Realme Watch 3 review: Should iPhone users buy this Apple Watch replica? - Chia Sẻ Kiến Thức Điện Máy Việt Nam

By Abhik Sengupta: Bluetooth (BT) calling feature seems to have become a selling point for affordable smartwatches. Till now, brands like Noise, Ambrane, and boAt have been experimenting with this feature, and now Realme is also jumping on the bandwagon. One of the key highlights of the latest smartwatch from Realme, dubbed the Realme Watch 3, is BT calling. The idea of BT calling is simple. Users can connect their smartwatch to their smartphones to answer or disconnect phone calls as long as both are in the range, since there’s no SIM card support on the watch.

In addition, the Realme Watch 3 offers all the usual features that basic smartwatch users would want, like a heart rate sensor or blood oxygen monitor, and a lot more. All this combined doesn’t sound bad for a smartwatch, which costs Rs 3,499, right? Well, I won’t blame you if you do not, given that watches like Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch cost over Rs 30,000.

Now, the truth is that there are a lot of limitations to budget watches when compared to their higher-priced counterparts. That’s quite obvious. But, this does not make them bad by any metric, since they can still assist us with a lot of other things. Most importantly, affordable watches promise good battery life that Apple and Samsung smartwatches still can’t do. In that case, is the Realme Watch 3 worth Rs 3,500 bucks? Let’s find out.

For this review, I have taken a slightly different approach. I used the watch with an iPhone, though I tested some abilities with an Android phone (Oppo Reno 8 Pro). I am certain many iPhone users are still not convinced about buying a Rs 30,000-worth Apple Watch. In that case, if you’re an Android user planning to buy this watch, sincere apologies that this might not be the ideal review for you.

If you own an iPhone, here’s what you need to know about the Realme Watch 3.

Design: There’s a lot to like about Realme Watch 3, even though it resembles an Apple Watch. It is minimal yet stylish. Its round edges are clean. And the grey silicone band that I received is perfect for everyday outfits — be it casual or formal.

Secondly, the smartwatch is not too heavy (40 grams with the strap), so even if you fall asleep while wearing it, you won’t be bothered. Wearing the Realme Watch 3 while working out also did not cause any discomfort.

So, in terms of looks, the Realme Watch 3 trumps its rivals. In terms of build, not so much as the side frame feels like a sub-standard plastic, even though Realme vacuum plated metal on it. But design-wise, the Realme Watch 3 is one of the most attractive-looking watches in the segment.

Display: The Realme Watch 3 features a fairly big screen, which measures 1.8 inches. Realme has used a TFT-LDC panel, which sadly does not offer the best colours that we find on some AMOLED displays. The touch screen is responsive, but you might face issues if your fingers are sweaty or wearing gloves. There’s also a side button that acts as a home button.

The display, with 240×280 pixel resolution, supports swipe gestures from all sides, which is a good addition. Sadly, there’s no tap-to-wake or always-on-display support, so you’re restricted to tapping the home button to view time. The Realme Watch 3 does support the palm-raise feature, but in my experience, it wasn’t always responsive. Realme claims that the watch supports loads of customisable watch faces; however, it did work with the Realme Link app on my iPhone.

Overall, the Realme Watch 3 offers a decent display or viewing experience, if not the best. To be fair, most competitions offer similar performances, so it’s not that things are brighter on the other side.

App support: The Realme Watch 3 lets users view health metrics in two ways — either on the watch itself or the connected Realme Link app. Viewing data on the watch wasn’t a problem at all. However, the Realme Link app for iOS was buggy, at least in my experience. On most occasions, the app failed to show data even when it was connected to an iPhone over Bluetooth. The app also restricted me from downloading new watch faces.

However, I briefly tested the app on an Android phone, and there were no issues. I guess it is an iOS problem, so iPhone users, take note!

Otherwise, setting up the watch is extremely simple, and the Realme Link app is pretty straightforward. I like the UI and UX of the app as well, and it displays all the important options at the front. The Realme Link app also lets users disable or enable notifications from specific apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Outlook. I also found the option to edit the arrangement of the in-built app very helpful. Mind you, it is not a very common feature on budget watches.

In simple words; the Realme Link app for the Realme Watch 3 looks and works great if you’re an Android user. On iPhones, the experience at times is buggy.

Health features: The Realme Watch 3 comes loaded with health features, but to an extent, these are all gimmicks. The watch comes with loads of “workout modes”, and there’s a workout recognition option, but in my case, it didn’t work most times with an iPhone. Therefore, users are forced to start a workout mode manually, which is frankly tiresome.

The step count data also wasn’t accurate. Most of the time, it calculates two steps instead of one. I even compared the results with the more expensive Galaxy Watch 5. The latter seems to have measured step counts more accurately. The blood oxygen sensor was fairly accurate and the measurements matched the ones displayed on an over-the-counter oximeter. I can’t be sure of the sleep data it fetched, but I am certain that it is inaccurate. For instance, one day I slept for 6 hours, but the Realme Watch 3 displayed an exaggerated figure.

To be fair, this isn’t the case with Realme Watch 3, but with most smartphones in the under Rs 10,000 range. The company also says the data is only for reference.

Bluetooth calling and other features: If you want to use productivity-focused features like alarm, walk or water reminders, stopwatch, and more, the Realme Watch 3 won’t disappoint. The watch also fetches weather with the connected smartphone.

There’s also a music control option to let users play or pause music. You can manage the volume of the background music as well. Moreover, I like the Find my watch feature that makes the smartwatch vibrate aggressively. It’s not the most useful tool, but it is still good to have.

Speaking of the Bluetooth calling tool, I was surprised that the watch worked quite well, even with an iPhone. The speakers are decently loud and the mic captures the voice clearly. Of course, in noisy settings, the audio quality isn’t great, but I am guessing people won’t use it in crowded environments anyway.

In that case, the BT calling on the Realme Watch 3 isn’t a gimmick. The watch is also fully loaded with productivity-focused apps that enhance the overall experience.

Battery: The Realme Watch 3 promises to deliver a 5-day battery, which is a bit stretched. I was able to get up to four days of battery with normal settings, and with workout recognition, the battery life was reduced. The watch also takes roughly 1.5 hours to fully charge, though the box does not include a power adapter.

The battery is average at best, as my old and beloved Noise Evolve 2 and Fitbit Charge 2 provide up to five days of battery.

Verdict: Overall, the Realme Watch 3 is a value-for-money device, even for iPhone users. I am sure the experience will be a lot more polished with an Android smartphone, which I didn’t fully test in my review.

Its Bluetooth calling feature works smoothly, which the smartwatch is all about. But being a smartwatch, it does not serve the purpose of offering health data. To be fair, most smartwatches don’t, but at least we expect a near-accurate reference point.

Despite these tiny flaws, the Realme Watch 3 is decent for its price. If I were in your place, I’d wait for a few days as the company is preparing to launch the Watch 3 Pro model this month. I am sure we’ll get to see a better display.

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