Nothing has unveiled its CMF Buds Neo, wireless earbuds priced at just $25. On paper, they offer impressive features—52-hour battery life, active noise cancellation (ANC), dual-device connectivity, support for the Nothing X app, and a range of EQ presets. But budget earbuds often hide compromises. Having spent significant hands-on time with them, it’s clear these earbuds punch above their weight in some ways, while falling short in others.
What the CMF Buds Neo Get Right
For starters, the battery claims are solid: up to 52 hours total, which includes both earbuds and case—enough to last the week on moderate usage. The ANC works decently for this price point, and dual-device pairing is a huge win—making switching between phone and laptop or tablet more seamless than many rivals.
On the fit front, Nothing nailed comfort. The earbuds feel secure even after extended listening sessions, despite being made of lightweight materials. The carrying case looks sleek, with a rotating corner piece that includes a lanyard hole, and case magnets that do a strong job of keeping buds in place. The hinge feels snappy—solid touches for a wallet-friendly accessory.
Where the Cuts Show Up
Material quality is the most obvious compromise. The case looks good, but the plastic feels cheap to the touch, as do the earbuds themselves. Sound is serviceable out of the box, but it leans hollow—boosting bass helped a bit; turning down bass enhancement makes vocals and speech more intelligible. Music lovers might notice that compared to higher-tier earbuds like the Ear (3a), the difference is more than just price.
Other limitations to keep in mind: touch controls are responsive, but the omission of a pause/play gesture by default will frustrate some users. Bluetooth range is average; I encountered more dropouts with a Fold 8 than I expected. Also, there’s no pairing button on the case—which makes physical reset or non-phone pairing trickier. On the plus side, support for Google Fast Pair helps streamline setup despite these omissions, though UI labeling in Fast Pair is minimal—for example, one variant was just labeled “blue” without an image.
It’s clear that rather than cutting features entirely, Nothing made concessions in materials, polish, and certain advanced UX touches. For someone who just needs a reliable, inexpensive pair of earbuds—say, as a spare set or for travel—these deliver more value than expected.
The CMF Buds Neo are not for audiophiles or people who need distance or rugged gear. But at $25, the pluses—52-hour battery life, ANC, dual device, comfort—make them a very strong budget pick. They won’t replace premium earbuds, but they likely will take many people a long way.
What this means going forward: tech brands pushing budget tech are narrowing the gap between what’s possible at low prices and what used to be premium features. The CMF Buds Neo are another sign that for many consumers, the question is no longer “can these earbuds do XYZ,” but “how much UX polish and material quality am I willing to trade off?” As competition tightens, it’ll be those subtleties—gesture controls, range stability, design materials—that define standout value, not just specs on paper.
