CMF Phone 2 Pro Review: Everything You Need to Know
In May 2025, CMF by Nothing introduced the CMF Phone 2 Pro, a device that reshapes the way budget smartphones compete in India. With a starting price of ₹18,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant, and ₹20,999 for the 256GB model, the phone aims to redefine expectations in the sub-₹20,000 segment. It combines striking industrial design, modular functionality, and fluid software, all while maintaining affordability.
This detailed review explores the phone’s performance, design, display, camera, software, battery life, and overall value proposition.
Design and Modularity: Function Meets Form
CMF continued its bold design philosophy with the Phone 2 Pro. The company gave the phone a sleek and slim 7.8mm body and kept the weight manageable at 185 grams. This lightweight build, combined with its distinctive dual-tone rear finish and visible screw placements, gives the phone a unique identity among cookie-cutter designs in the market.
One of the most exciting features of the device is its modular functionality, powered by the new “Universal Cover” system. The cover attaches via screws and magnets, allowing users to connect modular accessories like card holders, stands, camera lenses, and future third-party add-ons. This feature offers true personalization and practicality, rarely seen in this price segment.
The modularity approach encourages users to see smartphones as adaptable gadgets rather than fixed-function tools. While the availability of these modular accessories remains limited at launch, Nothing plans to expand the ecosystem with time. The company focused on making the idea of personal tech both functional and expressive.
Display: Vibrant, Bright, and Responsive
The CMF Phone 2 Pro uses a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2392 pixels. The display supports HDR10+ and produces over one billion colors, creating a rich visual experience. With a peak brightness of 3000 nits, the screen stays clearly visible even under direct sunlight.
The phone uses a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, ensuring fluid animations and smooth navigation across apps. For gaming and high-speed interactions, the phone also includes a 1000Hz touch sampling rate, which translates to faster and more accurate touch responses. This enhancement becomes especially useful during fast-paced mobile gaming sessions or high-speed scrolling through social media feeds.
Whether for binge-watching, photo editing, or casual browsing, the display meets all expectations and even outperforms several more expensive competitors in terms of clarity, brightness, and color reproduction.
Performance: Efficient and Capable
Inside the CMF Phone 2 Pro lies the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset, based on a 4nm fabrication process. This efficient yet powerful chipset pairs with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, delivering reliable performance for day-to-day tasks.
The phone handles multitasking, app switching, and light to moderate gaming without stutters. Games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 run smoothly at medium to high settings. While it doesn’t match the raw performance of flagship chipsets, it provides consistent speed and thermal stability for its class.
The device also includes a microSD card slot, allowing expansion up to 2TB. This feature ensures that users won’t face storage issues when capturing videos, downloading media, or installing large applications.
Camera Setup: Creative Flexibility
The rear camera setup on the CMF Phone 2 Pro includes a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. The camera interface offers features like portrait mode, night mode, slow motion, and 4K video recording.
Images captured in daylight show good detail, accurate colors, and dynamic range. The main sensor performs well in standard lighting conditions. The telephoto lens allows clean 2x zoom shots with minimal quality loss. The ultra-wide lens gives users more flexibility in landscape and group photography.
In low-light situations, however, the performance drops. Images occasionally suffer from noise and reduced sharpness. Although night mode helps improve results, it still lags behind more expensive phones with better image processing engines.
On the front, the phone uses a 16MP selfie camera, which delivers decent images with natural skin tones. The camera also supports video recording at 1080p at 30fps. For video calls, casual vlogs, or selfies, this front camera performs adequately.
The standout camera-related feature remains the support for modular lenses, such as fisheye and macro attachments, which expand creative potential. While these are optional accessories and limited in availability at present, they show the company’s commitment to flexible user experiences.
Software Experience: Clean and Fluid
The phone runs on Nothing OS 3.2 based on Android 15, offering a near-stock Android experience. The interface avoids bloatware, unnecessary ads, or pre-installed third-party apps. This clean setup improves user experience and ensures better performance over time.
Key features include the “Essential Space,” accessible through a dedicated Essential Key. This tool gives instant access to frequently used apps or widgets. The OS also includes AI-powered tools like Magic Eraser in the Gallery app, smart sorting in notifications, and AI-generated wallpapers, helping personalize the experience further.
The software stands out for its polish, speed, and simplicity. Users won’t encounter the clutter and lag that often plague budget and mid-range Android devices.
Nothing has committed to three years of major Android updates and six years of security patches, giving the CMF Phone 2 Pro excellent long-term value.
Battery and Charging: Dependable Power
With a 5000mAh battery, the phone easily lasts a full day under moderate to heavy usage. Users who mostly rely on messaging, browsing, and video streaming can stretch the battery to a day and a half. For gamers and frequent social media users, a full day remains achievable without needing a midday charge.
The device supports 33W wired charging and 5W reverse wired charging. However, it doesn’t include a charger in the box—a cost-saving decision that aligns with Nothing’s sustainability goals but might inconvenience first-time buyers.
Charging from 0 to 50% takes around 30 minutes using a compatible charger. Full charging completes in roughly 70–80 minutes. Despite the absence of wireless charging, the battery and wired speeds deliver solid reliability.
Final Verdict: Innovation with Practicality
The CMF Phone 2 Pro strikes an impressive balance between innovation, affordability, and everyday functionality. It appeals to tech-savvy users seeking something different without stepping into the premium price bracket.
With its modular design, bright AMOLED display, clean Android experience, and expandable storage, the phone ticks most boxes that matter in real-world usage. While areas like low-light photography and charging accessories need improvement, the core product remains strong.
Pros:
- Unique modular design with accessory support
- Bright, high-refresh AMOLED display
- Clean, fast, bloat-free software
- Long-term software updates
- Strong performance for the price
Cons:
- Limited modular accessories at launch
- No wireless charging
- No charger in the box
- Camera performance dips in low light
Conclusion:
The CMF Phone 2 Pro stands out as one of the most innovative and complete offerings under ₹20,000. By blending design ingenuity with practical performance, it proves that budget smartphones no longer need to compromise on style, software, or substance.
