider.