Reviewed Realme Watch 3

 Introduction

Realme introduced the aptly called Realme Watch more than two years ago, and since then the manufacturer has steadily increased the range of wearables available. Its newest product, the Realme Watch 3, is positioned as a straight replacement for the Realme Watch 2, which was released last year and offered a respectable feature set and a long battery life for the price of INR 4,125 ($55/€45).

For INR 3,500 ($44/€44), the model for this year features an updated look with a larger screen, squared-off borders, and Bluetooth calling in addition to the standard sports and activity tracking. How does the Realme Watch 3 compare to its rivals, and are the new features enough to justify an upgrade?

Realme Watch 3 specifications

• Display: 1.8", 240 x 286 pixel color screen, 323ppi pixel density, 500 nits peak brightness, 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3
• Straps: Detachable silicon straps, 22mm width, 130-220mm adjustable length
• Features: IP68 rating, Bluetooth calling, speaker, Real-time heart rate monitor, 24/7 SpO2 monitor, Sleep tracking, Stress monitoring, Sports tracking, VO2 Max, Step Counter, Meditation, Smart Notifications, Idle Alert, Drink Reminder, Phone Finder, Weather Forecast, Music and Camera Control
• Sports Modes: Outdoor Run, Indoor Run, Outdoor Walk, Indoor Walk, Outdoor Cycle, Indoor Cycle, Strength Training, Football, Yoga and Cricket (100 more in Realme Link app)
• Sensors: PPG optical heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, Rotor Vibration Motor
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, Compatible with Android 5.1+ and iOS 11+
• Battery: 340 mAh
• Colors: Black, Grey
• Dimensions: 45 x 37 x 11.5 mm
• Weight: 40 grams

Even while the Realme Watch 3's body is still entirely made of plastic, it seems more upscale than its predecessor. Now flat, the sides have a bright polish that from a distance gives the impression that it is a metal alloy. For this examination, we have the black colour option with an intriguing gunmetal appearance.

A grey version of the Realme is also available; this version has a lighter watch strap and casing. Speaking of the watch strap, it is constructed of sturdy silicone and measures 22mm, so you can replace it with any other band you might have lying around.

The watch's 40 gramme weight makes it easy to wear all day. The watch has a single button on the right side that may be used to wake it up and go back. While the speaker is on the left, you also receive a microphone on that side.

While the Realme Watch 2's 1.4-inch diagonal LCD panel has grown to 1.8 inches on the Watch 3, the resolution has decreased to 240 x 286 pixels from the watch's crisper 320 x 320 pixels output from the previous year. Fair enough, the distinction isn't apparent in normal use, however it's strange that the newer model watch has a lesser resolution screen.

The Watch 3's LCD display lacks Always on Display (AoD) capability, in contrast to several rival smartwatches' OLED displays. Additionally, the screen doesn't automatically adjust its brightness, so you'll have to choose it yourself. There are four brightness settings, ranging from 20 to 40 percent, and I found the 40 percent setting to be completely useable in the majority of situations, even outside in the hot August sun. The Watch 3's peak brightness of 500 nits is adequate, however the peak brightness of the Realme Watch 2 from the previous year increased to 600 nits.

Although the Realme Watch 3 is IP68 water and dust resistant, keep in mind that showers and swimming are not recommended for the device. The watch is included in the retail package, together with a USB-A cable and an exclusive two-pin magnetic charger.

Features

The Realme Watch 3 offers continuous SpO2 tracking, stress and sleep monitoring, along with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, just like most contemporary smartwatches. In addition, the watch tracks more than 110 sports and activities. 16 sports modes can be active simultaneously on the watch, and switching between them involves opening the Realme Link app on your phone.

Additionally, Realme offers more than 100 watch faces through the Link app, which instantly sync to the watch. The watch can only hold four watch faces at once, so if you wish to add more, you'll need to delete the current ones. A number of helpful features are also included in the watch, including an alarm, weather widget, reminders app, music controls, and Bluetooth camera shutter functionality.

Running and cycling are examples of aerobic exercises that produce tailored workout outcomes that help you attain new target goals and determine your level of exercise intensity. To help you gauge the effectiveness of your workouts, Watch 3 also suggests recuperation durations based on your most recent workout and VO2 max measurements. The watch doesn't have a built-in GPS receiver, but your phone's antenna should still deliver more precise readings.

Running and cycling are examples of aerobic exercises that produce tailored workout outcomes that help you attain new target goals and determine your level of exercise intensity. To help you gauge the effectiveness of your workouts, Watch 3 also suggests recuperation durations based on your most recent workout and VO2 max measurements. The watch doesn't have a built-in GPS receiver, but your phone's antenna should still deliver more precise readings.

One of the new capabilities of the Watch 3 that wasn't present on earlier Realme Watch versions is Bluetooth calling. Your favourite contacts may be synced with the watch directly after the initial pairing process in the Realme Link app on your phone, making it easier to dial. Given the watch's built-in speaker, having user-accessible storage to store music or other files would have been a good feature.

The haptics feel a little less convincing than some of the more expensive watches we've tested, but the vibration motor does its job. Compared to the 315 mah cell on the Realme Watch 2, this device has a larger 340 mAh battery pack. You can click over to the battery section to check how it performed.

Performance

The UI animations execute without latency, and navigating the interface seems quick and lag-free. The Watch 3 utilises the same basic proprietary operating system and pre-installed apps as the rest of Realme's watch lineup. Swipes are used to navigate the watch, and the side key doubles as the back button. The ability to double-tap the screen to wake it up is one thing that is absent.

Continuous SpO2, stress, and heart rate monitoring are all as effective as those on more expensive watches. SpO2 and heart rate values in real time are quick and simple to record. The display of workout data is attractive and includes big, scrollable indicators.

Cardio exercises provide useful data such as average pace, calories expended, average cadence (number of steps per minute), average stride, and total steps. The watch did restart itself a few times throughout different training sessions, which cost me some workouts. Hopefully, this will be resolved in upcoming software upgrades. The GPS receiver on your attached phone should deliver more accurate data even though the watch doesn't have one built in.

The results of the sleep tracking did indicate precise sleep and wake timings. Similar to the majority of watches on the market, Realme Watch 3 provides a breakdown of sleep by category that includes rapid eye movement (REM).

The watch has access to all health and activity data, thus you cannot compare statistics over longer time periods. You can compare up to a month's worth of data on the Realme Link phone app's Health tab, which provides thorough breakdowns of your health and activity indicators. To share with friends or to keep track of your training schedule, you can export the outcomes of your workout session as photos.

The Watch 3's Bluetooth calling feature is rather practical and was error-free during my testing. A little keypad on the watch allows you to immediately dial numbers, and you can even add some of your favourite contacts there. Additionally, you can start a call on your phone and move it later to the watch. The dual-mode Bluetooth chip ensures that the connection is strong enough to prevent call quality dropouts when you leave your phone in one room and move about while on a call.

Although you still need to elevate your wrist closer to your mouth, which feels odd, the Watch 3's speaker is loud enough during calls even when you're outside, and the microphone pick-up is enough for most usage situations. People on the other end of calls said my voice was clear, but background noises like wind and traffic would muddle the dialogue. Realme brags about its AI noise reduction system, yet an additional microphone would be a better way to deal with distractions.

Battery Life Realme states that you may use the Watch 3 for up to 7 days at a time, and in our testing we found that these values were accurate with light usage—although I was only able to get 5 days out of a single charge.

My Watch 3 use case consisted of three to four exercises per week, 24/7 heart rate, SpO2, sleep, and stress monitoring, raise-to-wake screen brightness of 40%, and continual alerts from all applications on my associated phone. Additionally, the watch has a power-saving mode that just displays the time and date. It takes slightly over two hours to charge fully.

Conclusion The Realme Watch 3 is an incremental enhancement to the Watch 2 from a year ago. This year, Bluetooth calling—which functions effectively and is typically not guaranteed for watches at this price point—is the major new feature. Although Watch 3 is entirely constructed of plastic, it nonetheless feels light enough on the wrist and has a more upscale appearance than its predecessor. Even though the decreased resolution and peak brightness levels are not optimal, the slightly larger 1.8-inch screen and smaller bezels are a pleasant improvement.

Similar to other watches and smart bands in this price range, health and fitness tracking is available. The only things this watch is missing are a dedicated GPS sensor and a sharper OLED screen, which would make it an easy recommendation. Realme Watch 3 is a decent smartwatch that offers Bluetooth calling, which is not often included at this price point, and capable health and fitness tracking for INR 3,500 ($44/€44).

Pros

• Bluetooth calling
• Lightweight design
• Solid battery life
• IP68 rating

Cons

• Iterative upgrade over Realme Watch 2
• Lower resolution display (still LCD)
• No auto brightness
• Not swimproof