New £99 Android smartwatch beats Samsung on battery life, screen and that's not all

If you are after a fitness-focussed smartwatch to pair with your phone but don’t want to break the bank, there aren’t too many decent options out there. The Apple Watch costs from £219, while Samsung has announced new Galaxy Watch models that can cost as much as £599.

Spending as little as possible is tricky, but one company is here to save the day. UK-based firm Nothing has just unveiled the CMF Watch 3 Pro, an eye-catching fitness watch that costs just £99.

The device boasts a 1.43-inch AMOLED screen, a larger window than you’ll find on Samsung’s Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic.

Nothing made headlines recently for its polarising new smartphone, the Nothing Phone 3, but the firm also releases more affordable tech under its CMF sub-brand.

The Watch 3 Pro is “Designed for everyday users and casual fitness explorers”, according to Nothing, and despite the low price packs in dual-band GPS, a heart rate sensor, AI coaching, more than 130 sports modes and up to 13 days of battery life.

That’s more than a week longer than Apple and Samsung’s pricey wearables will last. IOf that wasn’t enough, buyers of this new watch don’t even have to have an Android phone, as the Watch 3 Pro also works with iPhones, a rarity in 2025.

“We designed Watch 3 Pro to be the perfect starting point for anyone beginning their health and fitness journey,” said Andrew Freshwater, Head of Smart Products Marketing at Nothing.

“Whether you’re getting into running, building better habits, or just want something that looks great on your wrist, Watch 3 Pro delivers a smart, stylish experience that makes it easy to stay on track without overcomplicating things.”

But to reach £99, Nothing has had to cut some corners.

The clearest difference between it and other smartwatches is that you can’t download third party apps, so there’s no WhatsApp, Uber, Strava or other services directly available from your wrist.

However, the watch can get notifications from all your apps, so you’ll still get pinged when the group chat blows up or when your ride is nearby.

It’s good to see GPS built-in for the price, meaning you can track your runs without taking your phone with you, but you’ll need to take it if you want to listen to tunes, as the Watch 3 Pro can’t download and store music tracks. Its screen is also struck at 60Hz compared to zippier 120Hz panels on more expensive rivals.

It wouldn’t be 2025 without a little AI, and the CMF watch has that too, promising ChatGPT integration, auto-transcribed voice notes and personalised health insights from the data collected while it’s strapped to your wrists.

All said, it looks like a compelling option for what looks like a fitness tracker masquerading as a smartwatch. Available in Dark Grey, Light Grey, and Orange, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is on sale now in the UK from Nothing priced at £99.