Review: Nothing’s $199 CMF Phone (1) is either the best deal in Android or too good to be true

Name: CMF Phone (1)
Item: CMF Phone (1)
Rating: 4

Ben Schoon | Jul 8 2024 - 2:00 am PT

Cheap Android phones nowadays are probably better than they’re given credit for, but it also feels like it’s been a while since we had a truly great value on the market. With its new CMF Phone (1), Nothing is putting out a device that’s either the best deal on an Android smartphone today, or too good to be true.

Nothing launched its CMF sub-brand in 2023 with a focus on budget-conscious devices that still offer unique designs and ideas. The first phone for that brand is, in many ways, just a slightly different Nothing Phone (2a).

The CMF Phone (1) is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, has a 6.67-inch FHD, 120Hz AMOLED display, and runs on top of Nothing’s generally very good Android skin, Nothing OS. It has a 50MP Sony camera on the back with a second depth sensor for portraits, a 16MP front-facing camera, a 5,000 mAh battery with 33W wired-only charging, an IP52 dust/water resistance rating, and 8GB of RAM alongside 128GB of storage.

That whole package costs just $199.

It’s a stunning price tag for the overall package, and one that is rather appealing on the whole.

Nothing is selling CMF Phone (1) in the US via a “Beta Program” (as the device isn’t at all optimized for US networks, and lacks 5G on both Verizon and AT&T), and it might just be the best deal on an Android smartphone right now.

Over the past few days I’ve been using the CMF Phone (1) as my daily driver, and I’ve got to say, I’m really impressed with the price tag in mind. I won’t dive into every little tidbit here as, firstly, I’ve only spent a few days with the device. But, even more so, the experience here is in many ways virtually identical to the Nothing Phone (2a), a $349 smartphone. The performance, software, and even the camera are more or less comparable to that device in my use thus far.

Nothing Phone (2a) Review: Just a little more than you’re paying for

So, where are the cuts?

There are some obvious ones. Nothing is using a fully off-the-shelf chipset in this device, offers less RAM, is using a lesser camera (and effectively ditching the second sensor entirely), and made some other spec cuts here or there. The display is locked at either 60Hz or 120Hz, water resistance is downgraded to splashes at best, and Nothing’s Glyph lighting is nowhere to be found. There are also even smaller things I noticed, like the screen protector is very bad, and the packaging is cheaper with lots more plastic. And there’s also no NFC. That will absolutely be a deal breaker to some, but I’m not surprised. After all, Motorola has made more expensive phones without NFC, and they’ve sold plenty of those.

But, overall, Nothing made smart, almost unnoticeable cuts here. CMF Phone (1) is probably 90% of a Nothing Phone (2a), despite their 75% difference in price.

You’re not even getting shortchanged on the software. Nothing is committing to two years of major Android updates and three years of security updates. That’s at least on part with, if not better than more devices sold in this price range.

And, of course, we’ve got to talk about the hardware. Nothing’s big idea on the CMF Phone (1) uses screws for interchangeable backplates and accessories. “Cases” for the device come in black, orange, blue, and light green ($35 each) and you can swap them out using a flathead screwdriver. The process takes a couple of minutes (or more, since the screwdriver barely fits the screws), but results in a new look for the device. I struggle to call these “cases,” though. They’re shells, and won’t offer any additional protection.

While the back is removable, though, you won’t find any interchangeable battery or better DIY repairs, though. A notice inside even advises you don’t swap out the battery yourself, and all of the components are blocked under another layer.

I really like the customizations this opens up, though. I opted to stick with the black screws and SIM tray of the black shell when I installed the orange one, and also pulled in the blue “dial” and SIM tray from the dark blue shell. I think that looks pretty slick. A new set of screws and a SIM are included with each shell.

One of the screw points uses dial-looking piece that you can remove by hand. This piece is an accessory mounting location. Nothing sells a kickstand, a wallet case, and a lanyard that can screw into this point, all for $25 a piece. I only got to try the lanyard, which did indeed screw in securely.

This is perhaps the best idea at play here, as it provides a quick and easy way to physically attach accessories to the device. I hope to see this expanded on with future generations.

I started using the CMF Phone (1) skeptically. I still don’t know whether or not I like the hardware feel, and I initially couldn’t stop questioning why this thing existed when the Nothing Phone (2a) was available. But when I was informed of the $199 price, that all immediately changed.

This is a screaming good deal, to the point where I worry that, somehow, it might be too good to be true. My one concern there would be software, given CMF’s slightly iffy track record, but since this is the same software as the Nothing Phone series, I don’t really think there’s much to worry about there.

The CMF Phone (1) is available today from CMF’s website.

As mentioned, it will launch in the US in a “Beta Program,” but will be fully available in Europe. Accessories launch in Europe today, and will be available later in July in the US (but it sounds like not all of them will launch here, at least not right away). In the US it costs $199. In the UK it will be £209 and in the EU it will run €239, and in India it will start at ₹15,999 (but with 6GB of RAM).

What do you think of CMF Phone (1)?