A lot of technology and fresh ideas for little money – that’s what the CMF by Nothing brand stands for, which has already proven with the Watch Pro 2 (our test) what is possible for less than 100 euros. The manufacturer is also involved in the field of in-ear headphones and has come up with the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2, which are equally convincing price-performance tips. Our test.
Technical data
| The product | Buds Pro 2 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth codecs | AAC, SBC, LDAC |
| Maximum operating range | 12m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life |
|
| Charging time | 70 minutes (for charging case via USB-C) 10 minutes for 7 hours of playback |
| Size of charging case (H x W x D) | 53.4 mm x 53.4 mm x 23 mm |
| Weight | 4.9 g per earbud; 55.8 g charging case & earphones |
| Most important functions | ANC; Transparency mode; Wear detection; Multipoint, Gaming mode; ChatGPT; Smart Dial; Dirac Opteo |
| Price | € 60.17 * |
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 test: charging case with smart dial
- Case with innovative smart dial
- Convincing wearing comfort
- Plastic construction; nevertheless good workmanship
The RRP of the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 is just 59 euros, putting the subsidiary in competition with its parent company Nothing, which already has impressive in-ear headphones in this price segment with the Ear (a).
But the Buds Pro 2 do things differently. This starts with the colors, because in addition to classic dark and light grey tones, the earbuds are also available in bright orange and blue.
One special feature is the charging case, which measures 53.4 mm x 53.4 mm x 23 mm and is pleasantly handy. In the top left corner there is a small, silver-colored dial – the so-called Smart Dial.
This is customizable in terms of control and allows, for example, the volume to be changed by turning it, playback to be paused or stopped by clicking on it and noise suppression to be controlled. This is very practical, as it can also be operated via the case itself.
The buds themselves come in a classic look with a stylus and are pleasantly light at 4.9 grams, which, in combination with the soft ear tips, makes them very comfortable to wear.
The case and buds are made of plastic, which keeps the price low. Nevertheless, there is not much to complain about in terms of the build quality. This is at a good level.
Convincing features
- Bluetooth 5.3
- High-resolution LDAC codec
- Multipoint; gaming mode; ChatGPT integration
In terms of features, the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 play in a league well above their price class. The earbuds use the modern Bluetooth 5.3 standard, which promises a stable connection. Pairing with two devices simultaneously via Multipoint is possible without any problems.
The Buds Pro 2 also implement the high-resolution LDAC codec and offer the option to influence the sound using custom EQ. Spatial audio for a spatial sound image is also included. This is something you rarely get with Buds for less than 100 euros.
There is also active noise cancellation with a counterpart in the form of a transparency mode, a gaming mode with particularly low latency and IP55 water resistance for the earbuds themselves – the case, however, is not protected against water. This means that the in-ears can also be used in the rain without any problems.
Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair also enable fast pairing, while ChatGPT integration is again available in conjunction with Nothing smartphones. The companion app also offers a fit test for the ear inserts. It is also possible to search for the earbuds using a sound hint if you have misplaced them.
Good operation, long battery life
- Precise operation via Smart Dial; but annoying status tones
- Good, but not completely precise touch control
- Up to 43 hours runtime / up to 11 hours for the buds
Operation via the Smart Dial works flawlessly and very precisely. The plastic dial recognizes both rotary movements as well as single and multiple clicks very reliably and implements them accurately in the shortest possible time. The only annoying thing is the status tones, which are audible every time the wheel is turned and unfortunately cannot be deactivated.
The Buds Pro 2 themselves, who would have thought it, rely on touch control. There is a sensor surface on the outside for classic operation. This includes playback control, switching between ANC, transparency mode and normal mode or accepting and rejecting calls.
Too bad: Unfortunately, it is not possible to adjust the volume via the buds – you have to use the Smart Dial or smartphone. In terms of operation, I would sometimes have liked the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 to implement my inputs a little more precisely, but in most cases it worked perfectly.
The Buds Pro 2 are also very well positioned in terms of battery life. Up to 43 hours are possible in combination with the case and earbuds, while the Buds alone last for 11 hours – without ANC and other features, of course.
If you switch on the active noise canceling, you still get a very good 6.5 hours. That’s even more than with the Nothing Ear (a). In AAC codec, mind you, because using LDAC reduces the runtime to a maximum of 25 hours / 6.5 hours or 4.3 hours with ANC.
Fortunately, charging is also pleasantly quick. 10 minutes is enough for up to 3 hours of playback for the earbuds, a full charge takes around 70 minutes.
Powerful sound in the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2
- Warm, detailed and high-resolution sound
- Good spatial audio feature
- Bass too present; treble lacking in detail
CMF by Nothing gives the Buds Pro 2 two drivers per unit, with an 11 mm bass driver and a 6 mm tweeter. Together, the two cover a frequency response of 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz.
In addition to the high-resolution LDAC codec and spatial audio, the manufacturer also provides the earbuds with sound tuning using Dirac Opteo. This digital sound optimization is designed to help reproduce the acoustics exactly as the artists intended. However, it is important to note that this Dirac setting is not available if you want to use LDAC.
Depending on the EQ preset (there are six of them), the result is a really clean and pleasing sound. Especially with the Dirac Opteo preset, the Buds Pro 2 scores with rich and detailed bass and harmonious mids.
In the treble range, the earbuds are not quite as airy as you might be used to from much more expensive models. However, this also ensures that the high instrumentalization in particular does not become tiring even during prolonged use.
However, the bass is noticeably in the foreground and overlaps the mids and highs a little in places. Depending on the genre, this may be desirable, so the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 feel particularly at home with electro and pop music, but also with hip-hop. With classical music or complex heavy metal arrangements, however, the in-ear headphones quickly reach their limits.
And yet, what comes out of these compact earphones is pretty impressive. Bass fans in particular will get their money’s worth with the additional amplification of the low frequencies, although I personally deactivated this during the test. It also turns out that deactivating the active noise suppression has an effect on the acoustics: With ANC, the Buds Pro 2 sound much rounder and richer.
In terms of sound, the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 are therefore at a good level, but slightly behind the Nothing Ear (a), which is mainly due to the bass amplification (even without switching it on).
Average ANC
- ANC at an average level
- Decent transparency mode
- Good ambient noise suppression of the microphones
The CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 have to make up some ground when it comes to the quality of active noise cancellation and transparency mode. The earbuds still filter out low and constant noises quite well, but higher frequencies in particular come through much stronger (albeit muffled) than is the case with other, more expensive earbuds.
The ANC is, of course, perfectly fine considering the price, but in comparison with more expensive headphones, it is noticeably inferior. Subjectively slightly below the Ear (a). However, there is no perceptible background noise.
In transparency mode, this is of course much more audible – also because the ambient noise is amplified in this mode – but it is never really annoying.
As far as microphone quality is concerned, the Buds Pro 2 are quite good. The Clear Voice technology suppresses ambient noise quite well, which improves the telephony properties outdoors. However, your own voice should be transmitted a little more clearly and in greater detail.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2 test: Conclusion
With the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2, the manufacturer once again proves that there is currently no way around the Nothing subsidiary when it comes to outstanding value for money. The overall package that the manufacturer has put together here for only around 59 euros is absolutely outstanding.
Sure, there are earbuds that sound better. They provide better active noise suppression. And they have a longer battery life. But in none of these areas do the Buds Pro 2 fall behind the competition, which is sometimes twice as expensive.
On the contrary: with the charging case’s Smart Dial and Dirac’s sound tuning, including a convincing (albeit somewhat bass-heavy) sound, the Buds even offer some exciting unique selling points. So if you are looking for convincing earbuds for a small price, you are guaranteed to be happy with the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro 2
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value For Money
87/100
Attractive in-ear headphones with good sound, long battery life and very good wearing comfort at an absolutely unbeatable price.
