Established for its reputation in delivering cost-effective offerings in the phone and audio segments, Nothing has introduced its sub-brand CMF featuring the Buds Pro wireless earbuds. In this comprehensive review, we examine the new Nothing earphones available for under Rs 5,000
Nothing has garnered recognition in the industry by introducing cost-effective products in the phone and audio categories. Despite its relatively recent establishment, the company has managed to capture the attention of individuals beyond the smartphone enthusiasts. Nothing followed a strategy akin to OnePlus in its early days, prioritizing high performance at affordable prices, but founder Carl Pei also brought a distinct design approach that proved highly advantageous. Today, Nothing’s products are premium and exceed Rs 30,000 in India. To cater to those with budget constraints, the company introduced a new sub-brand called ‘CMF by Nothing.’ Interestingly, Nothing expanded into the wearables category, unveiling a smartwatch and a new pair of budget wireless earbuds rather than focusing solely on phones. In this review, we delve into the CMF By Nothing Buds Pro earphones, which are priced at Rs 3,499 in India, with a special Diwali sales offer of Rs 2,999 on Flipkart. The crucial question is whether these new Nothing Buds Pro justify their cost. Let’s explore further.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro Review: Design and Build Nothing is renowned for its distinctive designs, and the CMF Buds Pro maintains this tradition. While the market mostly features square, rectangular, and oval-shaped earphone cases, Nothing’s earbuds adopt a round form factor, setting them apart. Despite the plastic construction, the product doesn’t feel flimsy. Notably, Nothing has incorporated a metal hinge to ensure durability when opening and closing the case, even with frequent use. The plastic case also demonstrated resilience by withstanding accidental drops without cracking or breaking. However, it does tend to attract dust and smudges easily, making the black variant a preferable choice over the white. The case features a USB Type-C port, allowing users to charge it using their smartphone’s Type-C adapters. A small LED battery indicator on the front of the case helps monitor the remaining battery. The compact form factor of the case fits easily in jeans pockets or small bags.
The earbuds boast a stem design with a glass-matte finish, maintaining good build quality despite the plastic body. The default silicone buds offer a comfortable fit with no sound leakage, effectively reducing ambient noise. We’ll discuss noise cancellation shortly. The CMF Buds Pro come with two additional sets of silicone buds in various sizes to accommodate a wide range of users. These earbuds are lightweight and provide a snug fit, ensuring comfort for all-day wear. They also hold an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, although the case lacks the same rating.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro Review: Sound Quality, ANC, Nothing X App The sound quality of the Buds Pro aligns well with their price point, catering to those who enjoy pop music, electronic tunes, and Bollywood tracks. These earphones deliver enhanced bass and heightened treble, with the mid-range taking a slight backseat. In simpler terms, the bass is well-controlled, but it may impact vocal clarity in the lower mid-range frequencies. However, vocal-centric tracks remain enjoyable when not listening to bass-heavy content. Overall, the sound profile is vibrant, making these earbuds ideal for a variety of music genres. It’s important to note that these earbuds are budget audio devices, so their performance is well-balanced rather than optimized for specific audio profiles. Impressively, Nothing has incorporated Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in the budget range, a rarity in the Rs 3,000 price bracket. The CMF Buds Pro’s ANC functionality is commendable, effectively reducing background noise when listening to music. Although it may not completely eliminate ambient noise when music is paused, it performs admirably when audio is playing, surpassing the ANC capabilities of many other budget TWS earbuds. The earphones also offer a Transparency mode for ambient noise awareness, allowing users to disable ANC for extended battery life. These controls can be adjusted using the Nothing X app, which boasts a user-friendly interface and useful features. The app displays the battery percentage for both earbuds and the case, providing a clear indication of available usage time. Notably, Nothing offers the option to pause music when the earphones are removed from the ears, a feature rarely seen in budget options. Users can enable the on-ear detection feature through the app, a valuable inclusion. The app also features an equalizer for sound customization, enhancing the overall listening experience. Additionally, the ‘More Bass’ mode is available for bass-heavy tracks and other music genres. The ‘Find My Earbuds’ function is a useful addition, although it may require further refinement, as it did not work as expected during testing. Each earbud is equipped with three microphones, delivering clear voice quality during calls in quiet environments. However, in noisy settings, such as a car with significant background noise, voice clarity may be compromised, particularly when exposed to high-pitched sounds. This is a common limitation in many wireless earbuds and is not a deal-breaker. It’s essential to manage expectations, considering the budget nature of these earbuds, as they deliver impressive performance for their price.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro Review: Battery Life The battery life of the CMF Buds Pro is noteworthy. When fully charged, the earbuds with the case lasted for approximately a week, with daily usage of 2 to 3 hours. This performance is commendable, especially considering the budget price range. However, individual usage patterns may yield varying results.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro Review: Final Verdict The CMF by Nothing Buds Pro stands as one of the finest wireless earphones available for under Rs 5,000. The current reduced price of Rs 3,000, down from Rs 3,499, makes the deal even more enticing. These earbuds offer good sound quality, solid battery life, and a unique, compact design. All in all, the Buds Pro make for a valuable companion to your smartphone.
