Asus has released the ZenWatch 3, its first smartwatch with a circular display. Built with premium and high-end materials, the ZenWatch 3 also appears to be the best Android Wear smartwatch yet.
At the launch event, Asus took great measures to emphasise the premium nature of the product. The ZenWatch 3 is made from cold-forged, “jewelry-grade” 316L stainless steel that is supposedly 82% stronger than conventional steel. Italian leather and rubber watch band options are also available.
In terms of hardware, the 9.95mm thick ZenWatch 3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip with 512MB of RAM. There’s 4GB of internal storage and a 341mAh battery.
Asus also oddly pointed out the fact that the ZenWatch 3 is the “world’s first smartwatch with three buttons”. All three crown buttons can be configured to access quick functions, while the top crown button can also be set to open your favourite app.
Over 50 watch faces are preloaded in the ZenWatch 3, and if that’s not enough, you can even design your own via the FaceDesigner smartphone app.
On top of that, Asus is also introducing a new activity tracking app called ZenFit. Working in tandem with the companion smartphone app, Zenfit tracks your steps throughout the day when you wear the ZenWatch 3, before producing summaries and graphs based on your physical activity.
Battery life is relatively standard issue on the ZenWatch 3 compared to other smartwatches, rated at about two days. However, Asus is introducing HyperCharge technology on the ZenWatch 3 that allows it to charge from 0 to 60% battery in just 15 minutes. The charger is a magnetic connector, while an optional charging dock and even a battery pack is also available.
The ZenWatch 3 will be available in three colours: gunmetal, silver, and rose gold. Asus did not disclose an availability date, but has confirmed that it will retail for 229 Euro (about RM1,050).
