Nothing’s CMF has forayed into the smartphone segment with the CMF Phone 1. The CMF Phone 1 is the first affordable mid-range smartphone under Nothing’s portfolio. The phone is priced in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment and faces fierce competition from other dominating brands in the segment like Redmi, Realme, and Vivo.
In this post, let us compare the specifications of the CMF Phone 1 with the Redmi Note 13 5G to see if Nothing has managed to produce a better value-for-money offering than Xiaomi.
The CMF Phone 1 is cheaper if the 6GB+128GB variant of both these devices is compared. However, readers must note that the CMF Phone 1 retail box doesn’t include a charging adapter. The company sells its CMF Power 33W Fast Charger for Rs 1,299. This will be an added cost if one doesn’t have a USB Type-C adapter.
Also, the Redmi Note 13 5G was launched six months ago, so there is a high chance you might be able to get it at a discounted price during sales.
CMF Phone 1 vs Redmi Note 13 5G: Design
The CMF Phone 1 comes with an interchangeable rear panel, attached to the chassis with four exposed screws. The bottom right of the device has an Accessory Point, which allows users to attach a Card Case, Stand, or Lanyard. The smartphone weighs ~200 grams and is IP52-rated. It is available in four colour options: Orange, Blue, Light Green, and Black. The Orange and Blue colour variants have a vegan leather finish.
The Redmi Note 13 5G features an IP54rating and weighs around 175 grams. It has a glass back and is available in four colours: Chromatic Purple, Arctic White, Stealth Black, and Prism Gold.
The CMF Phone 1, with its interchangeable rear panels and exposed screws, offers a unique design. Moreover, the Accessory Point provides users with an option to use several accessories with their phones. The CMF Phone 1 is a clear winner when it comes to design.
CMF Phone 1 vs Redmi Note 13 5G: Display
CMF Phone 1 features a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED LTPS screen with 8-bit colour depth, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, Full HD+ (1080×2400 pixels) resolution, 395ppi pixel density, 700nits typical brightness, 2000nitspeak brightness, 960Hz PWM dimming, 10,00,000: 1 contrast ratio, and HDR 10+ support.
The Redmi Note 13 5G flaunts a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with 10-bit colour depth, a Full HD+ ((1080×2400 pixels) resolution, 500nits typical brightness, 1000nits peak brightness, 1920HzPWM dimming, 50,00,000: 1 contrast ratio, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The CMF Phone 1 has a brighter display with up to 2000 nits peak brightness. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 13 comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection and has a 10-bit display. So, it depends on the user preference; if high peak brightness numbers matter to you, the CMF Phone 1 can be your choice.
CMF Phone 1 vs Redmi Note 13 5G: Performance
The CMF Phone 1 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor, fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm process. It has an integrated Mali-G615 GPU, up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage.
The Redmi Note 13 5G is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SoC, manufactured on TSMC’s 6nm process. The handset brings a Mali G57 GPU, up to 12GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 512GB UFS 2.2 storage.
The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 outperforms the Dimensity 6080, which gives the CMF Phone 1 an edge over the competition. Take a look at the synthetic benchmark scores of both these devices.
CMF Phone 1
642,898
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13
453,830
AnTuTu Overall benchmark score analysis
CMF Phone 1
1,015
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13
737
Geekbench single-core benchmark score analysis
CMF Phone 1
2,867
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13
1,905
Geekbench multi-core benchmark score analysis
CMF Phone 1 vs Redmi Note 13 5G: Software
The CMF Phone 1 comes pre-loaded with Nothing OS 2.6 based on Android 14. Nothing has promised three years of software support including two Android OS upgrades.
The Redmi Note 13 5G has MIUI 14 based on Android 13 earlier this year. The company has upgraded the device to Android 14-based HyperOS but its update policy isn’t clear.
Here, the CMF Phone 1 turns out to be a winner since NothingOS offers several nifty customisations and widgets.
CMF Phone 1 vs Redmi Note 13 5G: Cameras
The CMF Phone 1 has a dual-rear camera setup, including a 50MP Sony IMX882 camera with a 1/1.95-inch sensor size, an f/1.8 aperture, and EIS. It is accompanied by a 2MP portrait camera with an f/2.4 aperture. The handset has a 16MP front shooter with a 1/3.1-inch sensor size and an f/2.45 aperture.
The Redmi Note 13 5G offers a triple-rear camera setup, which includes a 108MP primary camera with an f/1.75 aperture. Accompanying it is an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The handset features a 16MP front shooter.
The Redmi Note 13 5G comes with an ultra-wide camera, resulting in a more versatile camera setup than the CMF Phone. It also has a higher-resolution rear camera, which gives it an advantage over the competition.
The CMF Phone 1 has a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. It also supports 5W reverse wired charging.
The Redmi Note 13 5G offers a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. The retail box contains a 33W fast charging adapter.
The Redmi Note 13 5G and CMF Phone 1 have similar battery specifications. However, the CMF Phone 1 retail box doesn’t include a charging adapter which gives the Redmi Note 13 5G an advantage.
CMF Phone 1 vs Redmi Note 13 5G: Verdict
The CMF Phone 1 is a breath of fresh air, thanks to the interchangeable rear panels with exposed screws and the Accessory Point. It offers one of the most powerful processors in the segment and comes with NothingOS. The smartphone has a 120Hz AMOLED display, a big battery, and fast enough charging, making it an enticing choice. However, the lack of an ultra-wide camera and the exclusion of a charging adapter might disappoint the prospective buyers.
The Redmi Note 13 5G is a more balanced smartphone but has a weaker processor and the company hasn’t specified the software support policy. It offers an ultra-wide camera and features an IP54 dust and water-resistant rating. It also has a 120Hz AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection but comes with a standard industrial design.
