Review Asus ZenWatch

Asus joined the squabble for wearable Android devices with smart watches with a bold design, although a rectangular dial was chosen for it, and the materials and appearance that could compete with the Apple Watch. At the same time, ZenWatch is not at all a clone, while simultaneously standing out from the cohort of wearable Android devices. Asus made one of the best wearable devices, which suggests that sometimes you can wait a bit and evaluate the market.

Main characteristics:

• display 1.63 ”(41.4 mm) 320 × 320
• case 51 x 39.9 mm
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz processor
• 4GB memory, 512MB RAM
• IP55 water resistance, Gorilla Glass 3
• Recommended Price: $ 199.99

pros

• Great design
• The best strap included with the Android watch

Minuses

• Big for small wrists
• Wide frame

Design

Attractive and unique - a metal case made of polished stainless steel and matte pink gold. The slightly rounded Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects the flat panel display. A strap with an easily detachable clasp.

The watch looks like a retrogadget that could fit into the style of the series “Mad Men”. The rounded edges of the frame smooth the overall appearance of a sufficiently large dial, and it already does not look so big on the wrists of medium and large size. There are small flaws - the square screen is almost lost in a black frame, and still the watch turned out to be too big. But as a result of appearance, they successfully declare themselves.

Build quality is uniquely high. Even the back of the case looks good. Matte rounded surface pleasantly touches the wrist.

The watch cradle is proprietary. It keeps the watch well, while taking out and inserting it is easy. It is a pity that there is no micro USB charging, like the Sony Smartwatch 3.

The properties

Everything for which we love wearable devices on Android is present. Here you have messages from your smartphone, and integration with Google Fit, and voice input of commands and search.

There is a native companion application that offers additional features, including customizable dials. They are grouped by the amount of information displayed, and allow you to customize not only the visual elements, but also what information will be on the screen. A good balance between a fully customizable system, difficult for beginners, and a fixed set of useful functions.

The application allows you to track battery power and offers several interesting features: with an incoming call, covering the dial with your hand, you turn off the sound; watch search; Notification of a forgotten phone when a Bluetooth disconnect occurs. Among the tools are a compass, a dial backlight, and an SOS call that sends messages to selected contacts in emergency situations.

Asus has made a good selection of the features that are needed for the Wear platform. The user himself could find and install these applications, but from a single console they are more convenient to manage.

Performance

The watch copes well with its tasks, voice recognition works well. The muffled display allows you to see the information you need while maintaining battery power. The screen is legible, although the individual pixels differ with the eye.

The watch has a heart rate monitor. Other devices place it on the back of the case, and for proper measurement, the watch must be worn on a tightly tightened strap. Asus went the other way, and placed the sensor directly under the screen. To measure the pulse, you need to attach a finger to it.

The battery life does not set records - it lasts for a day or more, unlike, for example, the LG G Watch R, which promise more than two days of continuous operation. However, the duration is comparable to similar Android Wear devices.

Total

Asus shares first place in the ranking of Android Wear devices with the G Watch R. The design of the favorites differs dramatically, so they are likely to appeal to different audiences. The ZenWatch look is more suitable for those who want business or business casual, and by default the dials look better by default than LG.

The result: if you care primarily about the appearance, take Asus. If you are interested in an extra day on a single charge, then LG. In any case, other competitors among Android Wear are no match for them.