CMF Watch Pro: Is this budget smartwatch a bargain or a miss?
Have you ever looked at the price tag of a luxury smartwatch and wondered if you really need to pay a fortune to track your steps and get notifications? I had to. And that led me to the CMF Watch Pro from Nothing - the idea of a full-featured smartwatch for under $80 seemed too good to be true, so I had to see for myself.
First Impressions
My first encounter with the surprisingly premium CMF Watch Pro was a bit of a shock. Sure, the packaging was plain, but the watches themselves… They looked much better than expected. The gray metal finish, which is said to be an aluminum alloy, has a nice matte texture. Although, to be honest, it feels more like a nice plastic than metal. The orange silicone strap is smooth and comfortable, it doesn’t have that plastic hardness that’s common with cheap gadgets. The square design sits comfortably on my wrist, which some people like and some people don’t. The model information is written on the back in Nothing font.
Overall the watch is not bad looking and easy to use, but a closer look reveals some cost-cutting measures. The bezel is thick and uneven, and the buttons seem a bit small. The charger is a simple two-pin magnetic USB-A cable that is functional but lacks the elegance of wireless charging.
Deep dive into features: pros and cons
The watch has the basic features you’d expect from a smartwatch. Sure, they show the time and include notifications. They track steps, heart rate, calories, and sleep. The 1.96-inch display is quite bright, reaching 600 nits, and it’s easy to read indoors. It’s also great to read outdoors, but there’s no automatic brightness adjustment, so you’ll have to adjust the brightness manually.
It’s IP68 water and dust resistant, which is great for active people and those who live in rainy areas. It has a speaker and microphone, which allows you to take calls while wearing it on your wrist. The sound from the speaker isn’t great, but it gets the job done. The watch also has a music control app and a remote camera shutter release feature that works, but unfortunately, you can’t see the viewfinder. There’s a voice assistant app, which essentially opens up the mobile assistant. The Find My Phone app is a bit interesting. It only works if the Watch app is open on the phone. The user interface is simple and fast, and moving between apps isn’t too slow. The watch faces are varied and have a nice design.
Actual usage: good, bad and annoying
I used this watch for a few weeks and found it interesting. The step counter and heart rate tracking are fine for everyday use, but not for serious fitness. The sleep tracking feature was used a few times, but not that often since I have a mattress pad that tracks my sleep. I liked the notifications feature. It’s helpful to get quick updates on my wrist. I made a few phone calls using this watch, which is not surprising, but it was functional.
The lack of auto-brightness was a major issue. I was constantly changing the brightness when moving indoors and outdoors, which got annoying quickly. The “find phone” feature was interesting. When I closed the watch app on my phone and tried to use the “find phone” feature on the watch, it asked me to open the phone app. Battery life was pretty good; the watch lasted about three days on a single charge. The charging cable isn’t very pretty, but it does its job.
Minuses and limitations
Now let’s talk about the minuses. The biggest problem is the heart rate tracking, which isn’t good for anything more than basic tracking. The lack of auto-brightness is an inconvenience. It has to be changed manually, which is not ideal. The bezel is thick and uneven, which makes it feel a bit cheap. The only button feels a bit flimsy. The Find Phone app only works if the phone app is open, which is a pretty big omission. The charger, while functional, isn’t the most elegant. The watch also has a few issues with connecting to the app, but it’s not a constant problem.
The watch is very lightweight, which may not appeal to some people; the UI is quick but pretty basic, and the app isn’t very useful. The watch feels more like a Bluetooth accessory than a standalone device.
Comparison
Interestingly, this watch is categorized as a high-end budget smartwatch. You can buy basic smartwatches for $20-$50, but they are all pretty much the same. The CMF Watch Pro is a slightly better packaged and slightly better looking version. It’s similar to Nothing’s approach to cell phones: the CMF brand is Nothing’s budget line, and other products like headphones and chargers follow a similar approach - ultra-low prices with slightly more attractive design and packaging.
Compared to the Apple Watch, this is a very different product. It doesn’t have the same features, but it’s also priced many times less. If you need basic functionality and a decent design, this watch is a good option.
Conclusion
Is the CMF Watch Pro a bargain or a failure? I’d say this is a good budget option for the right person - worth considering if you’re an Android user looking for a basic smartwatch with a stylish design, decent battery life and notifications. Serious athletes or those who need a lot of extra features would be better off looking for a different device. The heart rate tracking isn’t the best, the lack of auto-brightness is annoying, the UI is basic, and the “find phone” feature is a bit silly. Overall, though, it’s not a bad option for its price. It’s a stylish, lightweight option that covers all the basic features. A solid option for those who want a smartwatch but don’t want to spend a fortune.
