There is no dearth of smartwatches on the market across various price segments. However, finding a decent smartwatch on a limited budget is still a challenge. Most budget smartwatches offer poor build quality, and their user interfaces are equally disappointing. I had almost given up on budget-friendly smartwatches until I got the chance to review the new CMF Watch 3 Pro.
With the Watch 3 Pro, Nothing’s subsidiary CMF appears to have addressed the lack of compelling options in the budget smartwatch segment. The smartwatch not only looks stylish but also offers an intuitive user interface, relatively accurate heart rate and fitness tracking, and impressive battery life, all for under Rs. 8,000.
No, you won’t get all the fancy bells and whistles of an Apple Watch or a Garmin smartwatch. What you do get with the Watch 3 Pro is a capable smartwatch that handles all the essentials remarkably well. Here’s my review.
What: CMF Watch 3 Pro| Price: Rs 7,999
Bye, bye boring design
I don’t remember how many times people stared at my wrist while checking out the CMF Watch 3 Pro during my morning walks. My review unit in Light Green, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the CMF Headphone Pro, looks more like a toy than the jewellery-inspired watches that are in vogue these days. One thing you have to admit is that this smartwatch looks and feels different, although I would also add that its design may not appeal to everyone.
Sure, it’s nowhere near bulky, but the Watch 3 Pro isn’t exactly a small watch either. It weighs 51 grams and comes in a single size. On the wrist, though, it feels comfortable to wear. I didn’t develop any rashes despite wearing the watch for several days in Delhi’s extreme heat. It’s neither too heavy nor overly plasticky. The build quality is solid, and it comes with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
However, Nothing doesn’t recommend taking the watch for swimming. If you enjoy spending time in the pool, the Watch 3 Pro may not be the right choice. That being said, CMF Watch 3 Pro is more for a casual smartwatch than you can wear daily but it isn’t designed as a rugged watch.
The watch is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Anyway, the controls are straightforward: a tactile side crown for navigation, a dedicated shortcut button, and a magnetic charging puck on the back. However, the Watch 3 Pro is a step down from its predecessor in one key area. If you recall, the previous-generation watch embraced a modular design that allowed users to swap out the bezels. That feature is no longer available on the new model.
Bigger display size
Outdoor visibility is something I care about, especially when you live in a place like Delhi, where the sun rises early and, by 7 am, it already feels like a full-blown summer day. The 1.43-inch AMOLED screen we tested is notably vivid and enjoyable to view and use.
The Watch 3 Pro can monitor everything from Pilates to Taekwondo. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The brightness has been upgraded, increasing from 620 to 670 nits. There is also a dedicated always-on display mode. However, I noticed that the always-on display becomes completely invisible when viewed in direct sunlight. I hope a future software update can fix this issue.
Standard smartwatch features and minimal UI
Nothing’s focus has primarily been on maintaining the standard smartwatch experience, providing users with a fairly comprehensive set of features rather than going deeper with software and apps. You get all the basic features one would expect from a smartwatch on the CMF Watch 3 Pro, including access to your calendar, support for your preferred voice assistant (including Siri), and the ability to make and take calls.
You can also send one of 10 preset quick replies to messages and emails. These messages can be customised to your liking. However, it lacks third-party app support, so you cannot use apps like Strava, Google Maps, or WhatsApp. There’s no NFC support for contactless payments either, which, in my opinion, would have been a big selling point for Indian consumers who are already heavy users of digital payments.
The Watch 3 Pro offers all the health monitoring functions you would expect from a smartwatch in 2026. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
As add-on features, there’s something called the Essential News widget, which, as the name suggests, brings up snippets of the news. I also like the transcription recording feature. You can take a quick note, and it stays stored on the device until you send it to your phone. There are more than 120 custom watch faces available in the app’s Dial Gallery. Users can also add widgets for fitness, weather, music, and reminders.
But I was impressed by the Watch 3 Pro’s minimal user interface. Nothing has taken the minimalist, monochrome design language it is known for and brought it from smartphones down to the wrist. The UI features elements like dot-matrix fonts, clean icons, and glyph-inspired animations. The text is easy to read, the menus are simple, and there is no unnecessary colour palette that distracts you.
The CMF Watch 3 Pro handles notifications well when paired with Android, while iOS users get limited, read-only notification support. Calls, texts, emails, and app alerts arrive quickly, but there’s no LTE or eSIM option, meaning your phone is still required for full connectivity. Bluetooth, GPS, music controls, and headphone pairing work smoothly.
Works with both Android and iOS
In an age of closed ecosystems, Nothing is making its CMF Watch 3 Pro smartwatch work with both Android and iOS, which, in my opinion, is a big win for the brand. So whether you own a Nothing phone, any Android phone, or an iPhone, the watch pairs and connects instantly.
All you need to do is download the Nothing X app, which syncs the watch with your phone and handles all your fitness stats, notifications, and settings. The app itself is clean and follows the same minimalist design language.
Plenty of health and fitness features
The Watch 3 Pro includes heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, blood oxygen monitoring (SpO₂), stress tracking, guided breathing exercises, hydration and inactivity reminders, along with women’s health support. These features are already available on other smartwatches as well.
Sleep tracking is where the Watch 3 Pro performs decently well. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The real question is: how well do these health and fitness features work in real life? Based on my testing, the heart rate sensor felt accurate. Step counting may not be as accurate as Apple or Garmin-level tracking during intense workouts, but it is good enough for casual runs and gym sessions. SpO₂ tracking (blood oxygen) is hit or miss, and I observed similar results on other smartwatches as well, including some that are priced much higher.
Sleep tracking is where the Watch 3 Pro performs decently well. It separates light, deep, and REM sleep stages, and the app presents the data in a clean, easy-to-understand way. The GPS tracking is solid, too. Surprisingly, lock-on times are fast, and distance accuracy is close to what you get on a Garmin watch.
You won’t be getting advanced health features here, meaning there is no ECG or skin temperature tracking, as you get on high-end Apple, Samsung, and Garmin watches. Meanwhile, a personalised running coach can build and adjust plans based on your fitness level. It provides guidance on your workouts, recovery time, training load, and ways to improve. You will also get a simple snapshot of your weekly effort called Active Score.
Long battery life
CMF claims that you get up to 13 days of battery life under typical use. However, that claim varies depending on how you use the watch after charging. The always-on display, tracking multiple workouts, and even the occasional GPS-enabled walk all play major roles in reducing battery life. I was able to get roughly 5 days of use before needing to charge it again. A full charge took the watch just shy of 90 minutes to go from 0 per cent to 100 per cent.
So, should you buy the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro?
After using the CMF Watch 3 Pro for days, I would say this smartwatch is for casual users who want a different style and still want it to work for fitness tracking. Sure, there are other smartwatches from competitors in a similar price bracket, but while some may offer longer battery life, their user interfaces can feel clunky.
Others are more polished overall but come with a boring design. Go for the CMF Watch 3 Pro if you want a stylish, Nothing-esque smartwatch. However, if you care more about fitness data accuracy or a stronger app ecosystem, stick with Garmin or Apple, though both options cost much more.
The CMF Watch 3 Pro is large, round, and features a chunky metal frame. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express) 
The watch is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Watch 3 Pro can monitor everything from Pilates to Taekwondo. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Watch 3 Pro offers all the health monitoring functions you would expect from a smartwatch in 2026. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Sleep tracking is where the Watch 3 Pro performs decently well. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
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