I had been thinking about getting a smart watch for a long time. As someone who tries to be health conscious—going to the gym, watching what I eat, and making sure to take time to unplug from the internet—a smart watch seemed like a natural addition to my life.
Photo credit: Abt.com
However, they’re pretty pricey. The Apple Watch, probably the most notable smartwatch out there, has a range of models which vary in price and construction. The cheapest Apple Watch rings in at $249 and can cost up to more than $1,000. It would definitely be a larger investment than my analog wristwatch that I bought on sale at T.J.Maxx.
Photo credit: Amazon
Fossil, one of the most notable watch companies, also offers smartwatches. These are a little more style based with a round watch face and the option to choose a Hybrid Smartwatch—it looks like a regular watch but syncs to your cellphone—instead of just a smartwatch. But, Fossil’s watches are expensive too; typically maxing out at around $275.
I had a tough time deciding between these two watches. Stylistically, I preferred the Fossil watch. It’s a little more fashionable and not as expensive as Apple’s. But, I was worried about its operating system; would it be as easy to navigate as Apple’s?
When my laptop died at the beginning of October, I traded it in and they gave me a gift card to use in the future. I used this credit to get an Apple Watch for myself for Christmas.
After debating which model to go with, I purchased the 42mm, Space Grey watch with a black band, and ordered a metal band through another site.
Now, after having had the watch for a little more than a month, here’s my review on whether this big-ticket item is worth the price.
Photo credit: Techhive
Style
While I still wish it was round, I love the masculinity of the grey aluminum and black band. It looks great on your wrist, especially when paired with the black, metal band I purchased separately. The metal compliments my other jewelry and doesn’t clash with my outfits. There’s no doubt that it’s arm candy.
Operating System/Phone Pairing
Typical of Apple Products, the watch runs similarly to the iPhone and iPad. Almost entirely screen-based, the watch has two buttons on the side and two underneath, which allow for the removal of the band. The watch quickly paired with my iPhone, allowing me to use it in conjunction with my cell phone.
While my watch doesn’t have cellular capabilities, by syncing with my iPhone I’m able to compose and answer text messages as well as answer calls.
I don’t have wireless headphones, so, unfortunately, I can’t pair them with my watch, but I know that you’re able to download songs from your iTunes account to your watch and listen to them from wireless headphones. I expect this feature would work fine if I was able to utilize it.
Fitness Capabilities
This is my favorite part of the watch. I am obsessed with turning on the athletic tracker every time I walk ANYWHERE. I love that it adapts to whatever form of cardio or anaerobic exercise that I’m doing, whether that be the Stairmaster or Spinning. I love that it counts my steps and monitors my heart rate and calories burned.
What’s also great is all this data gets saved on my phone as well, so if I want to see how many steps I walked on January 5th, I can check. For someone who tries their best to be athletically conscious, the Apple Watch has made it so much easier for me to see just how much exercise I’m getting and how many calories I’m burning.
Overall, I love my Apple Watch. I feel lost when I forget to put it on in the morning and regretful when I forget to turn on the athletic tracker when I go for a walk. While there are still so many things the watch can do that I’m not using it for, I look forward to learning how to use it more productively in the future.
Bottom line: Yes, it’s expensive, but the athletic value makes it worth it for me.
Cover photo credit: Pinimg
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