Nothing simply launched the CMF Cellphone 1. CMF is Nothing’s sub-brand. The CMF Cellphone 1 is bought for beneath $200. This reasonably priced Android smartphone caught my eye with its modular look. On this hands-on, I’ll share my preliminary ideas concerning 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 obtainable within the USA from July 8, 2024. It’s only bought on Amazon and not on the producer’s official retailer. It’ll arrive in two configurations, however solely the 8/128 GB, priced at $199, might be obtainable 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) (assessment).
In any case, CMF is a sub-brand of Nothing. It targets primarily rising markets comparable to India and Southeast Asia. The idea is to promote reasonably priced merchandise with a robust emphasis on design. Nothing does not talk a lot about this regarding CMF in different components of the world, however you’re 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 screen
Design is the principle promoting level of the CMF Cellphone 1. The again options an interchangeable panel and a tiny knob the place you may connect quite a lot of equipment.
Execs:
- Distinctive design.
- Cool modular or “interchangeable” idea.
- Flat display screen with pretty skinny bezels.
- 120 Hz and good brightness.
Cons:
- IPX2 certification solely
- No Gorilla Glass for the display screen.
- Costly equipment and covers contemplating the smartphone’s worth.
The CMF Cellphone 1 does not seem like different Nothing smartphones. There is no clear again. As an alternative, the again is definitely a panel that may be eliminated through the 4 small seen screws. General, Nothing provides the handset in 4 colours: black, inexperienced, blue, and orange. After all, further panels have to be bought individually. They price $35 a pop, which I feel is a bit steep.
The black and inexperienced colours are made 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 basic 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 method 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 feel the thought is just sensible. You possibly can mix-and-match colours or mix two equipment on the similar time (not all of them). In brief, it offers a brand new dimension to the smartphone as an object. It is not 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” aspect, with the thought 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 case you can roughly simply take away the again of the smartphone, why not make battery alternative equally straightforward?
Aside from that, the smartphone is IPX2 licensed for water resistance. This implies you may’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 screen provides visible readability with 1800 x 2400 pixel decision. The refresh charge stands at 120 Hz, with typical brightness of 500 to 700 nits, rising to 2,000 nits peak brightness. The display screen is flat and the bezels are pretty slim, though the chin is a little bit too outstanding 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 aren’t any main new options in comparison with Nothing OS 2.5. Nonetheless, Nothing’s pores and skin provides an excellent steadiness between inventory Android and some capabilities and customization components. As for the replace coverage, it is bang common.
Execs:
- 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 assessment and my information to the very 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 capabilities whereas providing a couple of customization choices from Nothing.
Efficiency and SoC
The Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 includes a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC beneath the hood. The smartphone can be outfitted with 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage, relying on the model. The preliminary benchmark outcomes proved to be reasonably disconcerting.
Execs:
- Much less highly effective than the Nothing Cellphone (2a).
Cons:
- Good temperature management and stability.
In concept, the CMF Cellphone 1’s Dimensity 7300 ought to outperform the Nothing Cellphone’s Dimensity 7200 Professional (2a). Each chips have been manufactured utilizing the 4 nm course of. Nonetheless, the Dimensity 7300, or extra exactly its major core, has a decrease clock pace than the Dimensity 7200.
When it comes to 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 dearer at launch. Nothing absolutely needs to keep up a distinction between its major 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 is still is to see the way it performs in sensible use as soon as my full assessment 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 Check |
Greatest loop: 3,118 Worst loop: 3,099 |
Greatest loop: 4,131 Worst loop: 4,085 |
| 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive Stress Check |
Greatest loop: 853 Worst loop: 848 |
Greatest 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 includes 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.
Execs:
- Awaiting the total assessment.
Cons:
- Awaiting the total assessment.
I did not have time to take sufficient photographs with the CMF Cellphone 1 for this assessment. Nonetheless, armed with a single 50 MP lens on the again, taking pictures potentialities stay fairly restricted.
There isn’t 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 inventive. 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 worth vary. Nonetheless, extra versatile digital camera smartphones might be discovered for lower than $300.
As for video, the CMF Cellphone 1 can file as much as 4K at 30 FPS with its major lens.
Battery and recharging
The Nothing CMF Cellphone 1 includes a 5,000 mAh battery. It accepts wired recharging as much as 33 watts. Wi-fi charging is just not included neither is there a charger within the field.
Execs:
- Giant battery capability.
- Normal 33-watt charging.
Cons:
A 5,000 mAh battery is fairly normal in an Android smartphone costing lower than $300. 33-watt charging can be fairly widespread 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 am going to let you know extra in my full assessment. 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 | |
|---|---|
| Gadget | 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 assessment earlier than the press embargo was lifted tells you to attend for the assessment by the top of the week.
In any case, Nothing is aware of find out how to get folks speaking. I’ve not often been so passionate about reviewing a sub-$300 smartphone. It is clear Nothing is taking increasingly more duty for its CMF vary as properly.
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 thought can be to make folks neglect its technical shortcomings with a little bit of window dressing.
I am going to let in a couple 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
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