CMF Buds Neo review: Budget buyers can rejoice

CMF has built its identity around bringing good design and useful features down the price ladder, and the Buds Neo is another example. At ₹2,199, it offers a strong mix of design, fit, sound and ANC without making too many compromises.

The Buds Neo is also CMF's cheapest pair of earbuds, making the pricing a key part of its appeal. While CMF's Buds 2a remains an option for buyers looking for stronger ANC and additional features, the Buds Neo makes a convincing case as an affordable everyday pair.

Design and fit

The Buds Neo follows the CMF design language without trying too hard to look different. It comes in multiple colours, including the orange and white versions we tested. These are among the original CMF colours, and they certainly stand out, but CMF has used them tastefully rather than making the earbuds look loud or gimmicky.


The case retains the familiar square-ish form factor, with a tactile circular dial and a lanyard hole that has become part of CMF's visual identity. It is a design that is recognisable without being particularly distracting, and the orange and white combination gives the product some personality without going overboard.

The earbuds themselves have an IP54 rating, while the case is rated IPX2. The former is useful for workouts and everyday use, although the relatively basic protection on the case is worth keeping in mind, particularly in a market where monsoon exposure is a real consideration.

Fit was one area where the Buds Neo worked particularly well for us. The earbuds sit snugly in the ears, including during gym sessions and more vigorous movement. We didn't find ourselves constantly adjusting them, which means you can rely on them during workouts and commutes without worrying about them slipping out.

Music and connectivity

The Buds Neo uses a 12.4mm dynamic driver with a titanium-coated PET dome and a PEEK and PU surround. It supports AAC and SBC, but there is no LDAC or aptX support.

There are six EQ presets, along with a custom EQ and three levels of bass enhancement. The additional controls give users some flexibility in shaping the sound, although the bigger question is how much of that flexibility you will actually need depending on what you listen to.

With smartphones, connectivity was generally reliable in our testing. The earbuds paired easily and worked well during regular use, whether for music, videos or calls.

However, things were less convincing when we started multitasking between devices. Connecting the Buds Neo to a notebook while also using them with a smartphone resulted in noticeable latency during our testing. That made switching between devices and using the earbuds across a phone-and-notebook setup less seamless than we would have liked.

This is particularly worth noting if your typical use involves moving between a smartphone and a laptop throughout the day. The Buds Neo works well as a straightforward smartphone companion, but the experience isn't quite as polished once you introduce another device into the equation.

ANC and calls

The Buds Neo offers up to 35dB of active noise cancellation, with three ANC levels and an Adaptive ANC mode. There are four microphones and CMF's Clear Voice Technology for calls.

On paper, 35dB is respectable for this price segment, although it is worth remembering that CMF's own Buds 2a offers up to 42dB ANC at a lower regular price. That makes the difference in noise cancellation one of the more important considerations when comparing the two.

In everyday use, the ANC is useful for taking the edge off ambient noise, but this isn't a pair of earbuds that fundamentally changes your surroundings. For commuters and people working in moderately noisy environments, it should make listening more comfortable, but buyers looking for stronger isolation may want to look higher up the range.

Call performance is similarly positioned as functional rather than class-leading. The four-microphone setup and Clear Voice Technology help, but the overall experience needs to be judged against the price rather than premium earbuds several times more expensive.

Software and controls

The Buds Neo works with the Nothing X app, available on Android 6.0 and above and iOS 13 and above. The app gives users access to EQ settings, ANC controls and custom touch controls.

There is also a gaming mode with a claimed latency of 120ms. For casual gaming, that should be sufficient, although anyone buying these specifically for competitive gaming should temper expectations.

The software experience is fairly straightforward, and the ability to customise controls and sound profiles is useful at this price.

Battery

CMF claims up to 11 hours of playback from the earbuds with ANC switched off and up to 52 hours with the charging case. With ANC enabled, the total claimed battery life drops to 30 hours.

Those are claimed figures rather than numbers we would treat as representative of every user's experience. Actual battery life will depend on volume, ANC usage, codec and other settings.

For everyday use, the headline numbers are competitive for this segment, but battery life isn't necessarily the reason to choose the Buds Neo over CMF's own alternatives.

Verdict

The CMF Buds Neo gets the basics right. They are comfortable, stay secure during workouts, sound good for everyday listening and offer useful customisation through the Nothing X app. Smartphone connectivity is also reliable, although switching between a phone and notebook wasn't as seamless in our testing.

At ₹1,999, they are easy to recommend. At the regular ₹2,199 price, there are stronger alternatives within CMF's own lineup. Overall, the Buds Neo are a solid pair of everyday earbuds that deliver where it matters most.