Is the Nothing CMF Buds Neo worth the upgrade from the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro to the Nothing CMF Buds Neo buys you 13.5 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in value (6.9 to 9.8), battery (6.7 to 9.0) and noise cancelling (6.0 to 7.8). On paper: battery life 9 h to 11 h, battery incl. case 36 h to 52 h and driver size 10 mm to 12.4 mm. Worth checking: water resistance goes IP54 to Not rated and drivers per side goes 2 to 1. One caution: this steps down a line tier (Redmi Buds 4 Pro to CMF Buds Neo), and base models usually trade away tier features - check the codec and ANC rows above before trusting the score gap alone. It's also $35 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. If your current pair is worn out or the gains line up with how you listen, this one is worth the money.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound7.17.4
- Noise cancelling6.07.8
- Battery6.79.0
- Calls6.27.8
- Value6.99.8
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Redmi Buds 4 Pro | CMF Buds Neo | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 9 h | 11 h | |
| Water resistance | IP54 | Not rated | |
| Battery incl. case | 36 h | 52 h | |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 12.4 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 | |
| Microphones | 3 | 4 | |
| Quick charge | 5 min → 2 h | 10 min → 5.5 h | |
| Driver | 2-driver hybrid | 12.4 mm dynamic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Redmi Buds 4 Pro to CMF Buds Neo". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.