New Delhi: CMF, a sub-brand that spun out of Nothing, focused on Colour, Material and Finish introduced the Watch 3 Pro in India earlier in the month. The smartwatch was released amidst increasing traction in India for the brand, following the launch of Nothing’s store in Bengaluru. This is the first physical store in the country by Nothing, and has on offer the entire portfolio of products by both Nothing and CMF. This is a clear upgrade over the Watch Pro 2 launched in 2024. Note that the change in nomenclature, with the successor to the Watch Pro 2 being the Watch 3 Pro.
The watch ships in surprisingly sleek packaging. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
The Watch 3 Pro ships in a pretty slim box, with the case and strap separated. There is a charging cable and documents in the box, but no adapter. The watch is targeted at everyday users, casual fitness enthusiasts, and style-conscious consumers who want a reliable smartwatch without breaking the bank. The device is packed with practical tools for everyday use, and is not suitable for hardcore athletes or those who require serious and reliable sports tracking. This is more of a lifestyle smartwatch, for those wanting to pick up something that resembles a traditional timepiece. Fans of Nothing’s minimalist technofuturistic aesthetic will really appreciate the styling of the device.
Build and Design
The Watch 3 Pro is both larger and heavier than its predecessor. The Watch 3 Pro has a 47 mm case size, with the orange model weighing 52.4 g. There are slight variations in the weight of the watch depending on the colourway. The Watch 2 Pro has a case size of 44 mm, with the Blue and Orange model weighing 44.4 g. The bezels on the Watch 3 Pro is slimmer than the Watch Pro 2 though, with a greater screen-to-body ratio, which gives the newer watch a more premium look. We were apprehensive about using such a large watch, but it is surprisingly lightweight, and we were able to use it comfortably.
The crown is off-centre, but feels comfortable to use. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
Now the watch is large and chunky, and this is something that consumers in India actually prefer. The watch does not feel bulky even on small wrists, and is comfortable enough to be worn through the night. The slight niggle is the silicone strap, which is not very comfortable when the ambient temperatures are elevated, or if you are sweating. Basically, the watch becomes itchy and scratchy over the harsh Indian summers. We would have really liked to see this watch offered with a nylon strap, which is a preference among watch enthusiasts in India, and a material that is comfortable through the summer.
The straps can be easily attached and detached. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
The Watch 3 Pro is both larger and heavier than its predecessor. The Watch 3 Pro has a 47 mm case size, with the orange model weighing 52.4 g. There are slight variations in the weight of the watch depending on the colourway. The Watch 2 Pro has a case size of 44 mm, with the Blue and Orange model weighing 44.4 g. The bezels on the Watch 3 Pro is slimmer than the Watch Pro 2 though, with a greater screen-to-body ratio, which gives the newer watch a more premium look. We were apprehensive about using such a large watch, but it is surprisingly lightweight, and we were able to use it comfortably.
The strap has slight bumps for securing the loop. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
Now the watch is large and chunky, and this is something that consumers in India actually prefer. The watch does not feel bulky even on small wrists, and is comfortable enough to be worn through the night. The slight niggle is the silicone strap, which is not very comfortable when the ambient temperatures are elevated, or if you are sweating. Basically, the watch becomes itchy and scratchy over the harsh Indian summers. We would have really liked to see this watch offered with a nylon strap, which is a preference among watch enthusiasts in India, and a material that is comfortable through the summer.
The sensors and charging points are on the back. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
CMF is offering the Watch 3 Pro in three colourways, Dark grey and light green, Light grey and Orange. Each of the colourways has a matching face. There are slight variations in the dimensions and weights of the three colourways. We received the heaviest model, which was the Orange watch. The black buckle and case counterbalances the bright orange, and this is a stylish smartwatch without being over-the-top. One thing that we instantly liked was the circular dial, which makes the watch resemble a more traditional timepiece. Despite the bulk of the watch, it feels light on the hand, even for those with small wrists.
There are a whole bunch of faces available, some of which can be customised. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
There are slight orange highlights around the dial, which makes the face pop even when the display is off. The back of the case is loaded with sensors, along with the charging points. The straps can be easily detached and reattached with a spring mechanism. There is a single crown for controlling all the features of the watch, that is positioned off-centre, towards the top for usability. Despite the asymmetrical positioning of the crown, the watch just looks funky, not out of balance. There are bumps and a loop to secure the strap, but it can break free at times. This watch boasts of solid construction, an eye-catching design, and is comfortable for extended wear. There are no shortcomings in the build quality of the smartwatch.
Performance
One thing that we really liked about the watch is how long the battery lasts. We did not need to juice up the watch for a week after first opening the box! The battery life actually lasts for about a week, but it does take a long time to juice up to full charge, about an hour and a half. Juicing up the batteries in spurts when the watch is not being used is sufficient to keep the watch going perpetually. Not having to charge up the watch for a week at a time tremendously increases the utility of the watch, and is one of the essential features for a smartwatch. Nobody wants to charge up a watch every day. The battery life lasts for 13 days on regular use, which is nearly two weeks.
We were surprised by how long the battery lasts. We only juiced up the watch once during the entire review period! (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
The 1.43″ dial uses an AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 60 FPS, that goes up to 650 nits of brightness. The watch appears bright and vivid even under direct sunlight, and it is easy to tell the time at a glance. This is a fast, bright, vibrant and responsive display. The IP68 rating offers decent dust and water resistance for daily use, but is not suitable for swimming, water sports or showering. A notable missing feature for a PRO model at this price range is NFC payments, which is not something that we really miss, but just something seen on spec sheets in this range.
We really liked the fact that we could control Spotify on PC through the watch via a smartphone. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
The steps, heart rate and blood oxygen levels were as accurate as the FitBit Versa 3 or the Apple Watch 3, which are the devices that we juggle ourselves. Both of these need to be juiced up far too frequently for our liking, and were much more expensive. One thing that we really liked was that despite the bulk, the watch is comfortable enough to sleep in, and the sleep tracking is accurate, providing you a breakdown of different sleep phases. If you are someone who tracks sleep quality closely, then the Watch 3 Pro does not disappoint, and has no shortcomings. It provides all the information necessary to track sleep quality, including short periods of wakefulness.
The strap is comfortable enough for near continuous use, but gets itchy when you get sweaty. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
Bluetooth calling works as expected on the watch, and the speakers are loud and clear. At least for the person on the other side, the AI noise reduction does a great job. It is possible to use the watch as a phone even in busy and noisy environments, which is something that we liked. The smartphone needs to be paired and in range for the Bluetooth calling feature to work, obviously. Another feature that we found really handy was the trigger for the camera. This allows users to capture images with minimal shake, which is particularly good for high-zoom images in low light conditions.
The on-demand measurements are fast and accurate. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
The raise to wake feature works reliably and accurately, and you do not have to do any kind of hand waving to get the display to light up. The watch face also does not trigger accidentally when you are engaged in an activity that requires a lot of hand movements, such as typing or gaming. This is a shortcoming we noticed on lower-end watches, that either do not light up the screen when needed, or do so when not needed. However, this is not a problem at all with the Watch 3 Pro, which is something that we are both surprised and satisfied by.
The watch offers granular customisation options, and is a lot of fun to fiddle with. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
When it comes to controlling the music, I expected the sound to come out of the watch for some reason. It just controls the playback from the smartphone. The great thing about this is that if you are using Spotify on your laptop, and you are signed in on the smartphone, then the Watch 3 Pro can actually be used to control the playback and volume on the laptop! We did not expect this to work, but it just does, and that is magical. You can work around the home while listening to music or a podcast, and use the watch as a remote control even if the primary playback device is a PC!
The on-device voice recording capability is incredibly useful for journalists! (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
There are a few stand-out features that we really liked in the watch. The first was the on-device voice notes with AI transcription. This is a non-intrusive method to record your environment, and is really useful for a journalist because I can just start recording audio on the watch without anyone coming to know. Once recorded, the audio clips can be transmitted to the paired smartphone. Another feature that we really liked was the Essential News feature, which has to be initially set up in the paired app. We used the CMF Watch 3 Pro with the Nothing Phone 4a Pro, so we had a comfortable experience with the watch.
Verdict
The design and build quality are elevated. This is a practical tool, geared towards ease of use, and we really liked some of the handy features such as the voice recording and sleep tracking. Despite the bulk, the watch is surprisingly comfortable for extended use, and the long battery life supports such intensive use as well. The watch does not feel heavy in the hand, and apart from the slight discomfort during in conditions of high ambient temperatures, this watch can be used perpetually, which is something that consumers require, especially those who like to collect as much data on themselves as possible.
The sleep tracking feature is well-implemented, and useful for those who understand the underlying science. (Image Credit: Aditya Madanapalle/News9).
There are a ton of options for customising the watch faces according to your preferences. The Watch 3 Pro is priced at Rs 9,999, with the orange version priced slightly higher at Rs 10,999. The watches are available at discounts though, and can be picked up for between Rs 7,999 and Rs 8,500. The CMF Watch 3 Pro stands out for its premium build, clean software, solid everyday performance and distinctive CMF styling. Overall, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is a strong mid-range option for style-conscious users who want a great battery life and reliable, everyday sleep and fitness tracking without breaking the bank.