the cell phone under 200 dollars that you don’t know and that wants to enter the history of technology

There was a time when tech brands played with materials, colors, textures, transparencies or mechanisms to make their product unique. Think of design as something that goes beyond the assembly of components; how to add value without giving up what is important. This ambition is what Nothing aspires to, and by extension CMF, the secondary brand of this London startup that has just launched in Europe its first smartphone, the CMF Phone 1.

The CMF Phone 1 is an ambitious phone because it comes with the aim of shaking up the mid-range thanks to an excellent quality/price ratio, while putting the a completely differential design which is unlike anything currently available in the industry.

If you’re starting to comb out your gray hair like me, you probably remember the fever of changing the casing of the Nokia 3210 and 3310. Now, CMF wants users to do it too. They can change the back of their phone at home — without losing properties such as the terminal’s waterproofness —, while being able to attach a series of accessories that will improve the user experience on a daily basis.

For example, a cord can be attached to the case to hang the smartphone, place a support to watch a series or a movie with the mobile phone perpendicular to a table and even fix a card holder in which to carry the most important documentation.

The other big complaint is its price. It starts at 199.99 dollars in these first days of sale, so in EL ESPAÑOL – El Androide Libre we put it to the test to see for yourself how it performs as your primary smartphone and how it can be the smartphone that has everything you need without spending more.

An iconic design

Whether it goes well or badly, the CMF Phone 1 will go down in history for its iconic design. When we at EL ESPAÑOL – Omicrono spoke with Carl Pei, co-founder of Nothing, he made it clear that design is key: “all Nothing products must be recognizable from two meters away without looking at the logo.” A philosophy that has also been transferred to the company’s second brand. On this occasion Pei explains that the design of the CMF Phone 1″“This is another example of our commitment to bringing a playful touch to an overly repetitive sector.”

If Nothing devices are distinguished by their transparency, CMF products attract attention by the use of recognizable colors, the care of plastic materials and the use of mechanisms. On your first phone we find 4 screws at the back and a nut which protects the button that must be pressed to release the case. It is in the nut housed in this button that the user can place accessories such as the support or the suspension cord.

Each shell costs 35 dollarswhile the accessories cost 25 dollars each. It is not excluded that the company will launch new options in the coming months that extend the life of this mechanism, but the truth is that it brings a unique touch to the phone, being able to be customized to your taste and being useful, as well as recognizable.

Despite the possibility of changing the case, the company’s design work is not only aesthetic, but they have also taken care of the protections and waterproofing. On the one hand, the phone has IP52 protection against dust and water, At the same time, the nature of internal and external repairs is easier and more accessible to help preserve the useful life of the device. Of course, the battery cannot be removed without the proper tools.

Likewise, finely finished stainless steel screws are strategically positioned to reinforce key areas and the camera has a protective metal frame to prevent bumps and scratches. Everything is combined in an elegant and striking design that highlights the terminal and gives it that unique touch to become an instant classic. There is no better letter of introduction for a brand newcomer in a crowded industry.

The truth is that the experience of changing the case or attaching accessories is simple and intuitive. It includes instructions, but it is a simple mechanism that, simply by using the screwdriver included in the accessories, It will be enough to change the appearance or assemble auxiliary accessories.

Regarding the rest of the design; It must be taken into account that we are dealing with a large smartphone (164 mm high, 77 mm wide and 8 mm thick), with a weight of about 200 grams (depending on the case) and a 6.67 inches. The straight edges, the materials and the weight make it ergonomic and very comfortable to use. Additionally, it should be taken into account that it has a dual SIM card slot, as well as space for an additional storage card of up to 2TB.

Superior experience

If we think of a smartphone that costs 200 dollars, the first thing that comes to mind is that it will not be up to par in our daily lives. In the case of CMF’s Phone 1, nothing could be further from the truth. Go up the 4-nanometer Mediatek 7300 processor which allows it to have high-level performance while maintaining energy efficiency to have autonomy beyond the day. Specifically, the Phone 1 has a 5,000 mAh battery and a 33 W fast charging system allowing it to be charged to 50% in 20 minutes.

Regarding RAM memory, all versions available in Europe come with 8 GBalthough it integrates the RAM Booster system that allows to have more applications in the background when the physical memory is full. This allows the user to have the feeling that it has continued to work all the time in the background thanks to its fast response, even if it was not really the case.

In addition to the processor and RAM, the main element that provides this premium experience and fluidity to the terminal is the screen. Mount a Super AMOLED panel with a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits and HDR10+ certification, so content looks great even in broad daylight. Plus, it has an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and a gaming mode that reduces latency when opening heavy apps, allowing you to play without limits.

Likewise, to prevent the smartphone from overheating, it integrates an advanced liquid cooling system to prevent high temperatures and heavy usage from affecting the processor. Additionally, it features a cryogenic frame on the side of the device and uses graphite on the front and back to release heat faster.

A good user experience is complemented by using Nothing OS 2.6, the latest version of the company’s customization layer based on Android. It is a clean and simple software with a unique aesthetic. It seeks to highlight mobile optimizations and how the user can enjoy them without having to spend more time on them, something that is rare in the industry.

Another element that manufacturers that launch mobile phones in this price range usually give up is the 5G connection, which is not the case with the Phone 1. It has 5G network connectivity, as well as WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3. Yes, The big connectivity gap in this phone is NFCwhich will make it impossible to pay at points of sale in stores from your smartphone.

Camera wise, the Phone 1 has a single rear camera and another lens for selfies. The main camera is a 50 megapixel Sony sensor which is supported by a portrait sensor that gives that depth and blur to photographs of people or pets. Regarding the front camera

CMF’s ambition in photography is that its camera can immortalize moments faithfully and without artifice. What the user sees is what is taken in the photo. That is why it has incorporated its own computational photography algorithms through Nothing’s TrueLens 2.0 engine, thinking that each shot is a living memory. Despite this, the smartphone camera recognizes situations and scans scenarios to adjust settings and the result is usually very good.

I buy it?

The CMF Phone 1 is a breath of fresh air in the sector. Not only does it largely meet what one would expect from a smartphone between 200 and 269 dollars (in its highest capacity, it costs 269 dollars), but it returns a much superior user experience and fluidity.

To this it is appropriate to add its iconic character with a unique design and modular that shows the sector that it is possible to do things differently while adding value. A fun and totally different touch with which we can have a smartphone to our liking and totally personal.

The only reason I wouldn’t recommend buying the Phone 1 is the lack of NFC. If that feature is important to you, it’s much more convenient to take the plunge. at Rien Telephone (2a) with which you will enjoy an excellent user experience and performance – better in some respects -, with a very neat design and better features. Of course, the jump to be made will be about 100 dollars of additional difference.

In short, CMF has made its first mobile phone one of the smartest purchases that can be made today. It offers everything you expect from a phone: performance, design, response and low price. It is a perfect phone for everyday life, decisive and high-performance, one of the best options that can be found on the market and, without a doubt, a phone that will go down in history for its ambition and modular design.