Nothing’s sub-brand CMF makes affordable tech products with a twist, and it recently released its first pair of over-ear headphones, the CMF Headphone Pro. It follows the Nothing Headphone 1 launch earlier this year, but with a subdued design and a much lower price tag. The CMF Headphone Pro retails for just $99, and its latest sale knocks down the price to just $84.
I tend to consider the sweet spot in over-ear headphone pricing to be around $300, which is what Nothing’s mainline headphones cost. I lowered my expectations for Headphone Pro accordingly, but as I started testing them, I quickly realized they come with far fewer compromises than their competitors. They also align perfectly with Nothing’s ethos, thanks to a thoughtful design and tactile controls, physical ports, and modularity.
CMF Headphone Pro have a comfortable design with tactile input
Nothing is all about design, whether we’re looking at mainline products or CMF variants. The CMF Headphone Pro sport a glossy plastic finish with a metal slider that helps adjust the headband. That glossy plastic material will look better on some colorways than others — I tested the light green model that ends up looking like teal or blue — but I think it works on Headphone Pro. It’s iPod plastic, not cheap plastic.
The ear cushions and headband are both soft, and the former are interchangeable with a twist-lock system. You need to buy the replacements separately, though. There is a gap between the headphone chassis and the cushions that makes Headphone Pro feel slightly unfinished, and could cause confusion while changing styles.
In typical Nothing fashion, there are plenty of ports and buttons here — a USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, two buttons, a slider, and a roller. The Energy Slider is essentially an on-headphone EQ that can adjust bass or treble intensity in real time. While the Nothing X is great for customization, it is a nice touch that you can tweak your sound signature without the app.
Most of the controls you’ll use most are within the “multi-function roller,” which handles volume, ANC modes, and playback controls. Would dedicated buttons for each have been better than the EQ slider? Probably, but to CMF’s credit, the roller works well. It’s more reliable and useful than the capacitive controls shipped on premium headphones I’ve tested.
Sound quality is superb for the price — I could use them daily
When I think of sound quality for sub-$100 headphones, a tinny profile without clear separation or booming bass comes to mind. The CMF Headphone Pro couldn’t do more to dispel that image if it tried. The headphones have 40mm drivers equipped with nickel-plated diaphragms that Nothing says reduce distortion and add clarity. They’re paired with a 16.5 mm copper voice coil, precision bass duct, and dual-chamber design, according to the company.
The hardware creates a sound signature that’s more balanced than what I’ve come to expect from Nothing. The bass is certainly present, but it’s not overwhelming like Headphone 1 or Ear 3. Sounds in the middle or high frequencies may not be as crisp as on pricier headphones, although they are crucially not piercing or overly bright.
The best way I could describe the Headphone Pro’s sound is by reinforcing that I have all the top wireless headphones around, and I switched to CMF’s $100 pair with no problem. Sure, I’d take the superior sound quality and ANC of more expensive models, but I didn’t feel like I was missing out by using Headphone Pro.
With LDAC support up to 990 kbps over Bluetooth, these headphones do support high-res audio. There’s also a feature that builds a Personal Sound profile specific to your ears, based on the way you hear individual audio frequencies.
CMF’s Headphone Pro also support “Hybrid Adaptive ANC” with three levels of active noise-canceling intensity. ANC is pretty good for the price, dampening external noise and making it imperceptible when your music is above 75% volume. Transparency mode is less helpful, as voices aren’t as clear as I’d like. Still, you can get through a quick conversation with transparency mode on — but only with the music off.
Battery life is perhaps most impressive of all, hitting the 100-hour mark with ANC off. It drops to half that with ANC on, but 50 hours is decent in its own right.
Are the CMF Headphone Pro headphones worth it?
As someone who loves superb sound quality (and is willing to pay for it), I’ll never fault anyone for wanting to spend on better audio. However, the CMF Headphone Pro do cover the basics, and at $100, offer a baseline set of features that are all most people need. Decent sound quality, ANC, Spatial Audio, Hi-Res Audio, long battery life, and a headphone jack — the necessities are here.
I’ve tested headphones cheaper than the CMF Headphone Pro, like the OneOdio Focus A6, and many pricier ones. For those on a tight budget, Headphone Pro finds the perfect balance. There is room for improvement, but no major compromises or dealbreakers. That’s hard to find in a sub-$100 pair of over-ear ANC headphones.
Best on a budget
CMF Headphone Pro will impress budget buyers with a comfortable and colorful design, solid sound quality and ANC, and long battery life. At just $84 on Amazon right now, it’s hard to find fault with these headphones from a value standpoint.
FAQ
Who owns CMF?
CMF is a sub-brand of Nothing, focusing on affordable and stylish devices, from smartphones to smartwatches and headphones. Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced in September 2025 that the company plans to spin off CMF as a subsidiary headquartered in India.
What’s unique about the controls on the CMF Headphone Pro?
Controls are handled via a “multi-function roller” for volume, ANC modes, and playback, and an “Energy Slider” which functions as an on-headphone EQ for real-time bass or treble adjustment. They also have interchangeable ear cushions (sold separately).
How long is the CMF Headphone Pro battery life?
The CMF Headphone Pro are rated to last up to 100 hours on a single charge with ANC off, 50 hours with ANC on, and provide up to 50 hours of talk time. Fast charging capabilities also provide hours of listening time with just a five-minute charge.
