ASUS might not be as great as the other competitors when it comes to smartphones but that isn’t the same story when it comes with their smartwatches. ZenWatch 2 is ASUS’ attempt to refining the issues that the Zenwatch first encountered. They tried to hit the notch by giving a sleek, elegant, and wearable smartwatch comeback. With all the other smartwatches available in the market, is this smartwatch still for you? Here is our updated review of the ASUS Zenwatch 2.
Design
ASUS promised us with an elegant and wearable design. It brought us just that. It has a rounded-edged square design which has a clean finish. Its design is similarly close to an Apple watch with an additional crown button which gives it a traditional feel. ASUS ZenWatch 2 is made out of high-quality stainless steel that comes in two sizes. The bigger smartwatch, which is typically designed for men, comes at 1.63” while the other comes at 1.45”. It is lightweight and wearable at 70g (for the bigger size) and 60g (for the smaller one). Unlike other smartwatches that tend to feel bulky on the wrist, ASUS Zenwatch 2 is comfortable and doesn’t get caught on things and clothing. That’s one thing that most of us look for; something that will not get in our everyday devoirs. Flipping it over, you will see the magnetic charging slot that snaps on to the charger when you need to re-power your phone. Although, you might be thinking where the heart rate monitor is. And yes, there is none. It comes in 3 colors which are typical for smartwatches; gunmetal, silver, and rose gold. It is built with a curved Gorilla Glass 3 with a 320×320 display. It also has interchangeable straps that go with your current mood. When it comes to the design, we rate this smartwatch a good 3-stars because not only will it fit a variety of get-ups, it is also stylish and elegant at a very affordable price.
Display
ASUS Zenwatch 2 wins when it comes to the display. It has an AMOLED touchscreen with a 278 PPI density with impressive brightness and contrast. It doesn’t have an automatic light sensor which is common to most smartwatches so you have to adjust the brightness manually. Compared to its smartphone cousins, ASUS ZenWatch 2 has a more efficient display for a fraction of the cost. Asus ZenWatch 2 also has a different variety of watch-faces available, not to mention its interchangeable straps. If you are the type of person who gets easily bored with the usual, this smartwatch could make you feel like you are wearing a different watch every day.
Performance
ASUS ZenWatch runs a Quadcore 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon. It has an average response to touch with a few twitches here and there. Other apps can take a few seconds to load too. This smartwatch has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity which means you can connect your phone to it both ways. We love that you can connect your smartwatch to your phone even when the latter isn’t nearby since it can connect through Wi-Fi. After the OS upgrade, many users have complained about its battery life not being able to live up to 12 hours of usage. Sadly, if you are going to use it for a full day, you might want to bring your charger with you all the time. But, if you are to enter the low-power mode and you won’t play with it all the time, it might last you a couple of days. However, charging time won’t cause too much of a delay because it takes about 40-60 mins to recharge. Not a disappointing feature for somebody who is always on the go.
Features
1. Microphone and Loudspeaker
ASUS ZenWatch 2 has a built-in microphone and a loudspeaker. You can do voice commands over the smartwatch by using the OK Google.
2. Shakes Features
Shaking your wrist can also enable this smartwatch to do certain gestures. Flicking your wrist away will do a scroll down and doing the opposite will do a scroll up. If you want to select a menu without using your finger, do a gesture like you want to tap a fly on tap of a table and bring your arm back to its original position. If you want to return to the watch face, just shake your wrist repetitively.
3. Vibration Alerts
The ZenWatch 2 also vibrates whenever there are notifications. This will save you time from bringing out your smartphone over and over just to check the notifications that come in.
4. Face Designer
It also has a Face Designer feature where it lets you customize your own watch-face for a more personal touch.
5. Water and Dust Resistant.
The ASUS ZenWatch 2 is also water-resistant and dust-proof. You don’t need to worry about removing it when you want to wash the dishes or clean your room. It can handle being in up to 1 meter of water for about 30 minutes. You can even shower with it.
6. Compatibility
Another good thing about this smartwatch is that you can pair it with both the Apple and Android phones. Although you might have a little problem connecting it to Apple. Good thing you’re an Android user.
How to Set-up ASUS ZenWatch 2
1. Download the Android Wear app on the Play Store.
2. Download the ASUS ZenWatch Manager app.
It’s unfortunate that the ASUS ZenWatch Manager app is not available on Google Play Store at the moment and we do not have any update on when it will be back (or if it ever will be). However, if you have already purchased your ZenWatch 2, you can download the APK app on this link.
3. Pair via Bluetooth
Pair your Android smartphone with the ZenWatch by enabling their Bluetooth and connecting them to each other. Then, you will be prompted to pair up both devices.
4. Start pairing.
Swipe your ZenWatch 2 to the left until it asks you to open the Android Wear from your smartphone.Launch the Android Wear and tap the ZenWatch.Pair both by using the code that will flash on the screen.Android Wear-capable apps should sync to your smartwatch.
Strap Suggestions
Here are 3 straps that we think you’ll love.
1. Milanese Mesh Stainless Steel Watch Strap – $9.49
2. Quick Release Watch Band Stainless Steel Strap – $13.99
3. NATO Premium Woven Nylon Band Strap – $9.99
ASUS ZenWatch Verdict
ASUS ZenWatch is a definite catch for those who are looking to buy their first smartwatch. It does keep up with the hype, having the general features of most of the smartwatches available in the market. It has an average battery life, a good display, and very wearable and comfortable fit. However, if you’re into fitness and is looking for a smartwatch to keep up with you, this smartwatch will not be a good choice because it has a limited fitness feature. You might get dismayed with how big the bezel is, too. To conclude, we are giving ASUS ZenWatch 2 a thumbs-up with a 3.5/5 star rating. Are you experiencing any glitches on your ASUS ZenWatch 2? Do you have anything to add on our review? Share it with us on the comments section below. All prices stated on this post are as of April 26, 2019 Featured Image Credit
