True Wireless
Creative Zen Air
Not yet scored
$20
Full review dataCreative Zen Air vs Nothing CMF Buds Neo: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Creative Zen Air vs Nothing CMF Buds Neo, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
True Wireless
Nothing CMF Buds Neo
84Outstanding
$22
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Nothing CMF Buds Neo leads on 6 of 7 measures.
- Creative Zen Air
- Nothing CMF Buds Neo
HearWiki score
-
84
Sound
-
7.4
Noise cancelling
-
7.8
Battery
-
9.0
Calls
-
7.8
Value
-
9.8
Price (USD)
$20
$22
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Same generation
The Nothing CMF Buds Neo is 5 years newer, but it is the same generation of hardware: nothing in the radio, the codecs or the noise cancelling separates them. Nothing separates them on convenience features either, so the choice comes down to tuning and price. For 5 years between them, that is a thin return - treat this as a restyle rather than a new platform.
- Zen Air2021
- CMF Buds Neo20265 yr newer
Level on: USB-C, Companion app.
Specifications
Zen AirCMF Buds Neo
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $20
- $22
- HearWiki score
- Not scored
- 84
- Released
- 2021
- 2026
- Availability
- Discontinued
- Sold new
- Driver
- 10 mm dynamic
- 12.4 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 10 mm
- 12.4 mm
- Drivers per side
- -
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.0
- -
- Codecs
- SBC
- -
- Battery life
- 6 h
- 11 h
- Battery incl. case
- 18 h
- 52 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 10 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 10 min → 5.5 h
- Wireless charging
- Yes
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- -
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- -
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- -
- Voice assistant
- Google Assistant, Siri
- -
- Weight
- 5 g
- -
- Case weight
- 36 g
- -
- Water resistance
- IPX4
- -
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 4
- 4
- Mic sensitivity
- -38 dBV
- -
- Call noise reduction
- -
- Yes
What reviewers said
Creative Zen Air
These budget-friendly true wireless earbuds pack active noise cancellation and a transparency mode into a featherlight design, making them a solid pick for commuters. With a 10mm driver, they deliver a balanced sound profile, while the IPX4 rating and wireless charging add practical convenience. Total battery life reaches 18 hours with the case, though the lack of advanced codecs limits audio fidelity for discerning listeners.
- Pro:Affordable with active noise cancellation
- Pro:Very lightweight and comfortable fit
- Pro:Includes transparency mode and wireless charging
- Con:Only supports SBC codec
- Con:Battery life is modest at 6 hours per charge
- Con:Bluetooth 5.0 lacks multipoint connectivity
Nothing CMF Buds Neo
The CMF Buds Neo deliver impressive value for around $22, combining a punchy, bass-forward sound with surprisingly effective adaptive ANC and marathon battery life of up to 52 hours with the case. They offer a comfortable, lightweight fit, app support with a custom EQ, and quick charging, though some premium conveniences like wear detection are absent. Overall, they stand out as a top budget TWS option for listeners who prioritize bass, battery, and noise cancellation over extra features.
- Pro:Strong bass-heavy sound with good volume
- Pro:Effective adaptive ANC for the price
- Pro:Excellent battery life (up to 52h with case)
- Con:No wear detection sensor
- Con:Finicky touch controls at times
- Con:No physical pairing button on the buds
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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