When Nothing launched the CMF Buds 2 Plus, I honestly thought this is the main product, and the Buds 2 is just a filler or “middle child” with no real purpose. But after testing both side by side, my opinion changed. In fact, in some ways, Buds 2 makes more sense than the Plus.
Now, if your budget is around ₹2500–₹3000, the confusion starts – should you save money and pick the CMF Buds 2, stretch a little extra for the Plus, or maybe go for alternatives like Realme Air 7, Realme T200, or Nord Buds 3 Pro?
In this review, let’s break it down step by step and find out where exactly the CMF Buds 2 stands in this crowded budget TWS market.
CMF Buds 2 Specifications
Design & Comfort
Design wise, the CMF Buds 2 looks almost the same as the Plus, Pro, or even other new Nothing earbuds. You get that same minimalist and stylish look which CMF is known for. But honestly, one thing felt a little disappointing – the build has some cost-cutting. In hand, it doesn’t feel as premium as the Plus variant. Even the dial wheel here is not metal, so it doesn’t look as cool as the first version.
Still, the build is not bad at all. It feels solid enough and I don’t think durability will be a big issue.
When it comes to comfort, I would say CMF Buds 2 is really good. In fact, probably one of the best in this price segment. You can easily wear them for longer duration without any problem. The fitting is also very secure – I used them for 2-3 days during my morning walks and they never slipped out. The grip is tight and safe.
Also, you get IP55 rating, so the buds are protected against dust and even light rain. Good enough for daily use and workouts.
Features
Talking about features, CMF Buds 2 packs almost everything you expect in this price range. All the basic stuff is here, similar to what Realme or OnePlus gives. But compared to the Plus variant, there is one big missing feature – personalized audio profile. If Nothing had added this, it could have been a game changer. Realme and OnePlus also keep this custom audio profile option only in their Pro models, so here Nothing had a chance to do something different but they didn’t. Anyway…
The main highlight is definitely the 48dB Adaptive ANC. On paper, it looks a little less powerful than Realme Air 7 or even Buds 2 Plus. But in real-world use, the difference is hardly noticeable. The ANC works decently well, and honestly at this price we cannot expect anything better.
Another good thing is that 360 Spatial Audio mode is now included even in this base model. It actually makes the listening experience more immersive, so you should definitely try it once. Then you also get Ultra Bass mode, in case you want extra punch. But honestly, the default tuning already has strong bass, so you may not even need it.
There’s also a custom equalizer with preset modes, and a low latency gaming mode at 105ms. I know the number looks high, but at least Nothing is honest here. Most brands write 50-60ms but in reality it’s not that low. Even 105ms might be a bit more in real life, but for casual gaming it’s totally fine. Yes, you can feel a bit of delay, but it’s not at the level where it ruins your gameplay. If you’re a pro gamer or someone who plays tournaments, then of course you’ll still need a wired option.
Apart from this, you also get all the usual useful stuff – dual device pairing, wear detection, touch control customization, earbud fit test, find my buds, Google Fast Pair, etc. Basically, feature-wise there is nothing missing here. In fact, for around ₹2500, no other earbuds right now is giving you this much.
Battery Life
Battery backup on the CMF Buds 2 is actually solid. I won’t go much into what company promises, because like always, real-world usage tells a different story. In my testing, with 50% volume and ANC off, you can easily get around 6 hours of playback on a single charge. With ANC on, I didn’t test fully but roughly you should expect around 3–4 hours.
Including the charging case, you get a decent overall backup for daily use. So yes, I would say battery life is good here. The reason also makes sense – it runs on the latest Bluetooth 5.4, and there’s no heavy advanced codec, so power consumption is a bit less and backup comes better.
Microphone & Call Quality
CMF Buds 2 comes with a 4-mic setup and ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation), and honestly, the microphone performance is pretty solid for this price. During my calls and even while using apps like Discord, most people said my voice was clear and without distortion.
Outdoors, in traffic or noisy areas, the buds handle background noise fairly well. Of course, it doesn’t cut everything – around 30% of the outside noise still remains – but that’s expected at this price point. The important part is that your voice stays clear enough to be understood without any major struggle.
So overall, the microphone quality is decent and reliable. For normal calls, online meetings, or casual gaming voice chat, it will easily get the job done. You won’t find anything to complain about unless you are expecting studio-level clarity.
Sound Quality
Coming to sound, CMF Buds 2 comes with 11mm drivers. There’s no advanced codec or Hi-Res audio support here – unlike the Plus variant which has LDAC. Instead, you get DIRAC tuning mode, and personally I really liked it. Music feels warm and energetic, and on most tracks it sounds pretty enjoyable. Like I always say, codecs or Hi-Res matter less on earbuds, what really matters is the tuning.
Now, when I compare the sound of Buds 2 with the Plus variant, honestly there isn’t a huge difference. But yes, there are two major changes.
First is the bass. The tuning here is heavily bass-forward, almost double of what you get on the Plus. Even though bass is boosted a lot, with DIRAC tuning it’s managed quite nicely. So if you are a bass lover or listen to genres like pop, EDM, or Bollywood, you will really enjoy this tuning.
The second difference is in the mid-range. Surprisingly, even with this strong bass, the mids and vocals sound more balanced and natural compared to the Plus variant. That’s clearly the magic of DIRAC tuning.
Of course, the downside is on the treble side. Because bass is so dominant, highs don’t come out as detailed or as bright as they should. So you lose a bit of clarity and sparkle in higher frequencies. Also, the soundstage here is not as wide or clear as Realme Air 7 or Buds 2 Plus.
Still, overall sound quality is decent and enjoyable. I think most users will actually like this type of tuning, especially Indian listeners who generally prefer extra bass. For the price, it feels like an ideal option for them.
Worth To Buy CMF Buds 2?
At the end of the day, it really comes down to your budget and what you want from your earbuds. If you don’t want to stretch your budget too much and are looking for a pair with good battery life, solid microphone, and powerful bass, then CMF Buds 2 is honestly one of the best options under ₹2500 right now.
Yes, the comparison between Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus can feel a little confusing because the differences are not that big. Still, if you are someone who values more balanced sound and advanced features like LDAC and personalized audio profile, then spending that extra ₹500 on the Plus makes total sense. Otherwise, for most people, Buds 2 will deliver exactly what they need at a lower price.
So overall, CMF Buds 2 is a great budget choice for bass lovers and casual listeners who just want a reliable everyday TWS without spending too much.
Comparison & Verdict
Like I already said, there isn’t a huge difference between the CMF Buds 2 and the Plus variant. Sound quality is almost similar – the main change is that Buds 2 has even more bass, while the Plus feels a bit more natural and clear overall. Surprisingly, the mids on Buds 2 sound slightly better than the Plus, but if you look at overall balance, the Plus variant wins.
So, should you spend ₹500 extra for the Plus? Honestly, if sound quality is your main priority, then yes – it’s worth it. With the Plus, you not only get a more natural sound profile that works with all kinds of music (not just Bollywood or bass-heavy tracks), but you also get custom audio profile and LDAC support. And now with Apple Music and even Spotify offering lossless audio for premium users, these features do make a difference, especially for Android users.
But if you’re an iPhone user, then you can save that ₹500 and simply go for the CMF Buds 2, because you won’t be able to use LDAC anyway.
Talking about Realme Buds Air 7, that one actually sits right between Buds 2 and CMF Buds 2 Plus. It doesn’t go too heavy on bass like Buds 2, but also doesn’t sound as natural as the Plus. So it’s a middle-ground option.
And finally, if you’re confused whether to save money and buy Realme T200 or Nord Buds 3 Pro instead – honestly, both of them fall a bit short compared to CMF Buds 2. So if your budget is around this range, CMF Buds 2 feels like a slightly better choice.
