
Nothing CMF Buds Neo vs QCY AilyBuds Pro+ True Wireless: 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.
Score 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.
- Nothing CMF Buds Neo
- QCY AilyBuds Pro+ True Wireless
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?
The Nothing CMF Buds Neo is 2 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.
- CMF Buds Neo20262 yr newer
- AilyBuds Pro+ True Wireless2024
Level on: ANC type, USB-C, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $22
- $40
- HearWiki score
- 84
- 68
- Released
- 2026
- 2024
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 12.4 mm dynamic
- 13 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 12.4 mm
- 13 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- -
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance
- -
- 32 Ω
- Bluetooth
- -
- 5.3
- Codecs
- -
- LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- -
- Yes
- Latency
- -
- 80 ms
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 11 h
- 5.5 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- -
- 4 h
- Battery incl. case
- 52 h
- 30 h
- Full charge time
- 10 min
- 120 min
- Quick charge
- 10 min → 5.5 h
- 10 min → 2 h
- Wireless charging
- -
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- -
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- -
- No
- Controls
- -
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Google Assistant, Siri
- Weight
- -
- 4 g
- Case weight
- -
- 28.4 g
- Water resistance
- -
- IPX5
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Model code
- -
- HT10
- Microphones
- 4
- 6
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- -
What reviewers said
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
QCY AilyBuds Pro+ True Wireless
The QCY AilyBuds Pro+ delivers a feature-packed budget experience, pairing LDAC support with adaptive noise cancellation and multipoint connectivity for impressive versatility at a low price. Its compact, IPX5-rated design stays comfortable for long sessions, while the 13 mm drivers produce a lively sound that benefits from enabling ANC. Battery life is merely average, and the case lacks wireless charging, but overall it's a strong value pick for everyday use.
- Pro:LDAC support for high-quality wireless audio
- Pro:Adaptive ANC and transparency mode included
- Pro:Multipoint connection for seamless device switching
- Con:Battery life is only average at 5.5 hours
- Con:Charging case lacks wireless charging
- Con:Sound quality may vary depending on ANC setting
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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