CMF Phone 1 Review

Introduction

• New budget phone by CMF, sub-brand of Nothing
• Priced at £200 or $250
• Described as a genius product, part of an entire ecosystem

Unboxing & Accessories

• Includes a lanyard, three cases, a card wallet, a stand, CMF Buds Pro 2, and Watch Pro 2
• Targeted as a budget accessory ecosystem designed to work around the phone
• Initial feel: Slightly cheap, thin, plasticky but tastefully designed

Design & Build Quality

• CMF Buds 2 Pro: Light but sophisticated design
• Watch Pro 2: Clean, slick design matching various outfits
• Phone unboxed: Includes a white USB-C cable and an orange SIM ejector tool
• Back plates: Can be unscrewed and swapped; designed for easier repairs and customization
• Customization options: Example given of mixing orange vegan leather back plate with black screws
• Ecosystem around interchangeable parts

Functional Accessories

• Screw-in stand, lanyard, magnet wallet enclosure
• Concept of "jugad": Frugal innovation using available resources
• High functionality without high costs

Hardware Features

Screen

• 120Hz adaptive AMOLED Full HD+ display
• Supports HDR10+ content
• Pre-installed screen protector
• In-display optical fingerprint scanner
• Brightness: 700 nits typically, 1000 nits outdoors, 2000 nits peak
• Slightly thicker bottom bezel

Battery

• 5000mAh battery
• Efficient 4nm process chip
• Light software skin
• Dark mode by default
• On track for 10 hours of screen-on time
• No user-replaceable battery
• Charging: 33W wired, no wireless charging

Software

• Nothing OS 2.6 based on Android 14
• Light and non-intrusive
• AI-generated wallpapers
• 2 years of major updates, 3 years of security updates

Chipset

• 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 2TB with SD card)
• Mediatek Dimensity 7300 chipset
• Acceptable gaming performance
• Smooth daily operation with occasional jitters

Audio

• Mono speaker at the bottom
• Loud but not very sophisticated sound

Camera

• Two cameras (one assist camera for portrait mode)
• Good detail and HDR in photos
• 4K video at 30fps
• Lacks advanced color science and portrait effects
• No optical image stabilization or laser autofocus
• No ultra-wide camera

Conclusion

• Instantly recommendable budget phone
• Exceptional value for £200 or $250
• Generous initial offering by CMF, aiming to hype the sub-brand