Industrial Design

CMF Phone 1: Nothing's Budget Brand Packs a Punch

CMF Phone 1: Nothing's budget brand delivers impressive specs, unique features, and sleek design in a competitive package

Nothing Phone are coming on strong with a new budget contender

Say hello to the CMF Phone 1.

This budget-friendly offering manages to deliver a compelling mix of performance and features that punches well above its weight class.

At the heart of the CMF Phone 1 lies MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 5G processor, built on TSMC's 4nm process. This chip, coupled with up to 16GB of RAM and an innovative RAM Booster feature, promises snappy performance for even the most demanding users.

But it's not just about raw power – CMF has put serious thought into longevity.

The phone boasts a hefty 5000 mAh battery that the company claims can last up to two days on a single charge. When you do need to top up, 33W fast charging promises to get you to 50% in just 20 minutes.

CMF has also integrated what they call "Battery Health technology," which supposedly extends the battery's lifespan through smart charging modes. It's a welcome focus on sustainability in an industry often criticised for planned obsolescence.

Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the 50MP Sony sensor that anchors the rear camera setup. CMF is leaning heavily on computational photography, with features like the "TrueLens Engine 2.0" and "Ultra XDR" (co-developed with Google) promising to elevate your shots.

There's even an "AI Vivid Mode" for those who like their colours extra punchy. While we'll need to put these features through their paces, it's clear CMF is aiming to compete with more expensive devices in the camera department.

The 6.67" Super AMOLED display checks all the right boxes: 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a claimed peak brightness of 2000 nits. If accurate, that would put the CMF Phone 1 in the same league as some flagship devices when it comes to outdoor visibility.

On the software front, CMF is running a customised version of Android 14 called Nothing OS 2.6. The company promises a bloatware-free experience with three years of major Android updates and four years of security patches. It's a solid commitment for a budget device, though still short of what some competitors offer.

Perhaps the most intriguing software feature is the built-in ChatGPT integration, a first for smartphones. While its practical applications remain to be seen, it's the kind of distinctive feature that could help CMF stand out in a crowded market.

It's not all roses, though.

The lack of NFC support means no Google Pay, a significant omission for many users. The company also makes it clear that user-replaceable parts are limited, which could be a sticking point for right-to-repair advocates.

Despite these drawbacks, the CMF Phone 1 represents an ambitious entry into the budget smartphone arena.

It's clear that Nothing is leveraging its design DNA and software chops to create a device that stands out from the crowd. Whether it lives up to its promises remains to be seen, but one thing's for certain – the budget smartphone market just got a lot more interesting.