Sony SmartWatch 3 Display Review

By Arewzo

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Typech, Sony SmartWatch 3 Display Review - The Sony SmartWatch 3 is more than just a smartwatch, it's also got ambitions as a sports watch thanks to the inclusion of GPS.

It doesn't make the best first impression, as while the Moto 360 and LG G Watch R have shown that circular displays can work and look good too, the Sony SmartWatch 3 has stuck to a more conventional rectangular shape.

But then it surprises in other ways. For one thing the mere fact that it runs Android Wear is a bit of a shock, given that Sony has spent the last few years perfecting its own system.

But it's a decision that I welcome. Android Wear is still finding its feet and adding a bit more competition to the mix, especially from an old hand at smartwatches, can only be a good thing.

And while the shape might be conservative, the specs and features of the Sony SmartWatch 3 are anything but. Its 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 512MB of RAM leave it packed with power and with GPS built in it's a more fully-functional fitness accessory than most other smartwatches too.

Of course all that power doesn't come cheap, as the Sony SmartWatch 3 retails for £189.99 (about US$250, AU$299.99).

It's not quite the most expensive smartwatch in the UK, the aforementionedMoto 360 (£200) and LG G Watch R (£220) both edge it out, seemingly charging a premium for a circular styling.

But they're more evenly priced in the US and Australia and wherever you happen to be the Sony SmartWatch 3 will cost you more than the likes of the LG G Watch (£159, $229, AU$250), or Samsung Gear Live (£169, $199, AU$250).

Of course while the LG G Watch is more powerful than most of its rivals it's functionally very similar, as Android Wear is far more locked down than the version of Android found on smartphones.

In many ways that's a good thing, as it keeps bloat down on a system which really can't afford to be bloated, but it can also make it hard to stand out, which could be a problem when you're asking people to pay an above average price.

Display

The Sony SmartWatch 3 has a 1.6-inch 320 x 320 transflective display. That's the same resolution and almost exactly the same size as the similarly square Gear Live, as well as being the same resolution as the G Watch R and a slightly higher resolution than the Moto 360.

So as smartwatches go it's crisp and clear, but even on such a small screen there's still room for improvement, with text and images being noticeably less sharp than on say a 1080p smartphone.

Being transflective also makes it easier to read in direct sunlight than most competing smartwatches. Or it should anyway, December in England didn't prove the optimal time to test this, but I certainly had no problem reading the screen when outside.

The display has a number of brightness settings and can pump out quite a lot of light at its brightest, but auto mode does a decent job of regulating it. It's also always on, unless you deactivate that feature. As standard it will dim but still be readable when not in active use, while tapping on it, raising your wrist to your face or receiving a notification will cause it to light up.

Unless you really want to stretch out the battery life I can't see why you'd want to turn the screen off completely, as it reduces its usefulness as a watch because you can no longer see the time at a glance, but it's nice to know the ability is there if you want it.

On the whole the screen impressed, delivering a relatively good resolution and a decent amount of brightness, though the colours could be richer and while the square shape might not be as aesthetically pleasing as a round display it does mean more apps are compatible with it. At 1.6 inches it's also just about big enough to comfortably interact with.

Tag : Android, Hardware, Info