Nothing’s CMF Buds Pro 2 recently made its debut in India, alongside the CMF Phone 1, which is the first smartphone from the company. The earbuds retail under Rs 5,000 in India, and competes with the relatively more expensive OnePlus Buds 3.
If you’re in the market to get yourself a fresh pair of earbuds in that price range, we’re here to help you make an informed buying decision. In this article, we’ll compare the CMF Buds Pro 2 with the OnePlus Buds 3 to check if it would be worth paying extra or if the newly launched earbuds offer better value for the asking price.
Table of Contents
CMF Buds Pro 2 vs OnePlus Buds 3: features at a glance
Features | CMF Buds Pro 2 | OnePlus Buds 3 |
Drivers | 11mm bass driver and 6mm micro-planar tweeter | 10.4mm woofer and 6mm tweeter dual drivers |
ANC | up to 50dB | up to 49dB |
Battery |
| 58mAh (buds) and 520mAh (case), USB Type-C |
Fast charging | Supported | Supported |
Microphones | 3 mics | 3 mics |
IP rating | IP55 | IP55 |
Colours | Dark Grey, Light Grey, Orange, Blue | Splendid Blue, Metallic Grey |
CMF Buds Pro 2 vs OnePlus Buds 3: price in India
CMF Buds Pro 2 | OnePlus Buds 3 |
Rs 4,299 | Rs 5,499 |
CMF Buds Pro 2 vs OnePlus Buds 3: design
The CMF Buds Pro 2 are in-ear headphones with colour-matched silicone tips and touch controls on the stems. However, their all-plastic nature might not feel as premium as the OnePlus Buds 3’s metal body. They come with a new feature: the aluminium alloy dial on the case lets you control volume, switch between ANC and transparency modes, and manage calls.
The OnePlus Buds 3 fit snugly inside the ear canal, with each earbud featuring a vertically extending stem. These stems come equipped with swipeable touch controls for music playback, volume bar, and more. The charging case includes a front button primarily used for pairing.
Both CMF Buds Pro 2 and OnePlus Buds 3 have IP55 ratings for dust and water resistance. However, they can only withstand splashes or light rain and aren’t suitable for use underwater or in heavy rain.
CMF Buds Pro 2 vs OnePlus Buds 3: drivers, ANC, audio
The CMF Buds Pro 2 (review) features an 11mm dynamic driver with a titanium coating for deep bass and a 6mm tweeter. It uses the LDAC HD transmission protocol, certified for Hi-Res audio. It comes with Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to block up to 50dB of ambient sound, with four modes—Low, Mid, High, and Adaptive—that adjust in real-time based on the environment. Additionally, it has a Transparency mode that allows you to hear ambient sound for situational awareness.
Our review notes:
“The 11mm titanium-coated driver and 6mm tweeter turn in a solid performance, especially for bass-heavy genres. The tuning is certainly tilted towards bass to keep the masses happy, and that’s where the EQ presets come in handy. While bass lovers would definitely appreciate the sound profile on offer, other genres also sound good with the right preset.”
The OnePlus Buds 3 (review) features dual dynamic drivers in each earbud, comprising a 10.4mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter. They support SBC, AAC, and LHDC audio codecs. These earbuds offer up to 49dB of Active Noise Cancellation with three levels of ANC assistance—Mild, Moderate, and Deep. Additionally, they include a transparency mode for hearing ambient sounds.
As per our review,
“On the default Balanced setting, the earbuds deliver a bass-forward sound but the good thing is that the bass rarely overpowers the vocals or other instruments.”
Reviews of both the buds noted that they created a vacuum sort of sensation in the ears at higher levels of ANC, but delivered well considering their price point.
CMF Buds Pro 2 vs OnePlus Buds 3: battery
The CMF Buds Pro 2 draws power from a 60mAh battery and can play music for up to 11 hours without ANC. With the ANC enabled, it delivers up to 6.5 hours of battery life. Moreover, the company claims that 10 minutes of fast charging can provide 3 hours of non-ANC playback.
The Bud 3 packs a 58mAh battery that offers up to 6.5 hours of playback from the buds when ANC is enabled. When the ANC is switched off, it delivers up to 10 hours of playback. A 10-minute quick charge is said to deliver up to 2 hours of non-ANC music playback.
The CMF Buds Pro 2 offers better battery life as well as a 10-minute change battery backup than the OnePlus Buds 3.
CMF Buds Pro 2 vs OnePlus Buds 3: connectivity
The CMF Buds Pro 2 and OnePlus Buds 3 both feature Bluetooth 5.3, dual connection capabilities and offer a 10-meter connection range. They also support Google Fast Pair for easy setup with Android devices. The CMF Buds Pro 2 additionally includes Microsoft Swift Pair for seamless pairing with Windows devices, setting them apart from the OnePlus Buds 3.
The CMF Buds Pro 2 and OnePlus Buds 3 offer different touch controls. The CMF Buds Pro 2 uses double tap for play/pause or answering/hanging up calls, triple tap for the next track, tap and hold to switch between ANC and Transparency Mode, and double tap and hold for volume control.
The OnePlus Buds 3, on the other hand, uses double tap for the next song or answering/hanging up calls, triple tap for the previous song, tap and hold for three seconds to reject calls, press and hold to switch between noise cancellation and Transparency mode, and sliding a finger up or down to control volume.
Verdict
The CMF Buds Pro 2 and OnePlus Buds 3 both offer compelling features for the asking price. However, the CMF Buds Pro 2 provide a strong value with excellent battery life, versatile touch controls, and additional features like the aluminium alloy dial and Microsoft Swift Pair. They also excel in audio quality with Hi-Res certification and adjustable ANC modes.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Buds 3 costs more, but offers a premium design with a metal body and intuitive swipeable touch controls. Among the two, the CMF Buds Pro 2 stands out for its additional connectivity options and superior battery performance.
