Nothing’s Buds Neo, priced at Rs.1,999, offers active noise cancellation, lengthy battery life, and customisation features, challenging perceptions of affordable true wireless earbuds for first-time buyers.
CMF by Nothing’s Buds Neo is pitched as the company’s lowest-cost true wireless earbuds yet, arriving at Rs.1,999 and aimed squarely at first-time buyers. The appeal is obvious: active noise cancellation, a 12.4mm dynamic driver, Bluetooth 6.0, dual-device pairing, and a case-rated battery life that the company says can stretch to 52 hours. In a budget category where compromises are usually immediate, the Buds Neo tries to look like a more complete product than its price would suggest.
The design follows CMF’s familiar formula of strong visual identity and simple materials. The square charging case uses a matte finish, rounded edges and a contrasting rotating dial that also serves as a lanyard point, although it is not a playback control. The buds themselves are light, sit securely in the ear and carry an IP54 rating, while the case has IPX2 splash resistance. That makes them suitable for commuting, gym use and light rain, but not for anything harsher.
Sound quality is tuned for broad appeal rather than audiophile purity. Reviewers found the low end immediately prominent, but not so heavy that it swamps voices or treble detail. The Nothing X app adds six EQ presets, custom equalisation and a bass-boost feature that can be adjusted in two levels. There is also a static spatial mode that works better with video than with music. The main limitation is codec support: AAC and SBC are the only options, which is acceptable at this price but leaves no path for higher-bitrate playback.
Noise cancellation is one of the Buds Neo’s stronger selling points. CMF rates it at up to 35dB, with three fixed levels and an adaptive mode that changes the intensity according to ambient sound. Independent reviews said it was effective against air-conditioner hum, fan noise and steady traffic, even if it is less assertive than more expensive ANC earbuds. Call quality also appears to be a strength, with four microphones and voice processing that kept speech intelligible in noisy surroundings.
Battery life is another area where the specification sheet appears broadly credible. CMF claims up to 11 hours from the earbuds alone with ANC off, or eight hours with ANC on, plus 52 hours in total from the case under the same conditions. The company also says a 10-minute charge can deliver about 5.5 hours of playback, and reviewers broadly matched those figures in day-to-day use. The earbuds support Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, while the app provides gesture remapping and a low-latency gaming mode.
The result is a product that looks carefully judged for its price. It does not offer everything: there is no wear detection, and the ANC is weaker than that of CMF’s own higher models. But for students, commuters and anyone buying their first ANC earbuds, the Buds Neo appears to offer a rare combination of comfort, battery life, customisation and genuinely usable noise reduction at the entry level.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
