In the ever so crowded smartphone, Nothing has made a place for itself rather quickly. The key behind their success was the quirky design of their smartphone lineup. While the first product in the line, the Nothing Phone 1 did quite well in the market. The same cannot be said for Phone 2.
After Phone 2’s luke warm response, Nothing went back to the drawing board and came up with the Phone 2a, an affordable option in the series which became an instant success. The company is now trying to repeat that with its sub-brand called CMF.
The CMF Phone 1 is a bold attempt to carve a niche by offering a unique aesthetic and focusing on core functionalities. But does this unconventional approach translate into a compelling user experience? Let’s find out in our review.
CMF Phone 1 Design
The CMF Phone 1 is a bold departure from the curvaceous glass aesthetic that has recently dominated the smartphone industry. Given the affordable price tag, the phone is made entirely out of plastic. Its flat display and thin plastic enclosure immediately set it apart, offering a refreshing change of pace.
The phone’s modular design is intriguing, allowing users to customize the device with a range of accessories. This level of personalization is unheard of in the budget smartphone segment.
The CMF Phone 1 features a generic silhouette with an angular shape and a relatively large size that may not appeal to everyone. Think of the CMF Phone 1 like the original Nothing Phone 1 but with a plastic frame and removable back. The material choice impacts the overall tactile experience, but you can’t really ask for much from a Rs 16,000 phone.
Starting from the back, the phone gets a vertically stacked dual camera setup on the top corner and four exposed screws on all the sides. Plus you also see an accessory anchor point on the bottom. Nothing is selling the removable backplates for Rs 1,499 which we feel are a bit on the pricier end given the price-sensitive buyer this phone is targeted at.
Moving past this, the button and port layout is fairly standard. The volume rockers and power buttons are placed on the right edge, while the left side is kept clean. The bottom edge has the SIM tray, primary speaker grill, and USB Type C port.
CMF Phone 1 Display
The CMF Phone 1 boasts a 6.67-inch AMOLED display that delivers a visually pleasing experience. The panel offers good color accuracy and contrast, resulting in vibrant and lifelike images. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations, enhancing overall responsiveness.
The panel does well in the brightness department and leans towards a warmer tone in general. This warmth can also affect the perceived richness of certain colors. Outdoor visibility is generally good, thanks to the display’s adequate brightness. However, the bezels surrounding the display are uneven in thickness, and can take away from the overall experience.
Overall, the CMF Phone 1’s display is a solid performer, offering a decent balance of color accuracy, brightness, and responsiveness. While it doesn’t quite reach the pinnacle of display quality found on other phones in the sub-Rs 20K category, it’s certainly respectable for a phone in this price range.
CMF Phone 1 OS & Software
The CMF Phone 1 runs a clean and uncluttered version of Android, which is the highlight of this product after all the physical customization stuff. At its core, it features the Nothing OS 2.6 which closely adheres to Google’s Material You design language, ensuring a consistent and intuitive layout. Icons are sharp and minimalist, animations are smooth, and the overall aesthetic leans towards clean lines and subtle animations.
Despite different branding for CMF, the OS sticks with the signature “dot matrix” aesthetic found on the Phone (2) into the software, injecting some personality. App icons and system elements subtly integrate a grid-like pattern, adding a playful design choice that sets Nothing OS apart from the standard Android experience.
The only major difference you will notice here when compared to the Nothing Phone 2a is the removal of the Glyph features, since the phone does not have the LEDs on the back.
The company is still promising two Android version updates for the CMF Phone 1 along with three years of security updates which is on par with the competition. Nothing is continuously working to add more features to Nothing OS, and since its launch, the phone has already had plenty of OTA updates to improve system fluidity.
Performance
Due to its budget price tag, Nothing has opted for a MediaTek SoC on the CMF Phone 1. Equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, the CMF Phone 1 delivers competent performance for everyday tasks along with light gaming. Navigating through the interface, opening apps, and multitasking are generally smooth.
However, when pushed to its limits with demanding games or graphically intensive applications, the CMF Phone 1 may exhibit occasional stutters or frame drops. While benchmark scores don’t always directly translate to real-world performance, they can provide a general idea of a phone’s processing power. In popular benchmarks like Antutu & Geekbench, the phone scores better than the competition.
The inclusion of 8GB of RAM provides smooth multitasking, allowing you to switch between apps without noticeable lag. The option for expandable storage is also a welcome addition.
Moving on to the battery, the Phone 1 is equipped with a 5,000mAh cell, the largest battery used in a Nothing product to date right after the Phone 2a. Previous Nothing phones have already proven to have solid battery life, and the CMF Phone 1 performs even better, lasting close to 2 days on a single charge with typical use.
The phone supports up to 33W fast charging, but since Nothing does not provide a charger in the box, we were forced to charge the phone using a generic PD charger, which took under 120 minutes to fully charge the battery.
CMF Phone 1 Cameras
The camera performance of the Nothing Phone 1 is a mixed bag. On paper, the specifications don’t seem promising. The rear camera features a dual-camera setup: a primary 50MP wide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor.
In daylight conditions, the primary 50MP sensor is capable of taking decent images with acceptable dynamic range. Colors tend to be accurate, and detail are generally preserved. However, upon pixel peeping, the photos might lack the sharpness and clarity that you can get on the rivals.
Portrait mode performance is satisfactory, with reasonable subject separation and depth-of-field effects. However, edge detection can be inconsistent, leading to occasional inaccuracies in subject outlining.
Low light performance is where the camera struggles. Photos become noticeably noisier, details get lost, and there can be issues with focus. Although Night Mode helps brighten up the scene, the resulting images often have artifacts and a loss of sharpness.
The 16MP front-facing camera delivers decent selfies. In good lighting, selfies capture decent detail, but low light performance suffers from noise and a lack of sharpness.
Pros and Cons of CMF Phone 1
Pros:
- Unique Modular Design: The CMF Phone 1 offers a refreshing change with its modular design, allowing for high customization with various accessories, which is rare in the budget segment.
- Affordable Pricing: Priced at Rs 16,000, it is accessible for budget-conscious consumers looking for a distinctive smartphone experience.
- AMOLED Display with 120Hz Refresh Rate: It features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display that provides vibrant visuals and smooth animations, enhancing the user interface experience.
- Clean Software Interface: Runs on Nothing OS 2.6, offering a clean and minimalistic interface that sticks closely to Google’s Material You design language.
Cons:
- Plastic Build: The all-plastic construction might not appeal to those looking for a more premium tactile feel.
- Camera Performance: While decent in daylight, the camera struggles in low-light conditions, lacking sharpness and clarity compared to rivals.
- No Charger Included: Despite supporting fast charging, the phone does not come with a charger in the box, which could be inconvenient for some users.
CMF Phone 1 Review – The Verdict
The CMF Phone 1 is an interesting offering in the budget smartphone space. Its unique design, coupled with a decent display and performance, makes it a compelling option. However, it’s not without its flaws. The camera performance, while acceptable, doesn’t excel, and the build quality could be more premium.
Ultimately, the CMF Phone 1 is a solid choice for people who prioritize a distinctive design and a clean software experience over top-tier cameras and a premium build. If you’re looking for a budget phone that stands out from the crowd, the CMF Phone 1 deserves a closer look.
CMF Phone 1 FAQs
Q. What distinguishes the CMF Phone 1?
A.The CMF Phone 1 stands out with its modular design, allowing users to customize the phone with various accessories, including unique backplates.
Q. What is the cost of the CMF Phone 1 and its accessories?
A. The phone is priced at Rs 16,000, and additional backplates cost Rs 1,499 each.
Q. What type of display does the CMF Phone 1 have?
A. It features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, providing vibrant colors and smooth animations.
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