In a move that’s set to shake up the budget smartphone market, Nothing has launched its sub-brand’s first device, the CMF Phone 1. Priced at Rs 17,999, this new entry brings the signature design flair of Nothing’s higher-end models to a more affordable tier. Sporting a unique “industrial” look, the CMF Phone 1 promises not just style but also substance. In this review, we’ll explore how well the CMF Phone 1 performs and whether it lives up to the hype in the competitive sub-Rs 20,000 category.
Design
CMF Phone 1 offers an assortment of back covers that come with a small screwdriver, allowing you to unscrew and replace the panel effortlessly. This customization option adds a fun, practical element to personalizing your phone. We tried several back panels and found the experience genuinely refreshing.
The covers come in a variety of colors — blue, orange, light green, and black — and finishes, including matte and vegan leather, each priced at Rs 799. These finishes not only provide a good grip but also resist fingerprints. My personal favorite was the jet black cover. Additionally, the CMF Phone 1 has an IP52 rating, ensuring protection against water splashes and making it durable during rainy seasons.
Display Features
The CMF Phone 1 boasts an impressive display, featuring a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen. With typical brightness reaching up to 700 nits and peaking at 2000 nits for HDR content, the display remains easily readable even in direct sunlight. The colors are vibrant, with a warmer tone by default, enhancing the overall viewing experience. For those who prefer a different color balance, the tone can be adjusted in the display settings, though the default setting is already quite appealing.
Performance
The CMF Phone 1 stands out in the sub-Rs 20,000 category with its MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G chipset, offering superior performance compared to its peers. During testing with intensive games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty (COD), the phone handled them admirably. Genshin Impact, known for its demanding graphics, ran smoothly at lower settings, a common scenario even on higher-end devices. Meanwhile, Call of Duty performed well at higher graphics settings, demonstrating the device’s versatility for various gaming preferences.
In everyday use, multitasking and launching apps posed no challenges, indicating robust overall performance. However, extended gaming sessions caused the phone to warm up slightly, though this did not impact performance significantly. Notably, there were occasional slowdowns in the camera app during prolonged outdoor use in warmer conditions, with post-processing times increasing noticeably. This issue may potentially be addressed through future software updates focusing on performance optimizations.
Overall, the CMF Phone 1 excels in both gaming and general performance, offering a compelling option in its price segment.
Camera
Equipped with a dual rear camera setup featuring a 50-megapixel primary sensor, the CMF Phone 1 excels in daylight photography. The images exhibit natural, rich colors with a balanced dynamic range. When comparing the 12MP and 50MP photo modes, there is only a slight variation in detail capture, highlighting the sensor’s versatility across different shooting modes.