If we’ve said once, we’ve said it a hundred times. Smartwatches are an important tool of our every-day routines, in terms of performing difficult or otherwise time consuming tasks, and making our lives easier.
The question is, how do you choose the best smartphone for you? Well, there are certain criteria that can provide the answer. So this time, we’ve got to apply all the criteria to 3 smartwatches that are pretty close making it hard to decide. Read this showdown between Pebble Time Round vs Moto 360 2 vs Apple Watch 2.
Design
Starting with the Pebble Time Round, we have to admit that it is looking plasticky yet playful with a stainless bezel and unisex curves. It’s very light at just 42.5g including the standard strap, 20% thinner at 9.5mm and it’d fit you great under a suit sleeve or something like that. Due to the wide bezels, the screen can look tiny but it retains the same 1.25inch size as the previous models. What comes surprisingly easily with the Pebble Time is the GameBoy Colour comparisons, which will ultimately work as an indicator of how well you can get on with this smartwatch.
The Moto 360 2, has already gained a lot of ground by making a reputation as a technological jewellery, since the 42mm version for women is the first of its kind to balance a truly elegant design with highly developed technology. Comparing to the previous model, the bezels have been refined and the watch has stylish lugs. Motorola mentioned the new levels of Moto Maker customisation as well as gold-plated models on display and new pale pink leather bands. The result is a smartwatch that 3 or 4 people can have at the same place and time without any of them looking anything like the other.
The Apple Watch on the other hand, is believed to have a superb build quality and the best in its price range. However, there are those who think of the Apple Watch as a terrific combination of fashion and technology, so one could say this smartwatch – as most of Apple’s products we may add – create a diversity of different opinions, making it hard to establish a more objective perspective. What we have to admit though is that it’s one of the most vibrant smartwatches to date and shows off the deep colour palette of Watch OS.
Software & UI
Between the operating systems of the three smartwatches, Moto 360 2 has the most popular one, the new version of the Android Wear, which compared to the older version has some noticeable improvements such as the WiFi support and the fitness tracking optimization. The Apple Watch is just as bright and over the top as any Apple UI, with apps in a honeycomb-like structure and is capable of displaying any notification that you could receive on your phone.
In general, it provides a very neat and easy to use UI, suitable even for users that have no previous experience with smartwatches. Both Motorola and the Apple watches are health and fitness devices so there is no discrimination on that field between the two. Like the Moto 360, the Apple Watch has an accelerometer, but does not have its own GPS. It will also measure your heartbeat, if that’s your thing. What’s most interesting about the Apple Watch’s UI is the Zoom feature which you can use by turning the watch dialled called Digital Crown. Pressing the crown will bring you to the home screen, while pressing it on the Moto 360 brings you to the settings.
Other cool things include sketching on the screen or choosing between a variety of widgets (available also in the Moto 360). And for what is worth both smartwatches require an iPhone and a smartphone – one for each.
And that leaves us with the Pebble Time Round smartwatch. Pebble’s new OS was eagerly expected, especially with that Timeline feature that Apple struggles to respond to. Some smart elements of this OS include notifications which still pop up on the screen when they are pushed from your smartphone.
Pebble CEO and founder Eric Migicovsky says: “So we thought, okay, how does it work in your daily routine. We want to make sure this is a watch you can wear 24-7 if you want it. The solution? The Time Round is the first and only Pebble watch to feature Quick Charge – just 15 minutes of charge time will give you 24 hours of use.” He then continues to comment the Timeline UI mentioning: “Timeline is a different way of displaying time on your wrist. This is a product only Pebble can make.” And so far this seems to be true.
Battery
This is a field that the Pebble most likely dominates thanks to its seven day battery life that the company claims to have added. And it also charges surprisingly quickly. After that we have the Moto 360 2 which can run for up to two days with a single charge, having a 300mAh battery in the 42 mm version and a 400mAh number in the 46 mm version. What’s interesting though is the smartwatch’s wireless charging capabilities. Then to the third place we have to put the Apple Watch which can only last a day before it dies out of battery. To be fair, it’s not bad compared to most smartwatches available in the market, but when comparing it to the Pebble Time and the Moto 360 2, things are not in favour of the Apple Watch.
Price and Availability
Starting with the Pebble, one can find it for $249 while the Apple Watch price is set at $349 for the 1.5inch sport version and $399 for the 1.7inch version. You are then looking to pay between $549 and $1,099 for standard versions. The luxury ”edition” model made of 18 carat gold rolls in at the $10,000+. As for the Moto 360 2 price starts at $299.99 for the basic model, and goes up to $450 for the most expensive version.
Verdict
All three smartphones are worth a shutout for representing their companies with the best way possible. However if you’re looking for a jewellery watch to attract the spotlight wherever you go then choose the Moto 360 2 as you’ll never get bored by carrying the same watch all the time. If on the other hand you’d like a nice watch that offers you prestige and ease of use along with a bunch of other cool features, then you should definitely go with the Apple Watch. And last but not least, buy the Pebble Time Round, if you’re looking for a different way to tell time, designed by a company that makes the difference.
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