CMF Phone 1 review: Inexpensive style

When Carl Pei announced the first Nothing Phone, he promised inspiring products to help keep the smartphone revolution alive. And while I enjoyed phones like the Nothing Phone 2, I never felt I was using a game-changing device. It’s still early to tell, but the CMF Phone 1 can potentially deliver on Pei’s vision. Its combination of solid performance, gorgeous display, and, most importantly, affordable price has me genuinely excited about a smartphone for the first time in a while. Nothing has tapped into something I wish other manufacturers would realize: inexpensive doesn’t have to equal boring.

Price, availability, and connectivity

Like the Nothing Phone 2, the CMF Phone 1 is available for purchase through the company’s beta program in the United States. It’s only sold in one configuration: 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. Even though Phone 1 is offered in four colors: Black, Orange, Light Green, and Blue, you don’t have to be married to your first decision. Each color is available as a case for an additional $35. Unlike traditional phone cases, these are more like shells, acting as the back of the phone, complete with screws and color-matched SIM card trays. Stands, lanyards, and a wallet case can be purchased for $25 each.

As Phone 1 hasn’t received a full US release from the start, carrier support is a question. I had no issues with T-Mobile in the United States and experienced great coverage and speeds. AT&T and Verizon usually have issues with overseas releases, so I could call your carrier before buying and ensure the Phone 1 will be supported.

What I like about the CMF Phone 1

Great display and performance

It’s hard not to start with the display of the CMF Phone 1. It’s a best-in-class 6.67-inch AMOLED 1080p panel refreshing at 120Hz. I liked the display on the Samsung Galaxy A15 I recently reviewed, but I love the panel on the Phone 1. It’s bright, saturated, and vibrant, and it’s the best display I’ve seen on a phone under $250. Movies look amazing with deep contrast and accurate colors, and games pop off the screen. If you take one thing away from this review, it’s that the CMF Phone 1’s display is worth the price of admission.

The Nokia Lumia 830 is the last time I remember swapping out a phone’s shell for cosmetics. It’s a great idea, and there are numerous cases and combinations to punch up the look of your Phone 1. I don’t understand why it’s taken so long to do something like this. Cheaper phones will have plastic backs and frames, so instead of making them bland and ugly, why not lean into them as an advantage? The cases add to the unique look of the phone, and while the screws may take a few minutes to fasten, they add peace of mind, preventing the back of your phone from falling away.

Nothing also fitted the CMF Phone 1 with a liquid cooling system. The company added a cryogenic frame to the side of the device with graphite on the front and back. And, unlike the graphite at Chernobyl (thanks, HBO), this material helps dissipate heat quickly. I can’t vouch for the science behind it, but I can speak to the results. I usually need an oven mitt to pick up a phone that has just completed Genshin Impact’s full download, but the Phone 1 was completely cool. It’s impressive, and I have no doubt it will lead to better performance over long gaming sessions.

In addition to the design, the CMF Phone 1 is impressive for $200 because of its snappy performance. It’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, and it delivers noticeably more power than the Dimensity 6100+ and Helio G99 — the usual suspects at this price range.

The aforementioned Genshin Impact ran smoothly on the lowest settings, and Pokemon Go was a pleasure to play. Instagram scrolls and Facebook feeds were managed without issues, and I rarely encountered lag or slowdowns. The Phone 1’s 8GB of RAM helps the device punch above its weight. RAM is massively important for budget phones, and I’m glad Nothing didn’t leave us hanging. If you don’t expect flagship speeds, you won’t be disappointed by what the CMF Phone 1 offers.

I enjoy Nothing’s flavor of Android. The company does a good job of adding enough personality and customization without bogging the system down. Nothing OS 2.6, based on Android 14, is no different. It’s clean and enjoyable, with no bloatware. On initial startup, you’re offered a choice between a standard Android look with default icons or Nothing’s more stylized approach. As a child of the 80s, I always opt for the company’s dot matrix aesthetic — there’s something to be said for nostalgia. I would’ve liked more than two Android upgrades, but I’m glad Nothing offers three years of security updates for the Phone 1.

Photography is another unexpected bright spot of the CMF Phone 1. It’s essentially a single-camera phone featuring a 50MP lens with a depth sensor in support. I appreciate that Nothing chose to include only one camera. Functionality is more important than versatility for a budget phone — give me one good sensor I can use, and I’m happy.

The images are crisp and colorful without looking oversaturated. I was impressed by the contrast and depth of the photos, which was certainly not what I expected for $200. Low-light photography is still a challenge as the images get soft. Moreover, you won’t be able to get those ultrawide photos with friends or zoom in for those hard-to-get shots. But it’s difficult to fault the Phone 1’s camera when point-and-shoot photography looks this good. Selfies are handled by a 16MP front camera that does a respectable job.

What I didn’t like about the CMF Phone 1

I was expecting better battery life

I would’ve liked better performance from the Phone 1’s 5,000mAh battery. Six hours of screen-on time isn’t bad, and you can probably extend that with battery-saving measures (I take none), but cells of this size usually produce better results. If the trade-off is the better performance of the Dimensity 7300, I’ll take it, but I’m hoping Nothing can dial in the battery over time with updates.

I’m glad Nothing included a 3.5mm headphone jack for your favorite wired headphones because you’ll need them. The sound from Phone 1’s single, bottom-firing speaker is weak at best. Holding the phone normally, I could easily block all sounds. Even with the speaker unobstructed, the audio was hollow and lacked depth.

Should you buy it?

You may notice the section on things I didn’t like about the CMF Phone 1 is pretty thin. It’s the leeway devices get when companies price their products correctly. It’s not a perfect phone by any means, and you’ll still know you’re using a budget device when you try to grab more frames in your favorite AAA game or edit videos. But all told, when I use $200-300 phones, by the end of the review period, I’m usually looking forward to the warm embrace of my Galaxy S24 Ultra or Pixel 8 Pro — but I’m not feeling that with the CMF Phone 1.

It’s about time we had a budget phone from a company that realizes inexpensive phones can have style. So, while I wouldn’t quite call the CMF Phone 1 revolutionary just yet, it’s good to see Nothing’s ecosystem moving in the right direction.