CMF Buds Pro 2 review

The CMF Buds Pro 2 are the latest addition to the Nothing sub-brand’s expanding audio lineup. They arrive as the successor to the first generation CMF Buds Pro and feature improvements in almost every aspect.

You get dual drivers, updated active noise cancelation (ANC), spatial audio support, and longer battery life. The charging case also has a new trick with the programmable Smart Dial. You can use it to control volume, media playback, and manage incoming calls. Add in LDAC support, multi-point pairing, and a sleek design with fun color options and you’ve got the to rival some of the premium earbuds from Apple, Sony, and Samsung.

But the CMF Buds Pro 2 retail for just $59/€59/£59/₹4,299 - a fraction of the buds from those competitors, so some corners had to be cut, right? The short answer is yes but not in the areas that make a big difference.

Design

CMF stands for Color, Materials, and Finish and we can begin this section of the review by stating the obvious. Our review unit CMF Buds Pro 2 come in blue color which is a darker shade and really saturated. The color just pops just as the orange hue on the first-generation CMF Buds.

Buds Pro 2 and their case are predominantly made from plastic apart from the Smart Dial which features a solid metal ring with tactile clicks. The case and buds feature a matte finish which does well with fending off fingerprints and is always preferred over glossy plastics in our book.

Back to the case and its Smart Dial - it’s something fresh in the TWS market and sets the CMF Buds Pro 2 apart from just about every other pair of earbuds. Think of it as a remote control that lets you adjust volume with satisfying tactile feedback. It also supports remapable single, double, triple, and tap to hold presses.

The case dimensions and weight are exactly the same as the CMF Buds and each earbud weighs just 4.5 grams. The in-ear fit with the pre-applied size M tips was great in our case and we had no problem dailying these buds for hours on end.

The top halves of the buds also feature remappable touch sensors for media, noise cancelation, and volume controls. The retail package features a short USB-C cable for charging and a set of size S and XL silicone ear tips.

Features and companion app

The CMF Buds Pro 2 are a logical evolution to the first gen CMF Buds Pro with the major change being the updated dual driver system. You now get 11mm bass drivers and separate 6mm planar tweeters in each earbud. The connection still happens over Bluetooth 5.3 with support for Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and dual device pairing.

The added LDAC support is useful if you stream music via supported platforms like Tidal HiFi, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Deezer Premium. Active noise cancelation is now rated to drown out up to 50dB, compared to 45dB on the first-gen CMF Buds Pro. Spatial audio is another new addition.

Total battery life is also updated and is now rated up to 43 hours from the buds and their case, another slight improvement over their predecessor. You also get wear detection which automatically pauses media when you remove the buds from your ears.

While the Buds Pro 2 work just fine on their own, the Nothing X app for iOS and Android is a pretty useful way to get extra functionality including button remapping for the buds and the Smart Dial as well as customizable EQ profiles.

The Smart Dial is arguably the most intriguing feature here. We found it generally useful when connected to a laptop. The satisfying tactile feedback from the dial is awesome and we only wish that more companies would get on board with similar solutions on their earbuds.

Using the Buds Pro 2 with a Nothing smartphone also allows you to summon ChatGPT straight from the buds. The buds (but not their case) also get an IP55 rating against dust and water splashes.

Performance and Sound quality

We’ve come to expect bass-heavy V-shaped sound from Nothing audio products and that is certainly the case with the Buds Pro 2. They lean heavily on the bass out of the box and are plenty loud which will certainly cater to a large demographic of users. Comparing the CMF Buds Pro 2 to the CMF Buds shows improvements like richer overall sound and better instrument separation.

Things got better when we switched to the Dirac Opteo EQ profile which is the best pick from the built-in EQ options. You can tweak the EQ to your liking with a custom profile but for some reason, Nothing decided to impose a three-band EQ limit compared to the one on the Nothing Ear (2) and most competing earbuds.

The spatial audio feature is pretty noticeable and delivers livelier audio so it’s a good idea to leave it on. To sum up the audio quality, Buds Pro 2 sound decent but we were missing the extra clarity present on the recently reviewed Realme Buds Air6 Pro.

ANC works to the extent of muting lower frequency sounds like AC and fan noise but did not hold up to the capabilities of more expensive earbuds. Transparency mode was lackluster and accompanied by the usual hissing sound we’ve come to expect from most buds in this price range.

Connectivity remained strong throughout my review period which included constant switching between a MacBook Pro 14, iPhone 15 Pro, and a CMF Phone 1. The dual device pairing, touch controls, and wear detection all worked without any issues. It’s nice that you get volume controls from the buds but the only option is via a double tap and hold gesture which is not the most intuitive.

Call quality on the Buds Pro 2 was not impressive with people on the other end reporting muffled sound coming from my end even in quieter rooms with minimal background noise. Still, if these are your only option for taking calls they will get the job done, just don’t expect AirPod Pro-type results here.

Battery life

Nothing has some lofty battery claims for the CMF Buds Pro 2 with 43 hours total playtime from the buds and their case and 11 hours from the buds with ANC off and 6.5 hours with ANC on.

The figures we got in our testing period were close - CMF Buds Pro 2 managed just over 6 hours and 15 minutes of use with ANC turned on at 50% volume and all optional features toggled on. The figure dropped to 4 hours and 15 minutes on LDAC mode with ANC on which is still impressive.

Charging is limited to the USB-C port on the case and it takes 70 mins for a full topup of the buds and the case. The case can charge the buds from empty to full in 60 minutes.

Verdict

Nothing continues to offer some of the best wireless earbuds in the budget segment and the Buds Pro 2 are an easy recommendation. You just can't match their feature-to-price ratio with dual drivers, LDAC support, adaptive ANC, dual-device pairing, and spatial audio.

Looks are subjective but we dig the bold color options and minimalist design and you also get an exclusive feature not seen on any other pair of earbuds (even the flagships) with the Smart Dial. Combined with their strong battery endurance and great companion app, CMF Buds Pro 2 leave little to be desired.

There are a few things we’d like to see improved with future versions - namely the full parametric EQ customization options from the Nothing Ear series as well as stronger noise cancelation, a less muffled transparency mode, and improved call quality.

Factoring the $59/€59/£59/₹4,299 price we’re okay with making these compromises and are eager to see what Nothing has in store up with the next iterations in the CMF Buds lineup.

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