- Launch & Price: CMF by Nothing (Carl Pei’s budget sub-brand) rolled out its first over-ear cans, the Headphone Pro, on Sept 29, 2025. They cost $99 / £79 / €99 and hit UK/EU stores immediately (US on Oct 7) . Three colorways are offered (Dark Grey, Light Green, Light Grey) with optional colored ear-cushions ($25 each) .
- Design: These headphones sport a playful, modular design with swappable ear cushions for personalization soundguys.com techradar.com. Unlike many modern cans, they use physical, tactile controls: a roller wheel (volume/play/ANC) and a novel “Energy Slider” to tweak bass and treble on the fly theverge.com techradar.com. A third button (“Button”) is customizable via the companion app for actions like AI assistant, ANC modes or Spatial Audio theverge.com techradar.com.
- Audio Features: Inside are 40mm custom drivers (nickel-plated diaphragms) with a dual-chamber bass duct. They support Hi-Res audio both wired and wireless (including Sony’s LDAC codec up to 990kbps) . The CMF Pro also includes Audiodo-powered personalized EQ profiles stored on-device, plus spatial-audio modes for movies/music .
- Noise Cancellation: They offer adaptive hybrid ANC (~40dB noise reduction) with three auto modes, plus a Transparency mode . CMF claims the adaptive ANC automatically adjusts to surroundings, though enabling ANC roughly halves the touted battery life .
- Battery:100 hours playback on a charge (drop to ~50h with ANC on) – far beyond typical wireless cans. Rapid USB-C charging yields ~4–5 hours listening from just 5 minutes of charge , and you can even reverse-charge from a phone in a pinch .
- Competitors: At $99 the Headphone Pro undercuts most high-end ANC headphones. For context, Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM6 tops out at ~40h (30h with ANC) , and even CMF’s own Nothing Headphone (1) reaches only ~80h off-ANC and 35h with ANC . Marshall’s new Major V promises 100+ hours too (no ANC) , and Baseus’s IFA-showcase XH1 hit 100h (65h with ANC) at $150 .
- Reception: Early reviewers praise the Pro’s battery and controls. Gizmodo notes the 100h claim was “sans ANC” and highlights that even 50h ANC-on beats the $299 Headphone 1 (35h) gizmodo.com. TechRadar calls the 100h life “impressive” and “better than most of the best noise-cancelling headphones” techradar.com. CreativeBloq and SoundGuys compliment its colorful, comfort-driven design and tactile interface creativebloq.com soundguys.com.
The CMF Headphone Pro blends budget pricing with surprisingly high-end specs. It’s the first over-ear headphone from CMF (Nothing’s budget arm, now an Indian-based subsidiary) gadgets360.com. With 40mm drivers, LDAC hi-res audio, and modular styling, it punches above its $99 price. Its biggest headline is the massive battery life – 100 hours playtime per charge (with ANC off), slashing to ~50h when ANC is active theverge.com techradar.com. That 100h figure was trailed in teasers, and reviewers quickly noted it applies only sans ANC gizmodo.com techradar.com. Even so, 50h with noise-cancelling is far beyond most rivals. For comparison, tech writer Andrew Liszewski of The Verge points out this still beats Nothing’s own premium Headphone 1 (35h ANC-on) and even Sony’s top cans (30h ANC-on) theverge.com. Likewise, CreativeBloq confirms real-world testing aligns with CMF’s claim – the battery “holds up impressively,” even over LDAC streaming creativebloq.com.
Design and Controls
CMF’s ethos of fun, modular design carries into the Pro. The cans have chunky, rounded earcups and a padded headband, soft-touch plastics and fabric. Three colorways arrive in the box (Dark Gray, Light Gray, Light Green), with additional ear-cushions in bright Orange or Green sold for $25 each . The idea is both style and utility: swap cushions to match your mood or replace them if worn, a feature rarely seen on sub-$100 gear .
Most striking is the button-heavy control scheme. Unlike popular touch-sensitive interfaces, the CMF Pro relies on physical dials and switches. On one earcup a rubberized roller wheel handles volume up/down, play/pause, and ANC on/off (short press for pause/play, long press to toggle noise-cancellation) nothing.community techradar.com. On the other, a “Button” lets you switch modes or trigger shortcuts. Perhaps the wackiest control is the new “Energy Slider” – a dedicated slider that “instantly adjust[s] bass and treble to match your mood,” according to CMF nothing.community techradar.com. Essentially, it’s a hardware EQ: glide it up for a bass boost on high-energy tracks, or down for more treble on laid-back audio nothing.community techradar.com. This has generated buzz; Gizmodo’s James Pero quipped he’s “actually excited” by the Energy Slider, since bass levels often crave finer control than a simple on/off toggle gizmodo.com.
Tech reviewers note that these tactile controls feel “more alive and responsive” compared to touch panels creativebloq.com. CreativeBloq calls the arrangement “intuitive” and highlights the bass slider, volume-roller (ANC), and programmable button as a rare blend of style and practicality creativebloq.com. One caveat: a few testers warn the physical feel is somewhat plasticky – the slider and roller lack the smoothness of higher-end builds creativebloq.com – but for a budget headphone the interactivity is a standout.
Audio Quality and Features
Under the hood, the Headphone Pro packs serious gear for its class. Each earcup houses a 40mm custom dynamic driver. CMF says the diaphragms are nickel-coated (to cut distortion) with a dual-chamber bass duct, aiming for “deep, full sound” techradar.com. The sound signature is tuned via a partnership (Nothing’s first Headphone 1 was co-developed with KEF), and notably these support Hi-Res Audio. You can plug in via 3.5mm or use wireless LDAC streaming up to 990 kbps soundguys.com nothing.community. They also handle standard SBC and AAC Bluetooth.
Audiodo’s “Personal Sound” tech (also on the new Nothing Ear 3) is built-in – a hearing test via the app calibrates an EQ profile stored on the headphones soundguys.com nothing.community. In practice, CreativeBloq found the output “robust, punchy and clear” beyond what one expects at $99 creativebloq.com. However, audiophiles note the tuning is aimed at fun rather than forensic detail: the bass is strong (sliders aside), mids are clear, but some say the extreme highs/lows lack finesse. At least CMF provides user EQ in the app, plus the Energy Slider, so users can shape the sound on the fly.
For noise control, the CMF Pro offers hybrid ANC up to ~40dB. There are three ANC levels (auto adaptation) and a transparency mode. TechRadar observes that even with ANC on, you still get a “very respectable 50 hours” of playtime techradar.com. The Verge calls the ANC “adaptive,” noting it auto-adjusts noise dampening to ambient conditions theverge.com. The CreativeBloq review admits ANC is functional but not class-leading – expected at this price – yet the thick ear cushions yield decent passive isolation when desired creativebloq.com.
Battery and Connectivity
Battery life is a headline figure. CMF states “up to 100 hours” of playback per charge theverge.com techradar.com, which matches early reviews and the official specs (50h with ANC on) gizmodo.com creativebloq.com. In practice, reporters confirm these are in the ballpark: Gizmodo notes 100h is only with ANC off, but still calls 50h with ANC “pretty good” gizmodo.com. CreativeBloq agrees that Nothing’s claims are accurate “and in my testing, it’s about right.”
Charging is via USB-C, with “rapid charging”: ~5 minutes plugged gives ~4–5 hours play creativebloq.com techradar.com. A full charge takes ~2 hours. Unusually, the headphones support reverse charging: you can plug them into a smartphone’s USB-C port to top up if you forgot a charger theverge.com creativebloq.com. Bluetooth 5.4 (with LDAC) provides stable connection. There’s even an IPX2 rating for minor splash protection. One quirky bit: CMF mentions a Bluetooth LE low-latency mode for gaming, and Spatial Audio “Cinema/Concert” modes for movies (via software) nothing.community.
Comparing the Market
At $99, the CMF Headphone Pro enters a crowded field of budget ANC headphones (Soundcore, JLab, Skullcandy, etc.), but it stacks up strongly. Key rivals include Nothing’s Headphone 1 ($299) – the Pro is one-third the price and actually outperforms it on battery (50h ANC-on vs 35h) , though the 1 has a distinctive industrial design and possibly more refined tuning. Premium cans like Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QC Ultra 2 offer top-notch ANC but only ~40h battery (with ANC), and cost $350+. In the mid-tier, Soundcore/Anker and JLab models often hit 50–60h but rarely 100h.
Interestingly, a few other brands are chasing 100h claims too. Marshall’s new Major V ($150, no ANC) promises 100+ hours gizmodo.com; Baseus’s IFA-launch XH1 ($150) boasts 100h/65h with ANC androidauthority.com. CMF’s offering is unique in pairing this extreme endurance with a full ANC suite and a playful UI. TechRadar emphasizes that 50h ANC-on is “better than most of the best noise-cancelling headphones” techradar.com.
What the Experts Say
Journalists have generally reacted positively. The Verge’s Andrew Liszewski calls the Headphone Pro “cheap” compared to Nothing’s own cans, with more customizability (swappable cushions, sliders) theverge.com. He also highlights the giant battery: “up to 100 hours… reduced to up to 50 hours with ANC,” noting it still beats Sony’s ~30h with ANC theverge.com.
Gizmodo’s James Pero praises the physical buttons (echoing reviews of Nothing’s tactile ethos) and quotes the Energy Slider as a big plus for bass control gizmodo.com. He also notes that at $99 you “can’t expect them to be one-to-one” with $299 headphones, but the Pro still “feel like a lot” for the price.
TechRadar and CreativeBloq rave about how much is packed in at this budget price. Carrie Marshall of TechRadar calls 100h battery and modular design “impressive,” and quips “We’re big fans of tactile controls, so it’s nice to see CMF shares our enthusiasm” techradar.com. CreativeBloq concludes the CMF Pro is “unexpectedly capable and tactile,” especially if you value comfort and long sessions creativebloq.com.
Bottom Line
The CMF Headphone Pro is a rare case where a budget headphone feels genuinely premium in some ways. For $99, you get a swappable-color design, hardware EQ slider, LDAC hi-res support, and a marathon battery life. It won’t match audiophile ANC quality, but in everyday use it delivers “far more than the price suggests” creativebloq.com. As one reviewer puts it, these headphones “stand apart from the generic crowd of monochrome, touch-only headphones” creativebloq.com. Whether the bass slider or Personality Modes excite you, at minimum you’re getting one of the longest-lasting ANC cans available today.
Sources: CMF/Nothing official specs and press ; tech news and reviews (The Verge , Gadgets360 , TechRadar , Gizmodo , CreativeBloq , SoundGuys ).
