The pursuit of modularity in smartphones is nothing new. Back in 2010, I remember being impressed by the Modu T and its guises that added features like a 5MP camera or a power bank to the not-quite-smartphone. A few years later, Moto Mods were just as impressive with their ability to add a powerful Hasselblad camera, a mini projector or a full-fledged JBL speaker to the back of the phone. But while concepts like the Moto Mods, LG G5 Friends, Project Ara or Phonebloks appealed to tinkerers and enthusiasts like myself, the modular phone has proven to be a failure in every way.

But like fashion, most tech trends are cyclical in nature, and Nothing’s affordable sub-brand CMF has brought modularity back with its own twist. Can CMF win over the tinkerer in me when even the best smartphone brands have stumbled and failed? I think so.

What attracted me to the CMF Phone 1 is that it doesn’t try to implement expensive electronic add-ons that would be more impractical to carry around and use than if they were built into the phone. Instead, the company has taken a decidedly low-tech approach to the problem. There are no pogo pin connectors here, nor magnets or custom electronics. All the accessories screw into the phone using a set of, well, screws.

The first set of accessories includes basics like replaceable back panels, a kickstand, a wallet, and a lanyard. These are all accessories that I can use on a daily basis and leave on the phone without having to worry about removing and protecting them. The CMF Phone isn’t modular in the same way that adding a new custom projector to a phone is. Still, everyday usability is more important than technical gimmicks, especially for an affordable smartphone that doesn’t have to pretend to be more than it can be.

It also helps that the accessories are extremely easy to install. I got my hands on a replacement back cover and kickstand for my black CMF Phone 1. The company thoughtfully ships you everything you need to install these, including a set of screws and a micro screwdriver, and it took me just a few minutes to pop the replacement case on. The included set of screws with the teal replacement back cover were silver, but I opted to keep the original black screws for a more industrial look. I also screwed in the orange kickstand accessory to complete the punchy look. CMF offers plenty here to make this already striking phone your own.

I’d be pretty happy if that was all the CMF phone offered, but building modularity around an old-school screw and plastic bit approach has an added benefit. It opens the door for anyone to make their own accessories. A few days after the phone launched, CMF released the 3D CAD files for the phone’s back panel, allowing community members to 3D print their own accessories — a boon for a tinkerer like me!

I reached out to a friend to 3D print a camera grip for the phone and within a few hours we were able to create an accessory that fits like a glove and is usable at the same time. It’s magical. I’m even working on designing a headphone winder accessory to safely store a pair of wired earbuds on the back of the CMF Phone 1.

To encourage adoption, CMF has also launched a 3D printing competition at Maker World. A cursory glance at the submissions reveals a robust array of innovative projects. Community members have already released schematics for a back panel that lets you attach Lego bricks to the phone, a set of gamepad-like grips, a holster for the CMF Buds and even a foldable fan. There is also the usual range of aesthetic back panels. For the first time in the history of modular phones, the possibilities are truly endless.

Some may lament the lack of wireless charging or Qi2 support, which would open the CMF Phone 1 up to the existing MagSafe accessory ecosystem. But while I’m a proponent of wireless charging everywhere, I’m glad the CMF went a bit outside the box. Qi2 would have inevitably limited the ecosystem to first-party accessories and, at most, a few predictable third-party options. It goes without saying that the use of simple screws also helps keep the cost down.

Look, it’s way too early to say that the CMF Phone 1 will pave the way for modular phones. It’s impossible to predict how long CMF will continue to support the screw layout on future versions of its phones. In fact, the company hasn’t committed to continuing with this design at all. But it’s hard to deny that it’s created something exciting here that will appeal to geeks who are tired of basic slab phones and predictable accessories and just want to think outside the box and build cool stuff.

By open-sourcing the panel’s design, CMF has effectively guaranteed that there will be no shortage of accessories for us to tinker with, even if the company opts for an entirely new configuration—or no configuration at all—with its next phone. That’s genius. As a fan of Moto Mods, I know that CMF’s approach isn’t quite as technically compelling as what Motorola accomplished nearly a decade ago. But credit where credit is due, and for once, Carl Pei’s manifesto for making technology fun again has literally lived up to its claims.