CMF Buds Neo launch with 35dB ANC and 52-hour battery for just $21
CMF by Nothing has announced the Buds Neo, a pair of true wireless earbuds priced at roughly $21 in India — undercutting nearly every comparable option in the budget ANC segment. India sales begin August 26 via Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital, and Vijay Sales. Pricing for the US and UK has not been announced, but CMF's track record with the Buds 2 Plus (£49) and Clip Pro (£79) suggests the Buds Neo could land somewhere between £35 and £45 when it does arrive.
CMF Buds Neo in three colour options: Black, White, and Dark Blue.
The hardware
Each earbud uses a 12.4mm titanium-coated dynamic driver, with support for spatial audio, a bass-boost mode, and six equalizer presets — Pop, Rock, Electronic, Classical, Enhance Vocals, and a custom setting via the Nothing X app. ANC reaches up to 35dB across three intensity levels plus an adaptive mode, and four HD microphones handle call clarity through CMF's Clear Voice technology.
Battery life is 52 hours total with ANC off — 11 hours per charge from the earbuds themselves — or up to 30 hours with noise cancellation running. A 10-minute top-up in the case gives another 5.5 hours of playback. The case carries a 460mAh cell; each bud holds 45mAh.
On the connectivity side, Bluetooth 6.0 brings Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair support, plus dual-device connection and a low-latency gaming mode rated at 120ms. The earbuds are rated IP54 for dust and water resistance.
The look
CMF keeps its signature aesthetic: a square charging case with a tactile circular dial, dual-tone finish, and a built-in lanyard hole. The Buds Neo ship in Black, White, and Dark Blue, each with a contact-style volume controller on the case.
CMF Buds Neo earbuds with contact-style volume controller on the case.
What to expect in the West
India gets a head start — per GizmoChina, pre-orders open there on August 22, with wider sales from August 26. Based on the Clip Pro rollout pattern — UK pre-orders mid-August, broader access in September — Gagadget EN expects a phased Western release, likely mid-to-late September. No US or UK retailer has been confirmed yet.
At the India price equivalent, the Buds Neo would sit well below rivals like the Soundcore Space 2 (~£50, 50dB ANC), Sony WF-C510 (~£45), and JLab Go Pop (~£30). CMF will need to price aggressively to make the same impact outside India.
