CMF is no longer an affordable sub-brand and has already released half a dozen products. Last year it launched its first smartwatch a and this summer a second was introduced: CMF Watch Pro 2.
We’ve spent a few weeks with the wearable and are finally ready to share our impressions.
Design
The CMF Watch Pro 2 has a round display, as opposed to the rectangular screen of its predecessor. Since the original CMF Watch Pro is still available, you can effectively choose between two different styles.
The watch has an aluminum case with a matte finish, which gives it a sleek appearance. However, the “cmf by Nothing” branding on the bezel feels overdone. Fortunately, the bezel is replaceable and the wearable looks much better without the letters.
The watch has a 1.32″ AMOLED display with a resolution of 466 x 466 pixels, which is reasonable for its price range. The size offers a good balance and fits most wrists without being too small or too large.
However, we find it difficult to understand why the watch is called “Pro”. With only two wearables in the CMF series, both of which are ‘Pro’, you’re clearly not the better version of anything. It’s also not a particularly premium product in the grand scheme of things.
Our test model came with blue leather straps. Although this reviewer is not a fan of leather, we have to admit that the strap held up well: it felt very comfortable and showed no signs of wear in almost two months.
We tested the Watch Pro 2 in a variety of activities, including swimming, running, rock climbing and gym sessions. Impressively, neither the case nor the strap suffered any damage, indicating that the watch has excellent durability.
The AMOLED screen is vibrant, although the auto-brightness feature sometimes misbehaves, especially in cloudy conditions, causing settings to be dialed too low and making the screen difficult to read.
There is a rotating crown on the side that also functions as a button. While an extra button would have been nice, the responsive touchscreen makes up for its absence.
Software
Although CMF is positioned as Nothing’s affordable brand, the Watch Pro 2 doesn’t feel cheap. It not only looks good, but also performs well, connecting seamlessly to both Android and iOS phones.
CM offers hundreds of available watch faces, categorized by style rather than function. There is no app store; it’s not an expected feature at this price.
Navigating the interface is smooth, and while the layout may take some getting used to, it’s a refreshing departure from other smartwatch platforms. Nothing was focused on uniqueness, and they achieved that.
Activity and tracking
As we mentioned, we performed a wide variety of activities when testing the Watch Pro. A common feature was the slow GPS lock-on, which is frustrating for runners and cyclists.
Even in open spaces, GPS locking can take two to five minutes, which is not competitive in today’s market. That said, the watch includes a guided 12-step warm-up routine, and following that will give you plenty of time to pair with GPS.
The watch can function independently if you don’t want to take your phone with you, but CMF warns that in that mode the data may be less accurate.
Compared to other fitness trackers, including Samsung, Huawei, Garmin, and Coros devices, the Watch Pro 2’s workout logs were almost a perfect match. This was unexpected, given the price difference.
Health and sleep tracking is simple but functional, including features like blood oxygen saturation, stress readings, and sleep monitoring, which have been improved since the first Watch Pro. However, it lacks advanced metrics like ECG or skin temperature monitoring.
During testing, the Watch Pro 2 delivered sleep data that matched the Huawei Watch GT4, the reviewer’s daily driver.
Battery life
Nothing claims that the CMF Watch Pro 2 will last 11 days with normal use and 9 days with heavy use. If the Always-On Display (AOD) is enabled, this drops to 4-5 days. In reality, these numbers seem exaggerated. We got just under 10 days with normal use and about 7 days with what we would call heavy use. AOD reduced endurance to 4 days even with health sensors disabled.
These numbers are somewhat impressive among watches without a proper operating system, but the Watch Pro 2 easily outlasts Apple and Samsung watches, which admittedly have much more advanced operating systems.
The watch charges using a proprietary cable with pogo pins, and does not support wireless charging as this clearly wouldn’t fit within the available budget. Full charging from 0% takes approximately 100 minutes, reaching 50% in 30 minutes.
Prices and conclusion
The CMF Watch Pro 2 is available in four colors: dark gray or ash gray with plastic straps, and orange or blue with leather straps. The price is €69 in Europe, £69 in the UK and INR 4,999 in USA (approximately $59).
The design is interesting, the software is clean software, and the running and cycling tracking was accurate enough. While the GPS could be improved and advanced health features are lacking, there’s hardly a better wearable at this price.
Positives
- Comfortable size that works for everyone
- Nice design
- Durable body
- Clean software
Disadvantages
- No in-depth analysis
- Laggy GPS
- Battery life could be better
- Second button would have been useful