Test: smartwatch for sports and daily life

Test report: how useful is the smartwatch for sports and daily life?

Edouard G. lives near Fribourg, goes jogging two or three times a week and regularly takes part in regional runs like the famous Morat-Fribourg event. The 45-year-old uses a smartwatch to track his sports activity. At the beginning of August, CSS was looking for people to test smartwatches and report their findings. Nicole won the prize draw and received an Apple Watch that she would then test for 3 weeks.

Tracking sports activity

As he jogs, the watch tells him at regular intervals how long he has been running and how far he has come. Edouard also uses it to measure his heart rate while jogging and to see how it varies depending on whether the terrain is uphill, flat or downhill.

Monitoring progress

However, Edouard doesn’t use the Apple application to track his performance, but the Adidas running app. The engineer chose this app back in 2012 when he was still using his phone for this purpose. He prefers not to change now because his whole history is stored.

But he doesn't need to take his phone with him when he goes jogging: he synchronises the data after the run when the smartwatch and his smartphone connect automatically.

“Movement” rings and “breathe” function

The Apple Watch uses 3 rings to show how much the wearer moves, exercises and stands. Edouard sees these as incentives. He has also activated the prompt to "breathe regularly”: "I’ve set this and used it a few times. I think it's a very good idea, but I don't always manage to do it consistently.”

ECG and oxygen saturation

Edouard has also tried out these two relatively new features on the Apple Watch 6. However, as far as he’s concerned, it’s more a question of seeking reassurance. Looking at them from time to time and seeing that the values are within the norm is a good feeling. However, he wouldn’t use these measurements to replace a visit to the doctor or a medical check-up.

Silent alarm clock

Edouard sets the alarm clock at different times throughout the week. The smartwatch doesn’t ring, but vibrates on the wristband – which his partner appreciates. This stops her from being woken by the sound of the alarm. "I set this function by mistake and am actually surprised at the added value it has brought me," the engineer says with a smile.

Long battery life

Depending on how intensively Edouard uses the smartwatch during the day, only 20% of the battery may remain in the evening. But this is no problem for our tester as he places the smartwatch on the charging station while he takes a shower. However, the watch would rarely last 2 days without recharging.

Accepting calls

Edouard likes working in his garage but often gets his hands dirty in the process. If a call happens to come in, the watch's voice control comes in handy. Edouard can answer the call without lifting a finger and hold the conversation over the smartwatch.

Hefty price tag

Edouard is happy to have received the smartwatch from CSS for testing. His previous model was a cheaper version than the Apple Watch, so his two teenage sons were thrilled, the 45-year-old laughs. But – with a price tag of over 400 francs – buying one for them is out of the question for the time being. The watches are simply too expensive for this, Edouard feels.

Conclusion: helpful gadget

Overall, Edouard is happy with his smartwatch test: “For me, a smartwatch is and always will be a gadget. Nonetheless, my daily life wouldn't be the same without it.”