CMF Phone 2 Pro review: A better-built budget phone

If you're one of the many left scratching their heads over the brand in the headline above, the short version is that CMF is the budget-friendly branch of the same startup responsible for the Nothing Phone. Initially, this boutique brand focused on affordable accessories like headphones and wearables. However, it didn't take long before Nothing returned to its roots with the thrifty CMF Phone 1.

Despite being designed by a manufacturer that most Aussies have never heard of, the CMF Phone 1 was one of the most compelling budget phones in years. It had a distinct look, a mod-friendly design and surprisingly smooth software experience. Throw in some solid specs and the performance to match it, plus the competitive price and it's little wonder that the budget-friendly handset proved to be an easy recommendation.

The inevitable follow-up is more expensive, but Nothing have put in the work when it comes to earning that $50 increase in recommended retail pricing. The CMF Phone 2 is easily the best phone you can buy for $449. If Nothing's first stab at an ultra-affordable smartphone put brands like Motorola on notice, the second commits itself to taking a solid swing at the aforementioned titans of thrifty smartphones.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro looks similar enough to its predecessor that you could confuse the two at a glance. Look a little closer and the differences don't take too long to distinguish. Where the first-generation CMF Phone opted for more ruggedised build, the second-generation model pivots towards premium. Even if I'm not the biggest fan of the way that the plastic back of the device looks like frosted glass, it's hard to deny it isn't a great complement to the aluminum camera module casing and stainless steel screws.

All told, the hardware here is impressive for the asking price. On the outside, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is built around a larger 6.77-inch 1080p AMOLED display clocked at 120Hz. Although the pixel density is slightly lower than the CMF Phone 1, the panel itself is both brighter and larger than its predecessors.

That's not the only aspect of the experience here where Nothing are giving you a little bit more bang for your buck. The CMF Phone 2 Pro is 12g lighter and 0.4mm thinner than its predecessor. It also ups the ante to IP54 splash resistance and amends the omission of NFC connectivity seen with that device.

Like the CMF Phone 1, the Phone 2 Pro also includes support for modular accessories. Although many of the official accessories are unconfirmed for the Australian market at this time, Nothing is also making an effort to encourage modders (escecially those with 3D printers) to make the device their own. There are no guarantees that community will take advantage of that opportunity but given the success that the CMF Phone 1 had on this front I wouldn't be in a rush to bet against it.

The only part of the CMF Phone 2 Pro that's a real miss for me is the dedicated AI shortcut key. A big part of the problem is it's placement next to the power key. During my time testing the device, it felt like I can constantly triggering it by mistake.

Still, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is far from the only smartphone offering a fast-track to AI-powered assistance and, by comparison to some of its competition, Nothing's implementation of this feature can come across as a little more thoughtful. Even so, I do just wish that remapping it was officially supported.

In a world where that was the case, I could easily imagine myself making it a shortcut for the camera on the back of the CMF Phone 2 Pro. It's easy to make the argument that this inclusion is the biggest improvement this device has over its predecessor. While the previous model offered up a 50MP main lens and a 2MP depth sensor, the follow-up features a more rounded setup that consists of a 50MP primary lens, a 50MP telephoto lens and an 8MP ultrawide lens.

In practice, I was genuinely really impressed with what the CMF Phone 2 had to offer when it came to smartphone photography. It's not likely to win out in a head-to-head against the likes of the iPhone 16e or the Pixel 9a. However, when it to most daylight situations and comparisons to other sub-$500 device, it's very easy to like.

The camera on the back of the CMF Phone 2 Pro proved to be equal parts versatile and reliable. In daylight situations, it delivered sharp and colorful images that I was most than happy to post to my socials. Low-light performance was a little more uneven but I wouldn't hesitate to say the hit rate was much higher than other devices I've tested around this price point. I had to work a little bit to get good results out in some situations. However, I didn't have to work that hard.

On the inside, the new CMF Phone 2 Pro offers a revised take on the formula laid out by its predecessor. It's kitted out with an updated 'Pro' version of the same MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G processor found in the CMF Phone 1 plus the usual 8GB of RAM. The cheapest version of the device ships with 128GB of on-board storage. However, if you want more storage, a more expensive model with 256GB is also available.

Those who pick up the CMF Phone 2 Pro can look forward to three years of OS updates and six years of security updates. This is well above what other Android manufacturers like Samsung and Motorola offer around this price-point but short of what you can expect from more ambitious mid-rangers like Google's own Pixel 9a.

In other words, the only major internal change here is the processor. Fortunately, it's for the better. The CMF Phone 1 sometimes feel short but I had no issues using this as my daily driver. Apps loaded fast, the Nothing OS skin didn't get in my way and multitasking was a dream.

What's more, where the original CMF Phone 1 offered surprisingly good gaming performance, the follow-up delivers that and then some.Even if you're not going to run AAA games on the hardware here, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Diablo Immortal and Zenless Zone Zero all ran smoothly and without issues.

As for battery life, the CMF Phone 2 Pro comes with a 5000mAh battery. Size-wise, that's on par with the one inside the CMF Phone 1. Nothing claims that difference in processor should equate to an extra hour of everyday use. In reality, I think it actually works out to be even better. I could comfortably make it through two days of regular usage on a single charge with the CMF Phone 2 Pro.

Even if it does run dry, the device supports 33W wired charging so you'll be topped up before too long. The CMF Phone 2 Pro doesn't support proper wireless charging but it does have 5W support for reverse wireless charging, which is weird but welcome in a handset this thrifty.