CMF Buds Neo Launched at Rs 1,999: 35dB ANC, 52-Hour Battery & More

CMF Buds Neo has arrived in India at Rs 1,999 with 35dB ANC, 12.4mm drivers, up to 52 hours of battery life and advanced app-based audio customisation. Here’s everything you need to know.

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CMF has enhanced its range of budget-friendly audio devices by introducing the CMF Buds Neo, which are its most budget-friendly wireless earbuds till date. The TWS earbuds are being introduced in a very competitive budget category, complete with features such as active noise cancellation (ANC), a generous 12.4mm driver, customizable sound with the help of an app and gaming mode with low latency. Launched at an introductory price of Rs 1,999, the CMF Buds Neo hopes to bring a number of premium-like features into the hands of those who purchase audio devices under Rs 2,000.

The CMF Buds Neo adheres to the CMF’s unique design approach and differs from normal budget earbuds by virtue of its boxy shaped charging case. The charging case has a tactile rotating dial on it along with a two tone finish and a lanyard hole on the back side of it. The earbuds come in three colours: Black, White and Dark Blue.

CMF Buds Neo Features and Specifications

In the case of the audio configuration, the CMF Buds Neo incorporates a 12.4mm dynamic speaker, which incorporates a titanium-coated PET diaphragm and a PEEK + PU speaker surround. In addition, there are static spatial audio and six EQ presets on board. Furthermore, you may also use the Nothing X app to customise audio performance in terms of the Custom EQ as well as two Bass Enhance modes.

The most remarkable feature about the CMF Buds Neo earbuds is their active noise cancelling capabilities. The earbuds support up to 35dB of ANC and offer three ANC settings and one Adaptive ANC mode, which automatically adjusts the noise cancellation depending on the surrounding conditions. When talking on the phone, the earbuds incorporate four HD microphones, where each earbud gets two microphones, and they interact with the Clear Voice Technology.

Another prominent aspect of the CMF earphones is their battery life. According to CMF, Buds Neo can provide up to 11 hours of audio streaming when the ANS function is not enabled on the earphones. When added to the battery capacity provided by the charging case, the total battery life becomes up to 52 hours. If the ANS function is enabled, the total battery life will decrease to 30 hours. Fast charging function provides up to 5.5 hours of audio streaming after 10 minutes of charging the earphones.

CMF Buds Neo Gaming and Connectivity Features

The CMF Buds Neo also appeals to gamers with the gaming mode of 120ms low latency to eliminate delays between actions on screen and audio. Through the Nothing X app, users can customize touch controls, configure audio settings, and control other features of the earbuds.

In terms of connectivity, the earbuds come with Bluetooth 6.0 and Fast Pair by Google and Microsoft Swift Pair. The Buds Neo also comes with dual-device connectivity to allow users to connect earbuds to two devices easily and seamlessly switch between them. The earbuds are compatible with Android devices running Android 6.0 and above and iOS 13 and above.

CMF Buds Neo Price and Availability in India

The price of CMF Buds Neo in India during the launch period will be Rs 1,999. The product will be made available from August 26 on the Flipkart platform along with a selected few offline retailers such as Croma, Reliance Digital and Vijay Sales.

The CMF Buds Neo is positioned just below CMF Buds 2a. While the CMF Buds 2a is priced at Rs 2,399 and comes with features like 42dB ANC, Transparency Mode, Dirac tuned 12.4mm bio-fibre drivers, dual device pairing and 35.5 hour battery life, the cheaper CMF Buds Neo provides CMF an edge to compete aggressively in the affordable ANC earbuds segment.

CMF Buds Neo vs iQOO Buds TWS

This CMF Buds Neo is going to come into the market at a time when there is going to be stiff competition in the budget TWS segment, with the recently launched iQOO Buds TWS, costing Rs 1,899, being another offering from iQOO in the sub-Rs 2,000 segment and delivering 50 hours of total playback.

The major differentiators for CMF Buds Neo are going to be the presence of 35dB ANC, ability to customize audio through the Nothing X app, gaming latency, and its unique design. While buyers that care about battery life might also opt for the iQOO variant, buyers should compare earbuds based on their preferences regarding features such as ANC, audio customization, gaming latency, and connectivity rather than simply total playback.

For CMF Buds Neo, what comes out is that the company is positioning its products towards those customers looking to have more from their earbuds while not investing much in their purchase. The availability of ANC, a 12.4mm driver, equalizer, dual device capability and a 52-hour battery life makes the earbuds an attractive choice considering their price of Rs 1,999.

The main issue now will be how well will Buds Neo perform when it actually comes into the market in terms of audio quality, ANC capability, and mic performance. Still, the feature set and pricing make it one of the most intriguing budget TWS introductions in India, especially for ANC earbuds below Rs 2,000.