Bottom line
A smartwatch costing around $79 isn’t supposed to be this interesting.
But the CMF Watch 3 Pro manages to pack in a surprisingly long list of features without completely falling apart as a daily wearable.
It’s not trying to beat Apple.
It’s trying to give you as much as possible without making your wallet cry.
The display
You get a 1.43-inch AMOLED display and more than 120 watch faces.
It’s large, bright and colorful enough that the watch doesn’t feel like a bargain-bin product.
Features you wouldn’t expect
This is where the CMF Watch 3 Pro gets interesting.
It has:
- Gesture controls
- Microphone for calls
- ChatGPT-integrated voice assistant
- Built-in flashlight
- GPS
- Workout tracking
And that’s a pretty impressive list for a $79 smartwatch.
Health tracking
The optical heart-rate sensor is one of the more important pieces of hardware here.
Your source notes testing against an Oura Ring 4 produced very similar readings.
The watch also provides detailed workout information and breathing/heart-rate animations.
Battery
CMF claims up to 13 days of battery life.
Even if your actual result is lower depending on how you use GPS and other features, that’s still a lot of battery for a watch at this price.
What isn’t perfect?
The software experience can be inconsistent.
The app isn’t always as polished as the bigger competitors, and the running coach doesn’t have the same flexibility as Garmin or Apple.
Sleep tracking can also occasionally overestimate how long you’ve slept.
That’s the trade-off.
You’re spending around $79.
Who should buy it?
- First-time smartwatch buyers
- Budget shoppers
- People wanting a second watch
- Anyone who wants lots of features without spending $200+
Who shouldn’t?
People who demand highly polished software or advanced health analysis may want to spend more.