True Wireless
KZ Carol
70Good
$37
Full review dataKZ Carol vs Nothing CMF Buds 2: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Nothing CMF Buds 2 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 82. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Nothing CMF Buds 2 - Outstanding overall at around $37.
True Wireless
Nothing CMF Buds 2
82Outstanding
$37
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Nothing CMF Buds 2 leads on 5 of 7 measures.
- KZ Carol
- Nothing CMF Buds 2
HearWiki score
70
82
Sound
6.7
7.7
Noise cancelling
6.2
7.8
Battery
6.8
8.8
Calls
6.8
6.5
Value
8.6
9.4
Price (USD)
$37
$37
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?
Half a step newer
Nothing CMF Buds 2 (2025) against KZ Carol (2024). The Nothing CMF Buds 2 edges ahead on platform, but only just: Bluetooth 5.4 against 5.3. It also adds Water resistance (IP55).
- Carol2024
- CMF Buds 220251 yr newer
What differsCarolCMF Buds 2
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.4
- Water resistance
- Not rated
- IP55
Platform
Everyday features
Level on: Top codec, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C.
Specifications
CarolCMF Buds 2
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $37
- $37
- HearWiki score
- 70
- 82
- Released
- 2024
- 2025
- Availability
- Still sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 10 mm dynamic
- 11 mm driver
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 10 mm
- 11 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance
- 26 Ω
- -
- Sensitivity
- 105 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- 5.4
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- SBC, AAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Latency
- 55 ms
- 110 ms
- Wireless range
- 15 m
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 6 h
- 13.5 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 5 h
- 7.5 h
- Battery incl. case
- 42 h
- 55 h
- Full charge time
- 90 min
- 93 min
- Quick charge
- 10 min → 2 h
- 10 min → 4 h
- Wireless charging
- No
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- hybrid
- hybrid
- Transparency mode
- -
- Yes
- Companion app
- -
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- -
- Yes
- Wear detection
- -
- Yes
- Controls
- -
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Yes
- Weight
- -
- 4.5 g
- Case weight
- -
- 41.5 g
- Water resistance
- none
- IP55
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 6
- 6
What reviewers said
KZ Carol
The KZ Carol offers impressive audio performance and functional hybrid ANC at a budget-friendly price, making it a strong value pick. While its sound quality and feature set shine for the cost, some rough edges like dated call quality and minor control quirks keep it from being flawless.
- Pro:Excellent sound quality for the price
- Pro:Effective hybrid ANC at a budget tier
- Pro:Solid battery life with the charging case
- Con:Call clarity feels outdated
- Con:No app support for customization
- Con:Controls can be finicky and accidental shutoffs possible
Nothing CMF Buds 2
The Nothing CMF Buds 2 are an exceptional budget true-wireless option, packing a surprisingly rich feature set for their low price. They deliver engaging sound, robust battery life, and effective hybrid ANC, making them a top-value pick for most listeners.
- Pro:Excellent value for the price
- Pro:Strong battery life with ANC off
- Pro:Effective hybrid active noise cancellation
- Con:Call performance weak in noisy settings
- Con:ANC and gaming latency not class-leading
- Con:No wireless charging support
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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