What To Know
- When it came to a replacement, it became a tussle between the main Nothing range and the subbrand CMF.
- If you thought the original CMF devices were bold, the new generation, particularly the Phone 2 Pro, is a minimalist powerhouse draped in an unforgettable metallic orange sheen (or elegant white, black, and light green).
Let’s face it: the tech world is a bit predictable. You want a stunning design? You may need to pay a premium. You want top-tier specifications? Prepare for your wallet to bleed. But then there’s CMF by Nothing, the subbrand by Nothing that exists solely to disrupt that tired equation. CMF, which stands for Colour, Material, and Finish, is less about radical innovation and more about making great technology accessible, and their new lineup, spearheaded by the stunning CMF Phone 2 Pro, proves they are serious about shaking up the mid-range market.
One of our teammates had the Nothing Phone 1, and every time one of her friends looked at her phone, they needed a double-take. The Nothing Phone 1 just had an uncannily similar feel to the iPhone, and yet it was playfully different with its Glyph lights. But all good things must come to an end, and her Nothing Phone 1 gave way after a respectable 2 years. When it came to a replacement, it became a tussle between the main Nothing range and the subbrand CMF. Finally, our teammate chose the CMF by Nothing Phone 2 Pro (White edition).
The CMF Phone 2 Pro is not just an iterative update; it is a full-on glow-up. If you thought the original CMF devices were bold, the new generation, particularly the Phone 2 Pro, is a minimalist powerhouse draped in an unforgettable metallic orange sheen (or elegant white, black, and light green). It’s a premium design philosophy baked into an aggressively affordable package.
The Hero: CMF Phone 2 Pro Specs and Style
The CMF Phone 2 Pro is not just good for its segment—it has features from categories far above its price point. It is also one of the slimmest and lightest devices Nothing has ever designed, fitting in at a mere 7.8 mm and 185 g, all wrapped in an elevated body featuring an aluminum camera surround and stainless steel screws. An increased IP54 water resistance rating further enhances the build quality, providing you with peace of mind against splashes and dust.
A Display That Dazzles
Pick up the CMF Phone 2 Pro, and your eyes will immediately be drawn to its large 6.77″ FHD+ flexible AMOLED display. This isn’t some budget panel. The display delivers over one billion hues and reaches a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, ensuring your screen stays vibrant and readable even under the harshest sunlight.
Coupled with a butter-smooth 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate and an ultra-responsive 1,000 Hz touch sampling rate, everything from scrolling social feeds to serious mobile gaming feels instantaneous and fluid.
The Camera: A Segment-First Telephoto
The CMF Phone 2 Pro offers a significant improvement in photography compared to the Nothing Phone 1, which only had average cameras. It features an advanced four-camera system, headlined by a 50 MP main sensor that captures 64% more light than its predecessor. The real star, however, is the powerful telephoto lens. The CMF Phone 2 Pro features a dedicated telephoto lens with 20x digital zoom on a phone in this segment. This is something nearly unheard of in this price bracket, allowing you to capture far-away scenes without losing crucial detail.
Rounding out the optics is an 8 MP ultra-wide camera and a sharp 16 MP front camera, giving you the versatility to shoot landscapes, portraits, and everything in between.
Power, Performance, and Practicality
Under the hood, the Phone 2 Pro is rocking the newly upgraded MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G processor, built on a power-efficient 4 nm process. This chipset delivers a noticeable boost, about 10% quicker processing compared to the CMF Phone 1, making it a smooth ride for heavy multi-taskers.
Battery life is equally impressive. The 5,000 mAh battery is said to power through two full days of typical use on a single charge. And, in a crucial upgrade, the Phone 2 Pro finally supports contactless payments thanks to the inclusion of NFC. It also runs on Nothing OS 3.2 with the minimalist Essential Space feature, which is perfect for when you need to disconnect without fully powering down.
The Value Proposition is Unbeatable
The CMF Phone 2 Pro is sold at a very affordable price (please check your local resellers), punching in as a formidable force in the budget and mid-range tech landscape. By offering a display that rivals flagship phones, a camera with a unique telephoto feature, and a coherent audio ecosystem, CMF by Nothing is proving that you don’t have to sacrifice stellar design or advanced features just because you’re on a budget. The CMF by Nothing Phone 2 Pro may just make the rest of the market look seriously overpriced.
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