CMF BY NOTHING Buds 2

The CMF Buds 2 are the best budget true wireless earbuds we've tested this year. The 48dB ANC is shockingly good for the price, battery life is best-in-class at 55 hours, and call quality is top-tier. At USD 49 to USD 54, this is an absolute steal.

The 11mm PMI driver with Dirac Opteo tuning gives the Buds 2 a lively, bass-forward sound that's a lot of fun out of the box. Vocals stay clear and instrument separation is solid, though the bass can get a little overzealous on bass-heavy tracks. The 48dB hybrid ANC is the real star here. It's not going to beat the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, but it's shockingly close for a fraction of the price. The 5200Hz ultra-wide frequency range helps knock out a broader range of ambient noise than most budget buds. Call quality is also a standout, with six mics and Clear Voice Technology 3.0 doing serious work. Battery life is best-in-class at 13.5 hours per bud and 55 hours with the case, and the 10-minute fast charge for 7.5 hours is a lifesaver.

Against the JLab JBuds Pods ANC, the CMF Buds 2 win on sound quality, battery, and build. The JLab buds are fine, but they feel like a budget product. The Buds 2 don't. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are better overall, especially in ANC and sound refinement, but they cost several times more. The EarFun Air Pro 4 and Anker Space A40 are the closest real competitors, and they're both solid. But the Buds 2 beat them on battery life and call quality, and the ANC is at least on par. If you want the absolute best sound, Samsung still wins. If you want the best overall package under $60, it's the CMF Buds 2.

This is where the Buds 2 absolutely clean up. In the US, you're looking at USD 49 to USD 54 depending on the listing, with Amazon generally sitting at the lower end of that spread. In Europe, prices range from EUR 35 to EUR 50, so it's worth checking a few storefronts before you buy. Either way, you're getting ANC, spatial audio, multipoint, and 55 hours of battery for less than the cost of a decent dinner. The value proposition here is borderline unfair to the competition.

CMF by Nothing is the budget sub-brand of Nothing, and the Buds 2 are their latest swing at the under-$60 true wireless market. On paper, this thing looks almost unfair: 48dB hybrid ANC, an 11mm driver with Dirac Opteo tuning, 55 hours of total battery, and six mics for calls. That's a spec sheet that would have cost triple this a few years ago.

In practice, the Buds 2 mostly deliver. The sound is punchy and fun, the ANC is genuinely impressive for the price, and the battery life is absurd. There are a few rough edges, like limited touch control customization and a case that's chunkier than it needs to be. But for the money, this is one of the easiest recommendations in budget audio right now.

Skip these if you're a hardcore audiophile who wants a neutral, reference-style sound signature. The bass-heavy tuning is fun but not accurate, and the limited EQ customization in the app won't fully fix that. Also skip if you need Google Fast Pair or a slim, pocket-friendly case. And if you're already in the Samsung ecosystem, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro are still the better choice, just at a much higher price.

If you want a pair of true wireless earbuds under $60 that don't feel like a compromise, buy the CMF Buds 2. They're perfect for commuters, students, gym-goers, and anyone who wants great ANC and battery life without spending flagship money. The sound is fun, the calls are clear, and the battery just keeps going. The only real downsides are the limited touch controls and a case that's a bit chunky. Neither is a dealbreaker.