CMF Buds Pro 2 is amazing, but…
CMF Buds Pro 2 is amazing, but I think I will switch back to AirPods Pro 2.
Let me explain why. In the TWS (true wireless stereo) category, Apple's AirPods are the category-defining products. If it had been a separate company, it would still easily make the Fortune top 100 list. Why do you think that's the case? Just marketing and the brand value of Apple? Or people's tendency to avoid trying new things and blindly falling into the trap of Apple's ecosystem and mind control tactics?
Other products in this category also easily pair with Apple products and usually offer a similar set of features and, dare I say, sometimes exceed expectations, often at less than half the price.
Recently, I switched to CMF Phone 1 by Nothing and CMF Buds Pro 2. The quality of these products, especially the Buds Pro 2, is, to my surprise, comparable to the likes of AirPods Pro 2. I would even argue it has fuller bass and more customizability. The treble and overall sound quality could use more tuning, but I hate to admit that it didn't feel like a downgrade at all. In some cases, it's refreshingly more exciting and cooler. The customizable dial thingy is actually not a gimmick; I found myself using it more often than I thought I would. The design looks great, the build quality is amazing, and I couldn't find any major flaws in day-to-day use, even though my expectations were pretty low, as it costs one-third of what AirPods Pro 2 would cost. Granted, the ANC isn't nearly as strong, but CMF's ANC is actually more comfortable in my opinion. The ANC in AirPods felt kinda nauseating. AirPods' transparency mode is far superior, but honestly, in a vacuum, CMF works just fine.
If it's that good, then why am I saying I want to make a switch? And why do products such as these never get as much popularity as they should? Well, I can think of a dozen strong reasons, including consistency, durability, resale value, brand recognition, and the comfort of being in the Apple ecosystem, but I think I'm not that affected by any of those things.
I want to go back to AirPods simply because of their design. Yep. The CMF Buds Pro 2 looks fresh; as a design, probably more visible change and work have gone into designing it, but it's just not the quintessential design that Apple started and continued with Jony Ive's first iteration of the AirPods. I remember people calling it a lazy design—just EarPods without wires. People said a more natural version of a TWS would be the ones Samsung made that looked like pebbles. But ultimately, even Samsung is adopting a design that's almost like AirPods. The stem design is also present in CMF, but the case design, while it looks cool, is not as easy to use or as human-centered as AirPods. There is no crease to place your fingernail and open the lid with one hand, and in the dark, you have to look for the right direction to open it because every side is nearly smooth and seamless in CMF. AirPods, on the other hand, are very easy to open with just one fingernail, and you can feel the crease without looking. The stems and charging ports can be aligned without looking, as they can be felt with your fingers, and you can easily place them in the right spots without being confused.
The lack of a matte finish in the AirPods is also very useful. It may scratch easily, but you're going to use a case anyway. On the other hand, the matte white CMF Buds Pro 2 case is already showing signs of discoloration as matte finishes attract more dust and are prone to wear and tear.
The smooth, rounded shape of AirPods is easy to put into your pocket and easy to take out of it. The squarish, matte design of CMF makes it difficult to take out, as the pocket flips out and makes you look like an idiot.
While these reasons might seem silly and nitpicky, these small things add up and make a product frustrating. There are many good reasons people pay extra to get the quintessential design of AirPods. They just work.
Onindo Ahmed
Chief Creative Officer, Yellow Raptor
