othing’s budget sub-brand CMF just undercut the entry-level wireless audio market with the CMF Buds Neo, landing at a rock-bottom $25. On paper, this spec sheet looks like an accounting error: you get active noise cancellation (ANC), dual-device multipoint pairing, and up to 52 hours of total battery life with the charging case.
Features like multipoint and ANC typically sit well above the $50 threshold. For context, Nothing’s own Ear (a) earbuds command $99. While premium sets obviously pack superior acoustic hardware and nuanced drivers, the CMF Buds Neo manage to deliver the baseline convenience checklist for a fraction of the cost, directly challenging what buyers should expect from throwaway-priced earbuds.
Real Sound vs Default Tuning
Naturally, a twenty-five-dollar price tag comes with audible trade-offs. Out of the box, the default sound profile leans hollow and muddy. As 9to5Google’s Ben Schoon observed during testing, the raw hardware tuning prioritizes muffled bass over clarity until you intervene in the Nothing X companion app.
"turning down the bass enhancement improves the sound quality, and they’re more optimized for speech (podcasts, etc) than music."
Tweaking the equalizer and turning off the aggressive default bass boost makes spoken content, podcasts, and casual YouTube streaming clear and articulate. The active noise cancellation won't silence a screaming jet engine, but it effectively cuts down background air conditioning hum and coffee shop chatter—more than enough for daily transit.
Hardware Cuts and Daily Convenience
To hit $25, Nothing had to trim physical component costs. The charging case ditches a dedicated hardware pairing button entirely, relying on Google Fast Pair for Android or manual Bluetooth menu digging on other platforms. The out-of-the-box touch controls are also quirky, lacking a native play/pause tap until you remap the controls in the app.
Yet, the utilitarian design punches above its weight. The plastic case integrates a functional lanyard wheel in the corner for easy bag tethering without requiring an extra silicone sleeve. If you are sitting on worn-out budget buds with dead batteries or simply need an indestructible secondary pair for travel and gym duty, the CMF Buds Neo deliver genuine daily utility where it actually matters.