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Nothing CMF Buds 2 vs Realme Buds Air8 Pro: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Realme Buds Air8 Pro comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Realme Buds Air8 Pro - Outstanding overall at around $74.

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Realme Buds Air8 Pro leads on 4 of 7 measures.

  • Nothing CMF Buds 2
  • Realme Buds Air8 Pro
HearWiki score
82
84
Sound
7.7
8.4
Noise cancelling
7.8
8.4
Battery
8.8
7.2
Calls
6.5
8.5
Value
9.4
9.2
Price (USD)
$37
$74

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?

New platform

Realme Buds Air8 Pro (2026) against Nothing CMF Buds 2 (2025). The Realme Buds Air8 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.4, Top codec LHDC against AAC and ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid.

  • CMF Buds 22025
  • Buds Air8 Pro20261 yr newer
What differsCMF Buds 2Buds Air8 Pro

Platform

Bluetooth
5.4
6.1
Top codec
AAC
LHDC
ANC type
Hybrid
Adaptive

Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Wear detection, Custom EQ, Companion app, Water resistance.

Specifications

CMF Buds 2Buds Air8 Pro
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$37
$74
HearWiki score
82
84
Released
2025
2026
Availability
Sold new
Sold new
Driver
11 mm driver
2-driver hybrid
Driver type
dynamic
hybrid
Driver size
11 mm
11 mm
Drivers per side
1
2
Frequency response
20 Hz - 20 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Bluetooth
5.4
6.1
Codecs
SBC, AAC
SBC, AAC, LHDC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
Yes
Latency
110 ms
45 ms
Wireless range
10 m
-
Battery life
13.5 h
12 h
Battery life (ANC on)
7.5 h
-
Battery incl. case
55 h
50 h
Full charge time
93 min
120 min
Quick charge
10 min → 4 h
10 min → 11 h
Wireless charging
No
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
hybrid
adaptive
Transparency mode
Yes
-
Companion app
Yes
Yes
Custom EQ
Yes
Yes
Wear detection
Yes
Yes
Controls
touch
touch
Voice assistant
Yes
-
Weight
4.5 g
4.8 g
Case weight
41.5 g
53 g
Water resistance
IP55
IP55
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
6
6
Call noise reduction
-
Yes
Call NR technology
-
AI ENC

What reviewers said

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

Realme Buds Air8 Pro

The Realme Buds Air8 Pro are feature-rich wireless earbuds that deliver strong adaptive noise cancellation, clear call quality, and a versatile hybrid driver setup for under $100. They offer a long 12-hour battery per charge, Bluetooth 6.1 with triple-device multipoint, and IP55 water resistance, making them a solid everyday choice. Sound tuning requires some adjustment to get the best performance, but the overall package is impressive for the price.

  • Pro:Strong adaptive ANC and usable transparency mode
  • Pro:Long 12-hour battery life with 50 hours total via case
  • Pro:Triple-device multipoint connectivity
  • Con:Sound tuning needs effort to optimize
  • Con:No wireless charging support
  • Con:Battery life per charge may vary depending on usage

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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