The Nothing sub-brand CMF Phone 1 has been launched in India. It is priced below ₹20,000 and essentially plays in the same segment as the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite which was launched recently. On the inside, you’re getting comparable hardware to what’s in the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite despite the CMF Phone being sold for an absolute pittance.
CMF Phone 1 vs OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite
Design
The CMF Phone 1 has no Glyph Interface, but it is designed with interchangeable back covers held by screws and a rotating wheel for accessories. This feels firm with an IP52 rating for splash resistance. The Nord CE 4 Lite comes with a pared-back design, a smooth gloss finish that is also a fingerprint magnet, and IP54 dust and water resistance. CMF Phone 1 is more flexible in design as well.
Display
The CMF Phone 1 has a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED LTPS screen with a high refresh rate of 120Hz and acceptable outdoor performance since it handles direct sunlight well. The Nord CE 4 Lite has a 6.59-inch OLED panel that should be easier to read outdoors and share a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate as well. For their price, both will give you an adequate viewing experience.
Performance
The CMF Phone 1 has a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC present on the phone with up to 8GB RAM and up to 2TB internal storage which supports expandable memory along with a Micro SD card slot. It scores better in benchmarks and gaming performance as compared to the Nord CE 4 Lite with Snapdragon 695 SoC paired with 6GB+128GB.
Camera
CMF Phone 1 has a main camera of 50MP, an Ultra-wide camera with 8MP, and a front-selfie Camera of 16MP. It provides colors that look like they do in real life but low light sharpness is problematic. The Nord CE 4 Lite features a 64MP main camera, 2MP macro lens, and 2MP depth sensor, along with a 16MP front camera. It has high saturation and struggles with consistency in low light.
Battery and Software
The CMF Phone 1 battery is rated at just 4,500mAh but supports up to fast charging of 33W. The Nord CE 4 Lite runs on a bigger 5,000mAh battery that quickly charges up to 80W. The Nothing OS 2.6 sitting atop Android 14 on the CMF Phone 1 brings with it customizable themes along with ChatGPT integration. The Nord CE 4 runs on Android 14-based OxygenOS 14. Both phones support two years of OS upgrades and three years of security patches.
Verdict
The CMF Phone 1 offers better specifications than the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite at a much lower starting price. Besides superior hardware configuration, it also provides a more versatile design with additional accessories. The only significant advantage of the Nord CE 4 Lite is the faster 80W charger included in the box, although the charging time difference between the two devices is minimal.
FAQs
What makes the CMF Phone 1 unique?
The CMF Phone 1 stands out with its customizable design, including interchangeable back panels and a rotating wheel for accessories. It also features a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED LTPS display, MediaTek Dimensity 1100 SoC, and runs on Nothing OS 2.6 based on Android 14.
How does the battery performance of the CMF Phone 1 compare to the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite?
The CMF Phone 1 has a 4,500mAh battery with 33W fast charging, offering longer usage times. In comparison, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite boasts a larger 5,000mAh battery with faster 80W charging, emphasizing quicker recharge times.
