CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G Review: The Budget Phone to Beat?

Last year, CMF—a sub-brand of Nothing—made waves with the release of its debut smartphone, the CMF Phone 1. For under $250, it delivered surprisingly capable hardware, sleek design, and clean software—beating out competitors in its class and even holding its own against some mid-range rivals. It was a loud entrance from a brand no one expected to dominate the budget segment. Now, the CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G is here, with a slightly higher price tag, a refreshed spec sheet, and bold promises.

But has it truly evolved, or is this just a minor refresh in fancy new clothes? Let’s break it down.

A Familiar Look, With Modular Surprises

At a glance, the CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G carries forward the core design language of its predecessor—slim profile, solid build, and quirky personality. But it adds a clever twist: modularity. Four exposed screws and a circular “Accessory Point” allow you to swap out backplates and connect a few magnetic add-ons like a wallet stand or even modular camera lenses (more on that later). It’s not exactly Moto Mods 2.0, but for a sub-$300 phone, this level of customization is a rare—and fun—bonus.

Still, there’s a catch – those modular accessories are mostly unavailable outside the UK and Europe, which limits the phone’s appeal if you’re in the U.S. That’s quite a bummer because the concept adds character and potential utility. At launch, there’s only one backplate in the box, and previous generation accessories aren’t compatible. This is a strange move in my perspective for a brand playing the modularity game.

Display, Design, and the Visual Experience

Budget phones often skimp on the display, but not here. The CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G features a large 6.77-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits peak brightness. That last number may sound abstract, but in plain terms—it means the screen is readable even under harsh sunlight, and colors look richer and deeper than they would on a typical LCD.

It’s genuinely impressive for this price. Most budget phones, like Motorola’s Moto G Power 2025, still ship with LCDs. The smooth scrolling and high contrast on the CMF screen make everything from Instagram stories to YouTube videos look better.

Performance That Defies the Price Tag

Under the hood, the CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G is powered by MediaTek’s new Dimensity 7300 processor, paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. For context, this chipset is newer and faster than what powered the Phone 1 and leaps ahead of many competitors in the $250–$300 bracket.

Apps open quickly, multitasking is fluid, and even games like Alto’s Odyssey or Call of Duty Mobile are surprisingly playable. In day-to-day use, there’s no lag or weird stutter that usually plagues budget devices. Even the thermal management is solid—it doesn’t heat up much under pressure.

The upgrade in performance is not just marginal; it’s noticeable. CMF clearly listened to the early critiques of the original device being “just fast enough.” This time, it’s more than enough.

Camera Setup: Actually Useful

Most budget phones throw in extra cameras just for the sake of numbers—often a 2MP macro lens you’ll never use. CMF avoids that trap. The Phone 2 Pro 5G features a triple-lens setup with a 50MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto (with real 2x optical zoom), and an 8MP ultrawide.

Photos are detailed in daylight, and while shadows can occasionally lose detail, the overall dynamic range is decent. Night shots require a steady hand but are workable. The telephoto lens, rarely seen in this price range, is a game-changer if you like zooming without sacrificing clarity.

The 16MP front-facing camera is respectable too, ideal for video calls or social media selfies. And with the right modular lens add-on (if you can get it), you can even play around with fisheye or macro photography.

Battery Life and Charging

With a 5,000mAh battery inside, the CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G easily lasts a full day—and often spills into the second with moderate use. Streaming video, using maps, taking calls, and scrolling social media won’t drain it too quickly. It supports 33W wired fast charging, which gets it back to 100% in just over an hour.

However, there’s no wireless charging. At this price point, that’s still forgivable, though Motorola’s similarly priced Moto G Power now offers it. If wireless charging is a must-have for you, this could be a minor deal-breaker.

Interested in more ? Read about Whoop Band: Is This the Ultimate Wearable for Health & Fitness Tracking?

Software That Gets Out of Your Way

One of the standout features of CMF’s devices is the software experience. Nothing OS, derived from parent company Nothing, offers a clean, minimal Android experience free of bloatware and annoying preinstalled apps.

In a world where budget phones often come preloaded with trial games, shopping apps, or third-party launchers, this is refreshing. The design is sharp, the animations are smooth, and small touches—like the monochrome theme and well-designed widgets—make the phone feel more premium than its price suggests.

CMF also promises three years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches. That’s rare for budget phones, where two years of updates is often the ceiling.

What’s Still Missing?

Some issues linger. While the addition of NFC finally lets users tap to pay (a major omission in Phone 1), U.S. 5G support remains inconsistent. While it works well with T-Mobile and its MVNOs like Mint Mobile, users on Verizon or AT&T might struggle unless the phone is whitelisted.

Also, the modular concept—while fun—feels undercooked when accessories are nearly impossible to find outside Europe. Compatibility with previous accessories would have softened the blow, but that bridge wasn’t built.

However, even prior to launch it has been labeled the budget smartphone of the year. Check out this video by Marques Brownlee.

CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G — Full Specifications:

The Verdict

The CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G is not just a good budget phone—it might be the best one you can buy right now, especially if you prioritize performance, display quality, and software experience. It smartly builds on the strengths of the original Phone 1 while addressing some of its major flaws, like NFC and storage limitations.

If you’re in a country where accessories are available, the modular add-ons make the experience even better. If you’re not, it’s still a superb phone on its own—but don’t expect to get the full feature set right out of the box.

At $279, this is a phone that punches far above its weight. And in 2025, that’s more valuable than ever.

Buy the CMF Phone 2 Pro 5G here:
Amazon – Available from 6th May, 2025
Nothing’s official store

Featured image credit: Nothing’s official page