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ASUS has officially let the cat out of the bag about the ASUS ZenWatch. You can see it in fully glory in the announcement trailer above, and immediately you’ll find that it’s one of the better looking Android Wear smart watches to be introduced yet.
The ASUS ZenWatch was seemingly crafted from machined metal and also has curved glass to cover a decent looking display. The real leather wrist straps also add to that premium feel ASUS is going for. The device isn’t doing much out of the ordinary that we haven’t seen on other Android Wear devices.
ASUS ZenWatch Specs
Wondering what makes the ZenWatch tick? Here’s a pretty comprehensive spec sheet that should tell you everything you want to know:
- Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 processor with 1.2GHz CPU
- OS System: Android Wear
- Memory: 512MB RAM
- Storage: 4GB EMMC
- Display: AMOLED1.63″, 320×320, 278ppi touch display
- Cover Lens: 2.5D curved Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
- Sensor: 9 Axis Sensor , ,Bio sensor
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0
- USB Port: Micro USB on Charging Cradle
- Audio: Built-in microphone
- Battery: Polymer 1.4Wh
- Water Resistance: IP55
- Colors: Silver and rose gold color layering, Brown leather strap
- Size: 50.6 x 39.8 x 7.9-9.4mm
- Body Weight: 50g
- Strap Weight: 25g
There’s nothing quite out of the ordinary here. The IP55 rating does seem a little on the shy side compared to competing products but it should still be fine enough to weather some light elements of the earth.
ASUS ZenWatch Software and Features
The software is quite familiar to what we’ve been using on the first couple of Android Wear devices. ASUS does add on to Google’s software with a couple of useful functions for helping you find your phone and manage phone calls without having to take your phone out of your pocket (such as a gesture that silences an incoming call when covering the watch with your hand). You can also find a lost phone or even use the watch as a remote monitor for your phone’s camera, customize the onboard watch faces and control presentations right from your wrist.
Of course, ASUS is pushing the device’s health and wellness benefits heavily as they’ve added the “Wellness Manager.” It basically tracks your steps, distance walked/jogged, your heart rate, and calories burned. Sounds like all the standard goodness you can get from any health-oriented smart watch or smart band.
Pricing and availability
ASUS says the device will come in at 199 euro over in Europe, but there’s no word on whether or not that price will have similar digits in dollars. A recent report revealed ASUS was looking to come under $199 in the United States so we’ll have to see if they stick to their guns on that vision for the western world. The device is expected to go on sale at some point this October.
Anyone think this device outshines the Moto 360 in the looks department? Let us know in the comments below if this announcement just made your October watch purchasing decision a lot tougher.
It actually looks pretty good. I’m still leaning towards the Moto 360 but the Moto is no longer a lock by any means.
The added functionality with camera, presentation control, wellness, and phone finder are pretty awesome. It’s nice to see an Android Wear OEM add a little to the platform with their own, useful applications.
Looks nice but I was kind of hoping that it was going to have something truly different about it than the watches before it.
I would prefer a round design but this right here looks fantastic.
That is some ugly watch.
I was like no wonder why it is undercutting some of the newer watches. Moto 360 for $50 more seems way better.
I do like the remote camera functionality. But I can see this coming in the form of a wear app down the line. Also I thought google wasn’t going to allow ANY manufacturer’s customizations. I’ll be getting myself a moto watch with hopefully a Motorola made nexus for Christmas.
At $200, it’s top of the buy list.
The Moto 360 lost some of its appeal when I realized how huge it is. This looks nice, and looks like it might not be quite so bulky.
Yeah, I think when I actually see some of these on my own wrist, the Asus might come out ahead.
yeah, I’d have to see it. At times, on the woman’s wrist, it looks huge.. other times, not so much..
I think that this watch is close to looking good. It would have been nice to see the screen go the full size to the bezel. Instead it is like a square screen inside a square watch face with that black border around it.
I think that is one of the keys with the Moto 360 is the full watch face. I am not saying that square would not work, it should just run all the way to the outside bezel.
I think that this is a definite runner up to the Moto 360. I like the design of this watch, but I think that the Moto 360 is a nicer design, and will have a few better features (fingers crossed)
Of the square faced watches this is probably the best looking one. First word that comes to mind when I saw it? Bezel.
Depends on price between this and the G Watch R.
This, to my eye, is easily the best looking smart watch with a square form factor. ASUS did a great job on the styling. But it has one major thing going against it: it’s an ASUS product. And for that reason alone it will never have a place on my nightstand with the rest of my watches.
Have you ever owned anything from Asus? Not being smart, just curious. I have one laptop from them and have had no issues. I actually like the look of this watch more than the other 3. Plus if it comes in under $199, that’s a little easier to swallow since I’m not even sure how many hours out of the day I would wear the thing.
I have. I’ve personally owned the TF201 and TF300, both of which had serious software/hardware issues and resulted in my dealing with ASUS’ absolutely terrible customer service as well as an equally terrible manager – in distribution or supply, I believe. My mother also owned the TF700 and a VivoBook and had equally bad luck with both.
I also had the TF201. Great looking; great build-quality. Terrible, terrible performance, particularly over time.
I’ve got a G50VT laptop and it’s still running (Vista home premium no less) but I can’t use the physical switch to turn on/off WiFi, otherwise it’ll lock to off. One of the usb ports failed, and the optical drive will play about 1 out of every 100 DVDs. Asus basically told me to buy a new one or deal with it. The only other Asus product I’ve had is the Nexus 7 2013 and other than the touchscreen sensitivity, it runs fine. I could take or leave Asus at this point.
You must have been unlucky, my family and I have had various Laptops, Tablets, and Netbooks from Asus and have been totally happy with everyone of them. I was thinking heavily about the Moto watch, but this one is making me do a double think.
Great job, Asus!
Looks really nice and full featured. A heart rate monitor is not a given for other smart watches. It’s surprising but they are hit and miss if they have one or not.
I gotta say, I like the G Watch R based on looks alone. I am waiting on pricing. I’m not going to dismiss the ZenWatch, it is a nice looking watch in itself. I have a feeling it will all come down to price and how it appears on wrist. Right now my rankings would be G Watch R, ZenWatch then 360. However a lot can change between now and October.
My rankings are pretty much the same currently. Though the G Watch R and ZenWatch are about evenly matched for me…that’s the only difference.
…and I totally agree that it’ll need to come down to price to see which comes out on top. Knowing ASUS the ZenWatch will likely be priced rather competitively.
I like this. I thought the LG was a lock as a runner-up to the 360 for me, but this may have replaced that.
It’s going to come down to thickness when it comes to pulling the trigger on a smart watch. I can’t be the only one out here with girlie thin wrists.
You aren’t. I think for those of us with thinner wrists this might be our best bet. Somebody else mentioned it having a large bezel, but for me that just means ASUS tried to flatten out the internals a bit. This looks to be one of the thinner Android wear devices to be coming out soon.
Have you seen how big this looks on the women in Asus’ promo video. I don’t think this watch looks good on small wrists.
Nice looking watch minus the fact that there is a huge bezel taking up 40-50% of the potential screen real estate
Actually, the design of this wearable is pretty nice. Not fully round but clean, sophisticated and unique. More OEMs should … cough, Samsung… should take note.
They did with the Gear S
Battery life? Visibility outside? Then maybe we’ll talk.
Great design, but we’re still 3-5 years from seeing a watch I’d actually spend money on. One with great battery life, all the internal bells and whistles (GPS, HRM, etc.), and most of all, proven performance and reliability over time.
I’m just glad there are lots of other people willing to act as beta testers for all these smartwatch makers.
Battery life. It all comes down to battery life.