CMF Buds Pro 2 Review: Bold Design and Case Controls at Budget Price

Get the lowdown on CMF Buds Pro 2’s bold design, sound quality, and unique case controls in this budget-friendly earbud review.

A Fresh Take on Budget Tech

Nothing, the British tech brand, has fast become a fan favorite in just a few years, known for delivering solid quality without breaking the bank. Their subbrand CMF by Nothing pushes this value-focused approach even further—but sometimes, that gamble doesn’t fully pay off.

Take the CMF Buds Pro 2 as a case in point. If you’re used to Nothing products over-delivering beyond their price tags, these earbuds might surprise you—they deliver exactly what you pay for. No more, no less.

At just $59 (~$59 USD), these are truly budget earbuds. You won’t find many better options cheaper, and they hold their own as solid choices in the “sale bin” category—though they don’t quite top the charts.

Your wallet will thank you, and your ears might too. Thanks to a pairing of an 11mm bass driver and a 6mm micro planar tweeter, the CMF Buds Pro 2 sound notably good for their price. The bass takes center stage, but treble remains clear, and the built-in EQ offers some customization. I’ve definitely tested worse buds—including pricier ones.

When Noise Cancelling Falls Short

Here’s where things get a bit less rosy. The active noise cancellation (ANC) is underwhelming. It doesn’t come close to matching many competitors—even those similarly priced—and the transparency mode is particularly poor. Still, any form of ANC in this ultra-budget class is worth noting, since many rivals skip it altogether.

The Smart Dial: Great Concept, Flawed Execution

One feature that could have been a game changer is the Smart Dial on the charging case. This rotating and clickable dial allows you to adjust volume or play/pause your music without touching the earbuds themselves—a neat alternative to typical touch controls.

In practice? The dial is a bit of a headache. It’s prone to accidental spins and presses in your pocket, the notification sound for adjustments is startlingly loud, and there’s a noticeable lag between turning the dial and hearing the result.

Fit and Finish: A Mixed Bag

If you can forgive some rough edges given the price, there’s still a catch: the included ear tips use a slippery material that doesn’t grip ears well. I found myself constantly readjusting or losing the buds. I’d strongly advise hunting for aftermarket tips to improve the fit if you’re considering these.

Style Points and Signature Features

The CMF Buds Pro 2 come in a striking palette of four colors, including a standout bright orange and a sleek navy blue, giving you more flair options than many budget buds offer. Plus, a few exclusive Nothing features return: bass boost mode and ChatGPT integration (for Nothing phone users), even if the overall feature list feels sparse.

It’s easy to shrug off budget earbuds’ flaws as just part of the deal. And that’s fair here—CMF Buds Pro 2 deliver what you’d expect at this price. But the budget earbud market is fiercely competitive, and some rivals offer better bang for your buck—more on those later.

Price and Release Date

• Released July 2024
• Priced at $59

The CMF Buds Pro 2 launched in July 2024, following shortly after two other Nothing earbuds: Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a). At $59, these are seriously affordable earbuds—about $10 more than the original Buds Pro. No CMF Buds 2 non-Pro version exists yet.

And in this hyper-competitive price range, just being cheap isn’t enough to win all hearts.

Key Specifications

• Drivers: 11mm bass driver + 6mm micro planar tweeter
• Active Noise Cancelling: Yes
• Battery Life: 11 hours (buds), 43 hours (with case)
• Weight: 4.9g per earbud, 46g case
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
• Frequency Range: 20 – 20,000 Hz
• Water Resistance: IP55 for earbuds

Features and App Integration

The CMF Buds Pro 2 pair with the Nothing X companion app, borrowing a handful of Nothing’s feature set.

Through Nothing X, you can tweak the equalizer, customize case controls, toggle spatial audio, pick between ANC levels, and activate "Ultra Bass"—a bass enhancer true to its name. Hidden settings include wearing detection, low latency mode, default LDAC codec use, find earbuds, and fit tests. Not bad for the price.

ANC toggles between off, transparency (which unfortunately drowns out music), and four ANC intensities: low, medium, high, adaptive. The high ANC setting is your best bet, since noise cancellation is pretty weak—struggling with chatter, air conditioning hums, microwaves, and more.

Despite this, having any ANC is a bonus in this price range. Transparency mode is practically unusable, sadly.

Some handy perks like spatial audio, in-ear detection, and fit testing are included. However, the lack of touch controls and a less capable EQ compared to rivals is a downside. The advanced personalized hearing profile from Nothing Ear is also missing here.

Battery-wise, these earbuds are average: about 6.5 hours with ANC on, and 11 hours with it off. Add the case, and you get up to 26 or 43 hours respectively—43 is solid, but remember the ANC isn’t stellar.

Functionality score: 3/5

Design: Eye-Catching but Flawed

• Case dial tricky and prone to accidental activation
• Ear tips slippery and don’t hold well in ears
• Lightweight earbuds and case with IP55 rating for earbuds

The defining feature of the CMF Buds Pro 2 is their charging case—especially the Smart Dial.

Colors ditch boring blacks and whites for dark gray, light gray, navy blue, and a loud orange (which I tested). Bold is an understatement here.

The dial spins and clicks, controlling volume and play/pause. In theory, it’s a clever twist on earbud controls.

In practice, the dial’s loud feedback noises were jarring. Volume changes felt sluggish, often requiring endless turns to fine-tune volume—a frustrating experience compared to straightforward phone volume buttons. Plus, delay between dial turn and sound change made rapid adjustments impossible.

The worst part? The dial’s hyper-sensitivity. In pockets or bags, it would spin or press accidentally, pausing music unexpectedly. On crowded buses, passersby bumping my jacket pocket would interrupt playback. Walking sometimes triggered unwanted button presses due to pocket pressure. Eventually, I gave up and disabled these controls.

Case dimensions: 53.4 x 53.4 x 23 mm, 46g without earbuds. The only other case features are a pairing button and USB-C port.

The earbuds match the case color and weigh 4.9g each. They do have sensitive touch controls, but these often triggered unintentionally while trying to adjust fit, so I disabled them too.

Rated IP55, the buds resist dust and water jets; the case isn’t rated.

Unfortunately, the earbuds are quite slippery—like they’re made of soap. Despite their lightness, they easily slipped out during use, and the included tips just didn’t hold in my ears, no matter the size.

Removing and swapping tips is easy, and I recommend trying aftermarket options to improve fit. The poor grip often fooled the wearing sensor, pausing music mid-use—another reason I turned off that feature.

Note: With wearing detection off, the earbuds won’t pause music when placed back in the case. Remember to stop your music manually!

Design score: 2.5/5

Sound Quality: Bass Takes the Lead

• Bass-heavy sound profile
• High frequencies somewhat subdued but clearer than many rivals
• Limited soundstage and separation

Bass is king with the CMF Buds Pro 2. No matter the genre, bass dominates every track.

Some listeners might find this off-putting, but it’s typical for affordable, fun-focused earbuds like these. Treble and upper mids do suffer, but less so than in some other budget buds I’ve tried.

The combination of an 11mm bass driver plus a 6mm tweeter likely helps balance the highs a bit.

What’s missing is a sense of space. The buds tend to throw all elements into one sonic blob instead of separating instruments across a stage. This means some instruments get swallowed by the booming bass.

The app’s bass boost setting, a fan favorite on other Nothing buds, didn’t make a huge difference here, even maxed out.

The EQ is simple but somewhat useful. You can tweak bass, mids, and highs by ±6 points and pick from six presets: pop, rock, classical, electronic, vocal enhancement, or Dirac Opteo (which supposedly adapts EQ per track but felt negligible here).

While limited, this EQ is easier to use than many others, and I managed to rescue some clarity in the highs.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Value for Money: A Solid Budget Buy

• Incredibly low price offers great value
• Consider buying after-market ear tips for better fit

I’ve been hard on these buds, mostly due to design and features not quite hitting the mark for me. But the price is tough to argue with.

At $59, these are some of the cheapest earbuds from a reputable brand. The low price allows you to overlook some flaws.

By disabling the problematic controls, you’re left with a visually striking case, decent sound for the cost, and the option to spend a bit extra on better ear tips.

Value score: 3.5/5

CMF Buds Pro 2 Ratings Summary

Alternatives to Consider

Earfun Air 2

These earbuds at the same price point offer a sleek design and a great feature set for the cost. However, they lack ANC and their sound isn’t better than the CMF Buds Pro 2.

Nothing Ear (a)

If you’re willing to spend a bit more, Nothing Ear (a) offers the same feature set plus extras, better sound quality, a sleeker design, and intuitive squeeze controls.

CMF Buds Pro

The original version is still available from some sellers and, while it offers lower sound quality and no case dial, it’s a bit cheaper than the new model.

How I Tested the CMF Buds Pro 2

• Tested for over three weeks
• Used at home, office, and outdoors

I paired the buds with both an Android smartphone and a Windows laptop (not a Nothing smartphone). My tests included streaming Spotify music, binge-watching Netflix and Prime Video, voice and video calls, plus some mobile gaming. Most use was indoors, with some long trips on trains and buses.

With over five years reviewing gadgets, including many budget earbuds, I bring a seasoned perspective on what to expect in this category.

“Any level of active noise cancellation is a plus, considering many competitors in this ultra-budget segment don't offer it at all.” — Anonymous Reviewer

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FAQ

• What makes CMF Buds Pro 2 stand out?
  Their bold color choices and unique Smart Dial on the case set them apart in a crowded budget market.
• How is the battery life?
  Up to 11 hours on a single charge (without ANC) and 43 hours total with the case, which is solid for budget earbuds.
• Is the noise cancellation effective?
  ANC is present but underwhelming; it struggles with common ambient noises and transparency mode is weak.
• Are the earbuds comfortable and secure?
  Comfort is average, but the included tips are slippery and don’t grip ears well, causing frequent slips.
• Can I customize the sound?
  Yes, via the Nothing X app, which offers a basic EQ and presets, along with a bass boost feature.