Review of smartwatches Smarterra SmartLife THOR: a classic with a good set of functions

Smartwatches for many have become a familiar gadget that helps in sports and maintaining health. Some of them even have functions for measuring blood pressure and oxygen. We tested the smart novelty from Smarterra – SmartLife THOR and found out how good it is to use.

The market for smartwatches is expanding rapidly, and manufacturers are striving to please customers by introducing more useful functions into these compact devices. If, until recently, smartwatches had almost the same set of tools as fitness bracelets (but with a large touch-sensitive dial), now such gadgets receive more autonomy and even their GSM communication module. However, the latter very quickly planted a battery, the capacity of which, due to the small size of the case, cannot be large. A smart solution is to be able to make calls via a smartphone using Bluetooth. Smartwatches Smarterra SmartLife THOR that we tested allow you to do this and have many other unique functions that even the flagship models do not have. Are you interested? Below we will tell you how it all works, but for now, here is a shortlist of characteristics.

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SmartLife THOR: Technical Specifications

• OS compatibility: iOS, Android.
• Body material: plastic, metal.
• Bracelet/strap material: leather, rubber-silicone.
• Moisture protection: yes, IP67.
• Dimensions (WxHxT), weight: 42x42x11 mm, 55 g.
• Screen: IPS, touchscreen, 1.3 “, 240×240, 185 (PPI).
• Wireless interfaces: Bluetooth 4.2.
• Processor: MTK 2502C.
• Functions: monitoring sleep, physical activity, blood oxygen levels.
• View or reply notifications: SMS, mail, calendar, Facebook, Twitter, weather.
• Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, built-in heart rate monitor with continuous heart rate measurement, ECG, tonometer.
• Vibration: yes.
• Battery: non-removable, Li-Ion, 300 mAh.
• Standby time, active: 240 h, 100 h
• Charging time: 130 min.

Modern design

The watch has a classic 42 mm case made of metal and looks pretty good on a man’s hand. This size can be called universal, suitable for both men and women – this watch also looks elegant on a thin wrist.

Our test unit is painted black, but the manufacturer also offers a silver model. The display is TFT with a diameter of 1.3 inches, and the matrix resolution is 240 * 204 pixels. The whole structure is protected from water to IP67, so you can not be afraid of rain. It is better not to swim in them in the pool because there are slots for the microphone and speaker on the back.

You can also read: Mibro Air Smartwatch Review: All Basic Functions In A Slim Body

The set includes two bracelets – one black, completely made of elastic silicone, and the second – also silicone, but with a leather overlay on top. The latter has a dark brown color and is sewn on the sides with a thread in the skin color.

Both straps provide a comfortable fit on the wrist and good ventilation of the skin. A regular metal buckle is used to fix it. There are many holes in the strap, and you can adjust the comfortable grip for any, even very full (or thin) hand. But the procedure itself of threading the strap into the buckle, fastening, and removing it from the hand is quite laborious due to the too-tight fit of all parts. But the watch strap itself changes quickly due to a special carabiner on the axles.

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Simple controls

Unlike fitness bracelets, which are configured exclusively through a mobile application on a smartphone, in SmartLife THOR watches, most settings are made in the menu of the device itself, and the Fundo Pro application is needed to display the measurement results of various sensors, including monitoring daily and sports activity. The smartphone is connected via Bluetooth.

It would be best if you controlled the clock with traditional swipes and screen taps. There are many functions, but everything is done intuitively – a student can do it too. For example, sliding your finger to the right opens the heart rate monitor, and to the left opens the tool menu, down and up displays the battery level and settings for Bluetooth and Silent.

You can also read: Review of the fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 5: five with a minus

In the function menu you can activate:

• measurement of blood pressure (the screen simulates an increase and decrease in pressure in the cuff);
• taking a cardiogram of the heart (ECG);
• sleep monitoring;
• reminder of inactivity;
• measurement of oxygen in the blood;
• remote control of sound in headphones;
• control of music in the player on the smartphone;
• Remote shooting (control the smartphone camera, for example, for selfies from the primary camera).

You can also read: Samsung Galaxy Watch3 Complete Review: An Updated Classic

• More complex information, such as heart rate dynamics during sports, sleep activity data, and even an EKG, is best viewed on smartphones. Moreover, the manufacturer honestly emphasizes that these indications are not as accurate as specialized medical equipment measurements. 

The application provides charts for a day, a week, a month. If you set some landmarks in the “Goals” section, then upon reaching them, the watch will signal you with vibration and a corresponding picture on its screen.

Also, there is a rather rare function of making calls (via Bluetooth via a smartphone) using the phone book, sending and reading SMS received on the phone in this model. In principle, you can speak and read messages without any problems. The only inconvenient thing is that there is no way to search by contacts. The tests were carried out on the Xiaomi Mi8 smartphone.

The earpiece and built-in microphone must ensure clear voice transmission without echo. You can also use the watch on a noisy street – turn up the volume. But the watch has a Multiple Connection feature that allows you to use a simultaneous connection to a wireless headset. So, even in a noisy room, after hours, you will be able to comfortably talk to the subscriber without taking your smartphone out of your pocket.

Autonomy: enough for 2 days

Usually, the weak point of such devices is a small margin of autonomy. According to the company, the 300 mAh battery should be enough for 10 days in standby mode. They lasted 6 days with us. With average use of the watch in pedometer and heart rate measurement mode, the battery ran out after 2 days.

Conveniently, the current charge level is visible on the screen, and if it drops to a critical minimum, the watch will warn the owner by vibration and a message on the screen. Connecting charging is even easier than in smartphones – you need to “throw” a magnetic strip to the contacts on the back of the watch. The process itself takes an hour and a half.

Conclusion: An elegant alternative to a fitness bracelet

Smartwatches Smarterra SmartLife THOR liked the high quality of workmanship and the manufacturer’s willingness to give more than the buyer expects. For a relatively small amount of money (about $80 to $85). In terms of a set of functions, the watch can well compete with devices from the top segment, for example, the Samsung Gear Sport or the Huawei Watch GT. But the interface is no match: graphics, menu structure, and, of course, localization are far from ideal.   

You can also read: Huawei Watch Fit smartwatch Complete Review

Of course, it is not entirely clear how much you can trust the readings of oxygen content measurements in the blood and pressure. And even more puzzling are the mysterious ECG graphs – without going to a doctor and connecting to medical equipment, it is generally difficult to say whether the diagram gives a real picture.

We tested the pedometer and heart rate monitor. They turned out to be entirely accurate. If you are looking for an inexpensive but elegant and reliable watch for everyday tasks and sports, then the Smarterra SmartLife THOR can be called quite justified. Of course, if you are willing to charge them every 2 days.