CMF BY NOTHING Buds CMF Buds 2a Wireless Earbuds Active Noise Cancelling 42dB Hybrid ANC

The CMF Buds 2a are the budget ANC earbuds to beat right now. You get a fun, bass-forward sound from a big 12.4mm driver, hybrid ANC that punches well above its price, and Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint. Battery life is a solid 35 hours with the case, and the fit is comfortable for all-day wear. The app is basic and the build feels cheap, but at under $50, these are an absolute steal for commuters and casual listeners.

That 12.4mm bio-fiber driver is doing some heavy lifting. The sound signature is unapologetically bass-forward, which makes sense given the marketing, but Dirac's tuning keeps the mids from turning into mud. You get a warm, engaging soundstage that flatters pop, hip-hop, and electronic music. Our sound score sits at the 80th percentile, which is impressive for budget buds. It's not neutral enough for critical listening, but for the gym or the train, it's exactly what most people actually want.

The ANC is where things get interesting. On paper, 42dB of hybrid noise cancellation is a strong number, and our testing puts it among the best in this price range. In the real world, it does a solid job knocking down the low rumble of a bus or the hum of an air conditioner. But it's not going to silence a crying baby or loud office chatter the way a pair of AirPods Pro or Galaxy Buds3 Pro would. The transparency mode is functional but a bit muffled, and the app only gives you a 3-band EQ to play with, which feels stingy when competitors offer 8 or 10 bands. Still, for the money, the core audio and ANC performance is hard to fault.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro are the obvious premium alternative, and they beat the CMF Buds 2a in almost every objective measure: better ANC, better transparency, wireless charging, and a more refined app. But they also cost four to five times as much. If you're deep in the Samsung ecosystem and have the budget, the Buds3 Pro are the better buy. For everyone else, the CMF gets you 80% of the experience for 20% of the price.

The Nothing Buds 2 are the awkward middle child here. They share DNA with the CMF line but cost more and don't offer a dramatically better experience. The EarFun Air Pro 4+ is the scrappiest competitor, with a more customizable EQ and similar ANC performance, but the CMF buds feel more polished in daily use and have a more comfortable fit. The JBL Live Pro 2 are worth a look if you prioritize call quality above all else, but their battery life falls short of the CMF's 35-hour total.

Here's where the Buds 2a get a little absurd. We're seeing prices across vendors ranging from $29 to $5,400, which is clearly some marketplace algorithm nonsense, but the real street price is almost always under $50. At that level, you're getting ANC that lands in the 92nd percentile, connectivity in the 97th, and mic quality in the 90th. That's a combination you'd normally pay triple digits for. The value proposition is so strong it almost feels like a pricing error.

Compared to the EarFun Air Pro 4+, which is a direct competitor in the budget ANC space, the CMF Buds 2a trade blows on sound but pull ahead on connectivity and call quality. The Soundcore P31i offers a more polished app experience but can't match the raw driver size or bass presence. If you can snag these for under $40, which is common, it's one of the easiest recommendations in audio right now.

CMF by Nothing has been quietly carving out a reputation for making budget gear that doesn't feel budget, and the Buds 2a are the latest shot across the bow. You're looking at a pair of true wireless earbuds that pack hybrid ANC, a big 12.4mm dynamic driver, and Bluetooth 5.4 into a design that's won actual design awards. The price is the real headline here, often landing well under $50, which makes you wonder what corners got cut. Spoiler: there are a few, but maybe not the ones you'd expect.

These are aimed squarely at the commuter, the student, or anyone who wants solid daily audio without handing over a car payment. The spec sheet reads like something from a much pricier bud: 42dB of active noise cancellation, Dirac Opteo tuning, and a battery that'll stretch to 35 hours with the case. Our database puts the connectivity and ANC performance way up in the 97th and 92nd percentiles respectively, which is wild for this price bracket. But the build quality lands in the bottom third, so you're trading premium materials for premium features.

What makes the Buds 2a interesting isn't just the spec-to-price ratio. It's that CMF is clearly borrowing DNA from its Nothing parent, with a transparent design language and an app that lets you tweak EQ, ANC levels, and even summon ChatGPT if you're paired with a Nothing phone. For the rest of us on iPhones or Pixels, it's still a feature-packed set of buds that punches well above its weight class in the areas that matter most day to day.

Fitness enthusiasts should look elsewhere, plain and simple. The 41.9 fitness score isn't a fluke, these buds aren't built for burpees or sprints. The IP54 rating handles sweat, but the fit isn't secure enough for high-impact movement. Grab something like the Jabra Elite 4 Active or a pair with ear hooks instead.

Audiophiles and tinkerers will also be frustrated. The 3-band EQ in the app is laughably basic, and there's no way to fine-tune the sound profile beyond bass, mids, and treble sliders. If you want to dial in a precise sound signature, the Soundcore P31i or EarFun Air Pro 4+ offer much more granular control. And if transparency mode matters to you, the muffled ambient passthrough here might be a dealbreaker.

If you're looking for the best budget earbuds under $50, stop scrolling. The CMF Buds 2a deliver a combination of sound quality, ANC performance, and battery life that's frankly unfair at this price. They're ideal for commuters, students, or anyone who wants a reliable daily driver that won't cause a panic attack if they get lost or stolen. The bass-heavy tuning is fun, the fit is secure, and the connectivity is rock solid.

But if you're a fitness fanatic, look elsewhere. Our fitness score is a dismal 41.9 out of 100, and while the IP54 rating handles sweat, the fit isn't locked-in enough for intense workouts. Runners and gym rats should check out something with ear hooks or a more secure wing tip design. And if you're an audiophile who needs a neutral sound signature and a parametric EQ, the limited app will drive you nuts. For everyone else, these are a no-brainer.