The Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro, launched last month at an attractive $279 price point, has garnered significant attention for its playful design and respectable specifications. Naturally, this budget-friendly Android phone caught the eye of popular tech YouTuber Zack Nelson, also known as JerryRigEverything, who recently put the device through his rigorous durability test. This analysis explores the phone’s performance under extreme conditions, providing insights into its overall robustness.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro’s display demonstrated commendable scratch resistance in Nelson’s testing. The screen, constructed with Panda Glass—a material comparable to Corning’s Gorilla Glass—is engineered to withstand scratches while maintaining drop protection and touch sensitivity. This makes the phone’s display reasonably resilient against everyday wear and tear.
Moving on to the frame, the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s plastic construction fared less well against a box cutter. As expected, the plastic frame offered minimal protection against the sharp blade, highlighting a potential vulnerability. This underscores the importance of keeping sharp objects away from the device.
The phone’s plastic orange back also proved susceptible to scratching, as Nelson demonstrated by etching a carrot design onto the surface. This further emphasizes the plastic nature of the phone’s exterior and its vulnerability to sharp implements.
The burn test, involving exposure to a naked flame, assessed the durability of the 6.77-inch AMOLED display. Impressively, the screen held up remarkably well, withstanding prolonged exposure to the flame with minimal damage, a testament to its robust construction.
Finally, the bend test, while not scientific, offered insights into the phone’s structural integrity. Nelson’s hands-on approach revealed some flexing under pressure, but the CMF Phone 2 Pro remained intact and functional, avoiding the catastrophic failures seen in some other handsets. This indicates a solid structural design despite the phone’s budget-friendly price.
In conclusion, the Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro demonstrates a reasonable degree of durability, particularly considering its affordable price point. While the plastic frame and back are prone to scratching, the resilient display and robust structural integrity are notable strengths. Nelson himself praised the phone’s innovation and affordability, expressing anticipation for future CMF devices.
