TL;DR
- CMF by Nothing is a new sub-brand that uses the same in-house design team as mainline Nothing products.
- The first three devices from this sub-brand are earbuds, a smartwatch, and a GaN charger.
- The products are incredibly inexpensive and will come to the UK at first. India is next, with the US and Europe expected by the end of the year.
Update, September 26, 2023 (01:37 PM ET): Originally, this article stated that the products would come to the United States and the United Kingdom. This was due to CMF by Nothing giving us pricing in USD and GBP and not mentioning other countries of availability. Now, however, CMF has clarified that the devices will be available in the UK via its physical retail store first. India will immediately follow with select online and offline retailers. The United States and Europe will see the products at some point before the end of the year.
Additionally, CMF told us the Buds Pro only came in light gray and dark gray, even though the imagery provided showed an orange model. It turns out the orange model is also available.
The original article below has been edited to accurately reflect this information.
Original article, September 26, 2023 (05:30 AM ET): Back in August, we officially learned that a Nothing sub-brand would land sometime in 2023. At the time, Nothing co-founder and CEO Carl Pei said the brand would focus on making high-end design more accessible (read: less expensive). Today, we finally see that promise come to reality.
CMF by Nothing — the official clunky name of the sub-brand, although just CMF will work too — is launching a set of earbuds, a smartwatch, and a GaN charger. They are the Buds Pro, the Watch Pro, and the Power 65W GaN, respectively. All three products were designed by the same folks in charge of Nothing’s premium products, including the well-reviewed Nothing Phone 2 and the Nothing Ear 2.
In case you’re curious, “CMF” stands for colors, materials, and finishes. This is referenced in each of the product images here.
Check out each product in more detail below.
CMF by Nothing Buds Pro
Nothing is no stranger to true wireless earbuds, having already launched three different sets (Ear 1, Ear 2, and Ear Stick). The first earbuds from CMF look like non-transparent versions of those other models. However, there will be far fewer features and lower-grade audio quality thanks to the incredible price discrepancy between the CMF Buds Pro and those mainline Nothing products.
That doesn’t mean the Buds Pro are terrible, though. They feature 45dB hybrid active noise cancelation, clear call technology, and a powerful bass boost. Each earbud sports a 55mAh battery, which CMF by Nothing says can deliver up to 11 hours of music playback with ANC turned off. With the charging case, you can get a total of 39 hours — once again, according to Nothing and with ANC off.
You can also fast charge the case. After just 10 minutes of charging, you should get another five hours of ANC-free music playback. Obviously, all these numbers will drop significantly if you have ANC on.
Most notable, though, is that the Nothing X app controls the Buds Pro. This is the same app high-end Nothing audio products use, which means you’ll have access to a customizable equalizer and the ability to tweak touch controls (yes, these earbuds support touch controls).
CMF by Nothing Watch Pro
The Watch Pro is, by far, the most interesting product in CMF’s lineup. This is because there is no mainline Nothing smartwatch, so this is unlike anything else we’ve seen from the brand.
The watch design looks like someone smashed together a Nothing Phone and an Apple Watch Ultra. The orange band really sends home the Apple Watch Ultra vibes.
Of course, this is nothing like an Apple Watch Ultra. It is very basic in nature, featuring a simple and limited operating system. This means it will be light on features, won’t integrate entirely with your smartphone, and won’t have access to an app store.
Still, the CMF by Nothing Watch Pro will provide the basics. It will mirror your smartphone notifications, track your health (including 110 sport modes), and even includes multi-system GPS, which means you can go for a run and leave your smartphone at home. It has a fairly large 340mAh battery, an IP68 rating (!!), and even supports Bluetooth calls with a built-in speaker and microphone.
Although the lack of apps might be sad for some, the simple OS enables the watch to sip on the battery. CMF promises up to 13 days of battery life, which is pretty nuts considering this thing is rocking a 1.96-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 410 x 502.
CMF by Nothing Power 65W GaN
Finally, CMF by Nothing is launching a GaN charger, appropriately called the Power 65W GaN. As its name suggests, it can push power at speeds up to 65W. This means it should be able to quickly charge your smartphone, earbuds, smartwatch, and even most laptops. It has three ports: two USB-C and one USB-A. It is widely compatible, too, supporting the PD3.0, QC4.0+/3.0/2.0, SCP, FCP, PPS, AFC, Samsung 9V2A, DCP, and Apple 2.4A protocols. It also supports a wide voltage range from 100-240V, making it safe to use all over the world.
Pricing and availability
As promised, the first three CMF by Nothing products are inexpensive. In fact, one might even say they are absurdly cheap for what you get. Here’s what you’ll pay:
- CMF Buds Pro — $49 / £49
- CMF Watch Pro — $69 / £69
- CMF Power 65W GaN — $39 / £39
The Buds Pro will come in orange, dark gray, or light gray. Meanwhile, the CMF Watch Pro comes in Metallic Gray with an orange strap, dark gray with a gray strap, or dark gray with an ash strap. The GaN charger comes in gray or orange.
You’ll be able to buy these products later this month in the UK and India. Although CMF didn’t give a specific date for online orders, the company did say that the Nothing Store Soho in London would be the first place you can buy them. That sale begins September 30, so we’d expect general online availability to begin around then. Meanwhile, CMF products will come to the United States and Europe at some point before the end of 2023.