The new Motorola Watch Fit could be your next affordable wearable

Introduction

Motorola used to make one of the best smartwatches available in the Moto 360, but the last time we saw a refresh of that device was several years ago. While that’s not changed yet, the company has returned to the smartwatch market with the Watch Fit.

Pricing hasn’t been revealed for the Motorola Watch Fit yet, but it’s safe to say it is a more budget offering than the Moto 360. It also doesn’t share the same design language, with a design that’s closer to another smartwatch we all know and love – the Apple Watch. 

Still, Motorola’s return to smartwatches is exciting in itself. While I’m still hopeful for a Moto 360 comeback, here’s what I thought of the new budget smartwatch offering.

Design and screen

• Similar shape to Apple Watch
• Bright, OLED screen
• Aluminium and plastic build

Take one look at the Motorola Watch Fit, and you will be forgiven for mistaking it for an Apple Watch.

The shape is vertically identical, though look a little closer and there are a number of differences. The Motorola Watch Fit doesn’t have a Digital Crown like the Apple Watch, or any kind of crown for that matter. There is a singular button on the right edge, but that’s all. 

The casing is aluminium, and it only comes in one colour option, grey-black. That’s probably where my first disappointment surfaced.

While Motorola has partnered with Pantone for the colours of its latest phones, there’s none of that here. I’d love to have seen Motorola embrace colour and materials in this smartwatch, too. Perhaps something for a more expensive model in the future?

The back of the casing is plastic too, and while this does make for a very lightweight device, hitting the scales at just 25g without a strap, it’s almost too light for my liking. Smartwatches are a very personal choice, so there will no doubt be many who appreciate that, but I prefer my watches to have a little more substance on my wrist.

The Watch Fit comes with a material strap as standard, though the lugs are universal 22mm, so they are easy enough to change. This device adopts a similar mechanism to Apple Watch for swapping the straps. Push the buttons on the underside of the watch case, and you will be able to slide the strap out and a new one in. 

On top of the Watch Fit’s aluminium and plastic body, you will find a 1.9-inch OLED display with a 1,000 nits peak brightness, and protection from Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The colours were punchy enough and details were sharp, though the bezels surrounding the display were a slight giveaway as to where this device sits in the smartwatch market.

They are thicker than the likes of Apple Watch, meaning the screen isn’t making the best use of the space available, though that is common for lower-priced smartwatches. 

At 9.5mm thick, the Motorola Watch Fit sits nicely on the wrist, and the responsive touchscreen allows you to navigate the interface without a problem. The body, meanwhile, is 5ATM and IP68 water- and dust-resistant, as you would expect, even at the entry point of the market.

Features and spec

• Proprietary software
• Compatible with Android
• 16-day battery life claim

Motorola hasn’t offered a huge amount of information surrounding the Watch Fit, so currently, it’s not clear what chipset is running it.

In terms of software, it is not Wear OS however – the platform the old Moto 360 used – with Motorola opting for its own proprietary software instead. How that will perform in real-world use remains to be seen at the moment – it’s not something that can really be tested in a hands-on area – but from my brief amount of time with it, the software appeared to be easy to navigate. 

It will connect to any Android phone Motorola has said – iOS is unlikely to be an option – and like most smartwatches, there’s a focus on activity with the Watch Fit. The name gives that away too, of course.

Apple Watch-like Rings allow you to keep an eye on how much you’re moving and standing, and there are a number of sensors, from built-in GPS (remember when that was reserved for more expensive devices) to a gyroscope, accelerometer, PPG sensor and ALS sensor. 

Motorola has also said the Watch Fit supports 100 sports modes and will track data like heart rate, calories, steps and offer real-time insights. It also tracks sleep, again a feature many will now expect from their wearable.

Naturally, the accuracy of all of these elements is something that requires a full review, but I do like that steps can be a complication on a watch face – something Apple Watch doesn’t allow for without a third-party app. 

When it comes to battery life, the Watch Fit puts its best foot forward. Again, real-world use is required to corroborate the claims, but Motorola says the Watch Fit has a 16-day battery life, which, given that I charge my Apple Watch every night, is a solid offering. 

It’s worth noting that the Watch Fit does not have a microphone or speaker, so features like taking calls on this smartwatch aren’t an option.