It's no secret I'm a fan of the Nothing brand, I use Nothing Phone 2 and Earbuds 2 daily, but I was even a little taken aback by the design of the new CMF Phone 1 (and to an extent the CMF Watch Pro 2). Chunky, physically customisable and with it's sharp lines and visible screws, the CMF Phone 1 is like something created for Aliens.
It raises the old debate around good design versus over-engineering - but I love the new utilitarian approach to the CMF brand. It takes the direction of the Nothing brand, strips it back and rebuilds it for a new use. The LED glyphs of the mainline Nothing phones have been replaced by a functional design - the rear of the case can be unscrewed and new colours attached, or extra accessories can be attached.
There's a hit of nostalgia to the CMF Phone 1's physical customisation, and the idea is taken through the CMF Phone 1 design in fun and subtle ways - there's a large dial-screw on the rear that can be used to attach new accessories, such as a magnetic card holder and lanyard cable. It's the little stand that really ticks a box for me; I recently tried watching a Euro's England match on my Nothing Phone 2 wedged into a cap - a stand would have been welcome.
The design was summed up by Nothing's CEO Carl Pei, who the design aim focuses on "integrating creativity, practicality, and personalisation through design […] these products further mark our commitment to injecting fun into a boring industry, and I'm very excited to see the market feedback."
Behind the functional design the CMF Phone 1 has equally functional specs - MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (4 nm, octa core), 128GB storage, 8GB RAM, 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED,120Hz display and a 50 MP camera. It's not going to impress the Apple iPhone 15 crowd who love a slim bezel but for up to £239 it boasts incredible specs.
The same practical approach to design is fed into the CMF Watch Pro 2. The replaces the original's square display for a round watch face (I prefer the old look) and like the Phone 1 this new smart watch can be customised - simply unscrew the face bezel and add a new colour ring. Digital customisation is also on offer with the Watch Pro 2, the 1.32-inch AMOLED display features over 100 watch faces to choose from.
I've been using the Watch Pro 2 for the last week in prep for my review, and behind the design there's enough features to impress; it can support 120 sports (and automatically registers five sports) as well as offering Bluetooth calls, control music and remote camera controls. Again, it's affordable at just £69.
If I were a cynic I'd say Nothing / CMF has followed the Nintendo model for finding ways to fund its lower costs, as accessories for both Phone 1 and Watch Pro 2 cost between £19 and £29. But I can't find fault, these are optional and the entry price for the phone and watch is so low it's hard to complain.
The new CMF range can be pre-ordered from today at the Nothing website (our CMF Phone 1 and Watch Pro 2 reviews are coming soon). As well as the CMF Phone 1 and CMF Watch Pro 2 there is also a new CMF Buds 2 as well as myriad accessories and attachments to make your new phone a little more you. If you want to spend more, read our Apple Watch Prime Day guide for all the latest offers.
