Nothing's new CMF Phone 2 Pro and Buds 2 lineup is both aesthetic and affordable

Summary

Nothing sub-brand CMF has launched a new lineup of devices: the CMF Phone 2 Pro, the Buds 2, the Buds 2 Plus, and the Buds 2a.
Pre-orders are available as of April 28, and units are expected to be delivered starting on May 6.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro will be ready available in Europe, but the US release is being conducted via a more limited Nothing beta program.

Nothing
sub-brand CMF has officially launched its next-generation lineup of devices, which includes the CMF Phone 2 Pro, the Buds 2, the Buds 2 Plus, and the Buds 2a. As with previous CMF-branded hardware, these new devices focus on providing a unique external design language at a surprisingly affordable price point.

The Phone 2 Pro maintains its predecessor’s claim to fame —

a system of modular accessories
— with some slight tweaks to the formula. Rather than removing the phone’s backplate to screw add-ons into place, the 2 Pro first requires you to attach a cover (sold separately) onto the handset’s rear.

Once properly adhered to, the dedicated CMF Phone 2 Pro cover opens up access to a magnetic kickstand and wallet hybrid accessory, as well as external fisheye and macro camera lens accessories that can be popped on and off. The existing lanyard loop, which launched with

the original CMF Phone
, is the only accessory that doesn’t require an additional cover to interface with the handset.

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In terms of specs, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G processor, and ships with a large 6.77-inch 1080 x 2392 AMOLED display panel. The phone offers a triple rear-camera setup, including a 50-megapixel wide-angle shooter, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens, and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. IP54

water and dust resistance
is also on deck, up from the original CMF Phone’s IP52 rating.

In terms of pricing and availability, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is officially listed at £220 / €250 for the base 8GB of RAM + 128GB of storage configuration, or £250 / €280 for the 8 + 256 variant. Pre-orders are available as of April 28, and units are expected to be delivered starting on May 6. Only the latter configuration is available in the US at launch, and only through Nothing’s Beta Program at a cost of $280. Colorways include white, black, orange, and light green.

For reference, the company is selling a universal cover, interchangeable camera lenses, and a wallet stand in regions such as the EU, the UK, and India.

At this time, there’s no word on whether the unique set of CMF module accessories will make their way to the US. For reference, the company is selling a universal cover, interchangeable camera lenses, and a wallet stand in regions such as the EU, the UK, and India. Other markets are set to receive these accessories sometime “later this year.”

The trio of new CFM earbuds, meanwhile, offer active noise cancellation (ANC), USB-C charging, and a fun design with a rotatable dial on their respective charging cases. The Buds 2a misses out on spatial audio support, while the Buds 2a and Buds 2 both lack the LDAC Hi-fidelity audio support found exclusively on the Buds 2 Plus model. Thankfully, the CMF Buds will be available in America on day one: the Buds 2 are listed at $60, the Buds 2 Plus at $70, and the Buds 2a at $50. As with the Phone 2 Pro, all three Buds models are available for pre-order as of April 28, with a full release slated for May 6.

CMF Phone 2 Pro

The CMF Phone 2 Pro is the latest budget handset from Nothing’s sub-brand CMF. The device offers a unique and refined design, a 5,000 mAh battery pack, and the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G processor.
CMF Buds 2

The CMF Buds 2 are the next-generation affordable wireless earbuds from Nothing sub-brand CMF. The Buds 2 come with Dirac Opteo tuning, 48dB active noise cancellation, and built-in spatial audio.
CMF Buds 2 Plus

The CMF Buds 2 Plus are the next-generation affordable wireless earbuds from Nothing sub-brand CMF. The Buds 2 come standard with Hi-Res LDAC, hearing compensation, and full EQ customization.
CMF Buds 2a

The CMF Buds 2a are the most affordable new wireless earbuds variant from Nothing sub-brand CMF. The Buds 2a come with 42dB active noise cancellation, and a 12.4mm ‘bio-fibre’ driver.

Nothing’s CMF sub-brand is chock-full of character

The CMF Phone 2 Pro and new Buds 2 products are visually striking

Nothing

At first glance, I’m quite fond of the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s aesthetics. As ever, I applaud Nothing for designing a physical product that exudes uniqueness and character. At its asking price of $280, the Phone 2 Pro’s metallic frame and frosted rear panel feels surprisingly premium in the hand. Nothing says the device is the slimmest and lightest phone it’s produced yet, coming in at a thickness of 0.3-inches (7.8mm) thick and a mass of 6.5oz (185g).

Conceptually, I love the idea of a modular smartphone with its own bespoke accessory ecosystem.

Conceptually, I love the idea of a modular smartphone with its own bespoke accessory ecosystem, though the need to purchase a separate back panel is a bit disappointing. Nonetheless, I hope to see these add-ons make their way to North America — I love a good phone kickstand, and the bright orange CMF wallet stand has my name written all over it.

The new lineup of CMF Buds also look compelling for the price, particularly as they all manage to include a baseline of

active noise cancellation
and IP54 water and dust resistance. The charging cases fit right in with the design language of the Phone 2 Pro, and the dedicated dial is a nice visual flourish. I do wish the dial was able to control output volume, but even in its decorative state, I’m happy with its inclusion here.

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