I Used the CMF Phone 1 for 30 Days ! - THE FINAL TRUTH

Summary

In this detailed review of the CAA F1 smartphone, the reviewer shares a month-long testing experience, highlighting both the phone's strengths and weaknesses. While the phone excels in battery performance, providing up to 9 hours of screen-on time, and offers smooth software optimization, it faces durability issues such as scratches on the camera lens and a broken depth sensor. The design is recognized and attractive for its price, but the camera performance is decent, particularly in good lighting. Despite some minor bugs and low-light photo challenges, the CAA F1 offers excellent value for money if used with care.

Takeaways

• 😀 The CAA phone has generated significant buzz due to its design and features, despite being priced at around ₹15,000.
• 😀 Despite facing durability issues, like scratches and a broken depth sensor, the CAA phone offers great performance for its price.
• 😀 The phone's design is distinctive, making it easily recognizable, and it creates a unique identity in the budget segment.
• 😀 One of the main drawbacks of the phone is its lack of dual speakers, which affects the immersive movie-watching experience.
• 😀 The phone's battery performance is exceptional, offering up to 9 hours of screen-on time consistently and even 10 hours on rare occasions.
• 😀 The phone's performance, driven by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor, is more than adequate for everyday use, with good RAM management.
• 😀 Despite occasional minor lags and bugs, the phone provides a smooth software experience with regular updates and feature parity with higher-end models.
• 😀 The phone's camera performs well in good lighting conditions, delivering natural colors and sharp images, though low-light performance can be inconsistent.
• 😀 The phone offers a smooth software experience with regular updates, and the company promises no feature cuts compared to the more expensive models.
• 😀 There are some durability concerns, especially for rough users, but the phone's overall value proposition remains strong if used carefully and with a case.

Q & A

What are the main durability issues mentioned in the review of the CMF C-Fo 1?

The main durability issues highlighted in the review include the camera lens scratching easily and the depth sensor breaking after minimal drops. Additionally, the back panel's texture can fade over time, and there are concerns about the phone's overall resilience for rough users.

How does the CMF C-Fo 1's display perform outdoors?

The CMF C-Fo 1 has a peak brightness of 700 nits, which, although technically low, is adequate for outdoor usage in direct sunlight. The display offers good visibility even in bright conditions, making it suitable for everyday tasks.

How long does the CMF C-Fo 1's battery last on average?

The CMF C-Fo 1 provides exceptional battery life, with an average screen-on time of 9 hours per day. This makes it one of the standout features of the phone, offering consistent long-lasting performance.

What is the performance like on the CMF C-Fo 1 for daily tasks and gaming?

The CMF C-Fo 1 performs well for everyday tasks, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset. Users experience minimal lag, though occasional minor slowdowns can occur. For gaming, the phone handles high settings on games like COD with an average of 54.9 FPS, providing a solid gaming experience for the price.

What issues did the reviewer face with the camera on the CMF C-Fo 1?

The reviewer noted that the rear camera performs well in good lighting but struggles in low light, with photos sometimes appearing soft or shaky. The front 16MP camera also captures soft selfies, and the camera's contrast may sometimes make photos look unnaturally boosted.

How does the CMF C-Fo 1 handle software updates?

The CMF C-Fo 1 has received consistent software updates, including security patches. It is notable that the phone received the August security update even though it is a budget model, while the more expensive Nothing Phone 2 still had the July update at the time of the review. The phone's software is optimized with smooth animations and good overall performance.

What kind of gaming performance can be expected from the CMF C-Fo 1?

The CMF C-Fo 1 offers good gaming performance, with games like Call of Duty (COD) running smoothly at very high settings. The average FPS in gaming tests was 54.9, which is solid for a phone in the ₹15,000 price range.

What are the camera capabilities of the CMF C-Fo 1 in terms of color reproduction and HDR?

The rear camera of the CMF C-Fo 1 delivers good color reproduction, with an effort to produce natural colors rather than overly boosted ones. The HDR performance is also decent, providing balanced highlights and shadows in well-lit conditions. However, contrast issues can sometimes make photos appear unnatural.

What are the key software bugs reported in the review?

The reviewer reported a few minor software bugs, such as brightness adjustments not working properly on the lock screen, app crashes (notably with Prime Video), and an issue where the shutter button overlaps with the fingerprint scanner on the camera screen. These issues were infrequent and did not recur after a reset or restart.

Is the CMF C-Fo 1 recommended for rough users or those who are hard on their phones?

The CMF C-Fo 1 is not recommended for rough users due to its durability issues, especially with the easily scratched camera lens and potential damage to the depth sensor. It is suggested to use the phone with a case for added protection to avoid these issues.