Fact check time!
The social media hype around the CMF Phone 1 is real, which isn’t surprising given that the phone is made by Nothing, and Nothing is headed by Carl Pei – a master of smartphone marketing.
Then we have markets like China and India where the CMF Phone 1 struggles to make an impression with anything other than its fun design, and that’s because these markets are incredibly saturated when it comes to budget and mid-range phones – specifically ones that trump the CMF Phone 1 in terms of raw specs.
Finally, speaking from a European/UK POV, well… Let me just tell you why I think the CMF Phone 1 is actually very far from being “the best budget phone money can buy” in the West.
The CMF Phone 1 isn’t the best phone you can buy with $200 in China, India, or even in Europe (while US availability is questionable)
I respect my fellow phone nerds on YouTube and X, but the CMF Phone is far from the best budget phone deal in the world.
Before I move on, I must mention I already (sort of) compared the CMF Phone 1 to the more expensive Motorola Edge 50 Fusion in a different story, talking about the bizarre “value” offered by CMF’s first smartphone.
In a nutshell, if you have a bit more money to spare (and plan on buying all the fun accessories that don’t come in the box of the CMF Phone 1), you might want to take a look at the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion, which costs €350 compared to €355 for the 256GB version of the CMF Phone 1 + a couple of the accessories offered by the company.
In another nutshell, the Edge 50 Fusion seems like the better phone in virtually every single way. By the way, it went down to €300 for Amazon Prime Day, which makes it a no-brainer.
Depending on where you are in the world, Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A35 crushes the CMF Phone 1 in terms of value
A €225 Galaxy A35 is an infinitely better deal compared to 200 bucks for the CMF Phone 1. The only downside is that the A35 isn’t always on sale.
But you don’t need to spend a whole lot more to get… a whole lot more.
In fact, with a little bit of digging, you can find a phone that still gives you a lot more than the CMF Phone 1 for nearly the same $200/€200 starting price of the cheapest 128GB model (without any accessories).
Here’s a quick breakdown of the notable upgrades you’d be gaining if you went with a Galaxy A35 over a CMF Phone 1:
- The IP67 dust and water resistance of the A35 are a great quality-of-life feature to have (versus the splash protection on the CMF Phone 1)
- The stereo speakers on the Galaxy A35 will make listening to music and watching videos a far better experience than doing so on the CMF Phone 1 and its mono speaker (which is straight out of 2010)
- Samsung’s phone has a far better camera system with a larger primary sensor (with OIS), an ultra-wide-angle camera, a macro camera, and 4K selfie videos
- It brings NFC support for using digital keys and making contactless payments, which is missing on the CMF Phone 1 (what?!)
- Samsung will support the Galaxy A35 for twice as longer as the CMF Phone 1 – that’s 4-5 years of major updates versus 2-3 years (Samsung’s software updates are also quicker to hit your phone)
- You’d get far more accessible after-purchase support thanks to Samsung’s physical stores around the world; for example, Samsung is bringing back the “Samsung repair bus” in Germany, which will literally drive over to your house to fix your phone
- Just like the Galaxy A35, none of Samsung’s mid-range phones come with “Galaxy AI” features, but who knows – if Samsung is feeling generous, even the A35 might get some basic AI tricks down the line
At €225, the Galaxy A35 is a much better deal compared to a €200 CMF Phone 1, because it’s a much more balanced phone. The only downside is that the A35 (originally €380) isn’t always on sale, which is why you must pull the trigger at the right moment.
Motorola and Xiaomi also have something to say about CMF’s $200 “miracle of a phone”
These phones can be found for even less in places like India and China.
But just to prove my point that the CMF Phone 1 isn’t quite the $200 miracle some claim it is, depending on your preference and location, there are more $200-250 phones that offer better value than the CMF Phone 1.
Take the Motorola G84, which comes with 256GB by default – a first win over the CMF Phone 1. Motorola’s budget phone is also far lighter, more compact, IP54-rated, and looks more modern thanks to having thinner display borders.
Similar to the Galaxy A35, the Motorola G84 comes with a better camera system than that of the CMF Phone 1. Namely, a much larger primary sensor with OIS, and an ultra-wide camera with macro focus.
Then, there’s the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G, which gives you a similar overall value as the CMF Phone 1, but comes with a much more modern-looking display, and a whopping 200MP camera with a massive (for a budget phone) 1/1.4 sensor, which is able to take 2x and 4x “lossless zoom” photos.
Similar to the Motorola G84, the Xiaomi comes with an IP54 rating against splashes, stereo speakers, and (in true Xiaomi fashion) much faster 67W charging.
The CMF Phone 1 will give you a faster chip, an extra OS update, and a cleaner Android experience compared to the Motorola G84 and Redmi Note 13 Pro, but that’s about where CMF’s strong points end.
Don’t screw up! The CMF Phone 1 is a nice budget phone, but you should buy it for the right reason
The affordable CMF Phone 1 is designed to sell accessories, and there’s nothing wrong in that. However, you should be aware that this gimmick won’t give you the best-value budget phone in the long term.
Without a doubt, Carl Pei & Co have made an eye-catching budget phone that deserves to be talked about. However, I’m not sure saying it’s “the best budget phone money can buy” is exactly truthful.
Right now, I’d say you should think twice before deciding to buy a phone the reputation of which is held together by screws. Because phones like the CMF Phone 1 can be fun for a week, and mediocre for the remaining 2-3 years you’d be using them.
The truth is that the biggest incentive to choose the CMF Phone 1 over any other budget phone is the gimmicky design. However, you’d still have to pay up to get the accessories that make this phone special in the first place – which makes it at least $50 more expensive.
And on top of that, the 256GB version of the phone pits it against phones from a whole different category such as the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion.
As you can see, you can easily come across some deals that make the CMF Phone 1 look like the worst budget phone deal – not the best one. And I rest my case.
