The CMF Phone 1 is a confusing device. It's like a basic class device but with mid-range specifications. This device will compete with Oppo A3 Pro, realme 12 5G, Infinix GT 20 Pro or even Infinix Note 40 Pro in the Malaysian market.
The question is, is the Nothing base font worth it? I will try to answer in this review article after using this device for almost a month. If you're wondering why it's late, it's because the accessory stock isn't enough until this week.
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
6.67″ Super AMOLED screen, 1080 x 2400, 395 ppi,
120Hz, 2000 nits, Ultra HDR+
Dimensity 7300 processor (4nm)
4x 2.5 GHz Cortex-A78
4x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55
Mali-G615 MC2 Graphics Chip
RAM 8GB LPDDR4X
8GB Virtual
256GB UFS 2.2 storage
Primary Camera 50MP, f/1.8 – Wide Angle
Depth Sensor – for 2x portraits
TrueLens Engine, Ultra XDR
16MP Front Camera
5000mAh battery
33W Wired Charging
5G Dual-SIM Sim/Telephony
Mono Speaker Audio
WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth WiFi 6, None, Bluetooth 5.3
Infrared None
Waterproof IP52
Under Screen Fingerprint Scanning System
Sale Price RM1,099 (8/256 GB)
The CMF Phone 1 uses a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED 120Hz screen with FHD+ resolution with a brightness of 2000 nits and supports HDR10+ display. However, the device does not support Widevine L1 for HDR streaming on Netflix. Since this is a basic class device, it also does not support LTPO. The PCip MediaTek Dimensity 7300 used although new, it has lower specifications than the Dimensity 7200.
In Malaysia there is only the 8/256 GB variant. The camera has only one 50MP main sensor which is matched with a depth sensor and the selfie camera is 16MP. The battery is 5000mAh with 33W charging. No support for wired or reverse charging is included.
The device does not support the NFC system, but there is IP52 waterproof and dustproof protection. The uniqueness of this CMF Phone 1 is the back panel which is designed to be easily opened and replaced with another color. Because of that the device is only sold in black.
The volume control button is on the left side but a little small and too close. So I often press the wrong button. On the right side there is only the power button. At the top is the microphone hole, the same at the bottom there is a similar hole along with the 2TB SIM/microSD card slot and also the speaker grill.
The device is very light in the hand making it feel like a toy device. It is also easy to operate with just one hand. I also don't worry about the device falling due to the flat back design and durable back panel. CMF Phone 1 is designed not to use any protective frame but Nothing stops users if they want to use it.
BIOMETRIC
For a RM1099 device, the fingerprint scanner under the optical screen used is quite good. Only, sometimes it fails so often that I have to scan at least twice. I don't use face scan on this device because I don't think it's necessary.
SCREEN
Devices in this class are usually manufacturers using LCD screens. It's just that competitors have already started using OLED so I really appreciate it when CMF by Nothing does the same. The 6.67-inch screen on this device is quite good, just not bright enough in bright sunlight. The 120Hz refresh rate is also a consistent sign, Nothing uses an operating system with a mature algorithm.
There is a slight lag felt two or three times during one day of use but it is not annoying and interferes with my use experience. However I'm not satisfied with Nothing and Netflix still don't want to activate Widevine L1 for HDR streaming. Overall, I can accept the screen of this device except for the thick even bezel design which looks strange for a 2024 device.
TELEPHONY AND GPS
It's been a long time since I've had Internet connection problems and even received a signal for phone calls. Somehow this CMF Phone 1 does not have a strong signal for 4G, 5G and even WiFi connections. It's not disconnected but it feels slow. While phone calls are sometimes slow to come in and the sound has a little lag. Fortunately the GPS performance is good because even without the internet the location of the vehicle when using Waze can still be detected.
USER EXPERIENCE – NOTHING OS 2.6, ANDROID 14
The CMF Phone 1 tries to offer what OnePlus brings through the Nord series, which is a flagship device operating system experience on an affordable device. Those who bought CMF Phone 1 will experience the same Nothing OS as on Nothing Phone 2. . 99% of the features and functions are the same except for the Glyph Interface settings. For me who uses Nothing Phone (1), Phone (2) and Phone (2a), Nothing OS on CMF Phone 1 feels a little strange because it is more empty and lighter than usual.
Nothing OS 2.6 based on Android 14 on this device supports all the interesting Nothing widgets either on home screen or lock screen. Good Always-on Display support, there is a feature to generate background images with AI, there is an AI camera with TrueLens Engine, a smart notification tray that manages Bluetooth accessories, there is AirPods support and many stock Android features like Google Pixel.
Using Nothing OS on this device is really satisfying. It's like a more powerful Android One device. Smooth system, looks empty but packed with interesting features and functions. The thing I don't like the most is the cheap vibration system used like a clone phone bought on Ali Express. For CMF Phone 1, Nothing provides Android version update support for two versions meaning up to Android 16 and security patch updates for 3 years.
BENCHMARKS AND FIRSTS
As I said above, Dimensity 7300 on CMF Phone 1 is weaker than Dimensity 7200 Pro on Nothing Phone (2a). This may be because MediaTek wants to give device manufacturers the freedom to design their own Dimensity 7300 chip. So for the Malaysian market, the appropriate devices I compare together are the Infinix Note 40 Pro with the Dimensity 7020 and the Infinix GT 20 Pro with the Dimensity 8200 Ultimate.
AnTuTu 3D
CMF Phone 1 – 644,913
Infinix Note 40 Pro – 450,320
Infinix GT 20 Pro – 933,015
Geekbench 6
CMF Phone 1 – 1044/2927
Infinix Note 40 Pro – 1120/3338
Infinix GT 20 Pro – 1244/3516
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
CMF Phone 1 – 851/5.10 FPS
Infinix Note 40 Pro – Unable to test.
Infinix GT 20 Pro – 1736/10.40 FPS
First play on the device is not very satisfying. Light games such as Marvel SNAP also have a lot of time lags such as animations that are not smooth and give long loading times. Even heavier games like Asphalt 9 are a bit sloppy, which makes me confused as to why other entry-level devices at roughly the same price can provide a better gaming experience. Nothing also provides a special Game Mode on this device and it still does not provide the best initial experience.
CAMERA
Phew, I'm a user who hates phones that don't have OIS on the camera. The CMF Phone 1 is such a device. Wanting to save costs, the device only includes one useful sensor which is 50MP and another sensor is for depth specific when taking 2x mode portrait photos.
The result of the picture has a lot of noise and shaking effects. The detail of the rear camera is not as good as the selfie camera but the high dynamic value with Ultra XDR tries to give a color profile similar to the camera of a flagship device. I also love the TrueLens Engine mode which explains the situation before taking a picture.
1x Auto, Vivid – Good results but details are not sharp.
2x Auto – Does not have bright colors.
Selfie Portrait – Two people have brilliant detail, color and blur effects.
1x Auto Ultra XDR – Quite bright and manages to preserve details but still has some noise and isn't sharp enough.
The result of portrait selfies with 16MP is pretty good for a device of this class.
Night mode is full of noise because there is no OIS but TrueLens tries to process well by further sharpening the image.
VIDEOS
In-class devices like this, video recording is something I would avoid. At the beginning I was stubborn because I didn't want to test, after testing I regretted because the results were not satisfactory and made me angry why with existing AI technology, good camera algorithms are already there and good Google camera API is also provided – Nothing fully integrates for video.
AUDIO
Mono speakers are also not my favorite. Many competitors have already dared to offer stereo speakers, but maybe because this is CMF by Nothing's first phone so mono speakers on it are acceptable. I reject the unbalanced audio edge on this device, as it manages to produce a loud and strong enough sound. The sound level is also consistent so I have no problem listening to podcasts in the car. Listening to music and watching videos does not provide the best experience.
BATTERY
CMF Phone 1 only has a 5000mAh capacity battery but has good durability. Light usage such as social media, music, a bit of video and the first one has no problem lasting up to two days with a SOT of 5 hours. While heavy usage is around 6 hours SOT in one day.
33W fast charging is based on Power Delivery technology. It can charge from 0% to 50% in 20 minutes and to 100% is around under an hour. This is something I'm grateful for and don't want to complain about because it's already satisfying enough.
ACCESSORY ECOSYSTEM
It's rare for an entry-level device to have its own ecosystem. Although not in a smart system that is always connected to the Internet, the accessories for the CMF Phone 1 are more about highlighting one's creative talents. The back panel of the device can be opened and changed with three other colors (4 colors in India). Not only that, Nothing also allows community members to design their own back panels with a 3D printer.
In addition to the back panel, Nothing also offers wallets, lanyards and wallets. This wallet is just a plastic plate with a simple wallet that uses a weaker version of the MagSafe magnet. The use of these accessories is quite interesting because it opens up space for various opportunities to personalize the device to be unique according to one's personality.
The construction of each of these accessories is quite weak as it is just plain plastic. The way of use is also specific because if it is wrong, the back panel is very easy to break. The accessory that I feel is quite premium is the thick and sturdy lanyard. Each accessory is sold at RM59, while the back panel is sold at RM99.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
CMF by Nothing is still the same as Nothing, just providing the basics;
1x CMF Phone 1.
1x White C-C Cable.
1x SIM Pin with CMF logo.
1x Guide and safety set.
CONCLUSION
CMF Phone 1 provides space for various opportunities. What I mean here is that even though this device is in the middle between the basic class and the middle class, CMF by Nothing still tries to bring a worthwhile package.
The first is flagship class software, the second is a semi-modular rear panel that users are free to exchange with other panels or add interesting accessories. It has no gimmicks, 2+3 years of updates, a good 50MP camera and a very long lasting battery. As far as a second phone, a phone for children or both parents is a good choice. Now I want to see what the next innovation is by Nothing and CMF by Nothing.
PROS AND ADVANTAGES
Bright screen, fast 120Hz and even bezels.
Simple design, durable feel and easy to repair (not yourself).
Modular back panel, can change or add accessories.
Long lasting battery, almost 2 days.
Light and simple operating system.
50MP camera without gimmicks.
Affordable price.
CONS AND DISADVANTAGES
Bright screen for indoors not in sunlight.
Dull body of the device that scratches easily and is not durable.
Still limited to 4 official accessories.
No extra sensor for zoom/ultra-wide.
Dimensity 7300 performance is not encouraging.
The generative AI feature is limited to background images.