The CMF Phone 1, produced by the same company that created the Nothing Phone, has recently garnered a lot of attention for its innovative approach: a striking design combined with features rarely found in other devices in its category, such as modularity, which sets it apart from traditional entry-level smartphones.
Operating System (OS)
Nothing OS 2.6, based on Android 14, is a high-quality custom ROM. I found it to be smooth and enjoyable to use. Most of the fonts are customized, as are the default app icons. However, there’s no need to worry—during device setup, you can opt for the standard Google icons if you prefer.
That said, don’t expect groundbreaking or never-before-seen features. The ROM does its job well and is on par with other custom ROMs developed by different brands, but it has a distinctive graphical touch that makes it unique.
Is Modularity a Useful Feature?
As you may have noticed, this smartphone allows you to connect external accessories through a screw located on the device. The utility of this feature is subjective, especially since there aren’t many accessories available at the moment. However, it’s undeniable that this characteristic has broken the monotony of modern smartphones, which tend to look increasingly similar.
The ability to remove the back cover takes us back to a time when it was still possible to easily access the battery and the SIM slot. Delving deeper, I discovered that the company has made all the physical dimension specifications public, allowing the community to create customized accessories.
So, if you’re wondering whether this feature is truly useful, my answer is “yes”. You can find more information here
Photo and Video Quality
The photo quality is decent for the device’s price range. The main optical sensor is a 50MP Sony. Like other smartphones in the same category, you can achieve good-quality shots in optimal lighting conditions. However, a high pixel count doesn’t necessarily guarantee top-notch photos. In fact, performance drops significantly in low-light situations, especially when recording videos, where you shouldn’t expect professional quality.
The device allows you to record in 4K at 30 fps and supports HDR. However, the video stabilization is only digital and not optical, so I wouldn’t recommend shooting videos while in motion. Personally, I wouldn’t suggest it for recording videos intended for YouTube. it’s more suitable for personal memories or family videos.
Please note that the images above are compressed. If you want to download the uncompressed version of the images and the recorded test video download the following Zip file
What’s Inside the CMF Phone 1 Box?
First of all, I have to say that the packaging design is impressive. A detail that pleasantly surprised me. Inside the box, besides the smartphone, you’ll find only a USB-C to USB-C cable and the SIM ejector pin. The pin, customized in orange, is another detail I truly appreciated. However, there is no charger included. If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to purchase it separately, or you can use a USB-C charger you already own.
Battery
The 5000 mAh battery, according to the company, should provide up to two days of battery life. However, this figure can vary significantly depending on individual usage, so it’s important not to set unrealistic expectations.
From my personal experience, while I wasn’t able to achieve two full days on a single charge, I did manage to get a full day of heavy use. If you primarily use your smartphone for messaging and calls, reaching the two-day mark is likely, and possibly even more.
In any case, as with all lithium batteries, I recommend charging your smartphone regularly and avoiding letting it fully discharge.
Connectivity
Regarding connectivity, the device offers everything you need: it supports 5G with a maximum download speed of 3270 Mbps and features Bluetooth 5.3. From this standpoint, it covers all the basics. However, it’s worth noting the absence of NFC, meaning you won’t be able to use the smartphone for contactless payments. It’s a drawback, but considering the device’s price, it may be an acceptable trade-off. Additionally, it lacks wireless charging.
The SIM slot can accommodate 2 SIM cards, or, by giving up the second SIM slot, you can expand the memory with a microSD card up to 2048 GB (not bad).
The SAR value of the CMF Phone 1, as declared by the company, is 1.40 W/kg.
Price
CMF Phone Price: Around 250$