CMF vs Nothing: What’s the Difference?

Nothing broke ground in 2020, with former OnePlus CEO Carl Pei at the helm, promising that his new consumer tech brand was there to “make tech fun again”. Four years on, and we’ve come to expect great things from the company, which has produced a distinctive portfolio of design-led products; from true wireless headphones to smartphones and even apparel.

Beyond striking aesthetics and an emphasis on a great user experience, Nothing’s products have all contributed to delivering respectable value for money compared to their target competitors. So when Pei – during the company’s Q2 2023 update – introduced CMF to the world, with a similar set of core principles behind it, many were understandably left scratching their heads over the purpose of this new sub-brand. How was it different from Nothing, and how could the two coexist in the future?

Fortunately, since the launch of CMF, the brand has had more opportunity to show what it can do on its own; what aspects complement those of parent brand Nothing, and how it plans to further differentiate itself. If you’re looking for a clearer overview of the similarities and differences between CMF and Nothing, and how one brand effectively operates from the other, read on.

What does CMF stand for?

As for the name, product designers will almost certainly be familiar with the term; an acronym for ‘colour, material (and) finish’, which refers to the surface treatments given to products as part of the design and development process. In the context of the brand, the name is intended to reflect the focus on high-quality product design.

What is the similarity between CMF and Nothing?

Mike Sawh

Both Nothing and CMF primarily target consumer audiences and offer a similar range of core products that revolve around mobile technology. To quote from both brands’ mission statements, CMF says its focus is on delivering an “unlimited user experience (and) cutting-edge technology (that) is accessible to everyone”. While Nothing states that its business is about “design innovation, pushing boundaries, premium, transparency, high-quality components, (the) best performance (and) the latest technology”.

When asked directly by Nothing, the company told TechAdvisor that both brands have a strong focus on design, high quality, attention to detail, user experience, and community, all of which align nicely with the key components of both brands’ statements above. As mentioned, both brands also offer a similar range of products, with headphones and now smartphones making up both brands’ product portfolios. CMF’s first smartphone – the CMF Phone (1) – runs the same, familiar Android-based Nothing OS user experience as Nothing’s own phones; most recently seen on the Nothing Phone (2a).

What is the difference between CMF and Nothing?

Alfonso Casas / Foundry

While both brands focus on aspects such as design, user experience and the use of the latest technology, there is a clear demarcation in the target groups they focus on. This directly influences the products they create.

Nothing uses terms like “pushing boundaries,” “premium,” “transparency,” “higher-end components,” and “best-in-class performance” when talking about its products. Transparency, in fact, is a defining characteristic of Nothing’s portfolio of products that is simply not present on CMF products. These terms are also reflected in the choice of internal hardware and the feature sets of its various phones and earbuds, which are designed to compete with more expensive, high-end rivals.

Lucas Bakker

CMF’s goal of making technology “accessible to everyone” is best reflected in its pricing, which is well below that of comparable products from Nothing, and its functionality has been scaled back proportionately.

To boil it down to basics, CMF is a budget brand, while Nothing is more focused on the mid-range.

What products does CMF currently sell?

For comparison, here’s the current (at the time of writing) list of products currently selling under the CMF brand, including prices in major regions (accessories like chargers and cases are not included):

CMF Phone (1) – £209 / €239 / $199
CMF Buds Pro 2 – £59 / €59 / $59
CMF Buds Pro – £49
CMF Buttons – £39 / $39
CMF Neckband Pro – ₹2,499
CMF Watch Pro 2 – £69 / €69 / $69
CMF Watch Pro – £69

What products does Nothing currently sell?

When you compare the current product lines of CMF and Nothing, it becomes clear how the former ranks below the latter in every category they both operate in.

Nothing Phone (2) – from £579 / €649 / $599
Nothing Phone (2a) – from £319 / €329
Nothing Ear – £129 / €149 / $149
Nothing Ear (a) – £99 / €99 / $99

We’ve also seen Nothing evolve into a holistic lifestyle brand, with clothing and collaborations with brands like Sampha and Swedish House Mafia.

What is better? CMF or nothing?

Martyn Casserly

It’s hopefully clear by now that while both brands share many of the same core values, the differences between the two are there to give consumers more choice. Nothing’s products are for those who want something a little more premium, but by buying CMF you know you’re getting a device that still lives up to its parent company’s values in design, build quality and user experience, while delivering devices at a more affordable price point.