True Wireless
Nothing CMF Buds Neo
84Outstanding
$22
Full review dataNothing CMF Buds Neo vs Redmi Buds 3 Lite: 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
Redmi Buds 3 Lite
67Good
$23
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.
- Nothing CMF Buds Neo
- Redmi Buds 3 Lite
HearWiki score
84
67
Sound
7.4
5.9
Noise cancelling
7.8
-
Battery
9.0
5.2
Calls
7.8
6.4
Value
9.8
-
Price (USD)
$22
$23
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
The Nothing CMF Buds Neo is 5 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. For 5 years between them, that is a thin return - treat this as a restyle rather than a new platform.
- CMF Buds Neo20265 yr newer
- Buds 3 Lite2021
Level on: USB-C.
Specifications
CMF Buds NeoBuds 3 Lite
- Type
- True Wireless
- True Wireless
- Price (USD)
- $22
- $23
- HearWiki score
- 84
- 67
- Released
- 2026
- 2021
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 12.4 mm dynamic
- 6 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 12.4 mm
- 6 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- -
- Frequency response
- -
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- Bluetooth
- -
- 5.2
- Codecs
- -
- SBC, AAC
- Multipoint pairing
- -
- No
- Wireless range
- -
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 11 h
- 5 h
- Battery incl. case
- 52 h
- 18 h
- Full charge time
- 10 min
- 90 min
- Quick charge
- 10 min → 5.5 h
- -
- Wireless charging
- -
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- -
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- -
- Controls
- -
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Google Assistant, Siri
- Weight
- -
- 4.2 g
- Case weight
- -
- 36 g
- Water resistance
- -
- IP54
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- 4
- 1
- Call noise reduction
- Yes
- Yes
- Call NR technology
- -
- ENC
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
Redmi Buds 3 Lite
The Redmi Buds 3 Lite are compact, budget-friendly true wireless earbuds designed for comfort and portability, even suitable for sleeping. They offer crisp audio, decent call quality, and a modest battery life, with a lightweight build that makes them easy to wear for extended periods. While they include active noise cancellation, their feature set is basic, focusing on essential performance at a very low price.
- Pro:Tiny and comfortable fit
- Pro:Crisp sound for the price
- Pro:Good call quality
- Con:Short battery life
- Con:No multipoint connection
- Con:Basic codec 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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