Sony introduced the third generation of SmartWatch to the public with a clear desire to “stake out” a promising niche in the smartwatch market . From the predecessor with the prefix 2 in the new model, only the name remains, in everything else it is a completely different product. The gadget turned out to be very interesting, and in addition to working on the mistakes of past series, the company gave the watch additional and useful features, completely reworking the functionality and structure of the model itself.
So, the hero of today's review is the Sony SmartWatch 3 smart watch. Let's try to identify all the advantages of the model along with the disadvantages, based on the opinions of experts and reviews of ordinary consumers.
Appearance
It is believed that the main competitors of Sony in terms of design and innovation remain Apple and Motorola. In fact, the way it is: if you look at all the gadgets from the Japanese company from the side, you can see that they all have their own distinctive and recognizable design, whether it be a bracelet, phone or tablet.
But looking at the Sony SmartWatch 3, you can’t see anything enthusiastic or easily recognizable in them. The model is poorly distinguished from its competitors, such as the Galaxy Gear from Samsung or the G Watch from LG. But as for the design, then everything is complicated and easy at the same time.
It’s difficult, because each admirer of smart watches has his own tastes and preferences, and perhaps it is you who will remain indifferent to the appearance, and he will intrigue someone and put him into the soul. In order to understand “yours” or not, you just need to look at them from the side.
As for the color scheme, it does not shine with variety and is limited to three options: white, black and lemon. As an add-on to the alternative, you can additionally purchase a strap for Sony SmartWatch 3 in pink.
At CES this year, the company announced a model with a metal strap. On our territory they are not yet sold, but their cost is already known - 15,500 rubles, which is 6,000 more expensive than the ordinary version. By the way, with an aluminum strap in the kit, the watch looks much more interesting than the expensive version of Sony SmartWatch 3 metal, and resembles the Sony branded Style.
Assembly
The standard Sony SmartWatch 3 uses rubberized material of your choice. The hand does not get tired of prolonged wearing, but you need to keep in mind that tightening the belt is not worth it. The control module in the watch is easily removed from the strap, which is extremely convenient for recharging.
The front of the watch is protected by glass, and the back is made of steel. On the right side of the Sony SmartWatch 3, you can see the power button, and behind is a plug for the micro-USB connector. The watch is equipped with reliable protection of the IP68 standard, which guarantees their moisture and dust resistance - theoretically, you can swim in it, but user reviews indicate a weak point of the model in the face of the plug, so there is a risk of water getting under it.
Dimensions
The dimensions of Sony SmartWatch 3 may seem a little exaggerated to some, which may cause some discomfort during use, limiting the mobility of the wrist, but judging by consumer reviews, such a problem is an extremely rare case.
The dimensions of the watch are 36x51x10 mm and weighs 40 grams without a strap, its weight is slightly less than the main module - 35-38 grams.
Sony SmartWatch 3 Screen
A review of the screen showed typical characteristics for a smart watch: a diagonal of the display - 1.6 inches, a TFT-matrix with a resolution of 320 by 320 pixels, a protective glass coupled with an oleophobic coating.
Pixelization is noticeable when viewed closely, but there are no complaints about reading information from the watch - the fonts are perfectly distinguishable, and if you encounter any difficulties, you can always bring your hand closer to your face. The presence of an oleophobic coating is especially pleasing - this is a really important and useful element for such an accessory.
A simple TN-matrix is clearly not up to the good performance of Sony SmartWatch 3. The oblique view either reduces the brightness or significantly inverts the colors, so you have to work with the clock at a right angle. But what pleases is the lack of AMOLED-matrix, which is so actively used by similar manufacturers of gadgets. The thing is that the PenTile system existing in SmartWatch makes a readable font precisely at low screen resolutions and it is much easier to parse text on a watch than reading it on the same Samsung Galaxy Note with AMOLED matrix.
In addition, the watch has an interesting function that the "neighbors" do not have, it is called on / on - "keep the screen constantly on." When it is activated, the backlight turns off, but the user still has access to information about the time and basic notifications. Thanks to her, you can easily find out the time even on a bright and sunny day.
Connection
Sony SmartWatch 3 watches are equipped with an NFC module that provides synergy with any smartphone running the Android 4.3 operating system. and higher. Just attach the module to a similar one on the phone, and you can exchange data. As software, you can recommend the tested and official application with Google Play - Android Wear.
Functionality
Functional features of Sony SmartWatch 3 can be roughly divided into two parts: notifications and voice dialing.
When the clock is synchronized with the smartphone, each new notification is duplicated on them. If this is not necessary, then you can disable this function in the menu. By itself, this feature is very convenient, especially if you have a "rich" mailbox and a rich social Internet life. Before viewing the information on a smartphone, you can first familiarize yourself with it on the watch and decide whether to get the phone at all. By the way, there are no speakers on the watch, but vibration is more than enough to receive notifications.
As a voice assistant, you can use the same Andriod Wear. You can easily dictate notes or messages, find something on the network or run any application on the device, for example, a player. The ability to switch tracks is available both in voice mode and on the screen lock.
Offline work
The watch is equipped with a non-removable battery of ordinary capacity of 420 mAh. You should not expect any miracles from the battery, but it successfully copes with its main functions. In the medium load mode (continuous synchronization, periodic check of notifications, navigation through menu items), the battery runs out in 20-30 hours. If you actively use the gadget, then it may not be enough for daylight hours. The battery charges in one hour from a standard 220 volt network.
Summarizing
In retail stores you can find SmartWatch 3 for 9,000 rubles. If you need a more impressive model with a metal strap, then we pre-order 15,000 rubles and look forward to the purchase.
For the money that you give back by buying a SmartWatch 3 smart watch, you will get a gadget that allows you to less often get your smartphone out of your pocket, able to count your steps, a GPS tracker and much more if you install additional applications.
First of all, you need to clarify for yourself whether you need such a device and whether you are ready to spend that kind of money on it, especially since for 9,000 rubles you can buy a quite adequate smartphone from a reputable brand. But in any case, the watch meets the criteria of "price / quality" and are worth the money.