Design & Build Quality
On the surface, it looks like a standard watch with a digital display. The design is simple and rugged, with a stainless-steel body and quick-release straps. You can get them in stitched leather or breathable plastic, depending on your aesthetic preference. There is just one crown dial that can be used for multiple functions depending on the watch face you are using.
Other than that, there is no outward indication that this is a smartwatch at all, which really helps it blend in during everyday use. Even the watch faces have been designed to be inconspicuous while still displaying a wide variety of information. To most people, it will look like a sports watch that has a digital display.
The watch itself is water-resistant for activewear use, but it doesn’t have any toughened glass protection, so you will have to be careful about using it in outdoor settings. Other than that, the build quality seems tough enough that you can use it in most regular conditions without any worry of the watch breaking apart from wear and tear.
Performance & Sensors
On the inside, though, the watch is stacked with sensors to help you track all sorts of activities. You get general fitness sensors that can track different workouts and view activity maps and stats, such as speed, distance, altitude, and duration. There is even a built-in GPS and altimeter to help guide you during trekking activities.
In addition, you get high-quality electricalgraphy (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors that help monitor your pulse-transit time (PTT) and heart rate, among other factors. The sensor data can be combined with other key indicators, such as blood-oxygen (SpO2) level and skin temperature, to help measure your de-stress level, body harmony index, as well as sleep quality.
Information from all these sensors is then forwarded to the ASUS HealthConnect app, where the ASUS HealthAI helps derive usable healthcare tips based on your personal profile. All of this is done on a day-to-day basis to build a fitness timeline that can help you understand your own body better. Since the smartwatch has a 14-day battery life, you can track your health 24/7 without worrying about charging it either.
Conclusion
As you can see, we have talked very little about actual smartwatch features since the VivoWatch doesn’t really cater to that market. Sure, you can see notifications and quick replies to messages with this watch, but that is not what it is meant for. ASUS has realized that the fitness and health tracking niche is vertical with the most promise in the near future, and they are putting all their eggs in that one basket. Make sure you keep that in mind if you decide to go in for this purchase.
