In 2016, the market for smartwatches has flooded with brands that offer the luxurious (Apple Watch, Tag Heuer Connected) to the technical (Pebble Time Steel, Sony Smartwatch 3) smart wearables, and it is increasing by the day. Despite that, smartwatches have not always been the most accessible of devices due to its high paywall.
Asus aims to find a happy medium of affordability and simplicity with its Asus ZenWatch 2, a watch that’s great for those who wish to dip their toes in the smartwatch world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH0kXPCeiZ8
An improvement over the first ZenWatch, Asus made ZenWatch 2 with all the right improvements to make a functional smartwatch that doesn’t break the bank. Offered in two different sizes – 1.63′ and 1.45′, the ZenWatch 2 comes packed with a Super AMOLED display of 280×280 (1.45′) or 320×320 (1.63′) resolution and has a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with a water resistant rating of IP67.
Underneath the exterior, the ZenWatch 2 is housing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and, depending on which version, a 300mAh (1.45′) or 400mAh (1.63′) battery.
While there are a few drawbacks to it (no heartbeat reader, huge bezel), the ZenWatch 2 performs well for a typical smartwatch usage. If you’re looking for a smartwatch that can handle notifications, messages, and the occasional hands-free usage, the ZenWatch will perform admirably. It doesn’t hurt that the design is a nice cross between Apple iWatch and Pebble Time, plus it works with both Android and iOS.
But the most alluring aspect of the Asus ZenWatch 2? The price. Priced at $149, the ZenWatch 2 is currently the most affordable entry-level device to get into the Android Wear experience. Sure, it doesn’t pack as much of a punch compared to other brands, but for giving a taste of a smart wearable, Asus ZenWatch 2 does the job right.
The Asus ZenWatch 2 is available in the U.S. for $149 and are currently expanding to Asian markets with Malaysia expected to launch the ZenWatch 2 officially soon.
Image Source: Asus
