CMF vs Nothing: What’s the difference?

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

Along with eye-catching aesthetics and an emphasis on a great user experience, Nothing’s products have all shared in serving up a respectable value-for-money proposition against their target competitors. So when – during the company’s 2023 Q2 update – Pei introduced CMF to the world, with a similar set of core tenets behind it, many were understandably left scratching their heads as to the purpose of this new sub-brand. In what ways was it different from Nothing, and how might the two co-exist going forward.

Thankfully, in the time since CMF’s launch, the marque has had more of a chance to show what it’s capable of in its own right; what aspects complement that of parent brand Nothing and how it intends to further set itself apart. If you’re after a clearer breakdown of the similarities and differences between CMF and Nothing, and how one brand effectively operates from within the other, read on.

What does CMF stand for?

As far as the name goes, product designers will almost certainly already be familiar with the term; an acronym for ‘colour, material [and] finish’, which is in reference to the surface treatments given to products as part of the design and development process. In the context of brand, the name is intended to reflect its focus on high quality product design.

How are CMF and Nothing similar?

Both Nothing and CMF primarily cater to consumer audiences, offering up a similar array of core products that centre around mobile technology. To crib from each brand’s mission statements, CMF says that its focus is on providing an “uncompromised user experience [and] cutting-edge technology [that’s] accessible to everyone”. While Nothing states that its business revolves around “design innovation, pushing boundaries, premium, transparency, higher-end components, [the] best performance [and the] latest technology”.

In asking Nothing directly, the company told TechAdvisor that both brands place a heavy focus on design, high quality, attention to detail, user experience and community, all of which aligns well with key parts of each brand’s statements above. As mentioned earlier, both also offer up a similar set of products, with headphones and now smartphones among 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).

How are CMF and Nothing different?

Although both brands focus on aspects like design, user experience, and use of the latest technology, there is a clear delineation in the target audiences that each is catering to, which directly affects the products they create.

Nothing uses terms like ‘pushing boundaries’, ‘premium’, ‘transparency’, ‘higher-end components’, and ‘[the] best performance’ when talking about its products. In fact, transparency is a portfolio-defining attribute of Nothing’s wares that simply isn’t 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 pricier, high-end rivals.

CMF’s aim of making technology “accessible to everyone” is best reflected in its pricing, which sits well below equivalent products from Nothing, and functionality is proportionally scaled back too.

To boil it down to the very basics, CMF is the budget brand, while Nothing aims more squarely at the mid-tier market.

What products does CMF currently sell?

For a little context, here are the current (at the time of writing) list of products currently sold under the CMF brand; including their pricing in key regions (this list excludes accessories like chargers and cases):

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

What products does Nothing currently sell?

Seeing CMF’s and Nothing’s current product lines side by side highlights how the former sits beneath the latter in each category in which they both operate.

• 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 push to become a more holistic lifestyle brand, with apparel and partnerships with the likes of Sampha and Swedish House Mafia.

Which is better? CMF or Nothing?

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