Asus is now a veteran of the smartwatch market, with 2015’s ZenWatch 2 being judged a “extremely able, stylish and reasonably priced Android wear device”. So how does the new ZenWatch three shape up?
At £229 (inc. VAT) the ZenWatch three no doubt remains inexpensive. against this, the Apple Watch collection 2 begins at £369, with the older sequence 1 to be had at round £270; the Samsung tools S3 prices round £300, as does the LG Watch fashion with Android put on 2.zero, while the Huawei Watch 2 (also with Android put on 2.zero) is available in at round £330.
The ZenWatch three has been a long time coming, because it used to be announced back in September 2016. on the grounds that then we’ve seen the advent of Android put on 2.zero., which bargains a few benefits over the Android put on 1.5 working on my evaluation unit. striking Android put on 2.0 options are the ability to run native apps (no need for a phone to be within the vicinity), an embedded Play retailer and even a built-in keyboard.
the good news is that Android put on 2.0 will come to the ZenWatch 3. then again, since the software would not embrace NFC, Android Pay will not be supported when it arrives. other striking absentees from Asus’s new smartwatch are GPS and a coronary heart-rate monitor.
ZenFit on the Asus ZenWatch three.
images: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet
There are a few bundled apps on board. ZenFit counts steps — in my expertise rather thoroughly — and may also be set to track operating, push-united states of americaand sit-ups. also incorporated are Asus climate and a flashlight app.
ZenWatch manager lets you set an SOS message.
photography: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet
You control the software via the ZenWatch manager app, which studies the watch’s battery and standing, allows you to make a selection from and customize a wide range of faces (and even design your personal), to find apps and regulate more than a few settings. among the many latter are an SOS name facility (if a fall is detected, for instance) and getting the watch to vibrate constantly — at hand if you’ve mislaid it.
The ZenWatch three is a chunky tool measuring 45mm by means of 45mm by 9.95mm.
picture: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet
like several Android smart watches I’ve tried, the ZenWatch three is a chunky instrument. it can be massive for my wrist, with a 45mm diameter face and 9.95mm thickness (yes, it can be thicker than many telephones). The solid top and backside lugs onto which the strap fits stopped it from hugging my wrist.
yet it’s no longer uncomfortable to put on, and the thick strap with its double loops really feel secure. The chrome steel bezel and backplate lend an air of quality to the general seem.
The three large aspect buttons appear misplaced, but they are helpful for navigating the watch’s features. The outer pair can be customised to launch apps, and there are additionally some gesture controls. then again, flicking the wrist up, down and round really feel like a step too a ways for me.
The four hundred-by-four hundred-pixel show is sharp and vibrant, and that i failed to discover any performance issues all through my (short) checking out length. The Snapdragon wear 2100 cell Processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of eMMC storage appeared as much as the job.
Battery life varies depending on what the ZenWatch 3 is requested to do. when I kept the reveal continuously on I got over 24 hours of life, however by no means managed as much as 48 hours. The 340mAh battery will fast-charge to 60 percent in quarter-hour, and the USB cost unit is a round pad that clips onto the again of the watch securely via magnets. the middle button on the face can be used to set an Eco Mode, which disables networking and notifications, extending battery existence.
The ZenWatch three is moderately hampered via the look forward to Android put on 2.zero, however more so by way of the absence of NFC, GPS and a coronary heart-price monitor.
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