Nothing has officially launched the CMF Phone 2 Pro in India, marking its second smartphone release under the CMF sub-brand. Positioned as a budget-friendly alternative to its mainstream offerings, the Phone 2 Pro arrives with a host of meaningful upgrades that aim to improve on its predecessor in key areas such as design, performance, and camera capabilities. With a starting price of Rs 18,999, it offers compelling features that might make it one of the best value-for-money phones in its segment.

Key Highlights

Launched in India starting at Rs 18,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model

Second CMF-branded phone from Nothing

Available from May 5 via official channels

Triple-camera setup with 50MP primary, 50MP telephoto, and 8MP ultra-wide

MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset for enhanced performance

33W charger included in the box, a rarity today

IP54 rating for improved durability

Design and Build

The CMF Phone 2 Pro features a refined design that leans toward a more premium aesthetic. The mint green variant comes with a shimmering back texture and sleeker profile — just 7.8mm in thickness, making it Nothing’s thinnest phone to date. While the design retains elements of the industrial look seen in the CMF Phone 1, including exposed screws and modular visual cues, it feels more mature and less experimental. Importantly, the IP54 rating represents an improvement over the IP52 protection found in the first model.

Display: Bigger, Brighter, Better

The phone sports a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 3,000 nits, a noticeable jump from the previous generation. Slimmer bezels and a near-invisible chin contribute to a more immersive viewing experience. Panda glass protection ensures better scratch resistance, making it a strong multimedia performer for its price range.

Performance and Software

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset, the Phone 2 Pro offers up to 10% performance improvement over its predecessor. Although it features the same core architecture as the Dimensity 7300, optimisations under the hood aim to deliver smoother performance, particularly in gaming scenarios. The phone supports 120fps gaming in select titles like BGMI, catering to more demanding users. Our early impressions suggest a responsive UI and fast app switching, though a full evaluation will follow in the complete review.

Camera Capabilities: A Major Leap

One of the standout features of the CMF Phone 2 Pro is its camera system. It boasts a 50MP primary sensor — the same one found in the higher-end Nothing Phone 3a — accompanied by a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and up to 20x digital zoom, and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with a 119.5-degree field of view. Compared to the single-camera setup in the CMF Phone 1, this marks a dramatic improvement. Early shots suggest better detail, dynamic range, and versatility, but further real-world testing is needed to confirm long-term performance.

Essential Key: Smart Convenience or Gimmick?

A notable addition is the Essential key, which uses AI to extract and organise relevant information from your screenshots and images. While it sounds handy, the functionality remains limited and may feel like a novelty rather than a game-changing feature. It is a step forward in utility but needs further refinement to become indispensable.

Added Value: Accessories in the Box

One of the most refreshing aspects of the CMF Phone 2 Pro is its inclusion of a 33W charger and a transparent case in the box — a welcome move in an era when many brands skip these essentials. According to Nothing India’s head, this inclusion is being “tried out” and not guaranteed for future models, making it a value-added bonus for early adopters.

Conclusion

The Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro is more than just a marginal upgrade — it’s a thoughtfully improved successor that addresses the shortcomings of its predecessor. With a better display, upgraded camera system, refined design, and slight performance enhancements, it offers serious bang for your buck. While some features like the Essential key need polish, the phone’s overall package appears promising. We’ll reserve our final verdict for the full review, but early impressions suggest that Nothing is getting closer to perfecting the budget smartphone formula.

Stay tuned for our in-depth performance and camera review coming soon.