Asus makes phones, tablet, laptops and even smartwatches. The company has been ever-present in the Indian market and now has entered the wearable space in the country with ZenWatch 2. Priced at Rs 11,999, this is the least expensive Android Wear device that one can buy in the country right now.
But as we’ve seen with most Android Wear watches, it all comes down to the design and construction of the product, as the software running and its features are the same.
Pros:
- Cheaper than other competitors
- Comfortable to wear
- Runs with iOS as well
Cons:
- Lacks heart-rate sensor
- Separate apps for health, music
- Average battery life
What’s Good?
The Asus ZenWatch 2 has the right size, the right dimensions, and looks very much a part of the smartwatch clan. Even though most Android Wear (AW) watches offer the same features, it is the manufacturers’ duty to offer a product that fits right in with the user.
The 1.63-inch with 320 pixels resolution may not be as bright as the Super AMOLED screen of the Samsung Gear S2, but for this price, we can live with the concession made by Asus. The watch supports a touch interface which is easy to use and navigate across for various features available on it.
Unlike other smartwatches, the Asus ZenWatch 2 lets you remove the straps with ease. This comes in handy for people who tend to change up their looks often. The watch charges in quick time. The bundled charger ensures that you’re good to go for the day after charging for an hour.
You can also use the ZenWatch 2 with an iPhone. Now, for someone who doesn’t want to spend close to Rs 25K, Zenwatch 2 stands as reasonably good Apple Watch alternative. You can even change the watch faces on the ZenWatch 2 which most AW devices do not offer.
What’s Bad?
It’s hard to like the Android Wear software even though additions have been made to the wearable version of Android. Asus ZenWatch 2 relies on the Android Wear app like every other smartwatch and when it doesn’t, you get the ZenWatch Manager app that doesn’t work to its potential.
The reason why ZenWatch 2 is cheaper than most, is because it does not have a heart-rate sensor. This basically pits ZenWatch 2 in the not-meant-for-fitness wearable category.
The watch straps could have been of better quality. This clearly highlights the reason behind Asus opting for detachable watch straps in the first place. The supplementary apps for fitness are not as accurate as apps provided by other smartwatch brands.
And finally, the battery life. I understand that to make the watches lighter, companies are confined to using small size battery units. But this ends up ruining the smartwatch experience for the user. With Asus ZenWatch 2 you can barely make it through 10 hours of usage on daily basis. However, if you want to get close to 2 days of life, then make sure the watch’s settings are at the bare minimum.
Why Buy It?
One of the reasons to buy the Asus ZenWatch 2 is that it costs Rs 11,999, cheaper than rest of AW smartwatch in the market. However, you do miss the heart-rate sensor which is a must for fitness users.
Android Wear gets paired with iOS devices, so that’s another plus point for the ZenWatch 2, but with its average battery life, the bundled charger is going to be a regular partner with you. If that doesn’t bother you much, then ZenWatch 2 will let you make inroads into the world of wearables.
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