NO.1 G3 test - sports smartwatch

First impression of the NO.1 G3

The NO.1 G3 Smartwatch was delivered in a simple watch box on which the most important technical data were already printed. In addition to the smartwatch, the scope of delivery also included a 4-pin magnetic charging cable and operating instructions in Chinese and English.

Outwardly, the NO.1 Smartwatch is very reminiscent of a Samsung Gear S2. One could almost say that this watch was impudently copied. The housing is made of metal (visible side) on the one hand, while the carrying side is made of plastic. The back is removable. Behind it is the 350 mAh battery, which was soldered to the circuit board and can therefore only be changed with manual skill. The micro SIM slot and the micro SD memory slot are located under the battery. As a network standard, the NO.1 G3 supports GSM, which makes telephony with the smartwatch possible. A memory expansion is possible with up to 16GB.

The heart rate monitor and the 4-pin charging connector for data transmission and for charging the smartwatch are located on the back. The adjustable bracelet of the NO.1 G3 is made of TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) and so far well processed. There are two control buttons on the side of the housing. These are made of plastic and sit with a little play in the metal part of the housing. You can hear the keys rustle slightly, especially with faster movements.

Display

The display of the NO.1 G3 has a diagonal of 1.3 inches, the resolution is 240x240 pixels. The colors are displayed vividly and the maximum brightness is also good. The brightness can also be changed later in the settings. The display is also easy to read in direct sunlight, and the viewing angle is decent. How long the display should be active can be set in the display settings. In the more specific "Motion" settings, you can determine whether the display should be activated as soon as the watch is brought into view.

Performance and usability

The processor used here is a MediaTek MTK2502, which is used quite often not only by NO.1, but also by other Chinese smartwatch manufacturers. The RAM is 64MB, the internal memory is 128MB. 

The operability can be described as good. Apps can be opened quickly, as well as the menu is largely fluid. The motion detection also works pretty well.

Apps of NO.1 G3

All the necessary apps were preinstalled on the NO.1 G3. However, the smartwatch cannot be compared to Android Wear, which is why no further apps can be downloaded afterwards. With a total of 36 apps, which can be assigned to a wide range, you are well served.

Since the watch is supposed to be a sporty smartwatch, numerous fitness apps are also preinstalled. In addition to a pedometer, the watch also has a heart rate monitor, a sleep monitor, a movement reminder, a thermometer, UV detection, an ECG and an app for creating a health index.

There are also other useful apps on the watch, such as a file manager, an app for playing music, an app for making sound recordings, a calculator and many more.

The programs have been well implemented, but you should not expect high quality apps à la Android Wear. The heart rate monitor, I would estimate as reasonably accurate. The pedometer on the other hand differs slightly from the values ​​of a Xiaomi Mi band. Which wearable now counts more exactly is hard to understand.

Telephony

The telephony function of the NO.1 G3 is a nice addition, as the wearable can be controlled with its own SIM card and has its own microphone. The recording range of the microphone is good, but the recordings are quite tinny. The watch can also be used as a "hands-free device" via Bluetooth. However, the function could not convince me myself. I prefer to use my smartphone to make phone calls.

Watchfaces of the NO.1 G3

A total of seven watch faces are pre-installed. A very interesting function is that you can also load your own watch faces onto this watch. A watchface consists of a total of 5 images. You only have to change this according to your wishes, load it into the “clock” folder of the Smartwatch via the PC and the individual parts are assembled fully automatically when the G3 is restarted.

Connectivity and fundo wear

On the one hand, the NO.1 G3 can be used "out of the box", on the other hand, the watch can also be connected to an Android or iOS compatible smartphone. The “Fundo Wear” app required for this can be found both in the Google PlayStore and in the Appstore. This app is a fitness app with which the smartwatch can be synchronized (pulse, step counter, sleep monitor, etc.), but which is also used to transmit notifications. In order to be able to use the app to its full extent, a user account is required. WhatsApp notifications and other notifications were accurately transmitted in the test.

The Bluetooth standard is Bluetooth 4.0. Unfortunately, this smartwatch does not have WiFi.

Battery

The capacity of the battery is 350 mAh, with which the watch achieved good runtimes in the practical test. Consumption is very low, especially in standby. An energy-saving mode also dims the display and can extend the runtime a little. After a day of intensive use, I had to recharge the smartwatch in the evening, but with normal use and deactivated Bluetooth connection, two days of use should be very possible.

The implementation with the 4 pin charging cable is less successful. The magnets are very weak and there are no indentations, which is why the connector is only loosely attached. With the slightest movement on the cable, the connector slips and you have to place it again accurately. The loading time is also relatively long. In the test, I was only able to measure a charging current of 190mA with a multimeter. The charging time is therefore just under 2 hours.