Smartwatches have been an emerging market. It is becoming one of the most popular electronic accessories among people. With endless options to choose from it is difficult for a person to pick the right one. In this article, we will go through some key features you should consider while buying a smartwatch.
Phone call
This is one of the primary and important features which you should be looking for. The phone call feature refers to the ability to receive or reject calls through your watch. Almost none of the budget smartwatches comes with a microphone. Hence apart from receiving and rejecting phone calls you won’t be able to speak through it.
This feature is extremely useful if you are someone who drives or rides daily to your work. This can help you to decide if you are receiving an urgent call or if is it something you can delay.
Notification
Whether it be a social media platform, SMS, or an activity app. A notification on your wrist is always more convenient than pulling out your phone to check. Once again the ability to reply to your message is hard to find in the budget smartwatch. Also apart from messages, it’s unlikely that you will be able to read emails or any other complex form of message. Do consider the display size as having a bigger display will help you to read your messages.
Sports and activity
From counting your steps to your calories. It includes all. Usually, most watches share a similar list of features in this category. Some of the activities include swimming, workout, running, cycling, etc. Although you don’t get an inbuild GPS, some do allow you to connect with your phone to calculate accurate running distance. Similarly, your sleep information, heart rate, etc can be tracked using their mobile application.
Display size
This is one thing in which you will get a lot of options available. Square, circular, or even slick fitness band shape. You will need to decide based on your daily use. If you plan on interacting with your smartwatch regularly then opting for a square design is preferred as it will provide you with more information on the display. On the other hand, if you prefer minimalism and going for a slick fitness band style design would work the best.
Music
For all those music enthusiasts people or people who prefer music with their workout or while doing chores. You simply can’t miss this one. Having the ability to change the volume, and song from the wrist is a must. Despite such a useful feature, you might not find this on all the smartwatches available out there. Even if there is one, it might have limited functionality.
Battery life
One thing smartwatches are infamous for is their battery life. You can easily find yourself finding your charger at the end of the day. Although there are some exceptions where certain models last for over a week. The true battery life will depend upon your usage. Using features like a heart rate monitor and sleep tracking will drain the battery significantly faster. Make sure to get one that can last at least 2 days. Also, all the watches come with their proprietary cable and charger. So you will need to be careful not to lose or damage one as it won’t be easy to find its replacement.
Built quality
Wearable technology usually goes through the most wear and tear. Smartwatches are no exception. From accidental bumping into an object, to sweat from your workout, dust from the surroundings, and rainwater in the monsoon. Your watch will be going through extreme wear and tear over some time. Hence it is recommended to buy one which has an IPX rating of at least IP64. That is protection from dust and splashes. Buying anything below this might not last long if you are regularly involved in outdoor activity.
Bottom line
In the end, Smartwatch is an accessory. It is a companion to your main device which is your phone. Hence make sure to choose the one which is compatible with your device. The above-mentioned 7 features are a must-have even if you are buying a budget smartwatch. Along with these, each brand comes with its quirky features. These include games, front-display flashlights, etc.
Here is the list of smartwatches from NOISE, which provides cool features and quite affordable in prices.