The CMF Watch Pro 2 was one of those easy smartwatch recommendations last year. At Rs 4,999, it kept things simple, featuring a clean design, reliable basics, and a price that didn’t really make you complain about its limitations. Now, with the Watch 3 Pro, CMF wants to aim higher. Of course, the price has gone up too, and we’ll address that in a bit. But even the name gives it away. It’s no longer ‘Watch Pro 2’, it’s now Watch 3 Pro. The Pro has moved to the end, and that small change oddly reflects what this watch is trying to do: feel a bit more mature, a bit more complete.
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I’ve been using it for a few days now, and while it still feels very much like a CMF watch, it’s also clear that this one is trying to step into a slightly more serious space. Here’s my first impressions of the brand new CMF Watch 3 Pro.
At a glance, the CMF Watch 3 Pro looks familiar, but spend some time with it, and you’ll start noticing the differences.
The biggest one is the build. There’s now a metal frame, and it just feels nicer on the wrist compared to the Watch Pro 2. The good part is that it is still not heavy or flashy, just more solid. It still keeps that minimal CMF style, which I personally like.
But the more interesting change is something you might miss if you don’t look closely: the bezel finishes.
Each colour variant actually has a different personality. The grey one gets a smoother, more rounded bezel. The black one (which I’m using) has this brushed metal finish that looks clean and slightly understated. And then there’s the orange version, which has a more textured, almost rugged finish. The closest way to describe it would be a matte, grainy surface that feels a bit raw compared to the other two.
I actually like all three finishes, but if I’m being honest, I would’ve preferred the orange variant’s textured bezel and strap, just in black. That combination would’ve been perfect for me.
However, there’s a small catch here. Unlike the Watch Pro 2, where you could swap bezels and customise the look a bit, this one seems fixed. What you buy is what you stick with. Of course, I haven’t seen the grey and orange versions for myself, but if my black variant is anything to go by, I am unable to swap out the bezel here. So that remains permanent this time, although the straps should likely be available separately.
Speaking of straps, I quite like these. They’re simple silicone straps, nothing fancy, but they’re comfortable and practical. More importantly, they use the traditional buckle style, which I personally prefer. You can adjust the fit exactly how you want. Compared to the silicone straps that you get with the more expensive Apple and Pixel watches, which can get annoying quickly, this just feels more comfortable and easier to live with.
Beyond the design, the CMF Watch 3 Pro offers a range of health and fitness features, and for obvious reasons. This time around, there’s a new heart rate sensor, which CMF says is more accurate than before, especially during workouts. Of course, I’ll need more time to really test how consistent it is.
I am also keeping a closer look at sleep tracking, which also feels a bit more detailed now, and it even picks up naps, which is actually useful if your schedule isn’t very fixed.
Then there’s this thing called Active Score, which basically gives you one number to understand how active you’ve been through the week. It’s a simple feature, which is already present these days in higher-end Apple and Pixel watches, along with smart rings from various brands. I think a lot of people will actually prefer something like this over digging into detailed stats.
The bigger upgrade, though, is GPS. You now get dual-band GPS, which is a proper step up. This also means that while the older watch didn’t feel built for serious outdoor tracking, this one clearly is.
There’s also a custom running coach, recovery insights, and more detailed workout summaries. I’ve only scratched the surface here, so as I said, I’ll reserve my judgment for now. But with this latest addition, it’s clear CMF wants this to be taken a bit more seriously in the fitness space.
More on this in the full review.
CMF has also added more smart features this time.
You still get the basic suite: notifications, music controls, weather, and reminders, all of that works as expected. But now there’s Bluetooth calling and more interestingly, voice recording with transcription. I am not sure how many people are going to actually record audio on their smartwatches, but if that’s something you fancy, and you also want free transcription, here you are.
Battery life seems solid, at least on paper. CMF claims up to 13 days, and based on what I’ve seen so far, with my usage, I think it should comfortably last for about a week without any issues. But then again, how the brand claims about 2 weeks of endurance on a single charge is something I’ll have to test and find out.
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Finally, there’s pricing, which honestly plays a big role here. The CMF Watch 3 Pro price in India is set at Rs 6,999. Note, this is the day one price, and going forward, the regular price will shoot to Rs 7,999. That’s still quite a jump from the Watch Pro 2, Rs 3,000 to be exact, but it also makes this Watch 3 Pro a lot easier to understand. I won’t call this one absolutely affordable, although there’s only so much you can ask for under Rs 10,000. But again, with this kind of pricing, it is definitely entering a more competitive space.
In a nutshell, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is more refined, more capable, and definitely more ambitious than the Watch Pro 2. But that also makes it a slightly tougher product to judge. As I said, the older Watch Pro 2 was an easy recommendation for its asking price. It was affordable, well-built and good enough. With this one, people will expect more, and rightly so.
For now, my first impression is this: The CMF Watch 3 Pro is a meaningful upgrade, but also a more layered one. There’s more going on here, and I’ll need more time to see if all of it actually adds value, or if some of it just sounds good on paper.