CMF Phone 1 Review: Bringing in Some Fun to the Budget Segment

It was a nervy few moments before the launch of the CMF (Nothing’s sub-brand) Phone 1 a couple of weeks ago. We were all sitting there, waiting with bated breath. A price over Rs 20,000 would have meant the smartphone was dead on arrival. It’s simply a factor of the crowded smartphone industry and the sheer number of above-average/good mobile phones available for purchase. Moreover, if you are considering older models at discounted prices,

When the time came, we were all surprised. Some of us even remarked that the CMF Phone 1 might be the sleeper hit of 2024. Priced at Rs 15,999, the smartphone has taken the tech industry by surprise, with a refreshing design, and a unique take on Android. Nothing unique design language has been brought over to the budget segment and smartphones are begging to be fun again.

Removable backplates

The smartphone comes in four colour variants - Orange and Blue (with a faux leather finish) and Mint and Black (with a smooth finish). But what makes the CMF Phone 1 unique is that the backplate is swappable. If you desire an ‘orange’ phone on Monday and a ‘black’ phone by Friday, that can easily be done. Just use the included screwdriver and hot-swap the backplate. It’s quick and easy.

When the backplate is removed, the battery is removed. One would think the smartphone’s battery can also be replaced, but that isn’t the case. CMF has a warning label on the battery, urging customers not to remove it without authorisation.

Furthermore, there is an Accessory Point (or a little wheel), at the bottom right corner of the phone. Once you remove it, you can insert accessories like a wallet, kickstand, or even a lanyard (if that’s your thing). But, the kicker is that CMF encourages customers to 3D print accessories. That’s something I’ve rarely, if ever, seen in all my years of covering smartphones. The backplate is made of plastic, while the camera module features a metal covering.

All in all, the design language may “seem boring” on the surface, but there’s a lot of fun here and something we can all get behind.

What else does the CMF Phone 1 get right?

The CMF Phone 1 is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (the same chipset in more expensive smartphones like the Oppo Reno12 Pro). It’s accompanied by 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

Performance is something I can get behind on the CMF Phone 1. I’m not going to say it is the fastest phone out there. That’s far from the case. It takes a day or two to acclimatise to your usage and after that, it feels snappy and smooth.

What you get with Nothing OS 2.6 (based on Android 14) is the same as on the Nothing Phone 2 and Nothing Phone 2(a). Of course, the CMF Phone 1 misses on the glyph lights, and accompanying features. Still, Nothing OS 2.6 is one of my favourite Android skins. It’s stock-like, and that’s the best part. You can customise everything from the home screen to the widgets and from icon theming to fonts.

The CMF Phone 1 strikes a good balance between performance and efficiency. The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (paired with 8GB of RAM) and a 5,000mAh battery, means that the phone will keep chugging along. I never pushed the device to its limits (except for taking hundreds of photos in a short period), which meant that each day I was left with around 30 percent of battery life before I went to bed.

The phone features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display (2,400x1,080 resolution) with a 120Hz refresh rate, a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The display is easy on the eyes, and comfortable for those long hours of the Olympics, which are currently ongoing. Even outdoor legibility isn’t an issue.

Call quality was above average, and the speakers were loud and clear. It’s a mono speaker, so won’t give you the epic booming sound you’d want. So keep your expectations in check. The in-display fingerprint sensor was quick and accurate. The phone comes with an IP52 rating.

Nothing has promised two years of Android updates with three years of security updates. That’s pretty impressive for a budget smartphone.

Where the CMF Phone 1 falters

Camera. I can start and end this section with just one word. Yes, if you’re a photography enthusiast, or just like to post photos and Reels on Instagram daily, then look beyond the CMF Phone 1. Because, despite the phenomenal value the phone provides, the one area where it is severely lacking is in the camera department. There is a 50MP primary camera (with an f/1.8 aperture and phase detection autofocus) alongside a 2MP depth sensor.

The photos from the primary sensor lack much depth and detail and the white balance needs some editing. The camera has become better with subsequent software updates, but it still isn’t up to scratch. It suffices for basic social media photos, but if you want something that you can work with on the editing table, then this smartphone isn’t for you. The Nothing Phone 2, and even the Nothing Phone 2(a) performs much better in this department.

In low light, the smartphone doesn’t produce many useable photos. Selfies though are nice and clean and come with natural skin tones.

One other aspect of the CMF Phone 1 that I didn’t like was its vibration motor. It’s very loud on the CMF Phone 1. One could say the iP52 rating is a negative but it is par course for smartphones at this price range. IP53 might have been better here, as that comes on the Redmi 13 5G smartphone.

Verdict: Buy it for trying and excelling at being different

Yes, for the price it launched at Rs 15,999 (6GB RAM + 128GB storage) and Rs 17,999 (8GB + 128GB), the smartphone does a lot of what the Nothing Phone 2(a) does but for a much more wallet-friendly price.

It beats the pants off the Moto Gs of the world and even outshines the Redmi 13 5G. It’s not a perfect smartphone, but the CMF Phone 1 excels in all departments but one. That makes it a stand-out phone in the under Rs 20,000 price segment. Buy it if you want something smooth, and efficient, and offering something unique (just look at that hot-swappable backplate).