Nothing simply launched the CMF Cellphone 1. CMF is Nothing’s sub-brand. The CMF Cellphone 1 is offered for underneath $200. This reasonably priced Android smartphone caught my eye with its modular look. On this hands-on, I’ll share my preliminary ideas in regards to the CMF Cellphone 1.
Nothing CMF Cellphone 1: All offers
The Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 in a nutshell
The Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 might be out there within the USA from July 8, 2024. It is just offered on Amazon and not on the producer’s official retailer. It is going to arrive in two configurations, however solely the 8/128 GB, priced at $199, might be out there within the US. How do I make of those handsets? I suppose they are often thought of to be barely inferior to the Nothing Cellphone (2a) (evaluate).
In any case, CMF is a sub-brand of Nothing. It targets primarily rising markets reminiscent of India and Southeast Asia. The idea is to promote reasonably priced merchandise with a robust emphasis on design. Nothing would not talk a lot about this regarding CMF in different components of the world, however you might be nonetheless capable of choose up CMF merchandise. Nothing additionally appears to be taking extra duty for its sub-brand, which additionally features a smartwatch and wi-fi headphones.
Design and display
Design is the principle promoting level of the CMF Cellphone 1. The again options an interchangeable panel and a tiny knob the place you possibly can connect a wide range of equipment.
Professionals:
- Distinctive design.
- Cool modular or “interchangeable” idea.
- Flat display with pretty skinny bezels.
- 120 Hz and good brightness.
Cons:
- IPX2 certification solely
- No Gorilla Glass for the display.
- Costly equipment and covers contemplating the smartphone’s value.
The CMF Cellphone 1 would not appear like different Nothing smartphones. There isn’t any clear again. As a substitute, the again is definitely a panel that may be eliminated by way of the 4 small seen screws. Total, Nothing provides the handset in 4 colours: black, inexperienced, blue, and orange. In fact, further panels have to be bought individually. They value $35 a pop, which I believe is a bit steep.
The black and inexperienced colours are manufactured from matte plastic which could be very nice to the contact. The orange and blue variants arrive in fake leather-based. Even when it is a little bit of a departure from Nothing’s traditional design, it nonetheless stays inside vary of the producer’s spirit. The design has a really industrial look, with seen screws, and the metalized digital camera module offering the impression of it having simply come off the manufacturing unit press.
On the backside proper, there’s a little bit knob. You possibly can unscrew it and use it as a technique to launch the again panel. This knob is called the “Accessory Point”, serving as an attachment for equipment.
Nothing sells them individually for $20 a pop. There is a lanyard, a stand to carry the smartphone, and a card holder to compensate for the absence of NFC.
I believe the concept is just sensible. You possibly can mix-and-match colours or mix two equipment on the similar time (not all of them). Briefly, it provides a brand new dimension to the smartphone as an object. It isn’t simply an impersonal brick of glass and plastic. It is a customizable brick, with bits that snap on, snap off, and are interchangeable.
It is intelligent, interesting to my collector’s behavior of snapping up all of the equipment and circumstances. Not solely that, it additionally appeals to my “Lego” facet, with the concept of “building” your smartphone.
I am pondering whether or not Nothing may take the idea even additional with a modular design à la Fairphone. In the event you can roughly simply take away the again of the smartphone, why not make battery alternative equally simple?
Aside from that, the smartphone is IPX2 licensed for water resistance. This implies you possibly can’t dunk it and the IPX2 certification applies with and with out the plate on the again.
As for the show, a 6.67-inch AMOLED display provides visible readability with 1800 x 2400 pixel decision. The refresh price stands at 120 Hz, with typical brightness of 500 to 700 nits, rising to 2,000 nits peak brightness. The display is flat and the bezels are pretty slim, though the chin is a little bit too distinguished for my style.
Interface and OS
The CMF Cellphone 1 introduces Nothing OS 2.6, a pores and skin primarily based on Android 14. There are not any main new options in comparison with Nothing OS 2.5. Nonetheless, Nothing’s pores and skin provides an excellent stability between inventory Android and some features and customization parts. As for the replace coverage, it is bang common.
Professionals:
- Clear, bloatware-free interface.
- Nothing widgets are visually interesting.
Cons:
There’s not a lot to say about Nothing OS 2.6. You possibly can learn my Nothing OS 2.5 evaluate and my information to one of the best options of Nothing OS 2.5 to search out out extra.
The CMF Cellphone 1 will obtain 2 main Android updates and three years of safety updates. Even for a mid-range smartphone, that is fairly common. Principally, it is the naked minimal a producer ought to present.
The main plus level of Nothing OS is the absence of bloatware and the interface implements all Android features whereas providing a number of customization choices from Nothing.
Efficiency and SoC
The Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 incorporates a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC beneath the hood. The smartphone can also be geared up with 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage, relying on the model. The preliminary benchmark outcomes proved to be fairly disconcerting.
Professionals:
- Much less highly effective than the Nothing Cellphone (2a).
Cons:
- Good temperature management and stability.
In principle, the CMF Cellphone 1’s Dimensity 7300 ought to outperform the Nothing Cellphone’s Dimensity 7200 Professional (2a). Each chips had been manufactured utilizing the 4 nm course of. Nonetheless, the Dimensity 7300, or extra exactly its important core, has a decrease clock velocity than the Dimensity 7200.
By way of efficiency, I’ve run my first benchmarks on the CMF Cellphone 1, which confirmed it to be considerably much less highly effective than the Nothing Cellphone (2a).
By itself, this is sensible. The Nothing Cellphone (2a) was nearly $100 costlier at launch. Nothing certainly needs to keep up a distinction between its important vary and its CMF sub-range.
In any case, the CMF Cellphone 1 proved simply as efficient because the Cellphone (2a) when it comes to temperature management and stability. All that continues to be is to see the way it performs in sensible use as soon as my full evaluate is full.
| Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 (Dimensity 7300) |
Nothing Cellphone (2a) (Dimensity 7200 Professional) |
|
|---|---|---|
| 3D Mark Wild Life | 3,115 | 4,129 |
| 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Take a look at |
Finest loop: 3,118 Worst loop: 3,099 |
Finest loop: 4,131 Worst loop: 4,085 |
| 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive Stress Take a look at |
Finest loop: 853 Worst loop: 848 |
Finest loop: 1,153 Worst loop: 1,148 |
| Geekbench 6 | Single: 1,041 Multi: 2,915 |
Single: 1,148 Multi: 2,589 |
Picture and video high quality
A single digital camera lens is all you get with the CMF Cellphone 1. The smartphone incorporates a 50 MP sensor on the again. The second lens behind is just a depth sensor for portrait mode. The selfie digital camera sports activities a 16 MP decision.
Professionals:
- Awaiting the complete evaluate.
Cons:
- Awaiting the complete evaluate.
I did not have time to take sufficient photographs with the CMF Cellphone 1 for this evaluate. Nonetheless, armed with a single 50 MP lens on the again, taking pictures prospects stay fairly restricted.
There is no such thing as a flexibility borne by the ultra-wide angle lens and having a purely digital zoom as much as 10x magnification will hamper your efforts to get artistic. The 16 MP selfie digital camera appears fairly normal, too. Nothing has gone to nice lengths with its depth sensor for portrait mode and 2x zoom.
Personally, I can perceive the transfer to go for the necessities, particularly on this value vary. Nonetheless, extra versatile digital camera smartphones may be discovered for lower than $300.
As for video, the CMF Cellphone 1 can document as much as 4K at 30 FPS with its important lens.
Battery and recharging
The Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 incorporates a 5,000 mAh battery. It accepts wired recharging as much as 33 watts. Wi-fi charging will not be included neither is there a charger within the field.
Professionals:
- Massive battery capability.
- Customary 33-watt charging.
Cons:
A 5,000 mAh battery is fairly normal in an Android smartphone costing lower than $300. 33-watt charging can also be fairly frequent for a producer with no proprietary quick charging protocol.
I have not carried out any battery life exams with the CMF Cellphone 1 but as I will inform you extra in my full evaluate. For reference, the Nothing Cellphone (2a), with a really related SoC and battery, lasted over 17 hours in our PC Mark benchmark. It stays to be seen whether or not the CMF Cellphone 1 will match this glorious rating.
Technical specs
| Technical specs | |
|---|---|
| System | Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 |
| Picture |  |
| Display screen |
|
| SoC | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G |
| Reminiscence |
|
| OS |
|
| Picture module |
|
| Selfie | 16 MP |
| Battery |
|
| Connectivity | 5G | Wi-Fi 6 | Bluetooth 5.3 No NFC |
| IP certification | IPX2 |
| Dimensions and weight | 164 × 82 × 8 mm, 202 g |
Conclusion: My first opinion
Would I counsel you to pre-order the CMF Cellphone 1 at $199?
The fanboy in me, completely seduced by the atypical design, needs to say sure. Nonetheless, the tech “journalist” who did not have time to hold out a full evaluate earlier than the press embargo was lifted tells you to attend for the evaluate by the tip of the week.
In any case, Nothing is aware of the way to get individuals speaking. I’ve hardly ever been so obsessed with reviewing a sub-$300 smartphone. It is clear Nothing is taking an increasing number of duty for its CMF vary as nicely.
CMF stands for “Colour, Material, Finish”. The thought behind the CMF Cellphone 1 is to make use of its hyper-worked design to face out from the ocean of Redmi and Galaxy A smartphones that every one look alike. Maybe the concept can also be to make individuals overlook its technical shortcomings with a little bit of window dressing.
I will let you realize in a number of days.
What do you consider the Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 after this hands-on? Do you plan to pre-order the smartphone?
Nothing CMF Cellphone 1
To machine database