Smart watch Asus ZenWatch. Review of smartwatches ASUS ZenWatch: this is a must see Electronic watch android for asus

Smartwatch makers quickly encountered a strange paradox. Potential buyers, of course, were very worried about the mind. But they were even more worried about their moments, characteristic of traditional watches: the prestige of the brand, the quality of materials, the combination with clothes, etc. That is, the watch, having acquired the filling of a smartphone, has not ceased to be an accessory. And then everyone was very good at screwing up Apple with its Watch. The prestige of the brand and the careful selection of materials turned out to be on the side of the company, and the abundance of straps and bracelets simply dazzles in the eyes. I'm afraid if Apple Watch worked with Android smartphones, there would be almost no room for maneuver for other manufacturers ...

But, fortunately for many, Apple is currently cultivating only its own platform. How long she will be engaged in self-restraint - I do not know. But let me remind you that once the iPods worked only with Mac computers. No, I am not idealizing Apple, and the Watch is no different from the best models on Tizen and Android Wear (and in some ways inferior to them). But Apple's smartwatch = accessory approach is definitely closer to the heart of the average person. And there are much more of them, ordinary, than technomaniacs.

Why am I all this? And besides the fact that ASUS also employs very intelligent people. And the new generation of ZenWatch 3 watches made it so cool that you can't immediately distinguish it from expensive mechanics.

In the first two generations, ASUS experimented with rectangular shapes. I wrote about them and. In short, the experiments were successful, and the second generation was the cheapest representative of the Android Wear watch family (from $ 165). Still, confusing ZenWatch and ZenWatch 2 with “just a watch” was impossible. ZenWatch 3, on the other hand, is easy.

The new model is produced in three cases - "metal", "silver" and "rose gold". I was given "metal" for experiments, and in English this version is called much cooler - Gunmetal. The case is made of 316L stainless steel. It is commonly used in the jewelry and medical industries - for the manufacture of jewelry and surgical instruments, respectively. That is, strength, resistance to corrosion and oxidation - that's all. When polished, such steel is indistinguishable from white gold by eye. The Gunmetal version has black anodizing, which also looks very solid. I personally associate the gold rim around the dial with Movado watches, although, of course, they were not the first to come up with it, and they were not the last to use it. Composite strap mounts frame the round case at the top and bottom. The latter is made of leather, "processed according to traditional Italian technology." The good news is that the strap is really very good, looks great and fits comfortably on your hand. The bad news is that it has a proprietary design, and if it fails, you will have to buy a new one from ASUS or the good Chinese on eBay (if they hurry up while there are no offers).

The back of the case, if not for the charging connector, would also resemble an ordinary watch as much as possible. Yes, the watch does not have an optical sensor that measures the pulse, and the watch does not determine the heart rate. Given the highly questionable accuracy of this kind of sensor, it's not a shame.

The rest of the electronic filling is very decent. The watch runs on SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100, they have 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of onboard memory. An AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 400x400 pixels was used, which is slightly above average (for comparison, the Moto 360 v2 has 360x325). There are no strange black zones on the screen, the image occupies the entire surface, and the picture quality, as you might guess, is excellent. Taking into account the fact that now most of the dials show a color image in standby mode, you will not immediately understand from the outside whether this is a smart watch or an ordinary one. The glass has a Corning Gorilla coating to prevent accidental scratches. And banging the screen on the watch is rather difficult due to its low weight.

You ask - why are there three buttons? Well, first of all, it's beautiful. And secondly too. It seems to me that the buttons were added precisely to resemble a real chronometer, because in practice one is quite enough. And so the top button is designed to launch your favorite application (optional), the middle one is common for all Android Wear watches, and the bottom one turns on the energy saving mode. In general, yes. For beauty, they are.

Battery capacity 340 mAh. In normal mode, about 65% of the charge remains by the evening, and, in principle, there is a chance that the clock will last until the evening of the second day. But I have a habit of charging my gadgets every evening, so I won't lie, I have not tested it. Unfortunately, ASUS again didn’t do wireless charging, and we were greeted by a circle with a contact pad, albeit quite convenient against the background of its fellows, but still requiring some dexterity. Unlike Moto and Samsung chargers, the circle is proprietary. Break / get lost - contact ASUS for a new one. The proprietary interface made it possible to provide accelerated charging (from 0 to 60% in 15 minutes), but still the ability to simply put the watch on the charging cradle without monitoring the position of the contacts is much more convenient.

The watch has a speaker and microphone, so it can be used as a wireless headset. But there is no own GPS-receiver, they did not install it. Provides IP67 protection against moisture. Swimming in the sea is not worth it, but the shower and the freshwater pool will last for hours. Although, to be honest, I would not vouch for the strap. The skin does not like to swim.

ASUS ZenWatch 3 comes with over 50 watch faces, half of which can be customized. Some of them I liked, some not very much. In general, the number of preinstalled watch faces cannot be considered either an advantage or a disadvantage, because there are simply an exorbitant number of them on Google Play, and you will definitely choose the option to your liking. It's a pity that Google is so closely monitoring copyrights, and there are no clones of "Komandirskie" and other Soviet watches on Android Wear, as on.

Well, about the operating system itself. Google is delaying the update to Wear 2.0 for most manufacturers, but there will definitely be one. In the meantime, you can use Wear 1.6, it is a very convenient operating system.

Total

ASUS watches are getting better and better. In the third series, the materials are perfectly selected, the workmanship is at a height, and the design has gone towards the strict classics, which can only be welcomed. In the end, there are a lot of smart watches for young people, but for serious wealthy guys it’s on the fingers of one hand.

With that said, the price of the new watch is quite reasonable. In the States it is $ 229 plus taxes, we have an official price tag of 21,990 rubles, but you can find it a couple of thousand cheaper. For comparison, the already discontinued second-generation Moto 360s cost the same, which look noticeably simpler (although there is a heart rate sensor). The Huawei Watch looks good too (and has a heart rate monitor), but the platform is older and the battery is weaker. That is, it is not cheap-cheap, as it was with ZenWatch 2, but, as they say, “in the market”. After all, even a mechanical watch of this quality is rarely cheaper. And here - smart!

I recently bought a special "add-on" for regular watches called Chronos, which makes them almost smart. I really missed the classic design. I will not try, my hands do not reach. But if you do not have a collection of mechanics, and generally do not really want to experiment, ASUS already has a ready-made version with an absolutely classic design. Try it on on occasion.

Asus Zen Watch 3 is a well-known representative of a line of smart devices from a relatively young manufacturer. Thanks to the thoughtfulness of every detail in the development, the third model of this company's watches quickly won the trust of users in the world market. Below is a detailed description of the Asus ZenWatch 3 sample.

Equipment

Smartwatch manufacturer Asus has taken into account all aspects of using the device. The package is equipped with a set of all the necessary parts. The buyer does not have to purchase important components on their own. Everything is included in the set.

The complete set includes:

• Instructions for use
• Charger (docking station or cradle)
• Charger cord
• Watch stand

The device stand may be lost. When buying an Asus ZenWatch, you should inquire about the availability of all the components of the set. The stand is important when charging the model.

Design and materials

The Asus Zen Watch 3 smartwatch represents a classic example of device styling. Due to the materials used in the development of the model and the massive design of the case, this device is not suitable for a woman's hand.

Frame

The dial of Asus smart watches has a large diameter. The body of this model is made in a rounded shape. It's massive. The material of manufacture played a role here. The gadget is made of stainless steel. Its brand is 316L, which indicates high quality.

The stainless steel is coated with a colored coating. Its shade is dark, the color is black-brown. This combination is called "weapon metal". There are two more versions of the case - "red gold" and "silver".

Convex buttons are located on the side of the case. Their massiveness complements the design with a brutal element. There are bronze rings under the buttons. They complement the overall style of the model well. There is nothing superfluous in the design, the device looks organic.

Strap

Each version of Asus smartwatch is equipped with a strap of a specific color. This is done for the organic appearance:

• Gunmetal has a black strap
• "Red Gold" is equipped with a light brown strap
• Case strap "Silver" painted beige

Read also:

Smart watch Lemfo Lem 9 with two processors and a front camera

The difference in the strap color of the last two models is almost invisible. The material is different. There are two options in total - elastomer and leather. When choosing between the two strap materials, the elastomer should be preferred.

Every Asus Zen Watch strap is made of elastomer with an embossed pattern. Visually, this creates the illusion of a textile covering. In addition to the design advantage, there are 5 more advantages:

• Arm tightness
• Softness and imperceptibility to wear
• Durability
• Color preservation
• The ability to repel moisture and odors

The leather strap looks presentable. This is its only plus. The disadvantages are the following facts:

• The skin absorbs sweat from the hand
• With proper tension, she rubs her wrist
• When the strap is loosened, it fidgets on the hand

A leather strap quickly loses its luxury appearance and acquires an unpleasant odor. The color saturation is quickly erased.

The bracelet can be changed. The strap has small fasteners on both sides of the case - locks. With their help, it can be carefully removed and replaced with another.

Design features

The design of the Asus Zen Watch 3 is straightforward. This makes it easy to manage the watch. The back of the case is equipped with a speaker and charging contacts.

The dial is equipped with three side buttons:

• Upper
• Central
• Lower

Each of the buttons has its own purpose. The top button is configurable for various actions. Each owner uses it in different ways, in accordance with their requirements for comfortable use. Most often, she is entrusted with the function of launching applications.

The centrally located button is responsible for power. It can be used to turn the clock on or off. It also makes it possible to instantly exit to the main screen or reset. The bottom button is responsible for two actions. It will help you quickly enter airplane mode. It can also be used to activate battery saving.

The design of the watch does not allow putting it on the table with the dial facing up. It's all about the transition of the case to the strap. The manufacturer has developed the design of the device so that this border is invisible on the hand. The illusion of a solid line is created. However, due to this, the stability of the watch has decreased.

Read also:

Smart watch for children Geozon Air: overview and settings

For comfort, a special stand has been added to the package. It is made in the form of a small rectangle with a semicircular cut. The side of the device body is placed in this recess.

Other features

The considered gadget model is equipped with protection. Unlike most Chinese models, the Asus Zen Watch 3 has Gorilla Glass.

This is a special protective type of coating. The glass is distinguished by a slight convexity of the surface. Its importance lies in the reliable protection of the display device from scratches, bumps, etc. The presence of an additional protective film is optional here. Thanks to Gorilla Glass, the gadget does without it.

Asus Zen Watch is also equipped with a waterproof case. The moisture protection here corresponds to the IP67 standard. This indicates the possibility of bathing, washing hands, etc., without removing the gadget from your hand.

Technical capabilities

The line of smart watches Asus Zen Watch 3 is considered one of the best in the world market. This is due not only to the stylish design and comfortable construction. This model gained popularity due to its technical features. Let's consider them.

Model characteristics:

• Dimensions are 45 × 45 × 9.9-10.6mm
• With a strap, the device weighs 60g
• Weight without strap is 48g

An important role is assigned to the work of the processor and the capabilities of the RAM. Let us dwell on this issue in more detail.

Internal content of the sample

Noteworthy is the Asus Zen Watch 3 WI503Q smart watch processor. This is a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 (APQ8009) sample. The device works great with it.

The base operating system is Android Wear. The model in question is capable of working with all its versions. It is worth noting the impossibility of working with other systems. RAM 512MB. That's not a lot. However, the built-in memory expands the capabilities of the gadget - 4GB.

The device is equipped with two sensors - an accelerometer and a 6-axis gyroscope. There is also a built-in microphone. This sample has the ability to connect to the wireless Internet.

Smart watches ASUS ZenWatch appeared on the market of modern technologies. Attractive design and economical price made all lovers of modern novelties attract attention. Taiwanese engineers were able to combine all the latest developments in the new product and made a worthy competitor to the Apple Watch.

Despite the fact that today many users are skeptical about all new products in the world of smart technology, the new gadget was able to gain a positive reputation.

ASUS ZenWatch Smart Watch - Reviews

Asus ZenWatch is the best that smartwatch manufacturers have been able to present to date. A high-tech functional device with an original design and a set of available capabilities surpassed all previous devices from this segment. This is a comfortable and stylish watch that will be in place in absolutely any life situation.

Asus watches support the Android Wear system, but despite this, they have limited capabilities, in contrast to the operating system of tablets or smartphones. They have a user-friendly interface, fairly easy voice control, including support for the Russian language. This definitely gives a tangible plus to the device in relation to competitors.

The watch works in standalone mode, i.e. by themselves, without pairing with a tablet or smartphone. However, more functional gadgets will help to unleash their full potential. In this case, using Google Now, you can receive missed notifications or notifications about the latest events.

With the help of the clock, you can even take photos and videos, you can also use them as an alarm clock or a kind of remote control to control the player. The device can show the heart rate or calculate the calorie consumption, and unlike other models with Android Wear, ZenWatch has a software package from Asus, which allows you to significantly expand the capabilities of the accessory.

ASUS ZenWatch design

The design and material of the watch have a more solid and attractive look than previous gadgets. The ZenWatch case consists of the so-called "rose gold", edged with stainless steel on both sides and painted in bronze. The body is curved with smooth outlines.

It's worth noting that the ZenWatch looks a lot stronger than the metal Samsung. This design goes well with the brown leather strap. ZenWatch has a fairly high level of durability and protection from moisture and dust. The watch is quite versatile, which makes it possible to safely put it on even on the beach and not take it off before entering the water.

The standard leather strap that comes with the ZenWatch is 22mm wide. The color of the material is flesh-colored, to match the skin tone of the hands. However, the bracelet is quite tough, which spoils the pleasure of wearing a smart accessory somewhat.

The length of the strap is adjustable, so as for the size, there will be no trouble here. Unfortunately, the clasp needs improvement and refinement. There are no sharp corners and no protruding parts in the watch case. It looks pretty nice thanks to its smooth outlines.

Screen overview

The screen sits in the center of a small bezel that lacks any decoration. The underside of the ZenWatch continues the minimalist trend. There is a Micro-USB connector on the side, four mounting screws, a tiny cutout for a microphone, and a power button. Unlike other Android devices, the heart rate monitor is integrated into the front panel. Charging is also worth mentioning. At the bottom, on the inner surface, there are contacts and when connected to the charger, a small LED lights up. The ZenWatch charger is unfortunately not wireless. However, the wire does not interfere in most cases.

The 1.63-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 320 x 320 performs its function as “excellent”. The top is protected by curved scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 3. It has an anti-reflective coating for excellent viewing in all weather conditions. The RAM is 512 MB and the built-in card is expandable up to 4 GB.

The watch battery lasts long enough without recharging. Even after an active day of work and within half an hour of installing and uninstalling applications, the reading indicator will display about 50% of the charge. This is a much better result than the Moto 360, which even after a series of battery updates in a fairly active mode of use, the device completely drains the battery in a day.

If you turn off the screen backlight and notifications of new messages in social networks and e-mail, then charging can last up to two days.

The watch works quite quickly, but some functions are performed only using a smartphone or tablet paired with it. Maps from Google are also synchronized. This allows you to set a reminder by voice command, send a message, find out about the weather, flights or the location of the nearest cafes or shopping centers.

Asus has developed a small catalog of apps for the ZenWatch. ZenWatch Manager recommends at least three exclusive apps: ZenWatch Wellness, ZenWatch Camera, and ZenWatch Music. ZenWatch Wellness can perform simple tasks like adjusting color, battery indicator, and also alert when a connected phone is out of range.

The device has a built-in heart rate sensor that will measure your heart rate and can also record a graph of your steps, calories burned and exercise intensity over time.

Less successful are two other apps - ZenWatch Camera and ZenWatch Music. Perhaps future updates will correct the situation. The heart rate sensor and pedometer require major improvements.

Outcome

The main plus of the ASUS ZenWatch is its stylish design. However, it was not enough to outweigh the flaws in technology. Modern voice control, high-quality assembly and good software have huge potential, but still there are some pretty serious complaints about the pedometer and heart rate sensor.

pros

• Affordable price;
• Beautiful design;
• Reliable charging;
• Reliable battery.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Mikhail Nikitin

Advantages: 1) The best combination of design, size, speed, quality and price! 2) A very juicy and beautiful screen with an optimal diagonal, a large selection of dials "out of the box". 3) I use an average battery economy, my screen is always on with a light backlight, which looks awesome in twilight and darkness, but without automatically turning on the full backlight when you raise your hand, in this mode, 50-60% of the charge remains by the evening, which says about the fact that, if desired, the charge will last for 2 days!

Disadvantages: 1) The dial sometimes slips slightly, like on my old Sony SW2, even surprised! 2) After updating to Android Wear 2.0, to enter the menu, you need to press a button, on the first version this was done with a gesture, which increased the life of the main button, and with gestures, the dials are changed, this is not at all for anything! After all, you don't change dials so often. 3) The clock does not dull a lot and falls asleep, the call starts vibrating with a delay, sometimes large, sometimes less, notifications from messengers, social. networks, etc. They start arriving on time only after installing the "Informer" program from the market, and also with a delay. 4) The original charging failed once: I went to another city and accidentally forgot charging there, I was left without charging at home and, accordingly, without a watch, I ordered a spare one for Ali for 500 rubles, which I consider a high price, the contacts have not failed yet, some say that they have to clean, my head only sweats, my hands are dry, apparently that's why there are no problems with contacts.

Commentary: I bought this watch to replace my old Sony SW2, I didn't like that Sony was like a pager, messages come, but to answer you need to climb behind the phone. On the same watch, you do not need to climb behind the phone, you can answer by voice to messages from Viber, Wapp, Telegramm, VK and Hangoust is more convenient, since it is my main messenger :) you can not only answer but also view the history of correspondence. The clock with a delay duplicates notifications, so I installed the "Informer" application, it seems to keep the notifications awake, calls come with a delay of ~ 5-10 seconds. On the watch, you can turn on the audio stream function in the bluetooth settings and talk directly from them, the battery drain increases and the bluetooth connection to the car radio stopped working for me, so I turned off this function. I bought the watch with the cheapest set, with a silicone gray strap and in silver with a gold ring, then I ordered a leather strap specially for this watch on aliexpress for 1 thousand rubles and was very pleased, because I would pay 4 thousand rubles for the original leather belt ... more, and so everything together cost me 14700 rubles. Overall, I am very pleased with the watch, despite some minor inconveniences.

You open the box and you immediately realize that ASUS employees do not eat their bread in vain. No render, no photograph can convey how good-looking the watch is. Polished steel and leather, not a hint of sports or fitness, the ZenWatch WI500Q looks expensive. Premium materials, engraving and embossing make you want to look at the device from all sides for a long time. The name of the device is embossed on the strap on one side, and Genuine leather on the other. Of course, they don't write this on the straps of expensive watches, but we have an inexpensive watch in front of us!

The version familiar from all the advertising materials is with a light brown strap, but there are two more options on sale - with a red-brown one and with a black one. A classic set for expensive and not quite typical for smartwatches - no polymers or plastic. ZenWatch looks appropriate with a suit, with a shirt, or at worst with a sweatshirt - a T-shirt or sleeveless jacket asks for something more sporty. The case also comes in two colors: silver-gold and rose-gold. All this forces us to double-check the price of the device and, in perplexity, sit back in the chair: the ASUS watch is almost the cheapest offer on Android Wear available today. In Russia, they are not yet on sale, and in the US they ask for only $ 200 (excluding taxes), while the Moto 360 is priced at $ 249, and the recently reviewed LG G Watch R is sold for $ 299 at all. Only the original LG G Watch is cheaper - they want $ 169 for them.

The front panel of ASUS ZenWatch, framed by stainless steel, is covered with slightly curved Gorilla Glass 3. Under it is a square AMOLED-matrix with a diagonal of 1.63 inches and a resolution of 320 × 320 pixels (278 PPI). AMOLED for watches is just what you need. The concept of viewing angles is not applicable to organic LEDs at all due to the almost infinite contrast, black practically does not glow - no voltage is applied to the switched off pixels, which saves energy. ASUS took advantage of this: in sleep mode, the display shows a simplified black-and-white scheme of clocks and notifications. The battery charge is consumed less, but, unfortunately, this does not help. The device is equipped with a battery of 1.4 Wh (369 mAh, 3.8 V) and therefore lives without recharging for a couple of days, no more. Well, if you actively use your watch, then be prepared to put it on charge every day.

The rest of the hardware is pretty standard for Android Wear devices at the end of 2014 - beginning of 2015: a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal flash memory. There is Bluetooth 4.0, compass, 9-axis gyroscope, heart rate sensor and microphone. No speaker, GPS or Wi-Fi. Of the above, special attention should be paid to the sensor, skillfully incorporated into the device by designers and engineers.

Without knowing what a heart rate monitor looks like, you won't be able to find it in ASUS ZenWatch. The sensor is the steel bezel of the bezel: by putting your fingers on it, you can find out your heart rate. Of course, the optical sensor is more convenient, but ZenWatch is not positioned as a fitness tracker, and, frankly, you don't feel like playing sports in this watch - you're afraid of scratching. So the heart rate monitor here is more like a nice addition, besides the gadget wearable on the wrist is now ashamed to appear on sale without it. What's really useful is moisture and dust protection. True, here it is not complete: the watch is protected according to the IP55 standard, that is, it is not afraid of dust and water jets. But diving or taking a bath in them is not worth it - the manufacturer did not promise that ZenWatch would certainly survive it.

It was reported that the device was developed in close cooperation with Google. In fact, this cooperation has resulted in the use of a slightly extended version of Android Wear, because the interface of the Google system is not yet allowed to be changed. Regarding the standard features of this OS, we will consider the exclusive features available only to ZenWatch owners. At the time of review, the device uses the latest available firmware version - 1.0.5.1636785, version of Google Play services - 6.5.90.

The Taiwanese focus on interaction with their proprietary ZenUI shell, which can be found on ASUS smartphones. However, all ZenWatch features without exception can be used on any smartphone, as long as the Android version is higher than 4.3. The names of these "chips" mostly speak for themselves. Watch Unlock allows you to unlock your phone without a password if the watch is nearby. With Cover to Mute, you can mute a ringing smartphone by covering the watch screen with your hand. You can put your device to sleep in the same way. Find My Phone helps you find your phone if it's within Bluetooth range, and Remote Camera turns your watch into a camera remote. The real-time picture is transmitted to ZenWatch, which makes the gadget indispensable for selfie lovers. For the Remote Camera to work, you need to install the program of the same name on your smartphone, all other functions become available after installing the ZenWatch Manager application. With its help, you can launch the compass built into the watch, turn its screen into a weak flashlight or give an SOS signal. All the same, by the way, you can do it without the help of a smartphone, telling the watch a phrase that begins with the traditional "Ok, Google" - it's fun, but not always convenient.