- Unique industrial design
- Exceptional performance for the price
- Excellent value
- Inconsistent camera
- Below-average water resistance
- Accessories not sold in Singapore
The budget end of the smartphone market isn’t exactly known for being all that exciting. Usually, manufacturers will throw some cheap but serviceable components into a practical (though usually boring) casing and call it a day. After all, expectations at this side of the pricing spectrum aren’t generally all that high. What Nothing has done with the CMF Phone 2 Pro, however, is something entirely different. It’s even, dare I say it, a little exciting.
What we like about the CMF Phone 2 Pro
Outside-the-box design. Remember when phones used to be fun? I’m talking transparent materials, funky form factors, gaudy colours… Those were the days. Fortunately, for those of us yearning for a phone that doesn’t look like every other stock-standard black or white slab, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is packed with character. Think visible screws, an accessory connection point (which for me doubled as a fidget toy), and a two-toned backplate that screams industrial chic. It’s available in dark grey, white, and orange; however, the latter is definitely the winner in my eyes.
Solid performance. The chip found in the CMF Phone 2 Pro is almost identical to that found in the Razr 60, which retails for more than double the price. While it feels underpowered in the Razr 60, it’s just right in the Phone 2 Pro, with the generous 16GB RAM allowing for smooth multitasking and good mobile gaming performance.
It runs Nothing OS 3.2 (based on Android 15), which is one of the nicer and less-clunky Android reskins out there. The Phone 2 Pro is guaranteed three years of software updates and six years of security patches, which is pretty decent for a device in this price range.
Excellent battery life. As someone who reviews tech for a living, I spend a lot of time on my phone. The CMF Phone 2 Pro had no trouble keeping up with me, often powering through a full day (occasionally two full days) with some juice to spare. It’s also got 33W wired charging (no wireless charging, as to be expected in this price range) that’ll take you from flat to full in an hour.
Affordable price. The CMF Phone 2 Pro retails for $399, but you wouldn’t know it. It looks and performs like a phone that costs a couple of hundred dollars more, but without the bloatware that often comes with budget smartphones.
Expandable storage. The CMF Phone 2 Pro comes with 256GB of storage, but if you’re not a fan of cloud storage for your overflowing photo albums, you can insert a microSD card for up to 2TB of additional local storage. I’m a big fan of expandable storage, and it’s becoming rarer and rarer to see in modern smartphones.
NFC, finally. This really should’ve been on the CMF Phone 1, but the Phone 2 Pro does, in fact, have NFC capabilities, meaning you can use it for Google Pay and any other NFC-related activities.
What we dislike about the CMF Phone 2 Pro
Inconsistent camera. A budget phone is never going to blow you away on the photography front, so my expectations for the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s triple lens array weren’t exactly sky-high. In practice, the 50MP main lens, 50MP telescope lens and 8MP ultrawide lens are capable of taking some great shots, but only in the right conditions. I took the Phone 2 Pro with me on a little holiday, and the results were a real mixed bag. It struggled with moving subjects and lower lighting, but managed to capture some landscapes and close-ups beautifully. The 16MP front camera, on the other hand, was almost always a letdown.
CMF Phone 2 Pro camera samples
Check out these camera samples taken on the CMF Phone 2 Pro. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
Better water resistance would be nice. The CMF Phone 2 Pro has a IP54 dust and water protection rating, which is enough to survive getting caught in the rain, but surviving an accidental drop in the pool may be a bigger ask.
Unavailable accessories. One of the coolest things about the CMF Phone 2 Pro is its customisability. Fish-eye lenses can be attached to the existing camera array, and accessories like lanyards, card holders, and phone stands can be installed without a fuss. Sounds great, right? The only problem is, none of these accessories are available for purchase in Singapore. Bummer.
Essential Key is a waste of space. As I found when reviewing its cousin, the Nothing Phone 3a, the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s Essential Key (located just below the power button) is wasted potential. It’s a shortcut to Nothing OS’ “Essential Space”, which is basically a dumping ground for screenshots and notes, but more often than not, you’ll have tapped it accidentally when going for the power button instead. The button can’t be easily remapped, either, so you’re stuck with it.
CMF Phone 2 Pro - Final thoughts
The CMF Phone 2 Pro is one of the best smartphones in its price range, with snappy performance, a unique industrial design, and long-lasting battery. The few flaws it does have, like below-average water resistance and cameras that deliver mixed results, are worth considering, but overall aren’t enough to stop me recommending it as a solid device under $400.
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