CMF Phone 1 Review: Nothing, a sub-brand specializing in Colour Material Finish (CMF), has entered the Indian smartphone market with its inaugural product, the CMF Phone 1. This device is tailored for budget-conscious consumers and follows a design-centric philosophy akin to its parent company. The CMF Phone 1 stands out with its captivating design elements that pique curiosity. However, beyond its aesthetics, there are additional features and functionalities waiting to be explored. To uncover all aspects of the smartphone and determine if it is a worthy investment, delve into this comprehensive CMF Phone 1 review.
The review will delve into various aspects of the CMF Phone 1, including its performance, camera capabilities, display quality, battery life, user interface, and overall user experience. Additionally, it will assess how the device stacks up against competitors in its price range and whether it fulfills the needs and expectations of its target audience. Moreover, the review will provide insights into the build quality of the CMF Phone 1, discussing the materials used in its construction and how they contribute to the device’s durability and aesthetic appeal.
It will also touch upon any unique features or innovations that set this smartphone apart from others in the market. By reading this detailed review of the CMF Phone 1, prospective buyers can gain a comprehensive understanding of what this smartphone has to offer and make an informed decision on whether it aligns with their preferences and requirements.
CMF Phone 1 Review 2025
The CMF Phone 1 stands out in the Indian market due to its competitive pricing, making it an attractive option for users who appreciate innovative smartphone designs. Alongside its unique design elements, the phone delivers dependable performance and a user interface that is considered one of the most streamlined in its category. Moreover, the battery life is optimized to ensure a full day of usage, depending on individual patterns, and the viewing experience is commendable. While the phone excels in many aspects, it falls short in terms of camera quality and durability.
Despite these drawbacks, the CMF Phone 1 remains a strong contender for consumers seeking a balance between affordability and functionality. Its sleek design, smooth performance, and long-lasting battery make it a compelling choice for those looking for a reliable smartphone option. To enhance overall user experience, potential buyers may want to consider investing in additional accessories or protective cases to address concerns regarding camera capabilities and durability.
CMF Phone 1 Review Details
| Article Name | CMF Phone 1 Review |
| Category | Tech Reviews |
| Official Website | Click Here |
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Design and Display
The CMF Phone 1, despite lacking the distinctive Glyph Interface of its parent brand, showcases a truly innovative and imaginative design. While the concept may not be entirely groundbreaking, it certainly deserves commendation for its uniqueness. One standout feature of the CMF Phone 1 is its interchangeable back panels, a feature reminiscent of the original Moto G-series. However, unlike Motorola’s design, the CMF Phone 1’s back panel is securely fastened with screws, a SIM ejector tray, and a rotating wheel screw.
The highlight of this design is the presence of a rotating wheel screw located in the bottom right corner of the phone. This unique addition allows users to attach various accessories such as a kickstand for vertical or horizontal viewing, a card holder, or a lanyard. These accessories are available for individual purchase at Rs 799 each. Additionally, the interchangeable back panels come in three vibrant shades: Orange, Light Green, and Blue. The Blue and Orange panels stand out with their vegan leather finish at the back and are slightly thicker than the standard panels at 1mm.
Priced at Rs 1,499 each, these panels offer users an opportunity to personalize their devices according to their style preferences. Furthermore, there is potential for the company to introduce more accessories in the future that can be seamlessly integrated into the existing screw hole mechanism. Additionally, third-party brands may also seize this opportunity to create compatible accessories that enhance the functionality and aesthetics of the CMF Phone 1 further. In essence, while deviating from its parent brand’s iconic design language, the CMF Phone 1 presents a fresh take on smartphone customization and personalization through its innovative features and accessory options.
| CMF PHONE 1 | ONEPLUS NORD CE4 LITE | REALME P1 | |
| Thickness | 8mm/ 9mm (standard/ vegan leather) | 8.1mm | 7.97mm |
| Weight | 197g/ 202g (standard/ vegan leather) | 191g | 188g |
| IP rating | IP52 | IP54 | IP54 |
Despite its stylish appearance, the panels may not offer the same level of screen protection as a case, and initially, it may be challenging to find a suitable case for the device. The handset has an IP52 rating, which provides limited protection against minor splashes compared to its competitors. Despite this, the phone’s plastic construction feels sturdy and does not flex or break easily. The device has a sleek design with flat edges that enhance its ergonomics. It is relatively lightweight at 197 grams (202g for vegan leather), making it comfortable for extended use without causing strain on the wrist.
The pill-shaped module containing the rear cameras is situated in the top left corner, highlighted by a silver accent present in all color options. Our review unit of Phone 1 is the black variant, boasting an elegant look and a matte finish that resists fingerprints and smudges. The bottom of the phone includes a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer, a speaker grill, and a SIM ejector tray. Located on the left and right edges are the volume controls and power button, offering a satisfying tactile experience. Security features include an in-display fingerprint scanner for quick device access.
| CMF PHONE 1 | ONEPLUS NORD CE4 LITE | REALME P1 | |
| Screen size | 6.67-inch | 6.67-inch | 6.67-inch |
| Peak brightness | 2000 nits | 2100 nits | 2000 nits |
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The CMF Phone 1 features a large 6.67-inch Super AMOLED LTPS display with a remarkable 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth transitions and fluid user experience. With a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and FHD+ resolution (1,080 x 2,400p), the display offers vivid colors and sharp details for an immersive viewing experience. The panel is an 8-bit color setup with a centered punch-hole design for the selfie camera.
While the display quality is commendable for its price range, outdoor visibility may be slightly challenging under direct sunlight. The color calibration is on the vibrant side, boasting a high-contrast ratio and deep blacks that enhance visual content consumption. The 120Hz refresh rate enhances the overall user interface navigation and supported applications, ensuring seamless interactions.
Moreover, being Widevine L1 certified enables HD streaming from popular platforms like Netflix and other OTT services. Despite its slim bezels, the Phone 1’s bezels are comparatively thicker than some of its rivals. The mono bottom-firing speaker delivers loud sound output; however, it lacks the refinement found in stereo speaker setups. Overall, the CMF Phone 1 offers a satisfying display performance with notable features that cater to multimedia enthusiasts and tech-savvy users alike.
Cameras
The CMF Phone 1 features a dual rear camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor and a portrait sensor with an f/1.8 aperture lens. For selfies and video calls, it has a 16MP shooter in a punch-hole setup. While this setup is typical for smartphones in this range, the Redmi Note 13 stands out with an 8MP ultra-wide lens. In well-lit conditions, the CMF Phone 1’s camera performance is impressive, but the post-processing time can be notably long. Comparatively, the Realme P1, Redmi Note 13, and OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite are its close competitors for camera quality across different lighting scenarios.
Daylight
The CMF Phone 1, while it may not offer the same level of detailing as the Realme P1, excels in capturing images with true-to-life colors. One standout feature of the CMF smartphone is its ability to preserve shadows better than its competitor, although this comes at the expense of slightly reduced sharpness. In contrast, the Realme smartphone enhances colors, resulting in images that are not only more vibrant but also sharper when compared to those captured by the Phone 1.
On the other hand, the Redmi Note 13 takes a different approach by dramatizing images through oversaturated colors, making them ideal for social media sharing. In comparison, the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite struggles to produce crisp images in well-lit environments despite boasting impressive dynamic range and color calibration capabilities.
Each of these smartphones offers unique photography features and characteristics that cater to different preferences and shooting conditions. Understanding these distinctions can help users choose a device that aligns with their photography needs and preferences.
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Portrait
None of the smartphones in this group stand out for their ability to distinguish the foreground from the background in portraits, often resulting in distortion around the subject edges. The Realme P1 is the top pick for portraits with exceptional facial details and natural-looking skin tones, followed by the Redmi Note 13. The CMF Phone 1 and the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite capture similar images, displaying a subtle reddish hue in skin tones.
Selfie
When it comes to taking selfies, the Realme P1 appears to outperform the CMF Phone 1. The Realme P1 captures photos with enhanced facial features and almost precise skin tones, while the CMF Phone 1 produces selfies that are slightly brighter with warmer skin tones and less detailed.
Lowlight
Neither CMF Phone 1 nor Realme P1 particularly stand out in dimly-lit environments. The CMF Phone 1 handles light flare relatively well, whereas the Realme P1 manages the sharpness better. However, even with night mode, the handsets fail to produce images likeable details and minimum noise level.
Performance and Software
| CMF PHONE 1 (DIMENSITY 7300) | IQOO Z9 (DIMENSITY 7200) | REDMI NOTE 13 (DIMENSITY 6080) | |
| AnTuTu | 6,42,187 | 7,28,534 | 4,53,830 |
| Geekbench single-core | 1,015 | 1,190 | 737 |
| Geekbench multi-core | 2,867 | 2,681 | 1,905 |
The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 powers the CMF Phone 1, featuring a new mid-range chipset built on a 4nm manufacturing process with octa-cores running at speeds of up to 2.5GHz. It comes in configurations of 6GB RAM + 128GB UFS 2.2 storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB UFS 2.2 storage. The RAM is expandable up to 16GB, and storage can be increased to 2TB with a compatible microSD card. While performing well on benchmark tests, it fell short of outperforming the Dimensity 7200 in single-core tests on the iQOO Z9 according to AnTuTu and Geekbench scores.
The CMF Phone 1 shows slightly lower throttling in the Burnout test compared to the iQOO Z9. Its performance decreased by 58.20 percent under heavy load, while the iQOO Z9 dropped by 56.3 percent in a similar test. The phone performs well for regular use and gaming without any freezing or crashing issues during web browsing, social media use, or taking photos. It handled BGMI smoothly at HDR graphics and Ultra frame rate settings with a slight temperature increase. Additionally, the smartphone’s average FPS of 37.06 surpassed that of its competitors.
The CMF Phone 1 distinguishes itself from competitors through its software. Similar to its parent company’s smartphones, the device comes with Nothing OS 2.6 pre-installed. It features a custom skin over Android 14, offering a streamlined experience without third-party apps. Moreover, it has significantly fewer pre-installed apps compared to its competitors, maintaining a user experience similar to previous Nothing smartphone models.
The phone allows users to select either Android’s Material UI or NothingOS themes. The NothingOS theme changes the entire user interface to black and white, offering a unique option compared to the usual colorful themes. Surprisingly, the Nothing Icon Pack is not pre-installed on the device, leading to some third-party app icons displaying in color. To maintain consistency, users can download this app from Nothing Technology Ltd on the Google Play Store. Nothing guarantees two years of significant software updates and an extra year of security updates for the device, following the industry standard.
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| PHONE | PRE-INSTALLED APPS | OS UPDATES |
| CMF Phone 1 | 29 | 2 years OS, 3 years security |
| OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite | 50 | 2 years OS, 3 years security |
| Realme P1 | 53 | 2 years OS, 3 years security |
Battery and Charging
The CMF Phone 1 boasts a 5,000mAh battery, slightly smaller than the recently launched OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite. Despite this size difference, the CMF Phone 1 appears to be more efficiently optimized compared to its competitor. In a standard 30-minute YouTube video streaming test, the CMF Phone 1 only used up 3 percent of its battery life, equivalent to around 150mAh. Conversely, the battery of the OnePlus smartphone depleted by 165mAh during the same test.
With a PCMark battery score of 15 hours and 11 minutes, the CMF Phone 1 outperforms the OnePlus smartphone in terms of battery longevity. When it comes to gaming performance, the CMF Phone 1 consumed an average of 6 percent of its battery life after playing games like BGMI and Call of Duty for half an hour each, matching the performance of the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite in similar tests. Regarding charging capabilities, the phone supports a rapid 33W charging solution, enabling a full charge from 20 to 100 percent in just over an hour. It is worth noting that the charger is not included with the phone and can be purchased separately for Rs 799 when bought alongside the smartphone.
| PHONE | CHARGING TIME (20-100 PERCENT) |
| CMF Phone 1 (33W) | 63 minutes |
| Realme P1 (45W) | 48 minutes |
| OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite (80W) | 50 minutes |
Final Verdict
The CMF Phone 1 is available at a competitive price starting at Rs 15,999 for the base model with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. For those looking for higher specifications, the top-end model with 8GB RAM is priced at Rs 17,999. When considering alternatives in the market, competitors like the Realme P1 and Redmi Note 13 smartphones come into play. These smartphones are priced similarly to the CMF Phone 1 and offer unique features. The Redmi Note 13 stands out for its dedicated ultrawide lens, providing users with more versatility in photography. On the other hand, the Realme P1 impresses with its quality cameras, stereo speakers, and advanced fast-charging technology. Each of these smartphones caters to different preferences and priorities, giving consumers a variety of options to choose from based on their specific needs and preferences.
However, both these smartphones, along with some higher-priced options such as the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite, lack in performance, software, and design when compared to the CMF smartphone. The Phone 1 stands out due to its unique design features and the ability to connect accessories, providing exceptional versatility in today’s market. Additionally, running on the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC, it offers fast performance and a simple software interface. For those who don’t prioritize cameras and charging speeds, the CMF Phone 1 could be a great option.
CMF Phone 1 Review FAQ’S
What is a CMF phone?
The CMF Phone 1 comes with a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and 2000 nits peak brightness.
How to buy a CMF phone 1?
The CMF Phone 1 will be available from June 12 on its official India website, e-commerce platform Flipkart, and at select retail stores.
What is the purpose of CMF?
The Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) is a competitive grant program designed to attract private capital to the development, preservation, rehabilitation, or purchase of affordable housing for low-income families.
Who makes phone 1?
The Nothing Phone 1, stylized as Phone (1), is an Android smartphone by Nothing.
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