Asus ZenWatch 3 News and Updates: Smartwatch Officially Launched; Price and Specs Revealed
How Will the New Chipset Impact the Performance of the ZenWatch 3?
Asus has been having a huge year with the release of its new Zenfone lineup, complete with new premium iterations, a new Zenbook laptop, and other accessories. The tech giant would not stop there though, as they dip their hands on the smartwatch market once again with the ZenWatch 3 released in the 2016 IFA at Berlin.
Design and Build Quality
The new ZenWatch 3 sports a design language that is totally different from its predecessor. The new circular screen comes in at an upgraded 1.39-inch display with AMOLED technology and 400 x 400 pixels for its resolution (The ZenWatch 2 had a 1.63-inch 320 x 320-resolution display). The smartwatch comes in three colors—rose gold, silver, and gunmetal gray.
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These specs have now become the generic go-to hardware of choice for most recent smartwatches. The "flat tire" problem has already been solved though, as the ZenWatch 3 now utilizes the whole circular screen real estate as opposed to the ZenWatch 2's rectangular screen. Located on the side of the display are three physical buttons, with one programmable to fit the user's preferred action.
The glass cover of the display features a 2.5D finish that gently curves into the bezels. The cold-forged stainless steel body gives the smartwatch a solid and premium overall feel. It then comes paired with leather straps, making the ZenWatch 3 look and feel more luxurious. The device also has IP67 certification for water and dust resistance.
Hardware
The Asus ZenWatch 3 is one of the first smartwatches to pack Qualcomm's new power-efficient processor inside. The Snapdragon 2100 chipset was designed exclusively for wearable devices, as it proficiently gives the devices enough juice to power through tasks, but still manages to conserve a lot of battery. It comes with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage with no expansion options.
On to the battery spec sheet, the ZenWatch 3 sports a 340 mAh battery pack, which was a step down from the 400 mAh battery of the ZenWatch 2. However, at a thickness of only 10.75mm, the downgrade was more of a practicality move. The new Snapdragon chipset is able to maximize the battery life though, making the new smartwatch last for up to 25% longer.
It will come with a 200 mAh clip-on battery pack, serving as an emergency juice source should the need arise. The ZenWatch 3 also comes with HyperCharge technology, allowing for a 60% battery charge in just 15 minutes of being plugged in. The battery is expected to last for one and a half or up to two days.
Software
The ZenWatch 3 runs on Android Wear 2.0 Operating System with Asus' own skin. The clock display would be customizable with the native options of up to 50 watch faces. The usual apps would be available, include the camera view and the activity tracker. It will also feature a new exercise recognition feature to help with the fitness conscious users.
Price
The launch price in Berlin's IFA conference was at 229 Euros, or about 250 US Dollars upon direct conversion. Do note however that price may fluctuate across different regions due to tax, exportation, and other additional costs. The ZenWatch 2 launched in the US last year for $199.
