CMF By Nothing is an entity of the brand that focuses on making affordable products for consumers. After launching CMF Buds Pro in 2023, the sub-brand is back with two new audio products for the global market. Nothing CMF Buds claims to offer top-notch specs at low prices. Today, we’ll be focusing on CMF Buds, which is a toned-down variant of the CMF Buds Pro and comes with features like dual-device pairing, long battery life, funky design, equalizer options, and more. However, in times when the audio market is getting competitive day by day, will these buds be able to make their mark? Let’s find out.
CMF Buds Review Snapshot
Editor’s rating: 3.6/5
Design
Control
Hardware
Sound Quality
Noise Cancellation
Battery
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Pros
- Stylish design
- Long battery life
- Dual device connectivity
- In-ear detection
Cons
- Inadequate volume level
- ANC isn’t very effective
CMF Buds
CMF Buds are priced at Rs. 2,299 and are available in black, white, and orange shades. It retails via Flipkart, Myntra, Croma, Vijay Sales, and other leading stores.
CMF Buds Review: Design
CMF By Nothing is an entity of the brand that focuses on making affordable products for consumers. After launching CMF Buds Pro in 2023, the sub-brand is back with a new audio product for the global market. Nothing CMF Buds claims to offer top-notch specs at low prices. Today, we’ll be focusing on CMF Buds, which is a toned-down variant of the CMF Buds Pro and comes with features like dual-device pairing, long battery life, funky design, equalizer options, and more. However, in times when the audio market is getting competitive day by day, will these buds be able to make their mark? Let’s find out.
Connecting the lanyard is easy and for those who keep losing the case, it comes in handy as you can tie it on your wrist or put it around your neck. At the front of the case is the LED indicator while on the right side is the USB port and reset button. CMF logo can be seen on the top of the case that opens and closes with a click. Buds too get attached inside the case for charging with a click. With or without the buds, the case feels feather-light (52.84 grams) and doesn’t catch any smudges or scratches easily. It has a modern and minimalist vibe which is sure to leave a mark.
Let’s talk about the design and build of the earbuds now. The earbuds have a design similar to Nothing Ear 1 and 2, and the semi-opened design of the earbuds has an angled nozzle that makes these sit in the ear quite comfortably. I used the buds during a regular workday and was able to wear them for 6-7 hours at a stretch, without any discomfort. The buds come with ear tip sizes to choose from, like for me the medium-sized ones were apt as they never felt like they would fall out. The microphone ports and speaker grille have a clean and distinct look adding a premium touch to the buds. The buds are IP54-rated so I didn’t have to worry about them getting wet or sweaty. Each bud weighs 4.57 grams which is 0.2 grams lighter than Buds Pro.
Overall, the buds as well as the case don’t have the typical Nothing-like transparent brand, but it does offer a decent combination of modernism, minimalism, and style.
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CMF Buds Review: Connectivity, Controls & Features
The CMF Buds by Nothing supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with support for AAC and SBC codecs, which is good considering the price range as most of the buds have only LDAC. The process of pairing the buds with any device is super simple. All you have to do is turn on the Bluetooth of your device and open the case of the buds keeping it near the device (Without taking the buds out). As soon as you do so, your device will detect CMF Buds and allow you to pair it with one tap. Buds will get connected to the device and you can start using them. In case the Bluetooth of your device doesn’t detect it, press the reset button to enter Bluetooth settings and choose CMF buds.
Nothing CMF Buds can be connected through fast pair on Android phones, and Microsoft swift pair as well.
Touch controls on CMF Buds are quick and responsive. You can double-tap to play/ pause or answer calls, triple-tap to move to the next track, tap and hold to switch between ANC and transparency, and double-tap and hold to control volume. By default, volume control is disabled, but this can be customized using the Nothing X app. Nothing offers X App support for CMF Buds. The app allows changing of Actions as per needs. The app also shows battery levels for both buds and cases and allows you to switch on/off ultra bass. You can also switch the ANC on or off and choose from equalizer options like Dirac, rock, electronic, pop, classical, enhanced vocals, and custom.
Advanced features can also be enabled or disabled using the app. This includes in-ear detection that automatically plays audio when earbuds are in the ear and pauses when they are plugged out. However, this works only when earbuds are out for up to 3 minutes. Post that they have to be connected again.
There is a low lag mode that minimizes latency, a dual connection mode that allows you to connect to two devices simultaneously, and find my earbuds which comes in handy when you have lost one or other buds. Tapping on the play button will ring the earbuds to locate it for you.
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CMF Buds Review: Sound & ANC
The most important aspect of any TWS device is its audio quality. For CMF Buds, Nothing has partnered with audio expert Dirac. The TWS comes with 12.4mm custom bio-fiber drivers that claim to offer a clear, precise, and balanced sound quality. The bass is on the higher side and one can enable the ultra bass option to make it even better. Highs and mids are ok but they aren’t the best I have heard in the segment.
The loudness levels feel inadequate as well. While I used Realme Air 3, OnePlus Nord Buds CE, and more at a maximum of 40-50% volume levels, CMF Buds don’t feel loud even at 100% level. There are equalized options so you can listen to songs according to their genre, but that doesn’t affect the overall sound quality much.
Talking about the Active Noise Cancellation, CMF Buds offer cancellation of noise up to 42dB which looks decent on paper, but in real-life scenarios, the Buds don’t block out the noises around in a crowded environment. In areas with traffic, the sounds of horns and engines were clearly audible even when the volume level was 100%. ANC isn’t very good which proves to be distracting at times when you need quiet. The ANC works well in regular conditions but does feel inadequate in noisy scenarios.
Transparency mode allows you to stay in touch with your surroundings while focusing on the task at hand. When used, I felt this mode is also average just like ANC is. The clear voice technology and advanced wind noise reduction algorithm do offer a clear and hassle-free calling experience, which is a relief.
Overall, the sound and ANC performance of the Nothing CMF Buds leaves room for improvement.
CMF Buds Review: Battery Life and Charging
CMF Buds pack a 45mAh battery each, which claims to offer 8 hours of runtime on a single charge with ANC off and around 5.6 hours with ANC on. During my usage, the buds easily lasted for about 7.5 hours without ANC and 6 hours with ANC on, which is pretty decent.
The case has a 460mAh battery that gives around 36 hours of battery life on a single charge with ANC off and around one day’s runtime with ANC on. There is a USB-C port for charging which is pretty much what you get in this price range. Charging the case fully with earbuds takes about 1.5 hours. There is no wireless charging but you can get around 5 hours of runtime with 10 minutes of fast charging.
Review Verdict: Should you buy CMF Buds?
CMF Buds by Nothing are priced at Rs. 2499 which means it is a mid-range TWS that comes with a host of features. The buds come with long battery life, ANC, premium and funky design, and a lightweight build. The touch controls are intuitive and customizable and there are some premium features like dual-device connection, in-ear detection, and more. However, the biggest drawbacks of the device are not so superior audio quality and inadequate ANC. If you are looking for a budget-friendly TWS with a cool design and functional features, CMF Buds can be a good option.
Reasons to buy
- Stylish design
- Long battery life
- Dual device connectivity
- In-ear detection
Reasons to not buy
- Inadequate volume level
- ANC isn’t very effective
