True Wireless
Honor Earbuds 5e
63Good
$44
Full review dataHonor Earbuds 5e vs Nothing CMF Buds Neo: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Nothing CMF Buds Neo comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Nothing CMF Buds Neo - Outstanding overall at around $22.
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 7 of 7 measures.
- Honor Earbuds 5e
- Nothing CMF Buds Neo
HearWiki score
63
84
Sound
6.1
7.4
Noise cancelling
5.7
7.8
Battery
8.5
9.0
Calls
6.5
7.8
Value
8.0
9.8
Price (USD)
$44
$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
Both shipped in 2026. These are 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.
- Earbuds 5e2026
- CMF Buds Neo2026
Level on: ANC type.
Specifications
Earbuds 5eCMF Buds Neo
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $44
- $22
- HearWiki score
- 63
- 84
- Released
- 2026
- 2026
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 12 mm dynamic
- 12.4 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 12 mm
- 12.4 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- -
- Bluetooth
- 6.0
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LHDC
- -
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- -
- Battery life
- 9 h
- 11 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 5.5 h
- -
- Battery incl. case
- 45 h
- 52 h
- Full charge time
- 60 min
- 10 min
- Quick charge
- 10 min → 3 h
- 10 min → 5.5 h
- Wireless charging
- No
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Companion app
- -
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- -
- Yes
- Weight
- 4 g
- -
- Case weight
- 32 g
- -
- Water resistance
- IP54
- -
- USB-C
- -
- Yes
- Microphones
- 3
- 4
- Call noise reduction
- -
- Yes
What reviewers said
Honor Earbuds 5e
The Honor Earbuds 5e are budget-friendly true wireless earbuds that pack adaptive active noise cancellation, Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint, and a 12mm dynamic driver. They offer up to 9 hours of playback on a single charge (5.5 with ANC) and 45 hours total with the case, plus quick charging for convenience. With an IP54 rating and LHDC support, they aim to be a versatile pick for everyday listening.
- Pro:Adaptive ANC for the price
- Pro:Long battery life with case (45h)
- Pro:Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint
- Con:No wireless charging support
- Con:Average ANC battery life (5.5h)
- Con:Bass-heavy sound may not suit all
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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