The new Apple Watch Series 5 had just been launched and most people can’t wait to get their hands on it. Apple fans love the slick, understated, and futuristic appearance of the wearable. Naturally, there are others who prefer their smartwatch to still look like a traditional timepiece. One such old-fashioned looking wearable is the Fossil Q Explorist Gen 3. It has a timeless elegance to it while simultaneously having a well-rounded mix of smart features. The best thing about it is that it’s nowhere near as expensive as an Apple Watch.
What’s even more exciting is that the Fossil Q Explorist Gen 3 is currently enjoying a huge $96 discount on Amazon
The Fossil Q Explorist, now in its third generation, is powered by Google’s Wear OS and is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones. It is elegantly designed with its striking blue and silver finish. Its stainless-steel case is 12.5mm thick and measures 46mm in diameter. It comes with a genuine leather strap that you can replace if you want to. This watch has an industrial charm to it, a chunkiness that men might appreciate. For guys who enjoy the great outdoors, the Explorist is an ideal companion. This watch has an IP67 rating and is engineered for water and weather resistance. It can withstand particle intrusion and submersion in water for up to 30 minutes. Although it is rugged, it still looks quite fashionable and wouldn’t look out of place even in a formal occasion.
The Explorist’s touchscreen is sharp, beautiful, and very customizable. There are plenty of design options to choose from. You can make it appear like either a mechanical or a digital watch, whichever you prefer. You can also choose the information that you want to be displayed on the dial, as well as adjust the background and accent colors. Aside from the touchscreen dial, the Explorist has three physical buttons on the side, with a center crown that rotates and is a key part of interface control.
Underneath the dial, the Explorist runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor and 512MB of RAM. It also boasts 4GB of storage and supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Its fitness tracking features are a little limited, but it’s hardly a fault due to its relatively low cost. This watch can keep tabs on your step count, distance covered, and calories burned. It doesn’t have a built-in heart sensor and GPS. It can, however, send smart notifications of important texts, calls, social media messages, and emails. It is also capable of music playback control and wireless charging.
What keeps us from fully recommending the Explorist is its battery life. Fossil claims that the smartwatch has an estimated battery life of 24 hours, but it was barely able to last a full day, and two days is definitely out of the question. That means you must regularly charge it overnight, just like your smartphone.
The Fossil Q Explorist Gen 3 is a well-rounded, rugged, and handsomely designed wearable that’s available on Amazon for only $159. If you’re not completely sold on it, check out this page for the best smartwatches for 2019.
