The Carrera Connected is heavyweight watchmaker Tag Heuer's response to Silicon Valley on how a real smartwatch should look.
It is easily the best-looking smartwatch in this roundup and I wish I could rate it seven out of five in terms of design. But it looks unapologetically masculine, certainly not for the ladies.
The review unit has a smooth gunmetal titanium 46mm case with a black silicone strap that has a comfortable adjustable clasp.
It has only one button, with the iconic Tag Heuer motif, on the right. Press this to wake up the display, or press and hold for settings and other apps.
-
TECH SPECS
PRICE: $2,100, available March 2016
CASE MATERIAL: Titanium
COMPATIBILITY: Android 4.4 or higher and iOS 8.0 or higher
WEIGHT: 82g
-
RATING
FEATURES: 3/5
DESIGN: 5/5
PERFORMANCE: 4/5
BATTERY LIFE: 2/5
VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Sapphire crystal protects the round display, which has a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. A beautiful black bezel with numeric markings surrounds the display.
The Connected runs on Android Wear and works like any Android Wear smartwatch. You can speak to it to trigger voice commands to, for instance, send an e-mail or view calendar events.
There are four official watch faces for the Connected. I particularly like the Chronograph watch face, as you can tap on the display to start the stopwatch and double tap to reset it.
The Connected lacks a heart-rate sensor, but it tracks your steps and your runs. It is rated IP67, which is fine for jogging in the rain, but probably not for swimming.
The biggest downer is its battery life, which I found to last at most 26 hours on a full charge.
If you are wondering whether it is worth getting this watch when there are much cheaper Android Wear smartwatches around, Tag Heuer has added a sweetener that might make your buying decision easier.
Two years after purchase, owners can trade in this smartwatch along with a top-up of $2,100 for a special edition mechanical Carrera watch.
Trevor Tan
- Verdict: If you are unsure of choosing between a luxury smartwatch and a traditional mechanical watch, Tag Heuer Carrera Connected is the smartwatch to get. You have two years to think about it.
Smartwatch segment
Guess Connect: A beauty with some smart features
Huawei Watch: Traditionalists' favourite, with minimalist design
Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen): Same good looks with several refinements
Asus ZenWatch 2: Affordable price and sensitive screen
Pebble Time Steel: Display dim but superb battery life
Samsung Gear S2 Classic: Wins on looks but let down by its OS
