The smartwatch as a device has quickly transformed from a peculiarity to something you see on everyone's wrist. But today, most smartwatches are pretty expensive. You need to dish out north of $300 for a Pixel Watch or an Apple Watch, and sometimes the question "Is it worth it?" is a valid one.
What if there were a device that cost just $99 and gave you the same user experience? Well, there is such a smartwatch, but is it any good? Let's find out!
The CMF Watch 3 Pro
Enter the CMF Watch 3 Pro—the latest wearable child in Carl Pei's affordable family. CMF is Nothing's budget-focused sub-brand launched in 2023 and aimed to bring great design and functionality to more people.
The third iteration of the watch comes with some needed improvements, some of which are pretty impressive, considering the price.
The watch now has a larger display, a bigger battery, and dual-band GPS. The design is refreshed with new colors as well. Speaking of which…
What do you get for $99?
The retail package is pretty modest | Image by PhoneArena
Let's talk about the design first. The CMF Watch 3 Pro looks nothing like other smartwatches (pun not intended). The 47 mm diameter feels quite large, and the angular design doesn't help. The body is made of metal, as is the bezel ring and the rotating crown.
I'm quite okay with Nothing's stylish and minimalistic design language, and the CMF Watch 3 Pro is yet another example of that philosophy.
The clean interface pairs perfectly with the industrial look of the watch, and its 51-gram weight makes it very comfortable to wear.
In the retail box you will find the watch, straps, and the 2-pin magnetic charger. Pretty standard.
Is it bright enough?
650 nits are enough on a murky autumn's day | Image by PhoneArena
Nothing has slapped a bigger 1.43-inch AMOLED display with an always-on feature on the CMF Watch 3 Pro. However, max brightness is just 650 nits, lower compared to the the Pixel Watch 4 (3,000 nits), and the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 (3,500 nits).
On a normal autumn day, the CMF Watch 3 Pro was bright enough on my wrist. The AOD display is definitely dimmer, but when you activate the watch, it becomes perfectly legible. I haven't been able to test it under the scorching summer sun, though.
The display is also pretty sharp—it has a 466 x 466 pixel resolution, resulting in around 326 ppi pixel density, which is really nice at this price point.
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Another thing worth mentioning is that the CMF Watch 3 Pro comes with 120 watch face options, and each and every one of them is completely free. Good job, Nothing!
But the CMF Watch 3 Pro is not just a fitness band masked as a cheap smartwatch—it can do a ton of things. Moving on.
How's the health and sleep tracking?
You get the basics | Image by PhoneArena
One of the key features of all smartwatches, besides telling the time, is to keep track of your vitals. The CMF Watch 3 Pro comes equipped with the usual optical heart rate sensor and can measure your heart rate and blood oxygen levels (with alerts for low readings) and track your sleep and stress as well.
The heart rate tracking is pretty accurate—I compared the CMF Watch 3 Pro with other much more expensive smartwatches, and the deviation was under 1 bpm. The same goes for the SpO2 tracking.
Sleep tracking relies on algorithms, and it's not very accurate on smartwatches in general, no matter the price of the watch. Until you strap an REM (rapid eye movement) measuring device to your face, you won't get the sleep stages right, but it is what it is.
On the CMF Watch 3 Pro, the sleep tracking is your usual affair with sleep stage breakdown, total sleep duration, and a sleep quality score, along with wake-up times. It can give you a general idea of the quality of your sleep and is as good as any other smartwatch in that regard.
What about workouts?
Run tracking is pretty comprehensive but there are no water sports | Image by PhoneArena
Not all of us are athletes or avid sports enthusiasts, but having the ability to track workouts on your wrist is essential for modern smartwatches. I'm happy to report that the CMF Watch 3 Pro is great for sports tracking and running specifically.
The watch comes with 131 sports modes and uses a 6-axis accelerometer in tandem with a dual-band GPS system to accurately track your movement.
Running is one of the most popular outdoor activities, and the CMF Watch 3 Pro delivers quite extensive tracking with VO2 max levels, training load, recovery times, etc. There's a running coach with AI algorithms that can create a personalized workout plan to help you beat that 5K time you're aiming at. And you can also sync all your data with other popular apps and services such as Strava, Apple Health, and Google Fit. No complaints here.
There are also more niche activities such as karate and ballet, but the CMF Watch 3 Pro falls short when it comes to water sports. There aren't any.
Can it last more than a day?
You'd be hard-pressed to kill this watch in less than 3 days | Image by PhoneArena
It absolutely can! But there's a catch. Nothing cites 13 days of expected battery life and 10 days if you push the watch hard, but these numbers are measured with the always-on feature turned off. I've always been an avid supporter of the always-on mode, especially on smartwatches. After all, the primary function of every watch (smartwatches included) is to show the time.
So, how's the battery life with the AOD on? Still pretty good. You will be able to get three or four days on a single charge with everything on and exercising at least once per day for about an hour. That's pretty decent!
The CMF Watch 3 Pro uses a proprietary magnetic charger and fills its 350 mAh battery from zero to full in one hour and a half.
Is it a Pixel Watch killer?
Maybe not a Pixel Watch killer but one of the best budget smartwatches out there | Image by PhoneArena
Probably not. But you have to bear in mind that the CMF Watch 3 Pro is four times cheaper, and for people who need the core smartwatch experience in a stylish and unique package, it can be a very good choice. It's actually one of the best budget smartwatches out there.
It's impressive that nowadays you can get a nice, lightweight smartwatch with an AMOLED screen, GPS, health and sleep tracking, a microphone and loudspeaker for calls, and great battery life for just $99. The CMF Watch 3 Pro gets a "thumbs up" from me.
CMF Watch 3 Pro specs at a glance:
Display: 1.43” AMOLED touchscreen, 466 x 466 px resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, 670 nits max brightness, Always-On Display (AOD)
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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