Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones Review: The Smartwatch Your Heart Desires
"The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones limited edition Diesel watch has a unique, eye-catching design, but the technology inside falls short of the space age look."
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Eye-catching work of art
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Second strap in the box
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Limited edition packaging is attractive
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Slim and light
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Inferior
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Ambient light sensor is bad
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A stiff belt can be uncomfortable
People I speak of added shine to the Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones Smartwatch. I was told that this is exactly the type of watch they would wear and that it really catches the eye. This type of compliment about a smartwatch is unusual, as most of the examples come in black and look quite technical with no significant visual flair to attract admiring glances.
The question is, what is my answer at this point? Unfortunately, it's not that easy to make a warm recommendation to buy one. Buying a WearOS smartwatch takes some thought. While the On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones has the right look, there are other aspects that can't compete. However, this is still not the full story as these drawbacks haven't stopped me from wearing them.
Confused? Do not be so. This may just be the first smartwatch to buy with your heart, not your head.
design
I don't usually wear a watch to show the time. It's actually not uncommon for me to wear a watch that shows the time from a different time zone or that is not set for daylight saving time simply because I make a habit of checking my phone for the time. I wear watches that I think look brilliant as an accessory rather than a strict watch. Design and style are practical, and I'm willing to bet there are others who feel the same way.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The Diesel On Fadelite offers the right design, regardless of the model chosen. In the standard form, the transparent straps and strong colors look fantastic, correspond to the Diesel brand and draw on summer trends. The Mad Dog Jones version swaps the summery-cool atmosphere for custom cyberpunk-style art, a transparent case and eye-catching rainbow-ionized aluminum metalwork. It's unlike any other smartwatch I've seen.
Mad Dog Jones (hereafter known as MDJ) is an artist who shares his work on Instagram and has worked closely with Diesel on the design of this special edition. The bracelet is decorated with custom art, he designed two special dials and the special packaging comes complete with a cloth that depicts a larger piece of his art. Inside there is also a second, fully transparent 22mm bracelet. MDJ's artwork is “under” the strap to give it a 3D look, and it also has a subtly embossed Diesel logo. It's brightly colored and eye-catching, and it's highly unlikely to lose its luster over time due to its manufacture.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The On Fadelite's lightweight 44mm nylon body is just 12mm thick and, along with the modest 1.2-inch screen measuring 390 x 390 pixels, fits most wrists. I've been wearing the watch for more than a week and I was hoping the bracelet would adjust to my wrist more, but it remains exceptionally stiff and if it is made too tight it becomes uncomfortable and hot. The material also grabs your wrist and the holder of the strap and is difficult to loosen.
This smartwatch is the pair of shoes that you really love that will pinch your toes. The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones is a bit uncomfortable, but it looks so damn good that I just didn't care. I wear it loosely, which helps and would never consider wearing it to exercise or sleep with a lot. Does this defeat the goal? I do not believe that. The Diesel On Fadelite is a fashion smartwatch that is designed so that it cannot be worn 24/7 in all situations.
Software and performance
The On Fadelite was announced at CES 2020. Delays meant the MDJ version is only now getting on the wrists, with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor inside. This is unfortunate as the Snapdragon Wear 4100 has since replaced it and promises a significant increase in performance that this watch will never see. Worse, the On Fadelite has 512MB of RAM rather than 1GB, which is usually considered a minimum for the old Wear operating system to work at an acceptable pace.
Exclusive MDJ dial named "Hungry". Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
In reality, the On Fadelite can handle those poor specs better than expected on paper, but it's not a rocket ship. Activating data-intensive features like Google Maps or Google Fit takes a few beats longer than desired and is often slow to respond when you wake up, especially if you're then prompted to show notifications. Sighs of frustration as the smartwatch ponders what to do before actually doing it are common.
Once it starts, the On Fadelite keeps a decent pace and handles the animated dials better than I expected as this was a serious problem with the Diesel On Full Guard 2.5. In terms of dials, the Vision Room dial designed by MDJ fits in perfectly with the imagery of the bracelet, but I still can't quickly figure out when to say. So add "List can't read the time on the preferred watch face" to the list of things that should keep me from wearing it.
What do I want? Google's Wear OS is controlled by swiping motions and the oversized rotating crown – a Diesel design feature – on the side of the watch, which is just the right size to scroll through the long lists that dominate the Wear OS design. What do i dislike Setup on an Android or iOS phone is irritatingly cumbersome and the ambient light sensor is poor. In the end, I just left the screen brightness at level 4 or 5, which obviously had an impact on the battery life.
On Fadelite's weather app Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
At Fadelite's Google Fit step count Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
In the event of a Fadelite notification Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
In the Fadelite app menu Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Notification notifications have their own thoughts. Typically, alerts will appear multiple times, and often an old notification will appear on the screen when a new one comes in. Oddly enough, the notifications work far better connected to an iPhone than they do to an Android phone. However, many other features don't work on iOS, including Apple's own messages and associated Memoji. There's also an inability to respond to notifications on your wrist, and the Wear OS weather app doesn't work either.
All of this makes the On Fadelite sound a lot worse than it actually is, but many of the issues affect all Wear OS smartwatches. My expectations were low due to the processor and RAM configuration, but the On Fadelite turned out to be better than I feared and is a decent performer for casual, everyday use.
Fitness tracking and battery
Google Fit is still one of the easiest fitness trackers to use, yet it still provides plenty of data to ensure the satisfaction of hardcore users. I find it motivating to collect heart points during the day and appreciate the range of activities it can pursue. Everything is displayed in the attractive app on your phone, and everything works in the background, with limited interaction from me until I want to follow a workout. There's a heart rate sensor on the back, but it doesn't offer features like SpO2 monitoring or an electrocardiogram (EKG), which are quickly becoming common smartwatch functions.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The On Fadelite is not a watch that you want to wear to the gym or during particularly sweaty activities. Not because it's not capable enough, but because it's a lifestyle smartwatch, not a sports smartwatch. For example, the belt is not very flexible and does not wick away moisture like others that are specifically designed for exercise, making it uncomfortable. I don't want to knock or damage the pretty suitcase either. It's fine for general fitness tracking, and I've worn it for normal activities at home and outside. However, if you are looking for a smartwatch to wear to a marathon or on the ski slopes, there is a better choice.
You get one day from the On Fadelite's battery and nothing more. This also applies to the brightness set to level 4, which is a bit surprising, and to the actively switched on display. The charging process takes place with the standard plastic base that you get with all Wear OS smartwatches manufactured by Fossil. It takes an hour and 20 minutes to fully charge the battery. The On Fadelite has its own GPS, NFC for Google Pay, 4 GB of storage, and some pre-installed apps, including Spotify.
Price and availability
The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones is waiting in the wings and the price is still unknown, although the standard On Fadelite is already available for purchase. If you want an On Fadelite smartwatch and don't want to worry about the MDJ edition, the standard red, black, blue, and clear watch is available for $ 275 or £ 249 and is technically identical to the MDJ Model. All are available from Diesel's own online shop.
Our opinion
The Diesel On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones is a beautifully presented, desirable, and highly unusual special edition smartwatch. I feel good wearing it, it attracts compliments, and it gives an essential identity to what is often a rather characterless technology on our wrists. However, the delays in release have not been kind as the underlying technology is out of date and performance suffers, which in turn affects longevity. Your head will tell you it's not a good buy, but once you see it your heart will tell you otherwise.
Is there a better alternative?
Yes, the Apple Watch Series 5 or Series 6 are better alternatives if you have an iPhone. They work better, work more coherently with your iPhone, and have great health monitoring and a wealth of powerful apps. They are also highly customizable for that unique look. However, at $ 399, it's also more expensive.
If you own an Android phone, the $ 279 Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the $ 429 Galaxy Watch 3 have better software than the On Fadelite, and in the case of the Watch Active 2, the price is similar. You pay more for the 3 watch, but the method of control is excellent, it comes in two sizes and it looks nice too.
Can't find the Mad Dog Jones version of On Fadelite? The transparent body with ionized metal housing is available with the clear strap in the standard range, only without Mad Dog Jones' artwork on the strap, fabric or box. Would you like more health-oriented features and a stylish design? The $ 299 Withings ScanWatch is excellent.
How long it will take?
The unusual design of the On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones ensures that it will look fresh for several years. It's swim-proof and water-resistant to 30 meters, and the nylon sheath should also be relatively durable. Google sends software updates to Wear OS regularly, but doesn't expect them to contain new features often. With regular use, the battery may deteriorate and give back less standby time. However, this shouldn't be a problem for at least two years.
Should you buy one?
At least that's what your head will tell you because there are far better smartwatches out there. However, the On Fadelite X Mad Dog Jones looks so darn awesome that it might not matter. I love that it exists, appreciate the synergy between Mad Dog Jones and Diesel, and still have it on my wrist even if it's not a brilliant smartwatch. This could be the first smartwatch that is more of a heart-to-heart purchase than a head.
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