CMF Buds Neo review: Best earbuds with ANC money can buy at Rs 2,199

In 2026, if you are in the market for a good pair of TWS earbuds, you will probably feel overwhelmed. There are plenty of options promising good sound, long battery life, fun design and even features that would usually cost more money. But let’s filter things out a bit. What if we put a price cap of, say, Rs 2,500? What do you get? Well, you can find earbuds offering good sound, good battery life and some funky looks too. But what is the best option you can go for? One option is the newly launched CMF Buds Neo.

When I first unboxed the Buds Neo, I was not expecting much. But after using these earbuds as my daily driver for around two weeks, I am impressed. So much so that I find these earbuds to be one of the best TWS options you can buy in this price range. At the time of writing this review, the CMF Buds Neo are available for Rs 2,199.

What is so special about them, you ask? The Buds Neo get quite a lot right. The design is fun, the earbuds are comfortable, the sound is really good for the price and, perhaps the biggest highlight is that you also get active noise cancellation at this price. And it’s not just there for the name, the noise cancellation actually works pretty well.

A lot of good, a few misses and a surprise. Let me take you through everything, one by one.

The first thing you notice about the CMF Buds Neo is that they look very much like the other CMF earbuds. You get the familiar square-shaped case with that distinctive circular dial, and the two-tone design is very much part of CMF’s visual identity.

So no, this isn’t a completely new design. But CMF has added a nice pop of colour here, and that makes the Buds Neo stand apart. In this review you are looking at the white-and-orange version. The orange circular dial on the case gives it a fun, almost playful look, while the white keeps things clean and simple. The earbuds follow the same colour theme, with the orange tips adding that extra pop.

The case has a soft, matte finish that feels nice to hold, while the circular dial has a glossy finish. I also like that the matte surface doesn’t constantly attract fingerprints.

The white colour does have one downside, though. After around two weeks of use, I started noticing some stains on the bottom of the case. There are also a few scratches and signs of wear and tear if you look closely. It’s nothing major, and you can always clean it, but it is something to keep in mind if you’re getting the white version.

If white isn’t your thing, CMF also offers the Buds Neo in Dark Blue and Black, so you can pick the one you like.

The build quality, meanwhile, is really good. The case feels sturdy and well put together, and even the hinge feels solid.

There is also a lanyard hole on the case, so you can attach a strap if you want to accessorise the case, or simply use it to make sure you don’t lose your earbuds.

Open the case and you get the same colour theme, with the earbuds sitting inside a contrasting interior. The earbuds themselves have a clean, rounded design and are very lightweight. They don’t feel bulky in the ears, and I have worn them for three to four hours at a stretch without feeling any heaviness or discomfort.Good sound, finicky controls

Now let’s talk about the main deal — the sound. For Rs 2,199, these earbuds sound really good.

The Buds Neo come with a 12.4mm dynamic driver, along with a titanium-coated PET dome that is meant to keep vocals and details clear. You also get static spatial audio, six EQ presets and a custom EQ option. But leaving the specs aside, in real world use, the Buds Neo offer really good sound.

The audio is clear, crisp and enjoyable. The bass is the biggest highlight for me. It has enough punch to make songs enjoyable without making everything else sound muddy. While the soundstage isn’t that wide, you will notice the difference when you compare it with more premium options. But for where these earbuds stand in this price range, they are in fact one of the best-sounding earbuds you can buy.

You can also play around with the sound through the Nothing X app. There are presets for Pop, Rock, Electronic and Classical, along with a custom EQ option. There is also Bass Enhancement, with two levels if you want a little more punch.

And while we are talking about the app, this is also where you can customise the touch controls. The Buds Neo use the usual double-tap, triple-tap and hold gestures, and you can change what each one does. The app itself is simple and easy to use, and I didn’t face any connectivity issues while using the earbuds.

But the touch controls themselves could have been better. They are a little finicky. The placement of the controls also takes some getting used to, which can get annoying at times.

Now the Buds Neo come with dual-device connectivity, which is useful, especially if you are switching between your phone and laptop. The Buds Neo support Bluetooth 6.0, Google Fast Pair and a 120ms low-latency mode through the Nothing X app.

There is no dedicated pairing button, though. And that’s another annoyance. If you want to connect the earbuds to another device, you have to use the touch controls to enter pairing mode. It works, but it takes a while to figure out the process. A physical button would have made things simpler.

Now, you usually don’t see affordable earbuds in this range offering ANC. You may get some basic noise cancellation, but proper ANC is still rare. So, getting it in Buds Neo is definitely a big plus. You get up to 35dB of ANC, with three levels as well as an Adaptive mode.

During my use, the ANC in Buds Neo did a pretty good job in cutting out surrounding chatter and noise. It will not completely block everything around you, and lower-frequency sounds can still get through, but for the price, the ANC is decent.

Calls are good too. The Buds Neo have four microphones — two on each earbud — with something the brand calls Clear Voice Technology. In normal surroundings, calls were clear. In a crowded place while commuting, the quality can be a little difficult.

Also, the earbuds don’t have in-ear detection. This means that when you take one earbud out, the music or whatever you’re listening to does not automatically pause, but that is not a deal breaker here. Good battery life

CMF claims up to 52 hours of total playback with ANC turned off. In my usage, the battery easily lasted through my routine. I was using the earbuds for around two to three hours every day, and I found myself charging them only once or twice a week, depending on how much I used them.

Charging was also fairly quick, taking roughly an hour for a full charge.

Oh and also, the earbuds are IP54-rated, while the case has an IPX2 rating, so the buds are considerably safer to use during gym sessions. CMF Bud Neo review: Should you buy?

Under Rs 2500, the CMF Buds Neo are a very easy recommendation if you're looking for affordable TWS earbuds without compromising too much.

You get a good audio experience with strong bass, EQ controls, decent ANC, good call quality, long battery life, comfortable earbuds and an app that helps you personalise the experience.

The touch controls could certainly be better, and the lack of in-ear detection and a dedicated pairing button also feel like misses. But these are more like small annoyances than major deal-breakers.

So, if you want a pair of earbuds that can do a bit of everything, you can go with the CMF Buds Neo. - EndsPublished By: Divya BhatiPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 14:04 IST