Stronger than flint: TOP 5 well-protected smartwatches

Xiaomi Amazfit T-Rex Pro is an advanced smartwatch designed for use in extreme environmental conditions. You can go outside in them in any weather, and in general they are designed for survival in the real world.

The armor-piercing nature of the "smart" watch reveals a hardy case made of polymer plastic. The level of its moisture protection is marked with a 10 ATM label, which indicates the possibility of diving to a depth of 100 meters for 10 minutes, and the watch case has also been field tested for strength according to the key points of the American military standard MIL-STD-810G program. The icing on the cake is maintaining the performance of a wearable gadget in the temperature range from -40 to +70 °C.

At the head of the front panel of the Amazfit T-Rex Pro is a bright and juicy 1.3-inch diagonal AMOLED screen with Always On mode. The clock control is tied to a combined scheme - it combines support for touch input and mechanical buttons on the side faces of the case. On the back, the watch is armed with contacts for magnetic charging and an advanced PPG Bio-Tracker 2 sensor. It calculates the heart rate, determines the level of blood oxygen saturation, and monitors the quality of sleep. Hidden from prying eyes is the GPS module in the bowels of the watch case.

The model automatically recognizes 8 types of activity (walking, treadmill, indoor walking, outdoor jogging, rowing, cycling, elliptical and swimming), calculates the user's activity index PAI, analyzes data after training and monitors the body's stress level. In total, the smart device records the parameters of physical activity in a hundred types of training. With normal use, the watch battery lasts for 18 days of battery life, in continuous GPS monitoring mode - up to 40 hours in a row. The only thing missing is an NFC chip. However, even without it, the watch looks very, very bad.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 is a feature-packed armor-piercing smartwatch from Samsung with a shock-resistant case, wireless charging, a comprehensive Samsung BioActive body monitoring sensor and Wear OS operating system, developed by the Korean giant in collaboration with Google. That is, on board there is a familiar set of Google services and applications that many users are used to seeing on their Android smartphone. In addition, the watch is dressed in an aluminium case with MIL-STD-810 military protection and IP68 moisture protection, that is, they are not afraid of bumps, falls and diving under water.

The fourth generation Galaxy Watch is powered by an Exynos W920 dual-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. Their communication capabilities include Wi-Fi 4 and an NFC chip for contactless payment. This version does not have an LTE receiver, so you can only get information on the built-in Super AMOLED screen, however, due to the built-in microphone and speaker, the watch can be used to receive voice calls from a smartphone. The battery life of the Galaxy Watch4 Classic depends on the specific usage scenario: in normal mode with GPS turned off, the battery lasts about 40 hours, and in active mode, the battery can last up to a day. In addition, the watch is equipped with a GPS module, a microphone and a speaker for making calls without a phone and an NFC chip for contactless payment for purchases using payment systems from Samsung and Google.

In the role of a wrist trainer and tracker, the watch proves to be a solid five, there is nothing unexpected. They are able to measure pressure, ECG, blood oxygen levels, count pulse, monitor sleep quality, record an increase in stress levels, and also keep a women's calendar. The new Samsung BioActive sensor is able to analyze body composition in real time, including fat, skeletal muscle and water. More than 90 sports modes are waiting for fans of an active lifestyle, from the usual running and walking to basketball, skiing, swimming and some martial arts. The 5 ATM (IP68) waterproof case makes it possible to swim in the pool or wear them in the shower, but the manufacturer does not recommend diving in them or swimming in salt water.

The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra is the flagship rugged smartwatch from Chinese brand Mobvoi, featuring a shock-resistant design, Wear OS, a chronograph-style bezel and an unusual 1.4-inch display. It consists of two layers: a colorful AMOLED screen with a resolution of 454x454 pixels is located on the bottom, an energy-efficient, monochrome FSTN screen hangs above it, which displays basic information when the watch is in sleep mode and the main screen is turned off. This is the so-called Essential Mode, in which the main functions of the operating system become unavailable, but the battery life increases from 3 to 45 days. Alternatively, there is the more familiar Always on Display feature.

The watch runs Wear OS, which significantly expands the use cases compared to custom operating systems. In particular, the user has access to familiar Google services, popular applications from the Android library and the ability to use the Google Pay/Wallet digital payment system, which works in conjunction with an NFC chip. Thanks to the built-in microphone with speaker, the watch can receive voice calls from your smartphone. The built-in microphone can also be used to interact with the voice assistant. The watch case is resistant to water, bumps and accidental drops as the watch boasts comprehensive protection including IP68, MIL-STD-810 and Gorilla Glass.

In addition to the design and advanced functionality, the watch helps keep track of workouts and monitor the physical performance of the body. In particular, the gadget can measure the pulse and oxygen levels in the blood, count the number of steps taken and calories burned, as well as record increases in stress levels and monitor the quality of sleep. As you can see, the list is pretty standard, there are no unusual sensors here. Fans of an active lifestyle will appreciate the barometer, altimeter and GPS-module with Galileo support on board. In terms of sports activity, the watch supports more than 100 training modes, and they also have a separate application for breathing exercises. Against the background of all the advantages, we did not quite like the far from the most convenient clock control and a modest collection of dials in the proprietary application.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is an unusually brutal smartwatch that skillfully builds bridges between sports watches and extreme gadgets. Equipped with a shockproof and waterproof MIL-STD-810 grade titanium case, they have passed many stress tests and are ready for harsh environments, extreme tourism, mountain hiking, etc. In particular, the manufacturer promises performance under strong temperature changes, resistance to shock, falls from a height and rain (waterproof class WR50). In addition, they are equipped with a full-fledged GPS navigation system, a compass and a barometer.

At the center of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a 1.4-inch bright and juicy 450x450 pixel Super AMOLED display with a sapphire coating that provides a bright and clear display of information. The device runs Wear OS and is always ready to provide voice assistant assistance. Thanks to the virtual SIM card, they can be used independently from your smartphone, taking calls and answering text messages using the compact display. The built-in NFC chip turns the watch into a wrist digital wallet for contactless payment.

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro supports 90 sports modes, and also allows you to track and analyze various indicators such as heart rate, pressure, ECG, blood oxygen levels, energy consumption, sleep quality, menstrual cycle, body temperature and the number of steps taken. The innovation was the bioelectrical impedance analysis system, designed to track key body parameters such as bone density, muscle mass and percentage of body fat. In general, Samsung turned out to be an excellent sequel to an already quite interesting watch. And the only drawbacks of the fifth version is the virtual bezel instead of the mechanical one.

The Ultra model is the pinnacle of the evolution of the modern Apple Watch line. Smartwatches are in the premium league of wearable devices. They are sharpened for avid travelers, outdoor enthusiasts and divers.

The watch is assembled in a protected titanium case that can withstand the most severe hardships of the surrounding world. In particular, the model easily dives to a depth of 100 meters under the water column, maintains full performance in a wide range of outdoor air temperatures (from -20 ° C to +50 ° C), and it also has a MIL-STD-810H protection certificate. While swimming, the watch displays the time spent under water, the current depth, water temperature, draws the route and even the bottom topography. Compliance with the requirements of the EN 13319 standard will delight scuba diving enthusiasts.

The front of the Apple Watch Ultra features a large, flat screen with a peak brightness of 2000 nits, making it easy to read in bright sunlight. The display is covered with sapphire crystal. Due to the increased size, a lot of various metrics are placed on the dial, and, if necessary, the route covered with intermediate points is displayed on the screen. You can set them by pressing the programmable Action Button, which is easily reconfigured to launch various applications or track activity.

In matters of activity and health monitoring, Apple smartwatches provide a full range of services, from simple heart rate tracking to advanced accident detection algorithms. In addition, the model was equipped with an enhanced multi-band GPS module with an additional L5 frequency, three microphones for a comfortable conversation in phone mode in strong winds and a built-in alarm siren that sounds a distress signal with a volume of 86 dB (it can be heard at a distance of up to 180 m). In standalone mode with all the sensors turned on, the watch stays afloat for 36 hours, when the energy-saving mode is activated, they will live up to 60 hours in a row. Wear-resistant straps have been released to match the Pro version of the gadget.