Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 Review
Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3
"The few positive aspects of the Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 cannot convince us to pay the high price."
-
Ideal for casual fitness tracking
-
Decent EA watch face collection
-
Heart rate tracking, GPS and NFC on board
-
Mundanes design
-
Tired WearOS software
-
Price higher than the competition
-
Uncomfortable rubber strap
There was a time when wearing an Armani suit was pretty much all you needed to make the right impression. Intelligent, refined and noble quality has never been a problem. Unfortunately, since Emporio Armani published his name on Touchscreen-Wear OS smartwatches, he has not been able to capture the same cache. I've worn the latest Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3, and although there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, I've never loved wearing it the way I would with an Armani suit and in a world full of designer wear OS -Watches with similar mediocre performance, that's a problem.
design
Before we look at the look and materials of the watch, its name is the beginning of the problem. If you want to buy this model, you should look for the Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 or ART5024 as shown in our pictures. This number three and the generic name are the only things that differentiate it from previous EA smartwatches. Just give it a real name, for heaven's sake. It could only make it more memorable, something that it is not currently.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends
We come to the topic of design to be unforgettable. It's a bit of "Smartwatch 101". The round body has some studs, a crown, two buttons, and a circular touchscreen, all of which are placed in the areas you expect. There is nothing that says as sophisticated as you can expect from the brand. There is no stylistic boom that will get someone to take a second look. The hard-wearing rubber strap is very long and very easy to grip, and the zookeeper often caught my wrist hair when I tried to move it over the wristband because it grips like an overzealous limpet. I would recommend choosing one of the metal or leather alternatives over this annoying rubber strap.
On a positive note, there are some pretty colors that breathe life into it, with the burnt orange of my device and an option for metallic blue, both of which look great. Replace the strap or buy the model with the stainless steel bracelet first, and the look will improve but not significantly. The aluminum case is slim and light, making it easy to carry regardless of your outfit. The 44mm case is quite large; It was clearly designed for men. On my test device, an annoying scratch appeared on the edge of the screen, which affected its appearance.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends
Let me be clear. The Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 is not ugly at all, it is only understated to boredom and has no identity. The bracelet consists of two straight pieces of rubber, the buttons have no texture and the bezel is a black, slightly angled edge – and nobody looks at it twice. There's nothing obvious that connects it to the desirable brand Emporio Armani unless you look closely at the crown to see the engraved logo. In a few months, ask me to remember what the watch looked like and I will respond. "What watch?"
Software and performance
The Smartwatch 3 has Google's built-in Wear operating system, which is supported by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 platform, as well as a heart rate sensor, NFC and a microphone / speaker combination for making calls on the watch. The Wear OS has not changed significantly in recent years and feels tired while the control system is bleak and out of date. This is why the design of a Wear OS smartwatch is so important. It is really the only thing that can distinguish it. Wear OS is not particularly good. So buying decisions depend on how good a watch looks and with options like Diesel On Fadelite and On Axial (or Misfit Vapor X, Michael Kors Access, Fossil Gen 5 – the list goes on, really) Emporio Armani's efforts are easy to ignore.
The only Armani-specific software feature is the collection of dials that are diverse and well designed. There's an option for everyone here, with classic styles, modern digital options, and some EA-centered versions. Even if you don't like them, there are many more in the Google Play Store. Third-party apps are also running on the watch, but too many are installed at your own risk, as this noticeably slows performance. Oddly enough, you have to install Google Maps and Google Play Music yourself as they are not preinstalled, although they are useful parts of the smartwatch experience.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends
Initial setup is also a tedious process, with multiple updates and far too many passwords and conditions to apply. It's a 30 minute session to make it work. The navigation takes place with swiping and tapping. The response time is average, but never nearly as fast as with the Apple Watch. At least the 1.3-inch AMOLED screen is attractive and pleasant to look at. The EA Smartwatch 3 has a rotating crown that makes life a little easier, especially when scrolling through the notification screen or when adjusting the music volume.
Notifications are displayed in a long list. They are interactive, meaning you can reply to messages, emails and tweets, either with predefined replies or with your voice. However, sometimes I got the same email notifications over and over again, which was frustrating and detracting from the usefulness of the watch. This additional burden of notifications is in direct contradiction to one of the main reasons that smartwatches try to minimize. Unfortunately, I have had the same experience with many other Wear OS smartwatches. So it's more of a software problem than a problem that only occurs with this model.
It's not all bad. The cards that are swiped to the left and that show Google Fit, the weather, and your calendar are useful. Sometimes it is convenient to respond to notifications on the watch. Google Pay is also on board for contactless payments. The special surrounding dials increase the usefulness and aesthetics of the watch as you can always see the time on the screen. The performance is sufficient for pre-installed apps and general use. Overall, it's significantly better than older Wear OS watches, with only occasional slowdowns that are irritating. But fairly average for the current generation of Wear OS devices, and still miles away from the standard fluidity and support seen on the Apple Watch.
Fitness tracking
Google Fit is the proprietary platform for health and fitness tracking. However, since Wear OS can run other apps, you can add Strava, Runkeeper, Endomundo and some others for certain sports. However, Google Fit is a great workout companion for my needs. It shows all the metrics I want – steps, heart rate, calorie consumption and intensity – in a clear and precise way. It is also easy to use and accessible. In conjunction with the lower button on the Armani watch, you can use the menu that appears to measure your heart rate or start a workout. Google Fit also has a guided breathing feature that lasts two minutes and is based on mindfulness and even breathing techniques.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends
Smartwatches are useful as a fitness tracker and training partner. The design of the Smartwatch 3 still looks at home in the gym, it hasn't been excessively sweaty under the strap, and the slim body means the risk of bumping into devices is low. Google Fit is great software that works smoothly and effectively on the Smartwatch 3, but is still best suited for the occasional fitness fan.
Battery life
The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 platform is more efficient than the old Snapdragon 2100 platform. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that you can reach two days on a single charge without drastically reducing functionality. A single day is appropriate with moderate use. This includes about an hour of fitness and heart rate measurement. The charging process takes place via a plastic magnetic base. It takes an hour to fully charge the battery.
Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends
The Smartwatch 3 has a choice of battery extension modes with certain features disabled to ensure the battery lasts longer. Advanced mode turns off the permanently on display, sound, WiFi, heart rate tracking, tilt and touch to wake up the screen, and voice control, and limits the Bluetooth connection between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. If these measures are taken, the watch will last for approximately 48 hours when fully charged. A time-only mode does exactly what it says – no notifications or anything – but it will stretch the battery for about a week.
But of course, such modes reduce the sense of a smartwatch, especially the way it works. I was only able to see the time in advanced mode when I pressed the side button, and can only see the time in time mode. If you want both "intelligent" and "observing" functions, they must be put into normal mode and charged daily. What I like is that the watch automatically goes into a power saving mode when the battery is empty, so I can see the time even when the smart functions are turned off. Practically at the end of a long day.
Price and availability
The Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 or ART5024 in this color scheme is now available for $ 395 or £ 370 – the same price as an entry-level Apple Watch. It's also more than $ 100 more than several other WearOS smartwatches with the same specs and features.
Our opinion
The Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 is as general as the name suggests. Although it bears the name Armani, it lacks flair and stylistic attention and is just too expensive. While there are aspects that are good – fitness tracking, contactless payments, quick charging and an attractive screen – the reserved design doesn't make us want to pick it up and put it on – an important selling point for the flooded Wear OS watch market , Emporio Armani has to develop a design that is recognizable as his own, instead of being content with something so ordinary.
What are the alternatives?
We'll say it aloud for those in the background: if you own an iPhone, buy an Apple Watch! Don't buy a smart watch with Wear OS if you don't have to, as the ownership experience is subpar when using an iPhone. Apple's WatchOS software is light years ahead, there are many customization options, and Apple has traditionally supported the software for several years. Health tracking is also second to none. Prices start at $ 400 – the same price as the Armani Smartwatch 3.
If you have an Android phone, we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 for $ 280, which contains the optimized Tizen software instead of Wear OS. It is more fluid, easier to use and more attractive at the same time. It's not perfect, but better than Wear OS. However, the Watch Active 2's design isn't particularly good, and that's where the better Wear OS watch options come in.
The Diesel On Axial looks great, and we'll put up with the Wear OS software for it, while the $ 295 Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch does everything the Armani watch does for less. Misfits' minimalist design also gets it right with the $ 280 Vapor X. Finally, consider the $ 275 Huawei Watch GT2 if you prefer simplicity and solid design over endless apps and features.
How long it will take?
The battery is always the weak link of a smartwatch. It will deteriorate over time and may affect daily use after a few years. However, people keep smartwatches longer than smartphones, so owning three or four years is quite possible. Google has ignored Wear OS for years. So don't expect any major changes in the near future based on your current track record.
The watch itself will be relatively durable with a water resistance of up to 50 meters, but in the short amount of time it's attached to the wrist, the case or screen (it's hard to tell which exactly) was scratched on the edge, which leaves an obvious consequence of marking and raising concerns about build quality. The strap is attached with quick release pins so that it can easily be exchanged for another.
Should you buy one?
No. While a smartwatch is a great accessory for your phone, you have to buy the right one to ensure a good user experience. Unfortunately, the Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 is far superior to the better Wear OS smartwatches without having a real reason to buy.
Editor's recommendations