True Wireless
Nothing CMF Buds 2
82Outstanding
$37
Full review dataNothing CMF Buds 2 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 85. 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
85Outstanding
$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 5 of 7 measures.
- Nothing CMF Buds 2
- Nothing CMF Buds Neo
HearWiki score
82
85
Sound
7.7
7.4
Noise cancelling
7.8
7.8
Battery
8.8
9.0
Calls
6.5
7.8
Value
9.4
9.8
Price (USD)
$37
$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?
Half a step newer
Nothing CMF Buds Neo (2026) against Nothing CMF Buds 2 (2025). The Nothing CMF Buds Neo edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid.
- CMF Buds 22025
- CMF Buds Neo20261 yr newer
What differsCMF Buds 2CMF Buds Neo
- ANC type
- Hybrid
- Adaptive
Platform
Level on: USB-C, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
CMF Buds 2CMF Buds Neo
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $37
- $22
- HearWiki score
- 82
- 85
- Released
- 2025
- 2026
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 11 mm driver
- 12.4 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 11 mm
- 12.4 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- -
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- -
- Latency
- 110 ms
- -
- Wireless range
- 10 m
- -
- Battery life
- 13.5 h
- 11 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 7.5 h
- -
- Battery incl. case
- 55 h
- 52 h
- Full charge time
- 93 min
- 10 min
- Quick charge
- 10 min → 4 h
- 10 min → 5.5 h
- Wireless charging
- No
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- hybrid
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- -
- Controls
- touch
- -
- Voice assistant
- Yes
- -
- Weight
- 4.5 g
- -
- Case weight
- 41.5 g
- -
- Water resistance
- IP55
- -
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 6
- 4
- Call noise reduction
- -
- Yes
What reviewers said
Nothing CMF Buds 2
The CMF Buds 2 are a budget-friendly true wireless pair that pack a surprising amount of value, blending solid sound, effective hybrid ANC, and long battery life into a compact design. With dual-device connectivity, an IP55 rating, and customizable touch controls, they offer a feature set that rivals more expensive options. While they lack premium extras like LDAC support, they deliver a well-rounded performance that makes them a compelling pick for most listeners on a budget.
- Pro:Excellent battery life with the case
- Pro:Effective hybrid ANC for the price
- Pro:Reliable dual-device multipoint connectivity
- Con:SBC and AAC codec support only, no high-res options
- Con:Average latency may not suit competitive gaming
- Con:Build feels less premium compared to pricier rivals
Nothing CMF Buds Neo
The Nothing CMF Buds Neo deliver impressive value in the budget true wireless segment, combining punchy bass-heavy sound, effective adaptive noise cancellation, and long battery life in a lightweight design. While they lack premium features like wear detection and have a gimmicky spatial audio mode, their strong performance and app support make them a solid pick for the price.
- Pro:Punchy, bass-forward sound with loud output
- Pro:Surprisingly effective adaptive ANC for the price
- Pro:Excellent battery life with 52 hours total including case
- Con:No wear detection sensor
- Con:Spatial audio mode feels gimmicky and adds little
- Con:Audio can distort at very high volumes
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.