The Physical Unboxing: Minimalism as a Statement
The packaging of the CMF Watch is a direct reflection of its design philosophy. The box is a compact, sturdy cardboard cube, devoid of any glossy finishes or extravagant printing. It’s finished in a muted, earthy tone – a specific shade of greyish-beige that Nothing has made its own. The only branding is a subtle, debossed “CMF by Nothing” logo on the top. Sliding off the outer sleeve reveals a plain, magnetically-secured inner box. Lifting the lid presents the watch itself, nestled securely in a custom cardboard insert. Under this insert lies the only other included component: a short, flat USB-C charging cable. There are no bulky paper manuals, only a small, minimalist card directing you to download the companion app. The entire experience is efficient, eco-conscious, and sets a clear expectation: this is a product focused on substance over superfluous packaging.
Design & Build Quality: Industrial Chic Meets Everyday Wear
Holding the CMF Watch for the first time is a surprising experience. The initial impression is one of substantiality. The aluminum alloy case feels robust and cool to the touch, with a matte finish that effectively resists fingerprints. The standout design element, the “Grey Steel” colorway, is a sophisticated neutral that pairs a light grey case with a slightly darker grey silicone strap. The 46mm case size is undeniably large, but due to its lightweight construction and the integrated lugs that flow seamlessly into the strap, it wears comfortably on an average-to-large male wrist. Those with smaller wrists may find it oversized.
The right side of the case features the unique Interactive Crown. This isn’t a traditional rotating crown; it’s a small, orange-aluminum disc that you physically push. It provides a satisfying, quiet tactile click for navigation and selections. Flanking this crown is a single function button, customizable through the app. The watch face is protected by a flat, 2.5D tempered glass that blends smoothly into the aluminum bezel. The bezel itself is relatively slim, maximizing the screen real estate.
The removable silicone strap is a highlight. It uses a clever quick-release mechanism that requires no tools, allowing for effortless swaps. The strap is soft, pliable, and features a textured underside to promote airflow, reducing the chance of sweat buildup. The buckle is a simple, signed pin-and-loop design that secures firmly.
The Display: Bright, Bold, and Customizable
Powering on the device reveals the 1.96-inch AMOLED display. The screen is, without a doubt, a flagship-level feature at this price point. With a resolution of 410×502 pixels and a pixel density of 332 PPI, everything is exceptionally sharp. Icons, text, and watch faces are rendered with crisp clarity. The brightness peaks at a claimed 600 nits, which proves more than adequate for legibility in direct sunlight. Colors are vibrant and blacks are truly deep, thanks to the AMOLED technology, which allows for always-on display functionality without a significant hit to battery life.
The true power of the display lies in its customization. The CMF Watch app offers an extensive library of watch faces, ranging from minimalist digital and analog designs to more information-dense, utility-focused options. Many are fully customizable, allowing you to change colors and complications. The always-on display options are equally varied, ensuring your watch remains functional and personal even when inactive.
Software & User Interface: Simple, Sometimes Too Simple
The user interface is clean, colorful, and intuitive. Swiping down from the top reveals a quick settings shade for brightness, DND mode, and settings. Swiping up from the bottom shows your notifications in a clean, easily scrollable list. A swipe from the left accesses the “Glances” menu – a series of vertically-scrollable widgets for weather, heart rate, activity rings, music control, and more. Swiping from the right cycles through your installed widgets. Pressing the Interactive Crown brings up the app grid, a honeycomb-style layout of large, circular icons.
The software is fluid and responsive, with no noticeable lag during navigation. However, the simplicity borders on limitation. There is no third-party app support, nor is there a voice assistant. The notifications are read-only; you cannot interact with or reply to them directly from the watch. The music control widget only controls playback on your connected phone; there is no option for onboard music storage. This positions the CMF Watch firmly as a companion device that displays information from your smartphone, rather than a semi-independent smartwatch.
Health & Fitness Tracking: Comprehensive for the Casual User
The CMF Watch is equipped with a suite of sensors for 24/7 heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen (SpO2) tracking, and sleep analysis. During testing, the heart rate readings during steady-state activities like walking were consistent with readings from a dedicated chest strap, though high-intensity interval training showed minor, expected deviations. The SpO2 measurements require you to stay still for about 30 seconds and provided results in line with a medical-grade pulse oximeter.
Sleep tracking is detailed, breaking down your night into Awake, REM, Core, and Deep sleep stages, along with a sleep score. The data is presented clearly within the app, offering insights into your sleep consistency and quality. For fitness, it automatically tracks activities like walking and running, and features over 110 sports modes for manual logging. The built-in GPS is a significant addition, allowing you to track outdoor runs, walks, and cycles without needing your phone. The GPS lock was reasonably quick, and the recorded routes were accurate, tracing paths correctly on a map with only minor, typical smoothing.
It is crucial to understand that this data is for informational and motivational purposes. It is not intended for medical use, and athletes requiring clinical-grade precision should look elsewhere.
Battery Life & Charging: A Week of Power
Battery life is a cornerstone of the CMF Watch’s value proposition. Nothing claims up to 13 days of typical use and 10 days of heavy use. In real-world testing with the always-on display enabled, continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and receiving roughly 50 notifications per day, the watch consistently achieved between 8 and 9 days on a single charge. With the always-on display disabled, hitting the 13-day mark is entirely plausible. This exceptional battery life alleviates the “charge anxiety” common with smartwatches that need daily power top-ups.
Charging is handled by a proprietary magnetic puck that connects via USB-C. It attaches securely to the back of the watch. A full charge from zero to 100% takes approximately two hours. There is no support for wireless charging.
The Companion App: The Central Hub
The “CMF Watch” app (separate from the main Nothing phone OS) is the control center for the device. The interface is clean, intuitive, and logically organized. The home screen provides a summary of your daily activity, sleep score, and heart rate. Tabs at the bottom allow easy access to the watch face store, device settings, and a history of all your health and fitness data. Connecting the watch is a seamless process, and the connection remained stable throughout the testing period, with no unexpected dropouts. The app is essential for unlocking the full potential of the watch’s customization and for viewing historical health trends.
The Competitive Landscape: Disrupting the Budget Segment
Positioning the CMF Watch in the market reveals its disruptive potential. It goes directly against established players in the budget segment like the Amazfit GTS series and the Xiaomi Smart Band series. Its primary advantages are its superior build quality (aluminum vs. plastic), the stunning AMOLED display, and the unique, customizable design language. The inclusion of built-in GPS is a feature often reserved for more expensive models in this category. Its weaknesses lie in its more limited smart features compared to a Wear OS watch and its intentionally minimalist, non-expandable software. For a user seeking a stylish, well-built fitness tracker with excellent battery life and a brilliant screen that handles smartphone notifications with aplomb, the CMF Watch presents an overwhelmingly compelling argument. It successfully carves out a niche by offering a premium physical experience and core functionality at a aggressively competitive price point, forcing the entire budget smartwatch category to take notice.