London-based tech brand Nothing has won hearts in the last few years with its well-designed phones offering good software experience. It’s as simple as that. Recently, it launched a sub-brand called CMF, which delivers inexpensive devices, like phones, smartwatches and earbuds.

Recently, we tried out CMF Phone 1 and this is one of the coolest devices of the year. Not that it’s free of flaws but the overall vision can be a game-changer and a wake-up call for rival brands.

In a sea of budget Android phones, this is a wave that rises high and washes out competition in the design department. At a glance, the CMF Phone 1 looks almost ordinary unless your eyes are on the rear panel. There are some screws and a knob. Quirky design, right? There’s a lot more to the phone than the big 6.67-inch Super AMOLED LTPS display.

Nothing's CMF Phone 1 offers the same level of bloatware-free software experience as the company's more premium offerings

Knob and screws

The first design element is a knob on the bottom right of the rear panel. Push it slightly hard with your finger and it slowly starts to unscrew. There are a bunch of screws on the rear panel. These can be taken off and the plastic rear panel can be changed with some other colour — black, orange, blue and light blue.

The idea is unique, especially when you consider the pricing. It’s been many years since we have had such a quirky design. Even though the battery is not removable, there is something playful.

In the box, you get a cool combo tool comprising a SIM ejector and flat-head screwdriver, which helps to take off the screws. With every rear panel you buy, there is a matching SIM tray and knob so that everything matches up. Or you can mix and match if you are up for it.

The knob is a separate feature. It’s a mounting point for accessories… there are three of them so far. First, you can attach a kickstand, which helps prop up your phone on a table. Second, there is a cardholder wallet. Third, a lanyard.

Are these accessories and distractions helpful? To an extent, yes. The kickstand is one thing I like very much.

How does it feel to use the phone?

It's easy to replace the rear panel on the phone. Perhaps it will also be easy to change the battery

If you have already used a Nothing phone, it’s the same feeling... well, almost. Instead of having a transparent back, the phone has all the neat accessories. And from the front, it’s a typical Nothing phone, with a clean software experience.

The phone runs Nothing OS 2.6. Besides the glyph interface, the phone has only a few features missing that are available on the brand’s premium devices.

You will forget that this is a budget phone. It’s a fairly bright AMOLED display (1080x2400 with 395 ppi) that’s adaptive between 60 and 120Hz with a 240Hz touch sample rate. Users get around 700 nits of typical brightness and 2000 nits of peak brightness.

Be it going through social media feeds, web browsing or using the usual set of apps… the phone works fine. The chip powering this device is MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G, which is on par with Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. You can’t get anything more for this price.

You will experience a few compromises that the company had to make to keep pricing down. The phone has a 5,000mAh battery that easily lasts a day but there is no wireless charging, which most people don’t need. Also, the vibration motor is passable and there is a single mono speaker at the bottom. With the removable back, the phone is IP52 rated, making it good enough for splashes.

You can add functional accessories to the phone. All you need to do is unscrew the accessory point’s cover to attach a stand, card case or lanyard

Budget phone cameras are nothing special, and the 50MP primary camera is good enough for daily use. Don’t expect OIS or ultra-wide camera.

A game-changer

CMF Phone 1 has the potential to upend the category. The trade-offs feel acceptable on this phone. Add to the equation, how easy it would be to repair a device like this. Second, you don’t need a case with this phone. If you damage the backplate, you can always switch it out for another colour. Third, you can mix and match the accessories.

The plastic card wallet seen attached to the CMF Phone 1

Remember Moto Z? It had a wonderful “modular” approach to smartphones, taking it beyond slabs. While reviewing the Moto phones, I had a couple of queries: Was it an underwhelming gimmick? Was modularity a fun thing? The answers arrive years later via the CMF phone: This is a fun budget device. Nothing’s CMF Phone 1 offers a glimpse of the future of budget phones.

At a glance

Device: CMF Phone 1

Price: Upwards of Rs 15,999

High notes

Fun customisation options

Marks the beginning of a new ecosystem of accessories

Excellent software experience

Top-notch hardware design

Should be easy to repair

Muffled notes

A better IP rating would be helpful

Accessories are not cheap when compared to the price of the device