Over the past 30 days, I’ve had the CMF Phone 2 Pro as my primary device, and I’ve been living with it, working with it, watching content, taking photos, and playing games. While the launch buzz and early impressions painted a promising picture, long-term use reveals a few deeper truths. The CMF Phone 2 Pro sits at an interesting intersection of affordability, design innovation, and Nothing’s ambition, but the journey isn’t without its hiccups.
Let’s dive in.
Disclaimer: This phone was provided to me by @nothingindia as part of the Nothing Community Review Program. Please be assured that all opinions expressed herein are solely my own.
Unboxing and First Impressions
Out of the box, CMF made a thoughtful move this time by including a 33W charger and a case, something missing in earlier Nothing/CMF devices. The bright orange SIM ejector is a tiny but signature detail. The phone looks striking. It has the industrial aesthetics, screws, the new Essential Key, and the rotating knob that make it visually stand out. It’s reminiscent of the CMF Phone 1 but scaled back in terms of modularity.
You no longer get full custom backplates like the CMF Phone 1. Instead, accessories need a universal cover, which is still pending release. This reduced modularity feels like a missed opportunity.
And let’s talk about that Essential Key, which is placed oddly, leading to frequent accidental presses. I kept mistaking it for the power button. It might need a rethink in future iterations.
Display: One of the Highlights
CMF nailed the display experience. The 6.77-inch Super AMOLED LTPS panel is bright (up to 3000 nits), vibrant, and smooth, with a 120 Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10+, DCI-P3, and 10-bit color depth. Watching content on Netflix and Prime was a joy; it has deep blacks, great contrast, and symmetrical bezels thanks to Panda Glass protection.
During my usage, I played many 4k HDR videos on YouTube to test the HDR performance and found out there is a slight color shift during shifting from normal screen to full screen, and the playback is a little jittery, which was fixed after the recent update. I thought of mentioning that, too
You’d have a hard time finding a display like this in this price range. It’s a big win.
Speakers: Disappointing for Daily Use
Now let’s get into the pain points, and this is a big one.
The mono speaker sounds weak, even though it says it gives you a “150% sound boost.” Inside a quiet room? It’s fine. But what about in a loud place? It’s not useful. I expected at least stereo speakers or a more powerful mono driver. The lack of depth and volume hurts the multimedia experience, especially when paired with such a fantastic display.
Camera: A Mixed Bag with Potential
The 50MP main sensor is surprisingly good in daylight. Images have sharpness and decent dynamic range. The 2X telephoto lens was genuinely fun to use for portraits and street photography. But then the problems creep in.
There is a big difference in color between the lenses. When you go between main, ultra-wide, and telephoto, the color tone and exposure change in a way that is really abrupt.
Low-light performance is hit or miss. Noise creeps in, details drop, and HDR struggles.
The 16MP selfie camera is decent, but I feel there might be room for improvement in the camera quality.
After applying some LUTs or filters, the camera sometimes bugs out and requires app restarts or even system reboots, which was fixed after the latest update.
Performance & Gaming: Mostly Smooth, But Not Pro-Level
The Dimensity 7300 Pro and 8GB RAM deliver reliable day-to-day performance. The UI is fluid, apps open quickly, and multitasking is seamless.
Gaming is where expectations should be managed. BGMI and Call of Duty run well, even at 90/120 fps, but frame drops do occur during long sessions. Thermal control is commendable, thanks to the liquid cooling system, but sustained performance is slightly unstable under stress.
It’s good, but don’t expect flagship-level gaming.
Software Experience: Clean Yet Unpolished
Nothing OS 3.2, based on Android 15, is minimal, fluid, and mostly bloat-free. The monochrome themes, widget system, and Essential Space are unique touches.
However, let’s be honest! Essential Space is gimmicky. It captures screenshots via the Essential Key and attempts to “remind” you with AI assistance. In theory, it sounds futuristic, but in daily use? Not useful. It feels half-baked and underwhelming.
Furthermore, the haptic motor is of good quality, but the haptic feedback implementation is weak and inconsistent throughout the UI. Taps don’t feel satisfying, and typing lacks the premium feedback many users expect even from mid-range devices now. I think nothing should work on feedback implementation throughout the UI in future updates, which will enhance the overall user experience.
🔋 Battery: Reliable, But Slow to Charge
With a 5000 mAh battery and 33W charging, the endurance is impressive. I easily got through a day of moderate to heavy use. But the charging speed is slow by today’s standards, taking around 1 hour and 50 minutes to go from 10 to 100%, and sometimes even more than 2 hours. Other brands in this price range offer 67W or even 120W charging.
This could be improved, even if only by reducing charging time to under 60 minutes, which would be enough.
🧠 After 30 Days: The Verdict
After a full month with the CMF Phone 2 Pro, here’s where I stand:
✅ Pros:
- Gorgeous AMOLED display with high brightness and color accuracy
- Clean, fast software with minimal bloat
- Strong build with a distinctive design
- Good daylight photography and usable 2X telephoto
- Long battery life
- Solid update cycle and bug fix turnaround (as noted with Infinix-like dedication)
❌ Cons:
- Weak mono speaker, not fit for immersive audio
- Essential Key and Essential Space lack purpose
- Camera color shift and average low-light output
- Haptic feedback implementation isn’t very good
- No Solid IP rating, slow charging compared to the competition
- Feels like an unfinished product in some areas
🧩 Is it worth ₹18,999?
Yes and no. This phone will amaze you if you like clean software, simple designs, and a great display. But if you make content, love music, or need consistent camera and tactile feedback, this phone might not be enough for you.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro feels like a canvas with potential, but not the final masterpiece.
Also read: CMF Phone 2 Pro detailed review
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