Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 Premium HR Test: Infinite performance, limited technology
RRP $ 482.00
"The Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 Premium HR Smartwatch never needs to be charged, but its intelligent functions do not make this desirable advantage optimal."
advantages
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Innovative kinetic energy system
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Doesn't need to be charged
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Sapphire crystal
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Great build quality and materials
disadvantage
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Basic fitness tracking
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Unreliable fitness data collection
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Uncomfortable Eco Tide harness
The hybrid smartwatch is the alternative to a touchscreen smartwatch preferred by those who are unwilling to forego the traditional, analog watch look, but still want a certain level of connected capability. the Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 Premium HR takes this concept one step further as not only does it not look like a smartwatch, but it also uses a power system that shares more with an automatic watch than it does with an Apple Watch.
That means you never have to charge this smartwatch as it is powered by the movement of your body. It's very tempting, but what about the smart bit? It's just as important on a hybrid as it is on a full smartwatch, and if anything, it's much more difficult to implement well since the watch usually doesn't have a screen. The Sequent Supercharger 2.1 has the power, but also the intelligence?
draft
I wear the Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 Premium HR, the company's top model. It's made of 316L stainless steel with an aluminum ring around the 42mm case and sapphire crystal over the dial. It weighs around 77 grams with the bracelet and is a remarkable 14 mm thick. This version has a blue dial, but you can also get versions with a white or black dial. Flip the watch over and it has an open caseback showing the self-loading mechanism and its rotor, which I will come back to later, and in the middle is the heart rate sensor. The crown is quite large, has a rubber cover over the sides and the Sequent logo on the end.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Sequent attaches great importance to the fact that the watch is designed in Switzerland – the quality mark for traditional watches – but does not say that it is made in Switzerland, an important award. Nevertheless, it looks and feels very well made. The dial is pretty simple, with the brand name and markings, and the polished baton markers just mark the hour. The stick hands have unfilled middle parts, while the hand has a red arrowhead for the complication. It's all rather minimalistic and reminds me of countless watches from MVMT, Daniel Wellington and other fashion brands.
It definitely doesn't look like a normal smartwatch. First of all, there is no screen, and one complication doesn't immediately reveal its high-tech references. It is a multipurpose display that shows step count, power reserve and heart rate. However, you have to look carefully because the numbers are very small. There's also a similarly tiny LED indicator below the 12 o'clock marker that only works when the watch is syncing with your phone or when it is taking an action.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The watch looks and feels nice, and I like the open caseback with the rotor, which is not as beautiful as a mechanical movement but has a certain technical charm. I don't like the crown because it's too big, and the useless rubber part on the edge doesn't contribute to that either, as you don't have to turn the crown at all, which makes additional hold unnecessary. It's a thick watch too, and the tabs attached to the lower part of the case only emphasize the height.
I can live with the height of the SuperCharger 2.1 and the design is simple but pleasing, but the Eco Tide band is bad. It's made from plastic waste from the ocean, which is excellent, but it's incredibly unforgiving on your wrist. I've been wearing it for several weeks and I think it hasn't gone soft at all – it's just as uncomfortable now as it was the first day. Even an imprecise double-pin attachment doesn't help, so that the watch either interrupts the circulation or falls over the side of your wrist. It attaches with quick release pins and at 22mm it's not difficult to swap out for a different bracelet, but this should be based on a personal style preference, not because the one that comes with it is inconvenient.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 is a very modern looking watch that will definitely appeal to those who are drawn to the minimalist watches that are frequently advertised on Instagram and by YouTube influencers. Just don't order it with the Eco Tide tape.
power
Before we talk about the smart features, let's talk about the way the Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 is powered as it is far more technically impressive than anything else. Automatic timepieces convert kinetic energy from the movement of your body into power for the clockwork. The SuperCharger does the same thing, but instead of gears and springs, it uses a tungsten rotor to power a micro-generator.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
It's a neat, high-tech, sustainable, and very practical approach to running a piece of wearable technology. Sequent says the SuperCharger has "infinite" power reserve, and I've worn it for several weeks with a few days off, and the available power hasn't fallen below 95% according to the app. When you are not wearing it, the watch will go to sleep to save energy. With regular use, I doubt the SuperCharger 2.1 will ever lose power.
If you are not going to wear the watch for a long time and the battery is completely empty, a charging pad is included so that you can get it going again. Unfortunately, this requires the inclusion of charging points on the case of the watch, which are on the left and ruin the otherwise clean lines.
What is unusual is that you can “feel” the rotor inside the SuperCharger while it is turning. It's not distracting or making an audible noise unless you put it to your ear, but it's not something you find in an automatic mechanical watch. I liked the feeling very much, as it made the SuperCharger feel like a living being, but I've gradually got used to it and rarely feel it anymore.
The Sequent SuperCharger is really a smartwatch that you don't need to charge, and that will be a significant benefit for anyone who is put off by smartwatches in general due to the need for daily charging.
Intelligent functions
The lack of a charge is the Sequent SuperCharger's first step in becoming a successful smartwatch, but the smart functionality has to be just as compelling. This is not a competitor to the Apple Watch and makes no secret of the fact, but unfortunately it is also not a competitor to any other hybrid watch as the technology feels years out of date.
Daily step count Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Training data Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Settings page Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
It has basic fitness tracking and doesn't provide notifications or have a haptic engine. That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but the operation of the watch and its app feels old and clunky compared to the competition. Don't expect anything like individual training plans, information like cadence or an in-depth analysis of the data collected.
To start a workout, the crown must be pressed for two seconds until the LED flashes blue, the hands rotate and the LED glows purple. To end the session, press the crown three times. It's a bit more complex than it needs to be, but what's worse is that it doesn't seem very accurate. Despite completing the steps, the SuperCharger was unable to record several training sessions, and since the promised display in the app does not work – it is supposed to show a point in training mode in the Sequent app when it is active – it is very difficult to say Whether your entries were successful.
The heart rate recording is also random, with some sessions showing heart rate data and others not, and so is the GPS. It doesn't have a built-in GPS, so it relies on your phone's GPS. Even when the app was open on my phone, it couldn't get location data while taking a walk. When a workout was recorded, the app showed distance, calories burned, time, pace and steps. There's a sleep mode in the app, but it's listed as "Beta" and I find the strap way too uncomfortable to wear overnight anyway.
From the point of view of fitness tracking, the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 offers significantly more options for $ 50.
The complication on the watch face shows the step count during the day and heart rate data during a workout. It seems to coincide with my Apple Watch Series 6 for the most part, but it's pretty hard to tell because of the tiny numbers and even more tiny intermediate marks. When asked about my heart rate, for example, I can only really say “between 110 and 120 beats per minute”.
This uncertainty is exacerbated by the fact that the sensor does not measure your heart rate continuously. You can set it up for daily use in the app to read every five minutes, 30 minutes, or two hours, and it only seems to update every few minutes as you exercise. The app is not linked to Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava or any other fitness platform. From a fitness tracking perspective, the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 for $ 50 offers far more options than the Sequent SuperCharger for $ 482.
A fitness tracking system that is tedious to activate, has limited functionality, provides questionable accuracy, and does not offer the ability to share the collected data outside of the standard app is not very inspiring. It will absolutely not satisfy someone serious about fitness, and its cumbersome controls will prove annoying to someone who only uses it casually.
Price and availability
the Sequent SuperCharger 2.1 Premium HR as seen here costs $ 482. Alternatively, you can buy the watch without a heart rate monitor for $ 428, or an aluminum version instead of stainless steel without a heart rate monitor for $ 374. It is available from Sequent's own online shop.
Our opinion
The Sequent SuperCharger is ideal as a showcase for the kinetic energy system. The tech is really interesting and worked well during my time with the watch. Not having to charge a smartwatch is highly desirable, liberating, and by far the Sequent watch's greatest draw. Unfortunately, the far less successful smart features don't give me any reason to put on the clock. While it's okay not to show notifications, fitness tracking can't keep up with current smartwatches and fitness bands, isn't very intuitive, and isn't detailed enough for anyone serious about exercising.
It has the right references for a good watch – a modern Swiss design, sapphire crystal and a stainless steel case – plus that eternal energy, but without convincing intelligent functionality, the innovative way in which it is powered is wasted. For almost $ 500, a world of excellent and highly desirable watches opens up – smart and different – and the Sequent watch struggles to keep up.
I saw the original version of the SuperCharger 2018 at the Baselworld Watch Show and then tried the SuperCharger 2.0 for a short time in 2019. Now in 2021, even though the time has passed and the watch is getting a heart rate monitor, the SuperCharger 2.1 sadly feels like it's still stuck in 2019, and that's not good enough when the rest of the hybrid market is heading up and moved up.
Is there a better alternative?
Yes sir. If you specifically want a hybrid smartwatch, we recommend checking out Casio's G-Shock range. For example, the solar-powered G-Shock GBD-200 includes fitness tracking and notifications, while the GBD-H1000 adds GPS and a heart rate sensor. The Withings ScanWatch is even more health-oriented, has a minimalist design and is made of high-quality materials. The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR has an e-ink screen to minimize power consumption, a heart rate monitor and other intelligent functions. All of them cost less than the Sequent SuperCharger.
If you really want more smart features, a full touchscreen smartwatch is the only way to go. We recommend the Apple Watch Series 6 or Apple Watch SE for iPhone owners or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 for Android phone owners.
How long it will take?
The stainless steel case and the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal ensure that the SuperCharger retains its appearance even with rough handling, it is also waterproof up to 50 meters and is covered by a generous 5-year guarantee. The app is available for iOS and Android. Provided the app is kept up to date, the Sequent SuperCharger should last for many years, helped by the lack of a battery that needs to be continuously charged every day.
Should you buy it?
No. Although the kinetic energy system is innovative, fitness tracking is too simple to be of any use and the high price tag is very difficult to justify.
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