After two years of intense usage, today I’ll be giving you my review on the CMF Buds Pro.
I am not an audio expert or an audiophile, but I’m sharing this as a normal user who likes to spend money on budget earbuds.
Before this review, I should mention that I have tested many earbuds like the Realme Buds 5 Pro, Oppo Enco Buds, and even Apple AirPods.
Unboxing
• CMF Buds Pro case
• Earbuds
• Small charging cable
• Two extra ear tips (one small and one large)
I must say, the packaging of the CMF Buds Pro is amazing and unique. I have never experienced this type of unboxing in my life.
Audio & Fitting
One of the main reasons to buy an audio product is the sound quality or sound signature. Every brand has its own tuning, and fitting plays a major role in how the audio reaches your eardrums.
In my case, the fitting is just okay. Whenever I work out with them, my ears tend to get slippery, and the buds fall off. This is the most irritating part of using them, as I often need to readjust them.
The audio quality, however, is good. I use my own custom EQ settings as per my taste. The bass doesn’t feel cheap, and no instrument overpowers the other. The instrument separation is also decent— not the best, but at this price point you won’t get anything better.
Noise Cancellation
I only use noise cancellation, which works well for me. The level of separation from the outside world is enough, though it doesn’t completely block out everything. You can even adjust the level of noise cancellation from the app.
Nothing X App
Recently, Nothing pushed an update for the Nothing X app with a completely redesigned UI. I love how beautiful it looks and how accessible everything is.
After pairing your buds, you can see them in the app. Tapping on them lets you adjust settings like double-tap, triple-tap, etc. Below that, you’ll see the modes: Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Off.
Further down, you’ll find the equalizer settings: Balanced, Treble, Bass, and Voice. Then comes the device settings where you can switch on in-ear detection or low-lag mode. You can even upgrade your earbuds’ firmware under the “About” section.
I really like how Nothing has customised their app and how neatly everything is divided into sections.
Battery Life
I am very satisfied with the battery life. I usually keep my volume at 20–30%.
• In normal mode, I get around 10–11 hours of playback, which matches the claims.
• With noise cancellation, I get about 5 hours, which is still great.
The case can recharge the buds twice, which is more than enough for daily usage.
Bug
I did face a weird bug. Whenever I use the earbuds directly from the case without changing any setting, the sound feels different. But when I go into the app, switch to noise cancellation, and then back to normal mode, the sound output changes— and the second time it always sounds better.
So every time I have to put on my buds, open the app, switch to noise cancellation, and then back to normal mode to get the best quality. Very weird and quite irritating.
Conclusion
To conclude, at ₹2,500 these are one of the best earbuds you can buy. Except for a few flaws, they never disappointed me or made me feel like they were a waste of money. They are absolutely worth the price.
I must say, CMF really makes budget-friendly and reliable products. Every CMF product I’ve used has proven its worth.
