Nothing Buds CMF Buds 2
The 11mm PMI driver with Dirac Opteo tuning delivers deep bass and clear treble, while 48dB Hybrid ANC with a 5200Hz ultra-wide frequency range blocks a broad spectrum of noise. A 10-minute charge gives 7.5 hours of playback, and the IP55 rating handles workouts and rain without worry. Best for gamers who want low-lag mode and spatial audio, or travelers needing long battery life and adaptive noise cancellation.
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
The CMF Buds 2 are a strange beast: absolutely elite call quality and ANC paired with just average music playback. The mic performance is best-in-class, and the 55-hour battery life is a standout. If you find them for under $50, they're a steal for call-heavy users.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Call quality is top-tier, landing in the 97th percentile. 97th
- Battery life is a marathon, not a sprint, at 55 hours total. 97th
- Hybrid ANC performance is shockingly good for this price. 96th
- IP55 rating means you can sweat all over them without worry. 93rd
Cons
- Music sound quality is just average, a real step down from the call performance.
- Social proof is almost nonexistent, so you're buying on specs alone.
- Connectivity features are solid but unspectacular.
- The price spread is wild, ranging from $30 to over $1200.
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
The proof
Performance
The call quality is a genuine standout, landing in the 97th percentile of our database. That's best-in-class stuff for the price. Battery life is similarly ridiculous, with the case holding enough juice to get you through a week of commutes without hunting for a cable. The hybrid ANC is effective, clocking in at the 94th percentile, which means it silences a surprising amount of the outside world. The weak spot is music playback. The 11mm drivers deliver sound that's just okay, sitting in the middle of the pack. It's perfectly listenable, but don't expect the rich detail you'd get from pricier Sony or Samsung buds.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | true wireless |
| Weight | 0.0 kg / 0.1 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 11 |
| Drivers | 2 |
| Freq Max | 5200 |
| Impedance | 32 |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC |
Noise Control
| ANC | Yes |
| ANC Type | hybrid |
| Transparency | Yes |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
Earbud Battery
| Battery Life | 13.5 |
| Charge Time | 0.166 |
| Fast Charging | 10 min for 7.5 hours playback |
| Charging | USB-C |
Case Battery
| Case Battery | 55 |
| Case Charging | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | No |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
| Mic Count | 6 |
| NC Mic | Yes |
Features
| Voice Assistant | ChatGPT |
| Touch Controls | Yes |
| App | Nothing X |
| Gaming Mode | Yes |
| Bone Conduction | No |
| Water Resistance | IP55 |
vs Competition
Stacked against the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, the CMF Buds 2 actually win on raw ANC and battery life but get absolutely smoked on sound quality and overall polish. The Sony WF-C700N offer a more balanced, musical sound signature but can't touch the CMF's call quality or battery endurance. The EarFun Air Pro 4+ is a closer rival, trading blows on features, but the CMF's mic performance is in a different league. If your priority is taking calls in noisy places, the CMF Buds 2 embarrass most of the competition.
| Spec | Nothing Buds CMF Buds 2 | Apple AirPods Pro 3 | Soundcore P31i | Sony WF-C700N WFC700N/B | EarFun Air Pro 4+ | Bose QuietComfort Ultra 896637-0020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear |
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | hybrid | dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life Hours | 13.5 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 6 |
| Case Battery Hours | 55 | 24 | 50 | 15 | 54 | 18 |
| Water Resistance | IP55 | IP57 | IP55 | IPX4 | IP55 | IPX4 |
| Multipoint | true | true | - | true | true | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | User Sentiment | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nothing Buds CMF Buds 2 | 93 | 97.4 | 91.3 | 82.2 | 95.8 | 73.8 | 91.8 | 97 | 81 |
| Apple AirPods Pro 3 Compare | 97.2 | 82.3 | 98.8 | 90.9 | 76.3 | 94.8 | 32.1 | 99.7 | 99.3 |
| Soundcore P31i Compare | 89.7 | 97.4 | 91.3 | 97.1 | 93.3 | 73.8 | 97.1 | 86.4 | 90 |
| Sony WF-C700N WFC700N/B Compare | 97.2 | 82.3 | 79.7 | 81.3 | 79.5 | 73.8 | 97.1 | 89 | 72.6 |
| EarFun Air Pro 4+ Compare | 97.2 | 97.4 | 91.3 | 99.7 | 95.4 | 73.8 | 97.1 | 99.4 | 90 |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra 896637-0020 Compare | 97.2 | 91.6 | 79.7 | 96.7 | 45.6 | 73.8 | 50.7 | 98 | 90 |
Price
Value & Pricing
Pricing on these is a rollercoaster. We've seen them listed anywhere from a very reasonable $30 all the way up to a baffling $1271. If you can snag them near the lower end of that spectrum, the value is incredible. You're getting elite-tier call quality and ANC for pocket change. Just don't pay anything close to the high end, because at that point you're in flagship territory where the Buds 2's mediocre music performance becomes a dealbreaker.
Amazon 2 offers From CA$75
Price History
Read more
Overview
CMF by Nothing is back with the Buds 2, and they're swinging hard at the budget ANC market. You get hybrid noise cancelling rated at 48dB, a frankly absurd 55 hours of total battery life, and an IP55 rating that can handle sweat and splashes. On paper, it's a spec sheet that punches way above its weight class.
Common Questions
Q: Are these good for listening to music?
They're fine, but not great. The sound is solid and inoffensive, scoring in the 68th percentile, but it lacks the detail and richness you'd get from buds focused on audio quality.
Q: How good is the noise cancelling really?
It's surprisingly strong. The hybrid ANC hits 48dB and ranks in the 94th percentile, meaning it effectively cuts out a lot of low-end rumble and background chatter.
Q: Can I use just one earbud at a time for calls?
Yes, you can. With multipoint connectivity and a stellar mic setup, using a single bud for calls works perfectly and is one of the best use cases for this product.
Who Should Skip This
Audiophiles and music-first listeners should look elsewhere. If you care deeply about rich, detailed sound for your playlists, the mediocre music score here will leave you disappointed. Grab a pair of Sony WF-C700N instead.
Verdict
These are the perfect buds for remote workers and commuters who live on phone calls and need ANC to survive. The mic quality alone makes them worth the price of admission, and the battery means they won't die on you mid-meeting. Just don't buy them expecting an audiophile experience for your playlists.
