What you need to know
- Early rumors discuss what CMF could have cooking for the budget Phone 3 Pro, and it sounds like a shift to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 is in the cards.
- Other rumors claim there might be a slight boost to its battery (a jump to 5,400 or 5,500mAh) with 45W charging and a 50MP main camera.
- The Phone 2 Pro was hailed as the budget king last year in our review, as it got the critical points down to a T.
Rumors are kicking up dust about how CMF by Nothing’s next budget phone could shape up later this year.
Earlier this week, X tipster Debayan Roy talked about what CMF could be working on for its “Phone 3 Pro” budget device (via GSMArena). The leak couldn’t pin down the phone’s potential screen size; however, the tipster states it could support a 120Hz refresh rate for the OLED panel. The display is rumored to sit inside a metal frame with a triple camera setup: 50MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide, and a 50MP telephoto (120x digital zoom).
Internally, rumors suggest CMF is looking to integrate Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 SoC. This chip has been upgraded to facilitate better efficiency in mid-range phones, but Qualcomm focused on gaming, too. What’s more, this rumored Phone 3 Pro could feature a battery anywhere from 5,400mAh to 5,500mAh with 45W wired charging capabilities.
While all of this might seem fine for a CMF mid-range, the tipster says consumers shouldn’t get too excited (not yet, anyway). Supposedly, CMF is taking its time with the Phone 3 Pro, and has allegedly pushed it back until late Q2 or Q3 2026. This pits the device debuting in either August or September.
Later than the Phone 2 Pro
There’s one thing for certain: we’re well beyond when CMF revealed the Phone 2 Pro last year. Late April was when the device first showed up, alongside a trio of budget earbuds for consumers. If we’re to compare, the Phone 2 Pro opted for MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 Pro chip. The phone came equipped with a 6.77-inch AMOLED screen and a 5,000mAh battery. While it’s hard to speculate on what the Phone 3 Pro’s screen could look like, rumors suggest a 400 to 500mAh cell increase.
In our review, the Phone 2 Pro was pretty much the budget king last year. It completely smashed the original and felt like CMF was setting the tone for future releases. What’s more, the Phone 2 Pro followed closely behind the flagship Phone 3a series in terms of its display being softer on the eyes. We’ll have to see where the rumors go from here, if we’re to expect this phone later in the year.
Android Central’s Take
Mid-range phones have changed over the years. I remember having a mid-ranged device, and trying to play a game that I wanted to was like pulling teeth. It would struggle, even on lower-end graphics. I can appreciate what CMF strived to do with the Phone 2 Pro last year. That brand is all about settling for the budget market, while trying not to compromise too much. It’s nice to think about, considering how not everyone can afford to slap down $1,000 or more on a phone.
