The CMF Phone 2 Pro builds on its predecessor’s success with upgraded cameras, improved performance, and new features. At £219, it offers exceptional value.
Table of Contents
Introducing the CMF Phone 2 Pro
The CMF Phone 2 Pro has arrived, and it’s poised to shake up the budget smartphone market in 2025. Building on the success of last year’s CMF Phone 1, which introduced an innovative ecosystem of screw-in accessories, the Phone 2 Pro aims to deliver even more value at a slightly higher price point of £219. Let’s dive into what makes this device so compelling and whether it lives up to the hype.
Unboxing and Accessories
The CMF Phone 2 Pro comes with an impressive array of accessories right out of the box:
- A new combination wallet and stand
- Interchangeable camera lenses
- A universal cover
- A lanyard
- Two new earphone options: Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus
The wallet and stand combo is an interesting concept, combining two useful accessories into one. The interchangeable lenses are a particularly exciting addition, offering new creative possibilities for mobile photography.
The universal cover feels a bit flimsy compared to the premium feel of the phone itself. The lanyard is surprisingly thick and sturdy, almost feeling like it could tow a car.
Buds 2 and Buds 2 Plus
Both new earphone options impress with their sound quality and features:
- Buds 2 (£39):
- Basic design but surprisingly good sound
- Very bassy and clear audio
- Decent active noise cancellation
- Auto-pause feature when removed
- Responsive touch controls
- Buds 2 Plus (£49):
- Slightly better in all aspects
- Smoother texture with metal accents
- Improved sound and noise cancellation
- Impressive 61.5-hour battery life
Both earphone options receive a 9.5/10 rating, offering exceptional value for their price points.
Design and Build Quality
Compared to its predecessor, the CMF Phone 2 Pro features several refinements:
- Addition of a third camera
- New “essential key” button on the side
- 5% thinner and lighter body
- More curved edges for improved ergonomics
The phone comes in different color options, each with a unique finish. The orange variant stands out as the best choice, offering a superior look and feel compared to the glass-like finishes of the green and black models.
Changes to the Modular Design
While the Phone 2 Pro retains the screw-based system for accessories, there are some significant changes:
- The back plate is now glued to the phone, improving slimness and water resistance (IP54 rating)
- This change means the back and sides are no longer easily replaceable
- A new universal cover is required for using the interchangeable lenses and magnetic wallet/stand
These changes come with pros and cons. The improved water resistance and slimmer design are welcome, but the loss of easy repairability and the need for an additional cover to use certain accessories may disappoint some users.
Display and Audio
The CMF Phone 2 Pro impresses with its display quality:
- AMOLED panel
- 120 Hz refresh rate (adaptive)
- Even bezels around the edges
- High-end viewing experience comparable to flagship devices
While the single mono speaker may not match the display’s quality, it does offer a unique “ultra volume” feature:
- Allows volume to be increased 50% above the normal maximum
- Noticeable difference in loudness
- Should not damage the speaker if used sparingly
Performance and Battery Life
The Phone 2 Pro delivers smooth performance that belies its budget price tag:
- MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chip (5-10% faster than previous model)
- 8GB of RAM in the base model
- Capable of running most games on medium settings
- Optimized software for a fluid experience
Battery life is excellent:
- 5,000 mAh capacity (same as previous model)
- More efficient display and software
- Up to 7.5 hours of screen-on time
- Potential for 2-day battery life with moderate use
Also Check : Honor Power: The Mid-Range Smartphone with an 8000 mAh Battery
Software and Features
The CMF Phone 2 Pro runs on Nothing OS, which remains light on bloatware and offers a clean user experience. New features include:
- Customizable lock screen widgets
- Smart app drawer for better organization
- Private space for sensitive apps, files, and photos
- Three years of OS updates promised
The Essential Key
A new hardware button called the “essential key” adds unique functionality:
- Single press: Take a screenshot with note-taking option
- Long press: Take a screenshot with voice command option
- Double tap: Open the “essential space”
The essential space aims to be a central hub for saving and organizing information from various apps. While the concept is promising, the current implementation feels a bit convoluted and unreliable. With further refinement, this feature could become a standout selling point.
Camera System
The camera setup on the CMF Phone 2 Pro sees significant upgrades:
Main Camera
- 50MP sensor (same resolution as before)
- Substantially larger sensor size
- Improved brightness, crispness, and depth in photos
Ultrawide Camera
- New 8MP ultrawide replaces the previous assisting camera
- Typical quality for its price range
Telephoto Camera
- New 50MP 2x telephoto lens
- Enables better zoom capabilities
- Improves portrait mode quality
While not quite reaching flagship levels, the camera system performs impressively for its price point. Some limitations include:
- Noticeable lag when using the camera
- Lack of optical image stabilization causing some jitteriness
- Occasional over or underexposure due to less advanced image processing
Interchangeable Lenses
The CMF Phone 2 Pro introduces two attachable lenses:
- Fisheye Lens
- Turns the main camera into an ultrawide
- Similar field of view to the built-in ultrawide camera
- Allows for ultrawide shots with main camera quality
- Some softness around the edges
- Macro Lens
- Enables very close-up photography
- High-quality results compared to typical budget macro cameras
- Allows for detailed close-up shots not possible with the standard setup
These lenses add versatility to the camera system, though they require the use of the universal cover to attach.
Value Proposition
The CMF Phone 2 Pro offers exceptional value for its £219 price tag. It improves upon its predecessor in several key areas:
- Upgraded camera system
- Improved performance
- Refined design
- New software features
While the changes to the accessory ecosystem may disappoint some fans of the original model, the core phone experience has seen significant enhancements. The device manages to deliver a user experience that often feels more like a mid-range or even high-end smartphone.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent value for money
- Impressive display quality
- Strong battery life
- Significantly improved camera system
- Smooth performance
- Clean, optimized software
Cons:
- Changes to modular design limit repairability
- New accessories require use of universal cover
- Some new features (like the essential key) need refinement
- Camera still shows some limitations compared to flagships
Conclusion
The CMF Phone 2 Pro builds upon the success of its predecessor, offering substantial improvements in key areas while maintaining an attractive price point. While some changes to the accessory system may be controversial, the core smartphone experience has been significantly enhanced.
For budget-conscious consumers or those looking for a capable secondary device, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is an easy recommendation. It delivers performance, features, and quality that often exceed expectations for its price range, making it a standout option in the 2025 smartphone market.
Whether you’re a fan of the original CMF Phone or new to the brand, the Phone 2 Pro offers a compelling package that’s hard to ignore. Its combination of solid hardware, thoughtful software, and innovative features make it a strong contender for the title of best budget smartphone of the year.
Image Credit: Nothing