CMF Buds 2a First Impressions: Stylish Design, Good Sound, and Strong Battery Life Under ₹2,200

CMF by Nothing has launched its new budget-friendly CMF Buds 2a in India, and we got our hands on them for an early impression. These are not full reviews, but here’s what we experienced after using them for a few days.

Clean Design with a Unique Touch

The CMF Buds 2a comes in a square case with rounded edges. It has a matte white finish, which feels premium and smooth to hold. The case is pocket-friendly, although some people may find it slightly large.

One interesting part of the design is a rotating circular dial on the case. It doesn’t serve any function but can be used to attach a lanyard.

Opening and closing the case is smooth and clicky, and the earbuds are easy to take out and place back inside. The stem-style buds are compact and offer a comfortable fit. The magnets are strong, and the buds won’t fall out even if the case is open.

Easy Connectivity and Dual Pairing

Connecting the CMF Buds 2a is very simple. It supports Google Fast Pair for quick connection. Just open the case and press the button outside, and it appears on your phone screen instantly.

For the best experience, it’s recommended to use the Nothing X app, where you can customize controls and settings. These buds also support dual device connection, allowing you to switch between two devices easily.

Sound Quality and Bass Performance

The buds come with a 12.4mm driver and are tuned by Dirac for a balanced audio experience. The sound quality is good for the price, with clear lows, mids, and highs.

The Ultra Bass Technology works well. Bass at level 2 or level 3 is punchy and enjoyable, especially if you love listening to music.

Calling and Mic Quality

Mic quality is decent during normal use. Your voice will sound clear on calls. However, in noisy environments like while riding a bike, the mic struggles — which is common in most TWS earbuds in this range.

Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency

The CMF Buds 2a support up to 42dB Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It reduces background noise effectively, though not as powerful as more expensive earbuds like Nothing Ear (a). There’s also a Transparency Mode, which works nicely by boosting surrounding sounds when needed.

One thing to note: there’s no support for LHDC or LDAC codecs, so you won’t get high-res audio playback.

Battery Life That Impresses

The case packs a 460mAh battery, and each bud has 43mAh. With ANC and Transparency enabled, the buds last around 4–5 hours on a single use. The case can recharge them multiple times, offering great battery backup overall.

Even after several sessions of music, watching series, and playing BGMI with low-lag mode, the user only had to charge them once after unboxing.

Charging & Indicators

There’s a USB Type-C port on the right side of the case for charging. A red LED on the case indicates low battery, and once fully charged, it turns white.

Pricing and Availability

The CMF Buds 2a is available on Flipkart for Rs. 2,199. If available for under Rs. 2,000 during offers or sales, these earbuds could be one of the best budget options for everyday use.

Final Words

The CMF Buds 2a offer a premium design, good audio quality, decent ANC, and strong battery life — all under Rs. 2,200. If you’re looking for budget TWS earbuds with modern features, these are worth checking out.

A full review will follow soon with detailed testing!