With the CMF Clip Pro, however, the wireless earbuds take a completely different turn. Unlike the AirPods Pro, which seal the ear canal, Clip Pro features an open-ear clip that encircles the ear and leaves the ear canal unsealed. This is how CMF makes comfort and situational awareness the top priorities of the product. Each earbud is relatively lightweight, with a weight of around 5.9 grams, while the three-point C-bridge structure is created by an elastic titanium wire core and soft TPU coating. For runners, commuters, office workers, and everyone else who does not enjoy ear pressure, this combination is immediately appealing.

The question remains, however, is CMF sacrificing too much in terms of audio quality to provide that comfort? After analyzing hardware, controls, battery, call system, leakage management, and competition, Clip Pro proves to be a very good deal at the price of $99.

CMF Clip Pro Release Date and Price

The CMF Clip Pro came out in the United States on August 15 2026. It costs $99 normally. When you could pre-order the CMF Clip Pro they were $79 so people who bought them early saved $20. The CMF Clip Pro earbuds come in three colors: Dark Grey, Light Grey and Coral.

For $99 the CMF Clip Pro is cheaper than a lot of premium open-ear earbuds but it still has some really cool features, like LDAC and a special titanium-wire clip. The CMF Clip Pro also has controls and a Smart Dial, which is pretty nice.

U.S. pricing at a glance:

Charging case: Smart Dial controls

Release date: August 15, 2026

Regular price: $99

Launch/pre-order price: $79

Colors: Dark Grey, Light Grey, Coral

CMF Clip Pro Specifications

The Clip Pro is packed with multiple features that are not common at such pricing levels. These include 10.8mm dual-magnet dynamic drivers, Ultra Bass Technology, LDAC, AAC and SBC codecs, Bluetooth 5.4, dual device pairing, gaming mode with low latency, and IP54 protection. For making calls, four microphones operate using Clear Voice Technology and the separate Voice Pickup Unit. Listening lasts up to 10 hours, while the charging case increases overall playing time up to 32.5 hours. A ten-minute quick charge gives four extra hours of listening time.

The open acoustic design is the unique specification that distinguishes these earbuds. There is no sealing between the ear and the driver, and the latter delivers audio into the ear without forming any in-ear seal. Consequently, the person stays conscious about all external sounds, including traffic noise, conversation, announcements, etc.

Design and Comfort

CMF calls this design open-ear clip technology. The bridge of the Clip Pro has an elastic titanium wire with 0.5 mm thickness as its inner part. The bridge of the earbuds can bend without losing its initial shape. The outer part of this bridge has TPU coating for soft and comfortable touch. The reason why such design is necessary is that the clip should have sufficient tension to hold its position but should not apply any pressure on the ear canal.

Moreover, each earbud weighs only 5.9 grams, which makes the product easy to wear for long periods. It does not insert a silicone tip in the ear canal; its listening ball stays near the entrance of the ear canal. Therefore, the user does not feel the feeling of being blocked by the conventional earbuds. With the open-ear design, the user can also hear people around him or her.

Why the Titanium Core Matters

The Clip Pro’s titanium-core C-bridge is more than a material choice. The flexible wire provides the spring-like structure needed to keep the earbuds positioned around the ear while distributing contact pressure instead of relying on an in-ear seal. That helps explain why the 5.9g earbuds can stay secure without creating the plugged-in feeling associated with conventional earbuds.

Controls and the Smart Dial

Controls represent one of the most intriguing characteristics of the Clip Pro. The earbuds incorporate physical buttons rather than using touch controls alone; they can prove helpful for exercising, in a humid environment or when wearing gloves. The charging case introduces an even more unique feature – the physical Smart Dial.

Unlike touch controls, physical dials do not depend much on precise tapping of a surface, which proves helpful during exercising or when wearing gloves.

This rotary dial is configurable in the Nothing X application. Rotating it in clockwise or counterclockwise direction will help adjust the volume; however, clicks can be used for playback/pause, navigation through tracks, making calls, operating voice assistant, muting the microphone, activating low latency or noise-control mode. Single, double, triple clicks and long presses can execute other commands.

The crucial point here is that the Smart Dial is not a simple volume control. This is a physical controller configurable through the charging case. According to CMF, the Smart Dial has no initial function and should be configured in Nothing X..

Sound Quality and Bass

Considering the open-ear design of the earbuds, it should be noted that the Clip Pro’s audio capabilities are rather ambitious. In particular, the 10.8mm double magnet dynamic speakers are matched with Ultra Bass Technology aimed at compensating for the inevitable loss of the bass frequencies due to the absence of the canal seal.

LDAC vs AAC vs SBC: Which One Should You Use?

The CMF system can support LDAC, AAC, and SBC, but each format is not equally effective for all people. In particular, LDAC allows transmitting much more data than any other format and looks promising for compatible Android devices. AAC is a good choice for iPhones, whereas SBC has universal support. In short, LDAC looks like a nice advantage—but only when the phone and the audio source have this feature.

It is important to note that the Clip Pro has one more unusual feature which makes this comparison even more intriguing. Specifically, the use of an open-ear design means that LDAC may not be effective at all, especially in the case of sealed audiophile-type earbuds. 

Sound Leakage and Privacy

Sound leakage is one of the biggest concerns with any open-ear product. If other people can clearly hear your music, the comfort advantage becomes less useful in offices, public transportation, or shared spaces.

Early testing of the Clip Pro has been encouraging. Review coverage found leakage surprisingly low, even at relatively high volume. CMF’s Sound Seal system is designed to direct mid and high frequencies inward while reducing outward leakage. The Nothing X app also provides leakage-control profiles for different situations, including calls and audio playback.

Can People Hear Your Music?

Open-ear earbuds naturally create more leakage concerns than sealed models, so this is an important real-world consideration. The Clip Pro’s Sound Seal system is designed to direct sound toward the listener while reducing outward leakage. As open-ear headphones inherently lead to more leaking issues as compared to sealed headphones, this is definitely an important real-world consideration. 

This way, they may be better suited to workspaces and other common places, even though playing the music louder may make it possible for others sitting nearby to hear it as well.

Calls, Microphones and Connectivity

The CMF provides both ears with microphones, which means that the device has a total of four microphones. Clear Voice Technology and Voice Pickup Unit contribute to speech isolation and minimization of background interference. While the VPU may be used for picking up voice vibration data, the microphone works on reducing the influence of the environment. In other words, the number of microphones is not the issue here; the real question is how well the VPU and processing manage to pick up your voice from the background. 

Such a configuration comes in handy for those who like to conduct conversations while walking, commuting, and being outdoors. Every open-ear configuration is vulnerable to wind, but the Clip Pro is designed with a wind-resistant voice processor in mind and not the other way around.

Features like Bluetooth 5.4, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, and multipoint technology increase the device’s convenience even more. Multipoint comes in handy when switching between the phone and PC during work.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery life is another strong point. Literally, CMF rates the earbuds for up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge and up to 32.5 hours with the charging case. And I think it’s enough for a full workday of intermittent listening or several days of lighter use.

Its fast charging is also useful. Only ten minutes of charging is required for the device to last up to four hours of playback. The biggest strength of the device is that there are headphones available that have more battery life in total or even wireless charging capability, which makes the Clip Pro good but not the best in terms of battery life.

Water Resistance

The IP54 rating gives the Clip Pro protection against dust and water splashes. It means sweat, light rain or everyday outdoor use, nothing will make you feel that these earbuds are not for you. Runners and walkers should be comfortable using them in ordinary conditions, while swimmers and users exposed to heavy water should choose a more rugged product.

CMF Clip Pro vs the Competition

CMF Clip Pro is one of the products that fits into the open-ear headphones market, which has been growing recently. The $99 price point for the headphones stands out compared to its competitors, such as the EarFun Clip 2, the Soundcore AeroClip, and the Shokz OpenDots.

The EarFun Clip 2 wins on total battery life, Bluetooth 6.0, and wireless charging, but the Clip Pro counters with its physical buttons and unique case-mounted Smart Dial. The Soundcore AeroClip is a stronger choice if you want IP55 protection and more detailed EQ customization. Shokz OpenDots have improved maximum volume and better vocal clarity in noisy surroundings but their relatively expensive cost makes the CMF headphones much more affordable.

The Clip Pro is the best value choice for those who care about affordability as well as comfort, control, battery life and LDAC support.

Who Should Buy the CMF Clip Pro?

The Clip Pro is the perfect earbud for those who need open ear audio without investing in expensive products. Athletes will benefit from the Clip Pro since it allows them to hear what is going on in their environment. The Clip Pro is also ideal for office workers since they will be able to listen to music while still being aware of the people around them or when someone knocks on the door. Those who make phone calls frequently will also appreciate the four-microphone VPU system.

It is especially interesting for budget-minded Android users because LDAC allows compatible phones to enjoy high-bitrate audio wirelessly. It is compatible with both iOS and Android, thus it does not force the user to be part of any ecosystem.

Who Should Skip It?

Do not consider the Clip Pro if you value noise cancelling and isolation. The open-ear technology allows the ambient sounds to reach the ear canal and hence is not recommended if you require blocking out ambient noises while commuting via airplane, extremely loud subway train, noisy gymnasium, or office settings.

Likewise, individuals that love bass music will have to consider other options if they anticipate heavy sub-bass. Multi-band EQ controls and maximum volume also justify the choice of other options.

CMF Clip Pro Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lightweight 5.9g clip design
• Comfortable open-ear fit
• Titanium memory-wire core
• 10.8mm dual-magnet drivers
• Ultra Bass Technology
• LDAC support
• Physical earbud controls
• Customizable Smart Dial
• Four-microphone VPU system
• 10-hour earbud battery
• IP54 resistance
• Strong value at around $99

Cons

• No true isolation from outside noise
• Not designed for deep bass
• Maximum volume can struggle in very loud environments
• No wireless charging mentioned in the supplied specifications
• Some Smart Dial functions require Nothing X customization

Is the CMF Clip Pro Worth Buying?

At around $99, the CMF Clip Pro offers a strong mix of comfort, situational awareness, LDAC, physical controls, a titanium-core clip, four-microphone calling, useful battery life, and a distinctive Smart Dial—features rarely combined at this price.

The important thing to remember is that it is an open-ear device. If you need noise cancellation earbuds for your long commutes on planes and subway trains, you should be looking elsewhere. For runners, commuters, office workers, and just regular people, this is where the Clip Pro excels.

For American consumers looking for open-ear technology without paying $200 and more, Clip Pro offers a rather complete combination of functions. The most notable feature of Clip Pro is not any single specification but rather their overall integration.

Where to Buy CMF Clip Pro in the USA?

CMF Clip Pro costs $99 in the United States and will be available starting from August 2026. In the case of consumers from the U.S., there are three stores that I recommend considering:

1. Nothing / CMF Official Store 
2. Amazon US 
3. Best Buy

Best buying advice: 

If I were to write a review on this product today, the first store that I would recommend is the official store of CMF located in the U.S. While I can confirm that the store in the United States is officially authorized, I cannot confirm the stock of CMF Clip Pro at Best Buy or Amazon based on my search results today.

CMF Clip Pro FAQs

Does the CMF Clip Pro have ANC?

False. The open-ear design enables hearing external noises. The Sound Seal technology can assist in minimizing audio leakage.

How long does the battery last?

The buds offer up to 10 hours of playing time, and the case increases the total battery time to 32.5 hours. Just a 10 minutes’ charging can provide up to 4 hours.

Is the CMF Clip Pro comfortable?

Yes, particularly for those who do not like feeling pressured in their ears. Each earbud is 5.9 grams, having a titanium frame and a TPU cover.

Does it support LDAC?

Yes. It features LDAC, AAC, and SBC support, which makes the device really attractive for Android users.

Is it good for running?

Yes. The open design allows hearing the sounds of your environment, and the clip holds the buds near your ears.

Is the CMF Clip Pro waterproof?

No, it doesn’t have any. It has an IP54 rating, which means it is protected against dust and water splash, but it isn’t submersible.

Does it work with an iPhone?

Yes. The Clip Pro works with both iPhone and Android devices, although LDAC is primarily useful with compatible Android phones.

Is it worth $99?

Yes, if you want open-ear earbuds. Its combination of comfort, LDAC, physical controls, Smart Dial, calling features, and battery life makes it a strong value.

Final Verdict

The CMF Clip Pro is a durable $99 open-ear earbud designed for comfort, situational awareness, and convenient controls for US users. The earbuds’ light titanium clip, 10.8mm drivers, LDAC support, Smart Dial, four-microphone system, and maximum 10 hours of battery life make them quite feature-rich among earbuds with such pricing.

Of course, their main drawback is connected with the design – the open-ear design of the earbuds cannot provide any ANC or isolation and, of course, deep bass. However, for runners, commuters, office workers, and casual users, it’s totally worth the sacrifice.

So, if you are looking for good open-ear earbuds with great features and usability, the CMF Clip Pro is highly recommended for just $99.