I’ve never owned an Apple Watch, and after spending months with the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro, I don’t think I’m missing out. For $80, it does everything I want from something on my wrist: it tracks my runs, monitors my heart rate, sends notifications, has a battery that lasts over 10 days and it looks damn good on my wrist. I also just like wearing watches, and while most smartwatches have never really appealed to me (they’re usually ugly) — the UI, style and functionality of this thing makes it a piece of personal tech I’m truly happy to sport.
Compared to most smartwatches on the market, the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro feels wholly focused. It’s clean and minimalist, and Nothing didn’t try to cram every possible feature into this watch. Instead, it sticks to the essentials and executes them well. Basically, it’s the kind of device that does its job well, without making you wonder why you didn’t just spend hundreds more. That’s value.
It’s a functional smartwatch that actually looks good with the things I wear.
Those familiar with the British consumer tech brand Nothing shouldn’t be surprised to hear that the Watch 3 Pro is a beautifully designed tech product. CMF, Nothing’s in-label bargain brand, is just as focused on design-forward tech as it is functionality, making this a watch I actually love to wear. I’m partial to the orange color, but the Watch 3 Pro also comes in a fun green plus sleek light and dark gray options.
The watch has a clean, minimalist design, with several pre-loaded digital watch faces to choose from to suit your style and mood. The UI is also so intuitive that I didn’t have to read an instruction booklet once, nor did I have to sift through a video explaining its functions. I can use the watch’s touchscreen to tap anything I need, whether it’s to check notifications or turn off a timer, and use the crown to sift through its menu.
UI and hardware aside, the actual software is pretty nifty, too. The Nothing X app that syncs with this watch is clean and distraction-free. You can edit the watch’s menu by adding or removing any modules you don’t want at any time. That includes the ability to remove or add custom workouts.
(Keep in mind that Nothing X is its own proprietary software, so if you’re a Strava or Apple Health user, you’ll have to link that data as a third-party app, though that step is pretty simple.)
From fitness to heart rate and sleep tracking, the Watch 3 Pro can track it all. One of the main reasons I like wearing it is how well it keeps up with my runs, whether I’m outside running or indoors on the treadmill.
The Watch 3 Pro has several premium features.
It’s been reliable for everything from my laps around D.C.’s National Mall to treadmill 5Ks at the gym! Step tracking is simple, too, and displays right on the watch’s home page in big, bold numbers. Whether I’m out for a run or just moving through the day, it does a good job logging activity without making it feel like I need to constantly manage the watch.
The heart rate monitor has been consistently accurate during my workouts, and it’s easy to glance down mid-run and get a quick sense of where I’m at without digging through menus. I get notifications on what zone I’m running in and vibrations each mile I pass. Plus, its calibration is nothing I’ve had to worry about when it comes to tracking steps, my walks or a few miles of jogging.
The watch has over 130 sport modes that I can toggle before a workout, spanning everything from kettlebells and indoor cycling to planks and kite flying. I’ve already tried kettlebell mode (it only tracks my active kettlebell swing time, not my inactive time). When the weather’s better, I’ll be ready to try kite flying!
Sleep tracking has also been surprisingly solid.
The watch automatically tracks when I fall asleep and wake up, and the data it produces lines up pretty closely with how rested I actually feel the next day. It breaks sleep down into stages and gives a clear overview of your nightly patterns, though truthfully, I’m not even sure how useful this data is.
The Watch 3 Pro smartwatch does what an Apple Watch can, and for way less.
Runners also get a little extra value out of the watch, thanks to its built-in AI-assisted virtual running coach.
This feature lets you set a target distance like a 5K or 10K, choose a goal time, and enter how long you’d like to train. From there, it builds a training plan based on how many days a week you want to run and when you want to start. This is such a cool feature that utilizes your data so you don’t have to make a training plan for yourself.
The watch also includes a dual-band GPS tracker, which makes a noticeable difference when you’re running outdoors. It’s accurate enough to map your route down to the exact side of the road you’re on. That level of precision is something you usually see on more expensive fitness watches, and it makes the run data feel far more reliable when reviewing it later.
Probably best of all, this thing has such a reliable connection with my iPhone.
The watch rarely drops its connection, and even when its battery dies, it reconnects almost immediately once I put it back on the charger and power it up again. For something that costs just $80, the consistency has been surprisingly solid.
The Nothing X app is minimalist and clean.
For $80, the function is fantastic.
To temper expectations, this isn’t an Apple Watch killer, nor is it a Garmin — but for me, it outperforms in every way. It’s not waterproof, so those who love tracking swims won’t be able to. It’s also not excessively hardy — you can definitely scratch the paint off the case if you bang it hard enough.
However, this is a simplified smartwatch that does what it says it will and does it well. It’s a choice smartwatch for people who couldn’t be bothered with exclusive ecosystems, chasing the most accurate stats possible or downloading a bunch of third-party apps. No status signifiers bragging rights needed. It’s just a simple, really functional smartwatch.
In terms of what might make an Apple Watch user envious, though… 👀
The biggest thing right off the bat is the 13-day battery life. I only need to charge this thing about once a week, if that, and it still performs great. The Watch 3 Pro can also remote operate your smartphone camera, use its face as a Bluetooth mic for calls, check emails and even read the day’s headlines out loud. It’s cool that those features are included in such an affordable product, especially when high-tech smartwatches can cost up to $500. Although, no, I don’t think I’m the kind of person who wants to talk to friends and family through a wristwatch microphone, these features still make me feel like I’m not missing anything an expensive counterpart might offer.
After all, having the ability to track sleep, set a workout to one of over 130 pre-loaded activities and track steps and runs with pinpoint accuracy feels premium enough at this shocker of a price. After using this thing weekly for the last 6 months, I don’t think I’m taking it off anytime soon.
Don’t just take my word for it. Check out what other reviewers have to say about this personal tech upgrade on Amazon.
“This is a simple and effective smart watch. It works very well with my Nothing Phone 3, and is easy to use and navigate itself. The weight feels right for a watch of its size and it isn’t fatiguing or uncomfortable to wear; in fact, it’s the only watch I’ve ever been able to comfortably sleep wearing. Usually I’d take mine off at bedtime, but I don’t really notice I’m wearing it. Battery life is also good so far. As of writing this, I’m at about 48 hours of use since my last charge and the battery is 83%. I don’t have always on display enabled, which probably helps a bit too.
If you enjoy a minimalist style and don’t need the frills of the more expensive Garmin smart watches this will probably be a good fit for you.” — Hank
“I’ve had this watch for a few days now. I’ve owned a few smart watches over the past few years (including the original Pebble back in the day). I’m very impressed with this watch in many ways. The watch itself is well made and solid. It’s impressive for the price point.
The battery life is very good. 3-4 days without a charge so far, even with some of the battery draining features turned on. Definitely the best battery life I’ve seen. I’m sure I can go another few days with this configuration.
The heart rate monitor works quite well and is accurate for me. Blood Oxy monitor works, but I’m not 100% sure how exactly accurate it is (close enough for me). In fact most all of the watch works as advertised. The only thing I’m not liking is the sleep monitor. It’s been the least accurate of all of the watches I’ve owned. It thinks I’m asleep in while I’m working at my desk, or watching a movie. If I believed how much this watch thinks I sleep, I’d never get anything done.
I could go on and on. The fitness tracker works amazingly well for cycling and hiking and its step and distance measurements are spot on.
There’s a lot to like about this watch. A lot of nice touches. I would buy this again.” — BT
“So I am coming to this watch from an absolutely ancient Apple Watch 2. The battery on that finally bit the bullet and wouldn’t charge anymore.
Not wanting to spend the 200+ dollars on a new lower end Apple Watch, I decided to take the chance on this one after reading reviews and doing some research.
First in terms of looks – This looks fantastic. The watch faces are modern and there are so many options – from more minimal to hyper functional – displaying most of the metrics you would want to see in a smart watch/fitness tracker. I got the dark grey version and it is very clean. There is minimal branding with small text displaying “CMF by Nothing” on the rim around the watch face, but it is barely noticeable. The screen is bright, and I always have mine set on adaptive brightness. I haven’t had any issues seeing the screen during a bright day yet.
The biggest plus for me is battery life! This thing will not die! The biggest issue I had with the Apple Watch was the battery life. Mine would die near the end of the day, even when the battery wasn’t cooked from age. I had to constantly have it on the charge at the end of the day and never used its sleep tracking because the watch would be dead in the morning if I did. This definitely does not have that problem. I’ve worn this watch 3 days in a row without a charge, and even with pretty frequent use/checking it was still at 60ish percent. I usually charge it by putting it on the charger while I’m getting ready for work in the morning. It will go from 80ish percent to 95+ in the time I’m getting ready. I’m looking at the battery life right now – it is 2:30 in the afternoon and I’ve had the watch on me since I charged this morning around 6:30 – 95% battery life!
In terms of tracking I can’t speak much to the accuracy of the workout tracking, as I haven’t really approached it with a hyper analytical eye. To me it seems pretty accurate. Sleep tracking seems pretty good, maybe a few minutes off, but that is negligible for my use case. Heart rate sensor seems pretty good, and in that case I was able to actually test it against another device made just for heart rate tracking, and it was only a few beats off, so pretty good there. […]” — KK (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review here.)
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