PhoneSentral Tech in Simplicity
I intended to post this CMF Watch Pro review earlier, but I fell sick, so the review had to be delayed, well slightly.
If you still have not known this, CMF is a sub-brand by Nothing, with minimalistic features being adopted nicely into the brand’s image, like Nothing.
Anyway, after two good weeks using the CMF Watch Pro, this is my honest review of this watch which debut’s as CMF’s very first smartwatch.
Design and comfort
Specs: Dark grey, Metalic grey, metal case, silicon straps, 261.2 x 39.9 x 12.9mm in size, 47g
I personally love the design of the CMF Watch Pro. True to its minimalist profile, you don’t get much buttons or distractions from the watch face which is rather squarish.
While it does look quite thick, it doesn’t feel that way and weighs just 47g, enough to be ignored despite being there on the wrist. This also makes it great when doing outdoor activities or exercising as it will not add weight to the hand, or come off easily if you ever decide to change the strap to one of those magnetic ones.
The metalic grey side fits my taste, and the default strap which comes with the watch is soft and comfortable at my wrist. The only complaint is the noticeable bezel, but that’s also nicely hidden in black and I’m just nitpicking.
You can read about what I think about this watch during my first impression post in the link below.
Screen and Watch faces
Specs: 1.96″ AMOLED display, 332 PPI, 410 x 502 resolution, 600+ nits brighness
The watch comes with AoD (Always on Display) for its 1.96-inch display. The AoD features a digital watch which shows just the time.
The AMOLED screen gives away 410 x 502 resolution with its 600 nits peak brightness with no auto brightness. This is good because it means viewing the data on the watch under the sun will not be a problem.
However, the lack of auto-brightness means that the watch can be quite obvious when you are in dark places like, the a dark cinema.
In terms of watch faces, there’s an adequate number to choose from, devided into four categories namely multifunction, analog, digital and creative.
There’s four default watch faces inside the Watch Pro itself and I don’t think it’s deletable as well, with one extra slot reserved for that watch face you upload via sync from the CMF Watch App.
Anyway, I could also customize the watch face according to what I desire, but how much I could customize leaves a lot of room for improvement.
However, I personally like the colour combination, scheme, and the design options, so the number of watch faces, as well as customisation ability limitation, doesn’t really bother me.
Usability and connectivity
Specs: Accelerometer sensor, heart rate & Blood Oxygen Saturation Sensor, Bluetooth 5.3, speaker and microphone supported
Pairing with the app
Pairing the CMF Watch Pro requires the use of the CMF Watch App.
Syncing is pretty smooth, instant to say the least, and is definately better than some Android based watches I’ve used in the past.
What is interesting is that the app somewhat detects if the paired watch is nearby, and only show data once the Watch Pro is nearby.
Using the app
Like all smartwatches, the CMF Watch App controls everything, from customization to what sensors you want to switch on and off.
For me, the app is neat, clean and easy to use, while at the same time being very snappy as well.
Here, health information which include my stress level, blood Sp02, heart rate, sleep are the first thing I see.
Beside the main health option, there’s a tab to record for exercising which immediately detects my location and is ready to be used, the watch face tab and the final tab I’d like to call the ‘setting’ tab as it shows the software version as well as functions as a place to do some little settings.
My only dislike is how I would be the need to tap on the lower navigation bar below to select different sections within the app, something I thought could be done better by just swiping like most apps do.
Other than that, I don’t have much complain about the app because it is just so easy to configure and use.
Using the Watch
The watch itself is a very solid thing to have presenting vital information you need to maintain a balanced and healthy life. All the health monitoring tools, particularly the sleep, stress, SpO2, heart rate, and calories seem to be working as they should and have accurate readings.
I personally like the stress and sleep monitoring which tells me if I am sleep deprived for the day.
To use the watch, I just had to swipe the face watch left or right, and the information I want is displayed cleanly and nicely.
Accesing the apps requires the push of the single button on the right of the watch, and then you can scroll up and down using your fingers.
To view the apps within the watch, you can either choose the default view or the grid view though the default one looks so much better in my opinion.
I noticed I can’t customize the widgets, but that’s not an issue to me since I like how most functions work smoothly and as intended.
With Bluetooth connectivity, I can also accept and make calls like I was a secret agent or something, and the sound, including my voice at the other end is clear.
This cool feature would be better however if incoming calls showed the caller’s name (or what you save the number under) at the point of call.
However, if you can memorize everyone’s phone number, you won’t see this as an issue.
There’s also options to choose what app on your phone can push their notification, so that’s pretty useful as well.
In terms of sports mode, there’s not less than 100 sports mode to choose from, and the GPS snaps onto your route almost instantly once you decide to do an activity.
Battery Life
Specs: 340mAh
In terms of battery life, the CMF Watch Pro can last for about five to seven days with an hour of sports activity, all the health monitoring turned on, phone notifications and steps monitoring switched on.
This is very, very good in comparison to other smartwatches which cost so much more. To me, there’s no point having a smartwatch if you don’t turn on the important functions while you are using it.
Of course, using it more rigorously would drain the battery at a faster rate and the results will also vary depending on usage pattern.
If you took the watch out of the box, and used it as it is (default settings), the battery can last 16 days, with 24% left to spare. That’s better than any smartwatch I’ve used before!
The downside however is the charging time takes around 2 hours to 90 per cent power, and the charger itself does gets disconnected from the touch points rather too easily.
Price and where to buy
The CMF Watch Pro cost only RM339, which to me is a huge bargain considering what the watch offers.
It can be purchased from official CMF online stores or Nothing Image Stores, but discounts are known to be offered online more often.
Conclusion
I personally feel that the CMF Watch Pro is a value for money smartwatch one should heavily consider if they are looking to save, but get the most out of such device.
This watch would be amazing for fitness junkies who love to keep track on their daily routine and health.
The clean layout of the watch makes it easy to read and navigate, and the speed it syncs with the GPS ensures you don’t miss any mileage when doing any workout.
Overall, as CMF’s first smartwatch at just RM339, it is a real bargain!
