Its time for another unboxing and this time around it is a Fitness Band/Smartwatch – the Honor Watch ES. The reason I say that this fits into both the camps of wearables is that I feel it’s a crossover device. At least, that is my first impressions of the device. It is also at the cheaper end of the price range – £99.99. So what does it look like then? Join me below to find out.
The Watch ES comes in a fairly unassuming box with the normal glossy graphics upfront. Once you open the box up it reveals the Watch ES front and centre. This can then be removed to find two sections on either side. The first of which contains the pogo pin-style charger on the left and the instructions and warranty info on the right side. That is it really, no extra straps or other goodies. Onto the watch itself.
The screen is a clear indication that this has been designed more like a band than a watch in that you have a tall rectangular face which is dominated by the 1.64″ AMOLED display with a 456×280 pixel resolution. As it is AMOLED it also features always-on display ability if you require it.
On the right-hand edge of the watch, we have a single button which has a nice red inset on it. This makes it easier to see where the button is and adds a nice design touch bring some colour to the rather plain plastic shell.
The left-hand side is completely barren, which is not really surprising as what else would you expect on a watch or indeed a fitness band. The screen itself has a very gentle curve to it, and this is continued into the body to allow a snug fit on the user’s wrist.
Either end of the watch is where you will find the lugs for attaching the straps. These are moulded into the body, so should be strong and secure. This is nice attention to detail as I have seen some cheaper watches and fitness bands that look weak in this area.
The straps come in one size which should fit most wrist sizes. It is made from a fluoroelastomer material which should cope with even the toughest and most abusive owners. I was pleased to see that the single retaining loop has got a nubbin on the underside that will hold it in place with the other half of the strap.
Around the underside, we have got the pogo charging connectors which allow for the charger dock to magnetically connect. I would have preferred to see Qi for the charging but at the price, it can be excused here. Below the pogo pin connector is where you will find a variety of sensors used for measuring your health data and biological rhythms.
We can find the following senors in place:-
- Heart rate Monitor
- SPO2 sensor
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light sensor
We don’t have an onboard GPS, which is again understandable for the price. However, we do have a dual processor that sips at the battery to give up too 10-day battery life (halved if you have AOD activated). I am so pleased to see that battery life on these things is getting better over time as I hated having to do a charge every night. It will also recharge fully in 100 minutes and, if you can only spare 30 mins, then you will get up to 70%. Fast charging wearables are here people it’s about time!
Here is the unboxing video for you to enjoy…
That about sums things up for the unboxing. I going to be using this as my daily driver for the next couple of weeks to thoroughly test it out so check back in with us for the full review then.