EarFun Air Pro 4 vs CMF Buds Pro 2: Budget ANC

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The Short Answer

Buy the EarFun Air Pro 4 for the longer battery and aptX Lossless. 52 hours total and Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound make it the pick for battery life and for Android phones with aptX.

Buy the CMF Buds Pro 2 for the Smart Dial and the design. A physical control dial on the case and Nothing's design language, with LDAC and dual drivers, at a slightly lower price.

They are genuinely close. Both cancel to a quoted 50dB, both do multipoint, both have app EQ. Nobody buying either is settling.

Cancellation Is a Tie

Both quote 50dB of adaptive hybrid ANC, and both adjust to your ears automatically.

This is where budget ANC earbuds used to differ most, and here they don't. The EarFun uses QuietSmart 3.0; the CMF detects leakage between the earbud and your ear canal and adapts. Both are aiming at the same target with the same headline number, and in practice both take a real, noticeable bite out of steady noise — engines, transit rumble, office hum — while doing less about voices, which is true of every earbud at this price.

Don't let the ANC decide this. At 50dB on paper and adaptive on both, cancellation is the thing these two share, not the thing that separates them.

Battery: EarFun's Clearest Win

52 hours total against 43 — and both give 11 hours from the buds alone.

The single-charge figure is identical at 11 hours, which is what you actually feel day to day. The difference is in the case: the EarFun's holds more, for 52 hours total against the CMF's 43. Neither is short, but if you charge the case rarely and travel often, the EarFun stretches further.

Quick charge tilts slightly the other way: the CMF gives three hours from ten minutes, the EarFun two. A minor point, but the CMF wins the "I'm leaving in a minute" scenario.

Codecs: aptX Lossless vs LDAC

The EarFun runs Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless; the CMF uses LDAC.

Both are hi-res Android codecs, and both do nothing on an iPhone, which falls back to AAC either way. The distinction matters only if you're on Android and care about lossless:

• aptX Lossless (EarFun) needs a Qualcomm Snapdragon phone to deliver its best, and on one it's genuinely lossless.
• LDAC (CMF) works across a wider range of Android phones and is the more common hi-res codec.

If you own a recent Snapdragon Android phone, the EarFun's aptX Lossless is the stronger match. On any other Android phone, the CMF's LDAC is more likely to be supported. On iPhone, this whole section is moot.

The CMF's Trick: A Dial on the Case

The CMF Buds Pro 2 puts a physical Smart Dial on the charging case for volume, tracks and noise modes.

This is the CMF's signature feature and it's genuinely useful — a tactile control you turn rather than a touch gesture on the earbud that you half-remember and often mistrigger. Combined with Nothing's design language (CMF is Nothing's sub-brand), it's the more distinctive object of the two, and the dial is a real ergonomic advantage, not just a styling flourish.

The EarFun has no equivalent; its controls are the usual on-bud touch and the app. If you've ever been frustrated by touch controls on earbuds, the CMF's dial is a point in its favour that the spec sheet undersells.

Sound and Track Record

The EarFun leans on Qualcomm's platform; the CMF on dual drivers and Dirac tuning.

The EarFun Air Pro 4 carries a CNET Editor's Choice award and the larger owner base of the two, which makes it the more proven pick. The CMF answers with an 11mm woofer plus a 6mm tweeter and Dirac Master tuning — a dual-driver setup aimed at separating bass and treble. Both are bass-capable, app-tunable and enjoyable; neither is a reference earbud, and at this price neither should be.

On track record, the EarFun is a step ahead — more reviews and an editorial award behind it. The CMF is newer with a smaller base, which is not a mark against it, just less evidence so far.

EarFun Air Pro 4 Adaptive Hybrid

The one to buy for battery life, codec support and a proven track record.

50dB adaptive ANC, Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless, six-mic ENC, 52 hours of total battery, multipoint over Bluetooth 5.4, and app EQ — with a CNET Editor's Choice award and the larger owner base behind it.

What you give up against the CMF: the case dial, a few dollars, and Nothing's design.

Check Price on Amazon · $53.16 as of September 16, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.

CMF Buds Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds

The one to buy for the case dial, LDAC and the design.

A physical Smart Dial on the case for volume, tracks and noise modes, 50dB adaptive ANC, dual drivers with Dirac tuning and LDAC, multipoint over Bluetooth 5.3, a 120ms low-latency gaming mode, and 43 hours of total battery — at a slightly lower price, from Nothing's design-led sub-brand.

What you give up against the EarFun: nine hours of total battery, aptX Lossless, and the longer track record.

Check Price on Amazon · $49 as of September 16, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.

How to Decide

Do you own a Snapdragon Android phone? EarFun, for aptX Lossless. On other Android phones the CMF's LDAC is the safer codec bet; on iPhone it doesn't matter.

Do you hate earbud touch controls? CMF, for the physical Smart Dial on the case.

Is total battery life a priority? EarFun, at 52 hours against 43.

Do you want the most proven pick? EarFun, on its larger owner base and CNET award.

Do you care about design and want the lower price? CMF, from Nothing's sub-brand at $49.

Do you want the strongest cancellation? Neither wins — both quote 50dB adaptive ANC and perform alike.

Weighing the wider field? Our best noise cancelling earbuds under $50 ranks the bracket, and best noise cancelling earbuds covers the step up.

FAQ

Which is better, the EarFun Air Pro 4 or the CMF Buds Pro 2? They're close. The EarFun wins on battery, aptX Lossless and track record; the CMF wins on the case dial, LDAC support and design. Cancellation is a tie at 50dB.

Which has better noise cancelling? Neither clearly — both quote 50dB adaptive hybrid ANC and perform similarly against steady noise.

Which has longer battery life? The EarFun: 52 hours total against the CMF's 43. Both give 11 hours from the earbuds alone.

What's the Smart Dial on the CMF? A physical control dial on the charging case for volume, track and noise-mode changes — a tactile alternative to touch controls that the EarFun doesn't have.

Do the hi-res codecs work on an iPhone? No. aptX Lossless and LDAC are both Android features; iPhones use AAC on either earbud.

Which should I buy for an iPhone? Either — the codec advantage disappears, so decide on battery (EarFun) versus the case dial and price (CMF).

Verdict

Buy the EarFun Air Pro 4 if you want the longer battery, aptX Lossless on a Snapdragon Android phone, and the more proven of the two — it's the safer, longer-lasting pick and it earns its CNET award.

Buy the CMF Buds Pro 2 if the case dial appeals, you're on an Android phone that favours LDAC, or you want Nothing's design at a slightly lower price. The physical control is a genuine ergonomic edge that a spec comparison hides.

What shouldn't decide this is cancellation — both hit 50dB adaptive ANC and feel alike. Decide on battery and codec (EarFun) versus controls and design (CMF), and either way you're getting flagship features for budget money.