The most stylish earbuds I've tested are also some of the most affordable

ZDNET’s key takeaways 

• The Nothing CMF Buds Pro 2 are the brand’s budget-friendly earbuds available now for $59.
• A 43-hour battery life and great sound quality seal the deal on these earbuds. Plus, you can enable ChatGPT through the Buds Pro 2 if you have a Nothing phone. 
• The noise cancellation is weak, and the case’s dial is unreliable.  

I’ve come to appreciate Nothing’s tech products for the brand’s stealthy ability to combine fashion with function. I said as much when I reviewed the Nothing Ear (a), which quickly became my favorite budget earbuds for their excellent quality and stylish appearance. 

Also: The Nothing Ear (a) made my AirPods look and sound boring

As I spent time working, listening, and exercising with Nothing’s CMF Buds Pro 2, I can mostly say the same. The Buds Pro 2, which retail for $59, are a thoughtfully designed pair of buds with interesting features embedded into the case, a lengthy battery life, and quality sound. But are they for you? I get into that below. 

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CMF is the budget line of Nothing products that offer the same modern design but a lower price point. Thus, these earbuds are for budget- and style-minded individuals. Despite their low price point, they don’t look or feel cheap. Instead, the case feels premium and sleek, while the earbuds, if a bit on the lighter and plasticky side, have a similar build to some higher-end earbuds I’ve tested. 

The earbuds come in four colors: bold jewel tones (Orange and Blue) and two basic colors (Light and Dark Grey). Out of the box, you’ll receive three sizes of ear tips to attach to the earbuds. The case houses the earbuds and has a handy little dial that you can use once configured on the Nothing app as a volume control and track pause, play, or skip mechanism.    

Upon first listen, these earbuds have a clear and enjoyable sound but are quiet compared to others. There was no tinniness or warbling while playing my music throughout the workday, and the earbuds offered a neutral soundstage for my songs. Like the Nothing Ear (a) buds, their tips have a tacky surface to help them stay in the ear. Earbuds tend to fall out or loosen from my ears on runs, though, and these were no different. I frequently had to push them back in my ears while on my afternoon run. 

Also: The best earbuds you can buy right now 

Automatic in-ear detection is a premium feature I love to see in budget earbuds, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it in the Buds Pro 2. It works well, even better than the Ear (a), which tends to randomly pause if I laugh, talk, or move my head or jaw. 

The noise cancellation is nothing special, as office chatter and the subway’s clinks and clashes skipped past the Buds Pro 2’s noise-canceling tech. The buds’ aware mode worked wonderfully and appropriately balanced the interior sounds of my music with the exterior environment I was in. This is a common trend among middling noise-canceling earbuds: what they lack in noise cancellation, they make up for in an aware listening mode. 

The 43-hour battery life (in buds and case) got me through many days of listening on my 40-minute commute, working in the office, and running and walking around the city. I didn’t have to worry about frequently charging them, and the case’s light flashes red to notify me ahead of a dead battery. 

Also: What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? 

ChatGPT is included within these buds if you have a Nothing phone, so you can command the chatbot through your earbuds. This sounds cool, but I didn’t get to try it out for myself because I don’t have a Nothing phone, so I can’t confirm the efficacy of this particular feature. 

Nothing has always excelled at offering up cool, aesthetically designed tech that’s affordable, and the CMF Buds 2 Pro is no different. I wish the noise cancellation was a bit better, as I’ve tested some other $60 earbuds with competitive ANC, but you aren’t buying these for amazing noise cancellation. You’re buying these for their unique design. 

One thing that I hope CMF and Nothing improve upon in the next model is the utility of the case. Even after I set up the dial configurations in the app to push the dial to pause and turn the dial to raise volume, my commands didn’t save. This happened twice. 

Also: I tested JBL’s newest earbuds, and their best feature is also the most understated

I find cases that have these kind of functions more of a gimmick than anything. Your earbuds already have some tap controls, like ANC mode and aware mode, and you are using them near your phone. Plus, with Bluetooth earbuds, any volume or sound mode adjustments can be made from your smartphone, which is usually within arm’s reach. 

ZDNET’s buying advice 

Nothing’s CMF Buds Pro 2 is a competitive pair of budget earbuds with cool design features (when they work) and great sound. With a long battery life that you don’t have to charge often, these would be great for anybody who wants to spend less than $100 on a stylish and decent-sounding pair of earbuds but don’t need amazing noise cancellation.