Are you thinking about getting the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2? With its sleek design, upgraded features, and affordability, this smartwatch has generated quite a buzz. But does it live up to the hype? In this comprehensive review, we’ll dive deep into every aspect of the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2, sharing the good, the bad, and everything in between.
What’s New with the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2?
The Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 stands as an upgrade to its predecessor, offering a circular display, more durability, and improved activity tracking. Launched as part of CMF, Nothing’s budget-friendly sub-brand, the Watch Pro 2 aims to bring premium features to an affordable price point. But let’s break it down—is it really a steal or just another budget smartwatch?
Design and Build Quality: Sleek, But with a Catch:
At first glance, the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 immediately catches the eye with its circular 1.32-inch AMOLED display and sleek aluminum case. The display resolution (466 x 466 pixels) offers sharp, vibrant visuals, which is rare for its price tag.
The CMF Watch Pro 2 ditches the rectangular display of the first-gen Watch Pro for a more modern look. It’s available in four colors, including Dark Gray, Ash Gray, and bold Orange or Blue straps. The leather straps on our review unit held up surprisingly well, showing little to no wear after a few months of active use. Despite the matte finish on the aluminum case being prone to fingerprints, the watch looks premium.
However, one downside is the excessive “CMF by Nothing” branding on the bezel, which some users may find distracting. Luckily, the bezel is replaceable, allowing you to tone down the branding if you prefer.
Display: AMOLED Brilliance, But Auto-Brightness Issues:
The Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 comes with a 1.32-inch AMOLED display, which provides bright and clear visuals. The color contrast and pixel density are impressive, especially given the price range. Whether you’re indoors or out, the vibrant display makes using the watch a pleasure.
That said, the auto-brightness feature can be a little finicky. In overcast conditions, the brightness sometimes drops too low, making it difficult to read the screen. While the touchscreen is highly responsive, an additional physical button could have provided more navigation options.
Software: Smooth but Simple:
Even though the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 is positioned as a budget-friendly smartwatch, it doesn’t feel cheap. The software is smooth and connects easily with both Android and iOS devices. Navigating through menus feels fluid, though the interface might take some getting used to if you’re coming from other smartwatch platforms.
With hundreds of watch faces available, there’s plenty of customization. However, there’s no app store, which is understandable for this price point. The overall software experience is clean, but don’t expect advanced features you’d find on higher-end watches.
Activity Tracking: Great for the Price, But Slow GPS:
The CMF Watch Pro 2 excels in fitness tracking, even though its GPS lock leaves something to be desired. During testing, we found that GPS lock-on took between two to five minutes, which can be frustrating for runners or cyclists eager to start their workouts.
However, once connected, the activity tracking was impressively accurate. Whether you’re swimming, running, or even rock climbing, the CMF Watch Pro 2 logs your activities in a way that holds up well against pricier competitors like Garmin or Samsung. The watch also comes with a handy 12-step guided warm-up routine, which helps give the GPS time to sync before you head out.
On the downside, the health tracking features, like blood oxygen monitoring and sleep tracking, are fairly basic. While they get the job done, don’t expect features like ECG or skin temperature monitoring.
Battery Life: Decent, But Could Be Better:
Nothing claims the CMF Watch Pro 2 can last up to 11 days with typical use and about 9 days with heavy use. However, in our testing, we found those numbers to be slightly inflated. With typical use, we managed around 10 days of battery life, while heavy use brought us closer to 7 days. If you enable the Always-On Display (AOD), battery life drops to about 4-5 days.
While the battery life isn’t groundbreaking, it’s still better than many competitors like Apple and Samsung, though they come with more advanced features and operating systems.
Charging the watch is done via a proprietary cable with pogo pins. Unfortunately, there’s no wireless charging support, but it takes about 100 minutes to fully charge the device, with 50% charge achieved in around 30 minutes.
Pros and Cons: Is the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 Worth It?
Pros:
- Vibrant AMOLED display that punches above its weight.
- Comfortable design and durable build.
- Smooth software experience without bloat.
- Great fitness tracking accuracy for the price.
Cons:
- Laggy GPS lock-on, especially in open spaces.
- No advanced health metrics like ECG or temperature monitoring.
- Battery life could be better, especially with AOD enabled.
- Limited physical navigation options—an extra button would’ve been helpful.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2?
The Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 is a solid contender in the budget smartwatch space. Its elegant design, vibrant display, and accurate fitness tracking make it an appealing option, especially at such a low price. While the GPS lock could be quicker and battery life better, it’s hard to argue against the value it offers. If you’re looking for a smartwatch that delivers the essentials without breaking the bank, the CMF Watch Pro 2 is definitely worth considering.
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