In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers, and networking gear.
I talked about how much I like the CMF Buds, and Nothing is building on that momentum with the introduction of the Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus. I used the Buds Pro 2 extensively over the last six months, and they confirmed just what Nothing is able to achieve in the budget category; unlike every other pair of budget buds, the Buds Pro 2 have a distinctive design, terrific sound, and you don't miss out on any of the extras.
I'm glad to share that the Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus are much the same. The retain the CMF sub-brand's design flair, and deliver the same great build quality along with sound signature — and yes, the orange color is intact. The Buds 2 are available for $49 on Amazon U.S., and they cost £34 on Amazon U.K., which is a decent deal when you look at everything you get. The Buds 2 Plus cost $69 in the U.S. and £49 in the U.K., and again, that's a standout value.
India is the brand's biggest market, and the Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus are yet to go on sale in the country. Nothing is being aggressive in India, where the Buds 2 retail for just ₹2,699 ($31) and the Buds 2 Plus coming in at ₹3,299 ($38). The brand notes that sales will begin at the end of June, and like their predecessors, they will likely sell really well considering the sheer value — particularly with the Buds 2 Plus.
Both the Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus have a similar design aesthetic, and they retain the distinctive cases that contains a dial. The one on the Buds 2 is particularly great as it has a transparent design this time, and the case itself has a sand-blasted texture that's good to hold. The Buds 2 Plus come in a case with a matte dial, and the case has a soft touch plastic feel.
You get a few features as standard on both: the same 4.5g weight, 53mAh battery within each earbud and 460mAh in the case, six mics, IP55 dust and water resistance, ability to connect to two devices at the same time, reliable ANC, Google Fast Pair, Bluetooth 5.4, and in-ear detection.
Honestly, the Buds 2 by itself is a fabulous choice considering it doesn't miss out on much. The buds have a glossy finish around the shell and a matte stalk, and the gesture recognition surface is decent enough. The lightweight design ensures they don't cause any fatigue even with extended use, and they're comfortable to wear; they're not bulky at all, and deliver a snug fit.
The Buds 2 feature a 11 custom driver with Dirac tuning, and they sound fabulous. The bass in particular has good vibrancy, and it delivers a tight rumble that makes listening to most modern music highly enjoyable. The mids are clean, and you get a decent treble without any harshness. There's an equalizer that allows you to change the balance between the frequencies, and an Ultra Bass mode that cranks up the low-end energy.
Basically, the Buds 2 are the best-sounding budget earbuds, and Nothing deserves credit for not omitting features on the buds. They don't get AptX codecs or LDAC, but you get really good noise isolation, and it did an effective job tuning out the chatter of my mechanical keyboard (a Lemokey L5 HE) and the air con. The buds managed to last just over six hours, and that's quite good; there's also a fast charging mode that delivers over two hours of music playback with just a 10-minute charge.
Coming to the Buds 2 Plus, they last just as long as the regular model, and the key addition is LDAC codec integration. Considering LDAC has been baked into Android for over half a decade now, you'll get higher bitrates if you're using a lossless source. The Buds 2 Plus have a slightly bigger 12mm driver that has a bit more grunt in the low-end, and they're just as clean with the mids and treble as the regular model.
What I like the most is that the Buds 2 Plus have a custom sound profile that adjusts the audio based on your hearing; you take a test wherein you select what range of frequencies you're able to hear, and it tailors the sound accordingly. This makes a noticeable difference, and you get the same Ultra Bass mode and EQ controls.
The Buds 2 Plus have the same design as the regular model, with a glossy shell and matte stalk, and they deliver a similar level of comfort. Of the two, I liked the Buds 2 Plus a little more because of the tailored sound and LDAC. That said, the Buds 2 are almost as good, and they're a better bargain in the U.S. and U.K.
Regardless of whatever model you're choosing, you will end up with earbuds that are easily among the best in the budget category. Nothing has shown for the second year in a row that it knows what consumers want in this area, and by tailoring to its userbase, it is extending its dominance.
With LDAC and highly customizable sound, the Buds 2 Plus are my recommendation if you need budget earbuds.
The CMF Buds 2 are a better choice if you want to maximize value. You get just the SBC and AAC audio codecs, but the sound quality itself is fantastic, and you don't miss out on the extras.
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