overall review summery
Expert Rating: 8.8/10
CMF Nothing Phone 1
Pros
- Unique transparent design
- Premium build with symmetrical bezels
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging support
- Long-term software update
Cons
-
No support for expandable storage (microSD)
Introduction
In an industry often riddled with uniformity and expected updates, CMF Nothing Phone 1 stands for a brave new perspective. Many were intrigued, yet skeptical, when Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, founded Nothing with an intention to bring back artistry into the realm of consumer technology. Now, with the arrival of the CMF Nothing Phone 1, the brand has proven that it is beyond the cosmetic excitement; it is about casting a new language for design and user experience.
Design
The design of the best CMF Nothing Phone 1 sets it apart from the crowd. It never thought of replicating flagship rivals; rather, it elbows its way into a singular platform all its own. The phone boasts a transparent back and an LED Glyph Interface, making it more than just a gadget-to-talk-about. The symmetry in design, paired with flat edges and a single screw detail, gives it an industrial feel that is both premium and punk.
The Glyph Interface is made up of LED strips on the back, and it serves far beyond just their looks. Glyph indicates notifications, charging status, or even serves as fill light for photos and video-mix of form and function. Nothing's CMF 1 dares to express itself in a world that somehow manages to dull the looks of all phones-around.
Display
The CMF Nothing Phone 1 has a big 6.55-inch OLED display that actually supports HDR10+ at 120Hz variable refresh rate. With all those vibrant colors and deep blacks, it is truly a cinematic experience while binge-watching, playing, or even just scrolling through the social media feeds.
With a peak brightness of 1200 nits and glass protection on both ends courtesy of Gorilla Glass, this screen is something to be proud of and durable. The near-symmetrical bezels, a very rare design feature in this price range, gift this phone the feel of a flagship without a flagship price tag.
Camera
A single 50MP main sensor in the CMF Nothing Phone 1 is enough to deliver decent-quality images within its price range. Sharpness in daylight shots is just about acceptable, with colors not being either too warm or too cool in tone. Skin tones in most cases appear natural, and the processing is very limited, which is a welcome change in this price segment.
The edge detection during portrait mode is somewhat good, though it often messes up background blur around the finer details like hair and ears. Low-light images suffer quite a bit from noise, with a visible drop in detail level; however, Night Mode lends some help with exposure and contrast.
AI scene detection gets triggered for shots of food, greenery, and sky, pumping up saturation and dynamic range — great for sharing on social media, although sometimes it goes a little too far.
Front Camera
The front camera is a 16MP sensor, positioned at the center punch-hole. It captures reasonably detailed selfies with accurate skin tones under natural light. The dynamic range is average, and sometimes, brighter backgrounds get overexposed. In indoor or low-light conditions, details tend to soften, and noise becomes noticeable.
Portrait selfies come with software-based background blur, and while subject separation is decent, the results can vary depending on lighting. Beauty filters are available but kept subtle compared to typical budget phones.
Video Recording
The CMF Phone 1 supports video recording at 1080p at 30fps from both the rear and front cameras. The footage from the rear camera is usable for casual video capture, but it lacks advanced stabilization. Pans and transitions are smooth under good lighting but may appear jittery when walking or recording handheld in motion.
There’s no 4K support, which is understandable for its price, but the color accuracy in videos is respectable. Audio pickup is clean in quiet environments, though background noise isn’t filtered aggressively.
The front camera also records 1080p video, sufficient for video calls and vlogs, though low-light performance struggles with grain and softness.
Performance
Powering the CMF Nothing Phone 1 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G+ chipset. Now, while this may not be the latest in Qualcomm’s arsenal, it’s perfectly optimized to work in sync with Nothing OS. The UI is clean, bloatware-free, and so smooth.
There is a genuine feeling of stuttering hardly once during multitasking, gaming, or simple browsing. With the Adreno 642L GPU, most new games run at a decent frame rate on medium to high settings. This, for someone who is just a casual user, might never come as a disadvantage when compared with the more expensive flagship models out there.
Nothing Software
Nothing OS is what Android purists have been waiting for. It is stripped down, beautiful, and stable. Some of the UI's nice features include smart app management, custom icons, and slick animations, all of which move at a pace that gives the user time to appreciate them rather than overwhelming them. Every moment seems intended.
It has also made an enormous promise of a minimum of three years of Android updates and four years of security patches. That is a bold step for a new entry and shows the long-term vision.
Connectivity
Another area where the CMF Nothing Phone 1 impresses is in the little things. Stereo speakers project loud and clear sound through the phone. The vibration motor produces crisp haptic feedback that feels satisfying, and the call quality works well even in slightly weak signal areas.
WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and 5G connectivity are all offered. Everything works just as advertised, and the phone does not heat up even with prolonged use.
Battery Life
Housing a 4500mAh battery, the best CMF Nothing Phone 1 easily lasts a full day with moderate to heavy use. The 33W fast charging, though not class-leading, is sufficient, bringing the phone from 0 to 100% in about an hour. It also supports 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging—features rarely seen at this price point.
The optimization done through Nothing OS ensures better screen-on time compared to similar hardware running heavier skins.
Final Verdict
The best CMF Nothing Phone 1 is more than a sum of its parts. It is a field of study into what smartphones might have been if more brands ventured into the unknown. With arts and crafts design, efficient software, and a fair price, it disrupts a market dominated by safe choices.
Not without its faults, yet some are so far overshadowed by personality, polish, and purpose. This phone just didn't take any leaps, and that may be favorable for a user seeking some originality and ingenuity.
CMF Nothing Phone 1 is primed to evolve as updates roll in and more artisans get involved in the ecosystem. In its current state, however, it is a statement—one spoken loudly by an entire generation craving for something real, something raw, something Nothing. supreme mobiles
