Stand aside, Apple and Samsung. ASUS ZenWatch is a sophisticated smartwatch and less than $300
In a crowded smartwatch market, ASUS wants to make a name for itself with a subtle, sophisticated smartwatch that costs $700 less than an Apple Watch.
Maybe it’s the Italian leather band.
Perhaps it’s the stainless steel body, the subtle rose gold trim, or its modest profile.
Whether it’s just one of these features, or a combination of them all, the first smartwatch from ASUS achieves a level of sophisticated uncommon to wearable technology.
To add to this, ASUS also adds plenty of its own software to this Android-based device, including seven new watch faces and fresh apps, that make it even more attractive.
The ZenWatch, now available in Google’s Play Store, offers all the Android Wear features you’d expect, including a Bluetooth 4.0 connection to your smartphone, regular text-message, call and app notifications, step counting, and a microphone for voice commands and SMS dictation.
It also offers heart-rate monitoring but in a different way.
A biosensor is hidden in the bezel beside its screen so users must touch two fingers to either side of the screen to gauge their pulse rate.
An ASUS-created Wellness app also allows wearers to assess their level of relaxation using the same sensor, although it takes 15 seconds. The app delivers a mark out of 100, though it’s hard to tell what the mark means.
Through its ZenWatch app, ASUS also lets users install a compass app, flashlight feature, and plenty of watch faces that can be customised with the details of your choosing, from weather to a step count.
Its 1.63-inch, Gorilla Glass 3 screen is slightly bigger than that of the Apple Watch but with a slightly lower resolution, at 278ppi. Nevertheless, it’s capable of comfortable brightness and angled viewing.
It’s also water-resistant to an IP55 rating, allowing it to survive exposure to dust or rain, though users will not want to take that leather band in the shower.
Users may not appreciate its battery life, which just sees the day out, and its heart-rate sensor can throw up errant results.
Regardless, the ZenWatch feels like an evolved smartwatch and its sleek profile and subtle styling makes it one of the most sophisticated examples to date. The fact that the leather-banded smartwatch is more than $700 less than one of its big rivals is also worth noting.
ASUS ZenWatch
4/5 / $290 / play.google.com
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