Puma Smartwatch Overview: This Smartwatch Is not As Atheltic As It Appears to be like
Puma Smartwatch assessment: It seems sporty, however fails to carry out
“The Puma Smartwatch definitely seems the half, however it fails to carry out.”
Modern and sporty design
Constructed-in GPS
Sharp, vibrant display screen
Sluggish and laggy
Poor battery life
Uncomfortable
Too costly
Because the third largest sportswear producer on the planet, Puma is an enormous model, however the simply-named Puma Smartwatch is the corporate’s first foray into the world of smartwatches. Manufactured by the Fossil Group, the Puma Smartwatch has a well-known set of specs and runs Google’s Put on OS.
Puma has overseen the sporty design and gives an app of its personal with some deeper health options than you’d discover on typical Put on OS watches, however it’s additionally one of many slowest and buggiest we’ve examined — a excessive value to pay for health.
Design and luxury
The Puma Smartwatch positively seems the half. It’s glossy and really light-weight with an eye catching paint job that contrasts black with dayglow yellow. This can be a smartwatch that’s onerous to disregard. It’s harking back to the Fossil Sport, however there’s only a single crown and the flanking buttons you normally discover on Fossil’s smartwatches are absent.
Simon Hill/Digital Developments
A clean, completely spherical, aluminum, beveled dial is held in black plastic which extends from the lugs and has cutaway parts to realize the eye grabbing two-tone look. The crown can be yellow with the Puma emblem stamped on it.
The Puma Smartwatch has a silicone band with a black latch and also you’ll discover that Puma emblem embossed on the top. As a result of the Puma Smartwatch is light-weight and glossy, it slips simply below your cuff and infrequently will get snagged — one thing that may be a problem with an outsized watch just like the Diesel On Axial.
Nevertheless, the dayglow yellow prevents it from mixing in; the Puma Smartwatch seems misplaced with a button-up shirt in an workplace setting and even with an off-the-cuff outfit in a bar; it is a smartwatch that desires to hit the health club or go working.
I anticipated the silicone strap and light-weight weight to lead to a smartwatch that’s snug and straightforward to neglect you’re carrying, however in actuality I discovered the Puma Smartwatch a bit uncomfortable. The textured silicone strap is a bit stiffer than different silicone straps I’ve worn.
On the plus aspect, it grips to your wrist and the outsized finish of the strap ensures that it’ll by no means shake unfastened, even throughout frenetic exercises. Though you’ll be able to change the band simply, it might show tough to search out another that matches the physique. There are 4 Puma designed watch faces on supply and so they’re all a bit uninteresting. They don’t actually slot in with the remainder of the design by way of colour or look, aside from the omnipresent Puma emblem.
The 1.19-inch AMOLED show seems good within the 44mm casing and it’s sharp, vibrant, and legible in most lighting situations.
Simon Hill/Digital Developments
The Puma Smartwatch has a definite look that matches the model, however it feels and appears a bit low cost and stands out in a foul manner in non-sporty settings. There are much less placing white and rose gold or black and gray colour choices out there in some markets that may supply a bit extra stylistic versatility.
Software program and efficiency
Whereas Put on OS seems good, it doesn’t carry out effectively. This can be a criticism I had with the Michael Kors Entry Lexington 2, and it’s a criticism my colleague had with the Fossil Gen 5, however issues are even worse with the Puma Smartwatch. I encountered plenty of random freezing when utilizing this smartwatch, it continuously lagged once I swiped the display screen, and it was constantly sluggish to load apps.
The Puma Smartwatch does sport the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon Put on 3100 processor, however sadly somebody made the flawed resolution to go along with 512MB of RAM as a substitute of 1GB. The distinction in day-after-day use, in comparison with Put on OS smartwatches I’ve examined not too long ago which have the 1GB of RAM is pronounced. The Puma Smartwatch is irritating to make use of; it’s sluggish and it needs to be reset far too typically.
Simon Hill/Digital Developments
The rotating crown works effectively and is the easiest way to get advantageous management whenever you’re making an attempt to swipe up or down an inventory. You too can set up a bunch of apps from the Play Retailer, from purchasing lists to music controls to all method of health choices. Whereas there are extra selections than ever earlier than, the final degree of polish and performance just isn’t very spectacular, and nonetheless pales compared to the Apple Watch’s devoted App Retailer.
The Puma Smartwatch does have a microphone, so you should use Google Assistant out of your wrist, however there’s no speaker so the replies are available in textual content kind. There’s additionally assist for Google Pay, so you’ll be able to pay out of your wrist, which is helpful at occasions.
Internally, the Puma Smartwatch has 4GB of storage for music and apps. Many of the different current Fossil releases boast 8GB.
GPS and app compatibility
As an unashamedly sporty gadget, the Puma Smartwatch has to shine within the health division and I believe it does. You’ve obtained Google Match built-in for fundamental monitoring, there’s additionally a coronary heart price monitor, built-in GPS, and 5 ATM water resistance enabling you to swim with it on.
Whereas Google Match is sufficient for informal exercisers to chart their progress every day, extra severe athletes may need to check out the PUMATRAC app that comes put in on the Puma Smartwatch, although additionally, you will want to put in the companion app (for Android or iOS) in your smartphone. PUMATRAC allows you to depart the telephone at residence and have the Puma Smartwatch observe your coronary heart price, distance, tempo, elevation, and energy burned. It’s additionally full of exercises, means that you can arrange a health coaching schedule, and even gives teaching.
Simon Hill/Digital Developments
I discovered that the Puma Smartwatch labored effectively for health monitoring usually, however on a few events it struggled to determine a GPS repair and it additionally did not sync with the Google Match app on my telephone generally. There was no apparent purpose for this. Coronary heart price, steps, and distance knowledge all appears fairly correct.
Battery life
Puma optimistically suggests you’ll get 24 hours of battery life from its Smartwatch, however I by no means got here near that. It obtained me by a median day, however solely by switching to the battery saver mode within the night. In case you’re a really mild person maybe it can carry you to bedtime. If you wish to observe your coronary heart price and also you get plenty of notifications or use different apps, then you’ll be able to count on it to expire of steam within the early night.
The charging cradle has a magnetic contact and it stays in place properly. It solely takes round an hour to cost up, however you’ll possible depart it charging in a single day anyway.
Simon Hill/Digital Developments
Worth, availability, and guarantee
The Puma Smartwatch prices $275 (or 249 British kilos) and you should buy direct from the Puma web site or from numerous retailers. It comes with a normal two 12 months restricted guarantee that covers defects in materials and workmanship below regular use for the interval commencing upon the date of buy and persevering with for 2 years.
Our take
The Puma Smartwatch is a well-known Put on OS gadget from Fossil that’s let down by low RAM which produces even buggier efficiency than your run-of-the-mill Put on OS gadget, and poor battery life does it no favors, both. It seems sporty and boasts vary of health monitoring options, however it’s too costly for what you get.
Are there any options?
If it’s primarily a health monitoring watch you’re after, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Energetic 2 is your greatest wager, and it’s virtually precisely the identical value at $280 or $300 relying on the scale you select. It has higher software program, extra complete train monitoring, and higher battery life.
For iPhone homeowners the newest Apple Watch is the plain selection. It’s much more costly, ranging from $400, however it’s superior in each manner. If that’s an excessive amount of, think about the Apple Watch Collection three which matches for $200 or $230 relying on the scale you select; it’s nonetheless a greater possibility than the Puma Smartwatch.
How lengthy will it final?
It gives water resistance as much as 50 meters, however the Puma Smartwatch has an aluminum physique and plastic lugs, so it’s tough to say how effectively it can take the knocks. It ought to final a few years.
Do you have to purchase one?
No. There are higher choices out there for a similar cash or much less.
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