Almost RM10K for a Tag Heuer smartwatch? I don’t think so

I think the world of watch-wearing people can be broadly separated into two different segments: those that enjoy smartwatches, and those that consider these mini wrist computers to be a bastardisation of the classic analogue watch. Traditional watch brands have also launched smartwatches—with the idea that the combination of smartwatch functionality and the look, feel, and build of a conventional timepiece will work well. And with that firmly in mind, Tag Heuer has just announced the third generation of their Wear OS-powered smartwatch: Connected.

Like many of the newer Wear OS watches, the Tag Heuer Connected is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 3100 chipset, which is the first time that the series has gone with a Snapdragon chip. That said, the 3100 isn’t exactly new—it was launched in 2018, so far from it. Still, it’s the most current Wear OS chip available, which speaks volumes about Android’s focus on the wearable market.

Tag Heuer’s latest smartwatch is also notably different from its predecessors; instead of the modular nature of the other Connected smartwatches, the 3rd generation is now a more conventional single-piece smartwatch—with colour, material, and strap options, of course.

The aesthetic of the device is supposedly inspired by Tag Heuer’s classic Carrera watches, and you can tell that the designers have focused on the slim factor of the device. Antennas are hidden under a new ceramic bezel, and the stainless steel and titanium cases measure at 45mm.

The display on the Connected is a 1.39 OLED panel that pushes a resolution of 454 x 454, while there’s also a USB-C based charging kit (yay!) which uses magnetic points to charge the smartwatch.

Hold up. No wireless charging? On a smartwatch that costs almost more than any other mainstream model? I’d have appreciated Qi-certified wireless charging support; even Samsung’s sub-RM2,000 smartwatches feature wireless charging.

There’s no LTE-supported variant of the new Connected, which is also fairly disappointing news. Apparently, the LTE antennas would have made the watch too thick, and as mentioned, the focus here is on slimness. Meanwhile, you’ll have to do without the convenience of a built-in mic or speaker, as well as the underrated feature of sleep tracking. However, you get a decently impressive 25 hours out of the 430mAh battery, according to Tag Heuer, although that figure will certainly vary with different usage patterns.

The software aspect of the Connected watch is pretty straightforward, especially if you’re used to Wear OS. Google Pay isn’t supported in Malaysia, but you get plenty of smartwatch functionality otherwise—notifications, reminders, access to apps, and so on.

But I don’t know if I’d pay almost RM10,000 for the top-end variant in the series. It’s certainly a sleek looking smartwatch, and I’m sure that it will get plenty of envious glances in public. But at this price, I’d like to see more unique functionality in the watch. Some of Garmin’s pricier options in the MARQ collection, for example, have specialised functions for each variant.

The Tag Heuer Connected watch is available in four configurations, and is available in select stores and on their official website now.

Tag Heuer Connected—Steel Case, Black Rubber Strap—RM6,950

Tag Heuer Connected—Steel Case, Steel Bracelet—RM7,550

Tag Heuer Connected—Steel Case, Black Rubber Strap—RM6,950

Tag Heuer Connected—Titanium Case—RM9,150

[ VIA ]