Round smartwatch: Asus ZenWatch 3 in hands-on

April 17, 2020

At the IFA press conference, Asus today presented the third generation of its Android Wear-based smartwatch. The new model is equipped with a round display for the first time. We could already have a closer look at the watch.

The third generation of the ZenWatch clearly focuses more on fashion-conscious buyers than on athletes: there is no optical pulse sensor. But the watch is quite impressive with its stainless steel case, bracelets made of soft rubber or leather and the round display.

The display measures 1.39 inches in diagonal, is based on AMOLED technology and has a pleasantly sharp and high-resolution appearance with 287 pixels per inch (ppi). Below the panel is a brightness sensor that remains completely invisible to the user's eyes, but adjusts the brightness of the display to the environment.

There is no GPS and SIM card slot, but there are speakers and a microphone – and for the first time three buttons on the side of the Android Wear Watch. The middle button brings you back to the health home screen as usual, the other buttons can be freely configured and start a defined app when pressed.

Asus Zenwatch 3

Inside there are 512 MB RAM, 4 GB memory and a 340 mAh battery that should last one to two days in practice – practical tests will show whether it really is two days. But there is a cool gadget: an optional battery module can be magnetically attached under the watch and should bring juice for another day. Asus has not yet mentioned the price and availability of the accessories; the ZenWatch 3 itself is scheduled to be launched in Germany in the fourth quarter. Models with a rubber strap will cost 229 euros, those with a leather strap will cost 249 euros. At the beginning there is the watch in gray and silver, followed by a gold version.

You can find more reports, hands-ons and interviews from IFA 2016 on our topic page for the trade fair in Berlin.

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