In a market where smartphones increasingly lean into excessive specs and often bloated features, Nothing’s sub-brand CMF has taken a refreshingly minimalist yet thoughtful approach with its latest device: the CMF Phone 2 Pro. Aimed at users who value a refined, distraction-free experience, the Phone 2 Pro manages to elevate the essentials while keeping its user interface and hardware clean, efficient, and purposeful.

A Design That Speaks Less but Says More

From the moment you unbox the CMF Phone 2 Pro, it’s clear that Nothing’s design language remains intact. The device features a sleek, matte-finished back panel with subtle color accents—available in Graphite Grey, Rust Orange, and Snow White—giving it a modern yet understated aesthetic. The signature circular camera module returns, this time more flush with the back, reducing wobble and improving pocketability.

Weighing just under 180 grams and measuring 7.6 mm in thickness, the phone feels both light and solid, with excellent ergonomics that make one-handed use genuinely feasible again.

Display and Performance: Where Efficiency Meets Enjoyment

The Phone 2 Pro houses a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, offering crisp visuals, excellent color reproduction, and smooth scrolling. Whether streaming content or gaming casually, the display remains a highlight of the device, offering clarity without the battery drain of higher-resolution panels.

Under the hood, the device runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Pro, an efficient mid-premium chipset that provides snappy performance across daily tasks, multitasking, and moderate gaming. With 8GB/12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB/256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, users can expect a reliable experience with minimal lag or slowdown.

Benchmarks may not break records, but real-world usage reveals a phone that does exactly what it needs to—no frills, no gimmicks.

Software: Clean, Fast, and Customizable

The CMF Phone 2 Pro ships with Nothing OS 3.0, built atop Android 14. The software remains bloat-free, offering a stock-like experience with a few thoughtful additions, such as customizable icon packs, refined glyph-like visual cues, and deeper integration with CMF ecosystem products like the Watch Pro and Buds Neo.

A major focus for Nothing with this release has been "intentional simplicity," and it shows. Notifications are managed better, animations are smoother, and even power-user features like parallel apps and advanced privacy controls are subtly integrated without cluttering the UI.

Camera: Capable Where It Counts

On the back, the CMF Phone 2 Pro features a dual-camera setup: a 50MP primary sensor with optical image stabilization and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. While not a flagship-grade imaging system, it produces well-balanced shots with accurate color, good dynamic range, and reliable performance in low-light conditions thanks to the Night Mode improvements.

The 16MP front camera also performs well for selfies and video calls, maintaining natural skin tones and adequate sharpness.

Battery and Charging: Efficiency First

Equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, the Phone 2 Pro easily lasts a full day and a half with moderate usage. Fast charging is handled via 45W wired support, which powers the device from 0 to 70% in just 30 minutes. Wireless charging is notably absent, but at this price point, it’s a fair trade-off.

Verdict: When Less Is Just Right

In a sea of overengineered devices, the CMF Phone 2 Pro stands out by focusing on what truly matters to the average user: clean design, dependable performance, and user-friendly software. By refining rather than reinventing, Nothing has created a device that enhances the core smartphone experience without overcomplicating things.

Pros:

• Clean, lightweight software experience

• Stylish, minimalist design

• Excellent display and battery life

• Solid camera performance for the price

Cons:

• No wireless charging

• Lacks IP rating

• Not for power users or gamers needing flagship-tier specs

At a starting price of $399, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is ideal for users seeking a balance of form and function without the fluff.