London-based consumer technology brand, Nothing wants to make good design accessible; and they do this through their sub-brand, CMF. CMF stands for colour, material and finish, and the brand delivers on these three simple principles, with a focus on well-designed products that are functional and affordable for most.

CMF launched in September 2023 with three products — Buds Pro, Watch Pro, and Power 65W GaN, and now less than a year later, they unveil their very-first phone: CMF Phone 1.

DESIGN

The CMF Phone 1 looks nothing like the original Nothing phones; there are no fancy glyphs that light up or funky sounds to programme, instead it’s a solid matte case that can be removed and switched out according to the colour you feel like. Its build looks and feels premium, and the phone is amazingly thin.

Above: the cmf phone 1 in the all-black case. It’s a brushed, matte finish that you won’t get a single fingerprint on.

Above: the four colours that the phone case comes in. we’re loving the orange and blue that are beautifully crafted in vegan leather.

Each cover comes with its own screwdriver, set of screws and matching SIM card tray. And with this modular design, you can mix and match all the parts of the phone, for example, pairing a black coloured knob with the orange case.

Above: this is what the cmf phone 1 looks like with the case removed.

The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor, has a good battery size of 5000 mAh that supports 33W Fast Charging (you get 50% power in just 20 minutes), and allows up to 16 GB RAM. As for the screen, it’s a large 6.67″ Super AMOLED display that has a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate. These are all really great specs for the phone’s price point and compared to other phones at a similar price range.

CAMERA

The camera set-up is pretty straightforward; it’s a Sony 50 MP main camera featuring an f/1.8 equivalent aperture and 79º field of view, and a 16 MP front camera for your Zoom calls.

Above: The 50 MP camera also supports electronic image stabilisaton with action mode.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

The CMF Phone 1 is priced affordably at $369 (8 GB + 256 GB). Nothing touts it as a great entry-level phone for early smartphone buyers. It’s attractive for someone who’s on a budget, but still wants a stylish Android phone that looks expensive. This model is suitable for parents as well who are considering a spare phone with a decent-sized screen for kids to use.

ACCESSORIES

Nothing launches the Phone 1 along with three (also affordably priced) essential accessories: a magnetic card case, kickstand and lanyard ($19 each).

Above: the lanyard is very easily attached by replacing the circular knob.

Above: the kickstand in orange.

Above: the card case comes in orange too, and is screwed in via the holes on the back of the case.

Above: the case itself is attached magnetically to the backing and can be removed.

To complete the CMF ecosystem, Nothing unveils their new Buds Pro 2 and Watch Pro 2 that work seamlessly with the CMF Phone 1. But of course even without Phone 1, you can connect these to an existing smartphone via Bluetooth.

The Buds Pro 2 has what Nothing calls, the best-in-class sound specs. There’s Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation of up to 50 dB with a frequency range of up to 5000 Hz. The sound is a bit bassy, which makes it good for use on noisy trains and airplanes.

Above: CMF Buds Pro 2 in black.

Above: The buds pro 2 case and earbuds, which sit securely and very comfortably in the ear,

The Buds Pro 2 case is the winning part of this product; the Smart Dial on the case itself can be customised to control different aspects of sound, from volume to pause and play.

Above: CMF watch pro 2.

Available from 12 July 2024 at the official CMF stores on lazada and shopee.

prices: CMF Phone 1, $369 / buds pro 2, $99 / watch pro 2, $119.
phone accessories (stand, lanyard, card holder), $19 each.
watch strap, $29.