Tech reviews

Suunto 7 Review


Overall score: 78/100

Tested February 2020

What is it?

This is a high-end smartwatch that monitors more than 70 different exercises, from running, cycling and walking to swimming, ice skating and weight training. You can also view your location on its digital map, which can be downloaded without internet access. It’s great for mountaineering and remote hikes; it’s also waterproof to a depth of 50m, and it’ll track your stroke rate when swimming.

£429.00

Available from: johnlewis.com

The good

This is a simple to use, top-of-the-range smartwatch aimed at fitness fans. On test, it accurately tracked the number of steps we’d taken and distance travelled each day. We liked that for every exercise session, it offered plenty of stats. You can check your recovery time, compare your performance when running or walking the same routes and receive smartphone notifications. It’s compatible with both Google Android and Apple iPhones. As Google Assistant is built-in, it was easy to ask for weather updates, set reminders and translate text. While the battery lasted up to 48 hours between charges, this reduced when GPS was activated. It also supports Google Pay, so you can pay simply by swiping it on contactless readers.

Take note

When setting it up with your phone, you need to download the Suunto Wear app as well as Wear OS and Google Assistant. There’s no way to make and take calls directly from the watch, either. When paired with an iPhone, the Google Assistant functions are restricted. It also doesn’t have a speaker, so all Google Assistant queries will be displayed on-screen rather than recited out loud.

How we test

We evaluate how many smartphone notifications it will display and whether you can make and take calls directly from the smartwatch, we also put the voice assistant through its paces. We assess how accurate it is at counting your steps taken and distance travelled, alongside the reliability of sleep trackers and heart-rate monitors. We check the battery life and we wear it for a variety of exercise sessions before judging its performance and consider how comfortable and practical it is.

GHI Expert Verdict

Especially for those with an Android, this is one of the best smartwatches currently on the market. Though expensive, it was simple to use with comprehensive exercise tracking functions and good battery life, too. For every exercise session, it offered plenty of stats, included a recovery time and we were impressed that you could compare performance when running or walking the same routes.

Key Specifications

  • Screen size: 1.97in
  • Works with: Android and iPhone
  • Strap material: Silicone
  • Battery life: Up to 48 hours or 12 hours continuous with GPS switched on

    Ratings

    • Ease of use: 4.5/5
    • Design: 4/5
    • Instructions: 3.5/5
    • Performance: 3.7/5

      All product information provided by the manufacturer is correct at time of publication.



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