Nothing CMF Phone 1 User Reviews

At the time of review, I have owned my CMF Phone 1 for slightly over a week which, I admit, is a short amount of time to discover everything about a device. It’s my first Nothing device, and I want to share my honest observations - complete with what makes this a great contender for the budget market as well as what could be improved. The unit I purchased is the US Version, 8GB+128GB, in black.

The device is plastic, save for the screen. The back and sides are untextured, causing the device to slip around in the hand a bit. This makes it a bit unwieldly to use, and the replaceable back of my device has already caught a few minor scuffs. The side buttons are somewhat squishy, but have a tactile click when they bottom out. On the back, the accessory knob and the camera bump are diagonally placed from each other causing the phone to rock when laid on a flat surface. The lenses are not recessed within the bump, so they will scratch over time without a case. With these critiques in mind, the phone feels nimble for its size while remaining solid all around, and avoids the typical hollow feeling that comes with a plastic back.

The 50MP main sensor on this phone is mostly acceptable. The primary drawback is the lack of OIS, giving those with shaky hands more of a challenge for taking clear photos. Video records in 4K-30, with Action Mode (EIS) capped at 1080p-30. The 2MP sensor serves only for depth in portrait mode. On the front, the 16MP selfie-snapper does a respectable job, and can record at a maximum of 1080p-60 while also producing some decent photos.

Performance is the strongest point of the CMF Phone 1. While I can’t speak to how it stacks up to others in the family, I can say that you get a lightweight, snappy, highly customizable UI that you can build to be as simple or complex as you desire. In day-to-day use, this device easily handles everything I throw at it. There is no stutter or input lag, and I can thumb through my recently opened apps without reloads. As an added bonus, I really enjoy the home screen widgets for at-a-glance information.

AMOLED phone displays are a must-have for me. While only sporting a 1080p panel, it looks great, has a 120Hz refresh rate, and is bright enough for me to use in almost any light. I cannot sort out a specific HDR certification, but it does support HDR playback for YouTube videos, providing vivid colors and deep blacks. No complaints in this department!

Battery life is excellent. Out of the box, I charged the phone to 100% and, while catching a trickle when used for wired Android Auto, it lasted nearly two days without another dedicated charge. I averaged between 5-6 hours of screen on time each day at that. The developers put a lot of work into battery optimization, and it shows!

Concluding my experience thus far, what this phone brings to the table for $199 is really something. It’s not resistant to clumsiness, but packs a punch well above its weight class in almost every other respect!