EVGA crams G-Sync tech in its overclockable gaming laptop, the SC17 1070

Why it matters to you

PC gamers looking for a new laptop now have an additional choice that features Nvidia’s G-Sync technology for fluid visuals.

EVGA is now selling a version of its SC17 1070 gaming laptop packed with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology for $2,550 after an instant $250 rebate. This should be good news for PC gamers currently looking for the ideal laptop to play For Honor, Ghost Recon Wildlands, or the upcoming game Mass Effect: Andromeda. The new unit joins EVGA’s current SC17 1070 model without G-Sync technology selling for $2,400 after an instant $400 rebate.

Does the $150 price difference make a difference? Simply put, if you’re paying $2,400 for a gaming laptop, will you be likely to go ahead and take the additional $140 plunge?

As a brief review, the graphics chip outputs multiple frames per second (FPS) that are received by the display and flashed on the screen numerous times per second (refresh rate). If the graphics chip and the display aren’t synchronized, then gamers will experience ugly screen ripping, stuttering, and input lag. Annoying stuff.

More: EVGA offers 10 GTX 10-series graphics cards with its new iCX cooling tech

However, G-Sync eliminates these visual problems by dynamically adjusting the GPU’s output framerate with the refresh rate of the display for smooth visuals. But this technology doesn’t simply work with every GPU: it’s developed exclusively by Nvidia for its GeForce graphics chips. G-Sync isn’t something users can simply add to their PC either, as the tech is pre-installed inside displays.

That said, G-Sync is highly desirable given that it improves visual fluidity on-screen. In EVGA’s laptop, it’s backed by Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 with 8GB of on-board GDDR5 memory. This GPU is based on Nvidia’s latest “Pascal” graphics chip design, and resides at the top of the bottom half of the Pascal totem pole, residing between the GTX 1080 and the GTX 1060. At one point, the GTX 1070 was Nvidia’s second-fasted graphics chip, until the company unleashed the Titan X (2016) and the recent GTX 1080 Ti (2017).

Still, the GTX 1070 remains a great graphics chip that’s backed by other excellent components in EVGA’s laptop:

Operating System:
Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
Display Size:
17.3 inches
Display Resolution:
3,840 x 2,160
Display Type:
IPS with G-Sync
Processor:
Intel Core i7-6820HK (unlocked)
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5)
System Memory:
G.Skill 32GB DDR4 @ 2,666MHz (2x 16GB)
Storage:
256GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
1TB 7,200RPM SATA 3 HDD
Connectivity:
Intel Snowfield Peak AC-8260 (Wireless AC)
Bluetooth 4.2
Audio:
Realtek ALC 255
Battery:
Info not provided
Camera:
1,920 x 1,080 webcam
Keyboard Lighting:
White
Ports:
1x Gigabit Ethernet
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
1x HDMI 2.0b
2x Mini DisplayPort
Dimensions:
16 x 11.6 (L) x 1.07 (H) inches
Weight:
8 pounds

Outside the specs, enthusiasts should love the notebook for its aluminum unibody design, the rich colors generated by the IPS screen, and its dedicated buttons for immediately overclocking the processor and clearing the CMOS. It also includes a BIOS with a full GUI to provide complete control over the laptop’s CPU multipliers, voltage, graphics chip speed, and more.

“Overclocking on a laptop? Seems like a myth but we have nothing to hide here,” the company said.

EVGA crams G-Sync tech in its overclockable gaming laptop, the SC17 1070

Why it matters to you

PC gamers looking for a new laptop now have an additional choice that features Nvidia’s G-Sync technology for fluid visuals.

EVGA is now selling a version of its SC17 1070 gaming laptop packed with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology for $2,550 after an instant $250 rebate. This should be good news for PC gamers currently looking for the ideal laptop to play For Honor, Ghost Recon Wildlands, or the upcoming game Mass Effect: Andromeda. The new unit joins EVGA’s current SC17 1070 model without G-Sync technology selling for $2,400 after an instant $400 rebate.

Does the $150 price difference make a difference? Simply put, if you’re paying $2,400 for a gaming laptop, will you be likely to go ahead and take the additional $140 plunge?

As a brief review, the graphics chip outputs multiple frames per second (FPS) that are received by the display and flashed on the screen numerous times per second (refresh rate). If the graphics chip and the display aren’t synchronized, then gamers will experience ugly screen ripping, stuttering, and input lag. Annoying stuff.

More: EVGA offers 10 GTX 10-series graphics cards with its new iCX cooling tech

However, G-Sync eliminates these visual problems by dynamically adjusting the GPU’s output framerate with the refresh rate of the display for smooth visuals. But this technology doesn’t simply work with every GPU: it’s developed exclusively by Nvidia for its GeForce graphics chips. G-Sync isn’t something users can simply add to their PC either, as the tech is pre-installed inside displays.

That said, G-Sync is highly desirable given that it improves visual fluidity on-screen. In EVGA’s laptop, it’s backed by Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 with 8GB of on-board GDDR5 memory. This GPU is based on Nvidia’s latest “Pascal” graphics chip design, and resides at the top of the bottom half of the Pascal totem pole, residing between the GTX 1080 and the GTX 1060. At one point, the GTX 1070 was Nvidia’s second-fasted graphics chip, until the company unleashed the Titan X (2016) and the recent GTX 1080 Ti (2017).

Still, the GTX 1070 remains a great graphics chip that’s backed by other excellent components in EVGA’s laptop:

Operating System:
Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
Display Size:
17.3 inches
Display Resolution:
3,840 x 2,160
Display Type:
IPS with G-Sync
Processor:
Intel Core i7-6820HK (unlocked)
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5)
System Memory:
G.Skill 32GB DDR4 @ 2,666MHz (2x 16GB)
Storage:
256GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
1TB 7,200RPM SATA 3 HDD
Connectivity:
Intel Snowfield Peak AC-8260 (Wireless AC)
Bluetooth 4.2
Audio:
Realtek ALC 255
Battery:
Info not provided
Camera:
1,920 x 1,080 webcam
Keyboard Lighting:
White
Ports:
1x Gigabit Ethernet
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
1x HDMI 2.0b
2x Mini DisplayPort
Dimensions:
16 x 11.6 (L) x 1.07 (H) inches
Weight:
8 pounds

Outside the specs, enthusiasts should love the notebook for its aluminum unibody design, the rich colors generated by the IPS screen, and its dedicated buttons for immediately overclocking the processor and clearing the CMOS. It also includes a BIOS with a full GUI to provide complete control over the laptop’s CPU multipliers, voltage, graphics chip speed, and more.

“Overclocking on a laptop? Seems like a myth but we have nothing to hide here,” the company said.

Amazon Alexa comes to iOS devices: How does it work and what can it do?

If you own an iPhone, you now have access to Alexa voice commands.

No, that doesn’t mean you can replace Siri with Alexa. In order to access Amazon’s voice assistant, you have to go inside the company’s main shopping app. Here’s everything you need to know about Alexa on iOS, including how it works and what it can do.

Amazon

How does Alexa work on iOS devices? 

Inside of the Amazon app for iOS, you will see a microphone icon near the top of the screen. Simply press it to activate Alexa. You can then ask the assistant almost anything you’d normally ask Alexa via an Amazon Echo device, including asking her to make purchases for you and look up facts. Unfortunately, you have to open Amazon’s app to use Alexa, and there is no “Alexa” hotword voice activation.

What can Alexa do on iOS devices?

Shop

Because Alexa is inside the Amazon shopping app, of course you can use her to shop. Just say “Search for paper towels” or “Reorder batteries” or “Add shampoo to my cart”. You can also track your orders by saying “Track my last order”.

Play media

Alexa can stream books from your Kindle library or music from Amazon Music Unlimited, Prime Music, or purchased music. Amazon Prime members also get access to music included in their subscriptions. Just say “Play the Beatles” or “Play my Kindle book”. When you ask Alexa to play media, player controls will appear on the screen.

Questions

Alexa can answer all the same questions you’d normally ask her in via an Amazon Echo device. Amazon said you can ask about people, geography, dates, music, sports, and more. She can also define words, complete conversions, make calculations, and provide updates on the news, weather, and traffic. But to check weather and traffic, you need add your address and destination, respectively, in the main Alexa app.

Skills

Alexa in the Amazon app supports voice-driven skills already set up in the the Alexa app or on alexa.amazon.com.

Smart home

Amazon said Alexa in the Amazon app supports “smart home capabilities”. But Engadget noted you can’t yet use it to open door locks with your voice.

What can’t Alexa do on iOS devices?

This is not a full-featured version of Alexa. It can’t be used as a replacement for Siri, since Apple’s assistant is built into the operating system. Still, you can now use Alexa on the iOS platform, and it lets you leverage skills and smart home capabilities. But you do need the main Alexa app installed to continue managing Alexa on all your devices.

When will Alexa arrive for iOS devices?

The feature is now rolling out and should be available to all US users by late March 2017.

Want to know more?

Check out Pocket-lint’s Amazon Alexa guides: 

• 12 best Amazon Echo compatible devices you can buy today
• Amazon Echo: First 7 things you should do to get Alexa started
• Amazon Echo tips and tricks: Getting a grip on Alexa
• Amazon Echo: What can Alexa do and what services are compatible?

Latest Samsung Galaxy S8 leak shows phone in deep black colour

Want to see the Samsung Galaxy S8 in black?

Feast your eyes above. Days after we saw a gold version of the upcoming phone pop up, we now get to see what it looks like in straight black, thanks to new leaks posted to Weibo. As SamMobile pointed out, the phone is also thought to come in silver and violet colours. Honestly, there isn’t much we don’t know about Samsung’s next flagship, as it’s been fully revealed by reports, rumours, and analysts.

So these new leaked pictures don’t reveal any surprises about the design. Once again, we see minimal bezels, no physical home button, a fingerprint sensor on the back, etc. What’s new is that deep black colour Samsung is now expected to offer. We should know all the official details and specs soon, because Samsung is slated to confirm everything at its Galaxy Unpacked event on 29 March.

• When is Galaxy Unpacked 2017 and can you watch it online?

Weibo

When Samsung formally announces the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, we will bring you the news as it happens. In the mean time, check out Pocket-lint’s round-up of rumours for more speculation and leaks.

Google: ‘Beauty and The Beast’ message wasn’t meant to be an ad

That didn’t take long. Shortly after Google told us that its Beauty and The Beast ad being read by Assistant was not in fact an ad, the search juggernaut has reversed that stance. “This wasn’t intended to be an ad,” a Google spokesperson told us. “What’s circulating online was a part of our My Day feature, where after providing helpful information about your day, we sometimes call out timely content.” Okay, sure.

“We’re continuing to experiment with new ways to surface unique content for users and we could have done better in this case.”

A source has told us that the Beauty and The Best message from Assistant has since been removed wholesale.

YouTube kills annotations to make way for mobile-friendly features

If you’ve ever had a grey box pop-up in the middle of a YouTube video to correct spelling, add in some extra information or link you out to another video, you’ve encountered a YouTube annotation. The feature let creators add content to their video after it had already gone live, but it had its drawbacks — annotation boxes weren’t dynamic, and the only worked on the desktop version of the site. Soon, they won’t work at all. Today, YouTube announce that the feature is being retired. Instead, it encourages creators to use its Cards and End Screens features, which work equally well on desktop and mobile devices.

The change is a long time coming — videos that heavily used annotations usually offered sub-par experiences to mobile and TV users, and YouTube says their use overhaul has dropped 70-percent since it introduced End Screens and Cards. Still, the solution isn’t perfect: cards only display on the right-hand side of a video after being expanded, and end-cards can only add links to videos, playlists and subscription buttons for the last 30 seconds of a video. TV users are still left in the lurch too: none of YouTube’s add-on features are available to folks watching on Google TV, Chromecast or other set-top boxes.

Based on the comments on the announcement post, creators are split on the change — but it’s clearly a decision made to benefit users, particularly those who primarily watch YouTube on mobile devices. After all, what good is it to YouTube to support a feature that only works on one of its many platforms?

Source: YouTube

Sony’s mixed-reality ‘cave’ is an immersive experience for groups

Amongst the many oddball exhibits at Sony’s SXSW “Wow Factory” was the mixed-reality “cave.” Unlike many other experiences at Sony’s event, this one didn’t require strapping on some oddball hardware or even a VR helmet. The cave was a square, four-walled room with Sony’s own GTZ1 4K projectors mounted to each wall — the idea is to make an immersive experience that brings you into other places while still letting you interact with people around you. To that end, each demo had a group of six people in it.

The first experience involved letting participants select a city or natural landmark they wanted to “visit” — once picking a location, the screens lit up with the area all around. It felt like Google Maps street view being projected, as there wasn’t any motion in the visual. The floor and ceiling remained just as they were, and the corners of the room made it feel somewhat unnatural, but it was still a neat effect. Sony also showed off how you can do comparison views where two of the walls showed the scene from 2008 and the other two showing the same view from 2016.

The other big trick for the Cave was that its walls also had proximity sensors built in so you could interact with the environment. Running your hands over the screen produced ripples like you were dipping your hands in water; another demo let you select different “beats” to contribute to an audio track being played in the room. This last one was really something that benefitted from having a whole group, as multiple people helped shape the tune. That was really where this technology seemed like it could stand out — you’re not getting the same immersive experience you get with true VR, but being able to interact with real humans was a big bonus. Sony didn’t give any clues about how it envisions such technology being used, but it’s easy to imagine it being an excellent — if costly — educational tool.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from SXSW 2017.

Google keeps improving Apple’s Live Photos

Apple’s Live Photos are a neat trick when done well, but in practice they tend to be a wobbly mess. Last year, Google showed off a much more elegant solution with it’s Motion Stills app for iOS, which converted shaky Live Photos to smooth looping GIFs or movie files that could actually be exported to Instagram and other services. This week, Google continued to improve upon Apple’s Live Photos with the latest version of Motion Stills, which adds better color depth, smoother stabilization and the ability to export loops in their original Apple-only format.

That last feature may come in handy for heavy iMessage users who want to stabilize their photos without losing Apple’s press-to-animate interface. (And, for the Google diehards on iOS, Google Photos plays nice with your Live Photos as well.) Motion Stills will also automatically trim those awkward moments where the live camera captures the phone going back into your pocket, although it does add an extra step into your photo sharing workflow. The app works without a data connection, so you’ll be able to edit your photos even if you’re off the grid, but you’ll still need a signal in order to share it with the world at large.

Motion Stills is available now on the App Store.

Wacom Bamboo Folio review

Wacom is a brand that has been around since the 1980’s but really seems to have its stride in the last decade or so. As more people move to a digital workspace, we find different reasons to use some of its product offerings. Be it a stylus for your tablet or something more unique, the company’s portfolio continues to grow in appeal. You no longer have to be a cutting-edge nerd working on a major motion picture to leverage its products.

One product we’ve recently had the privilege of testing is the Bamboo Folio. As a smartpad, it essentially lets users write on any physical paper and then back it up digitally, mark it up, share, and more.

At first we expected that it would be a simple case of simply taking pen-and-paper notes and converting them into digital files. And, while that would be great, there’s a lot more that can be done with them once created.

Sounds pretty simple and cool, right? It is. It’s one of the neatest products that we’ve connected to our phones in some time.

Design and Setup

Although the Bamboo Folio comes in a Large (A4 / letter) size, we reviewed the Small (A5/half letter) paper edition. The outside of the pad offers up a nylon fabric cover with dark stitching; the inside is a dimpled polyurethane material with a large pocket and two slots for business cards.

Inside you find a notepad from Wacom that has tiny dots which can be used for grid drawing or to help keep straight lines. Note that you do not have to use this pad and that you can put any type of paper or pad in place and still get the same effect. With that said, Wacom does offer replacement pads should you like the one that comes with it.

Next to the pad, and close to the fold is where you’d locate or place your smart pen. It’s here’s where you’ll have to go through Bamboo for replacements. The ink-equipped ballpoint works just like any other pen, however you won’t want to get in the habit of using for on non-Folio purposes. It’s roughly half the size of a standard pen and you do get a replacement in the box. A three-pack runs about $10 through Bamboo.

You’ll need to install the Wacom Inkspace app on your phone or tablet; both Android and iOS editions are available. It’s here where you’ll back up your files and notes. There’s also a short setup process that has you synchronize the Folio to your device via Bluetooth. All in, you’re looking at a few minutes of time and you are ready to go.

For additional functionality, check out the Bamboo Paper app which lets you draw, highlight, mark up, and more on your phone. Those files can then be shared to your Inkspace account. By default, you get 5GB storage in the Basic account, which breaks down to around 6,000 pages of notes.

Features

Using the Folio is just like you might expect for a pen and paper setup. Simply open it up and start drawing, sketching, or taking notes. Once you are ready to back the sheet up, press the little button found next to the pad. The light switches from blue to green to indicate that it has been backed up. Press the pen to a piece of paper and it goes back to blue, meaning you have something ready to go — even if it’s just a dot or few lines.

As long as you place your paper, note card, Post-It, or sheet on top of the board itself, you can track your pen’s movements. Whereas a small notepad works best, you can drop an index card on it for a one-off writing and synchronization. The secret to the whole thing working is placing paper on top of the pad and using the right pen. Beyond that, it’s up to you as to how you use it.

By default, the Folio will give you the ability to push notes to the app as they appear. But, you can switch to a Live Mode which operates as a screen mirror of your pad. As you draw and take notes on the pad, the app follows along in real-time. Once done, push the circle button and you can back the finished product up.

Inside of Inkspace you can draw on top of the files with a basic tool or use an eraser. Moreover, you can also grab sections of the paper and move them. It’s also here where you can essentially slide a timeline and save the document at a certain point. Let’s say you wrote down a bunch of items to get from the store but then also started doodling on it afterward. Slide the timeline back to before the doodles and save it.

Once your note is saved to the device, you can do a number of things with the file. Export options include JPEG, PNG, PDF, and Wacom’s proprietary WILL format. From there you can hand off to Android’s sharing intent and push the file wherever you want, including other apps like Slack, Todoist, Google Drive, Gmail, and more.

There is a handwriting-to-text option; however, it’s behind a paywall. Additionally, the Plus plan, which runs $2.95 per month, gives you the ability to search notes, export as SVG vector file, and gives you 50GB of storage. For what it’s worth, you get three months of Inkspace Plus for free with the purchase of the Folio.

The aforementioned Bamboo Paper lets you play around with the WILL files, allowing for more editing options. Here you’ll find colors, pen types, and widths. This is handy in cases where you might turn over a draft sketch that was done in black and white. Once inside of Bamboo Paper you can highlight and color, creating various end results. There are a variety of tools available in the default setting, but you can/will pay for more extensive stuff.

Conclusion

For about $150, this is a somewhat expensive item to consider, especially if you just want to make digital backups of notes. There are other options available at lower prices so do a little research to see where you might end up. However, we were impressed with the ease of which the Bamboo Folio let us write and back up.

We’re simply in love with the battery life of the unit, too. We have only had to charge this up once in the weeks that we’ve had it. It came with about a quarter charge out of the box and topping up off to 100 has given us nearly two weeks of usage since. Sure, we’ve had days where we don’t use the Folio, but that’s the whole peace of mind thing that we enjoy. The last thing we want is to plug it in just to take notes.

The default app and account settings are a good start for people to get a sense of what the Folio can do. After spending a couple of weeks with the item we can see how coughing up a couple of dollars here and there might be worth it. Your mileage will certainly vary, but we envision this as being a great tool for graphic artists, students, and professionals.  You might have to hop into a different app such as Bamboo Paper to get the best results, but think it’s worth it.

We’ve found that the more we use the Folio the more we see a reason to carry it with us everywhere. It’s light, professional looking, and downright handy. There are plenty of instances in the past where we’ve jotted down notes only to wish we had not thrown them away. That’s no longer an issue for us. Factor in the ability to sketch up, annotate, or add color, and it’s fast become a daily staple for our bag.

It’s certainly worth noting that Bamboo offers another, less expensive form factor called Bamboo Slate, which retails for $129.95-$149.95 (small and large). The features are the same across the board; however, the overall design is different. Instead of a folio, this one is essentially the pad by itself.

Withings Steel HR review

In the fitness tracking world, Withings has been making headlines as of late; not just for its health and fitness products, but also because it has a new parent company. Withings was acquired by Nokia back in June 2016, and the two companies just recently announced that the name ‘Withings’ as we know it will cease to exist, and all products made by the Withings team will now feature Nokia branding. That doesn’t mean they’ll stop making connected health products though, and that’s good news.

Withings’ Activité Steel is still one of our favorite analog watch/fitness tracker hybrids to date, bringing a classy design and activity tracking without a gigantic price tag. These types of connected watches are perfect for some people, but others have a hard time getting past the whole “no screen” aspect of them. This is why, in September 2016, Withings announced a beefed-up version of the Activité Steel called the Steel HR.

With the addition of a heart rate monitor and digital display, does the Steel HR offer enough to warrant the steeper price tag? Find out, in our full Withings Steel HR review!

Review notes: I’ve been using the Withings Steel HR as my main fitness tracker for about a month. The Huawei Mate 9 has been my smartphone companion of choice for the duration of this review.Show More

See also:

Best fitness trackers

4 days ago

Design

The whole idea behind the Steel HR is that it’s actually a fitness tracker in disguise, so you probably wouldn’t be able to tell that it can track your activity if you just saw one on the street. It doesn’t have an odd-looking display like other fitness trackers, nor does it have a sporty look. It looks like any other classy analog watch, aside from the small digital display, of course.

The Steel HR doesn’t look at all like a traditional fitness tracker, and that’s a huge plus

The watch case is made of – you guessed it – stainless steel, while the hands are made of chrome. Even though this appears to be an analog watch on the surface, there are a few extra things that make this device stand out from the rest. On the watch face, you’ll find an extra dial on the bottom half that counts your steps for the day, and a small, digital screen on the top. Neither one of these extra features really get in the way of telling the time, which is definitely a plus.

It’s not a particularly heavy device either, and it’s plenty comfortable to wear all day. I’ve been using the 40mm model, which weighs in at just 49g, while the smaller 36mm variant weighs 39g.

There’s one other differentiator between the two sizes, and that mainly lies in the bezel design. The 40mm variant, which is pictured in this review, has a slightly larger bezel with engraved numbers. If you’re not a fan of the engravings and would rather go for something a little smaller, you might be happier with the 36mm model.

The Steel HR comes with a soft, silicon strap that’s really good at picking up loose hair and dust. It’s not my least favorite strap on a watch to date (that award goes to the Moto 360 Sport), but I’m pretty sure most people are going to want to swap it out for a third-party strap. If you do choose to switch it out, Withings makes it an easy affair. The straps on the Steel HR have quick release functionality, so you can swap the stock strap out for any other 20mm strap you may have lying around. The smaller 36mm variant has a strap size of 18mm, by the way.

While convenient, the digital display can be pretty hard to read outdoors

Now for the interesting part – that display. This is the first Withings watch with a digital display, and let me tell you, I’m a huge fan. Maybe it’s just because I get the convenience of a digital display with the aesthetic of an analog watch, but I’ve been very happy using this thing for the past few weeks.

The display on the watch face is activated by pressing the physical button on the side of the device, and will cycle through the date, time, steps, heart rate, distance, calories, alarms and battery. From a convenience standpoint, this thing works wonderfully. Checking your steps and heart rate right on the watch is super convenient, especially if you’re coming from another Withings device without a display, like the Activité Steel or Pop.

Don’t miss:

Withings Activité Steel review

April 16, 2016

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. While convenient for indoor use, the digital display can be really difficult to read outdoors in the sunlight. If you’re a runner, that’s not something you want to have to deal with. If you’re just checking the time though, at least you have the actual watch face to fall back on. Plus, you can’t activate the display by lifting your wrist, which is kind of annoying, though far from a deal breaker.

Features and performance

Like other fitness trackers on the market, the Withings Steel HR will track your steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate and sleep. It’ll also keep track of your swimming and running stats through the Withings Health Mate app for Android and iOS.

In terms of step tracking, I’ve found the Steel HR to be very accurate. I took the Steel HR out on a 500-step-long walk along with the Garmin vívosmart HR+ and Fitbit Charge 2, and all three devices came out with similar results. The Steel HR recorded a total of 510 steps, while the vívosmart HR+ recorded 508, and the Charge 2, 512.

Related Articles 

Fitbit Charge 2 vs Garmin vívosmart HR+

3 weeks ago 

Fitbit Charge 2 review

November 3, 2016

Distance tracking is much less accurate, as you might expect, due to the lack of a built-in GPS. And while some fitness trackers allow you to use your phone’s GPS to track distance more accurately, unfortunately the Steel HR isn’t capable of this functionality. This is probably the biggest thing that will turn serious runners away from this watch.

Related: The best GPS running watches

Distance tracking, along with calorie and running activity, are all calculated thanks to an algorithm based on the number of steps you take, as well as your age, height and weight. The number of calories you burn will be shown in the Health Mate companion app. More specifically, both your active and metabolic calories will be shown, and also your total caloric expenditure.

The Steel HR will track all your activity automatically

The Steel HR will also track all of your activity automatically. There’s no need to navigate to a workout screen and hit the start button before your workout – just start your run, jog or swim, make sure your phone is nearby afterwards, and all your activity data will automatically sync. It’s a pretty seamless system. Plus, there’s also a stopwatch function built into the watch, which you can activate with a long-press of the physical button. When the stopwatch is activated, your current heart rate will also be shown on the digital display, right above the timer. It’s helpful, sure, but don’t expect to use it when you’re running outside. Again, this display is pretty difficult to see in sunlight.

Aside from the addition of a digital display, the most exciting feature on the Steel HR is the optical heart rate sensor. Withings’ Activité, Steel and Pop all came to market without heart rate monitors, so it’s really nice to see the company launch a higher-end model that can track more of your metrics.

Throughout my time with the device I’ve tested the Steel HR’s heart rate monitor against the Wahoo TICKR X, and overall, I’ve been mostly impressed with the results. When it came to jogging and walking, the Steel HR’s monitor was never more than a few beats per minute off from the TICKR X. Resting heart rate readings are usually not too far off either, though there have been one or two times I’ve found the Steel HR’s readings to be 5-10 bpms lower than the TICKR X or vívosmart HR+.

High-intensity workouts are another story though; I did notice a few quirks when my heart rate was at its highest. For starters, in this particular workout, the Steel HR never got above 172 bpm, though the TICKR X and vívosmart HR+ recorded max readings at 185 and 187 bpm, respectively. This has been the case on more than one occasion, unfortunately. For most of the workout the Steel HR kept up with the other devices pretty well though, which shouldn’t be overlooked.

All in all, the Steel HR offers an impressive optical heart rate monitor in most situations, and an alright heart rate monitor in some situations.

One of my other favorite features on this device is the water resistance rating. Like many other devices out there, the Steel HR comes with a 5ATM water resistance rating, which means you’ll be able to swim with this device without worrying about it getting damaged. It’s worth noting that you won’t get heart rate readings in the water though; only distance tracking and calories burned.

Much like automatic activity recognition, the Steel HR will also track your sleep automatically. Just make sure you fall asleep with the device strapped to your wrist, and you’ll wake up with a bunch of sleep metrics recorded in the Health Mate app. It’ll record your total time in bed, total time asleep, sleep goal percentage, time awake, light sleep, deep sleep, average heart rate and how many times you woke up during the night. That’s a lot of data to sift through, and it’s a lot more than what some other activity trackers provide.

As far as accuracy is concerned, the Steel HR excels in this area. Out of the numerous nights I’ve worn this thing to bed, I really don’t think it’s misrecorded a single middle-of-the-night bathroom break or said I fell asleep too soon or too late.

See also: The best sleep trackers

Oh, and when you’re reviewing your sleep in the Health Mate app, you can even switch to a handy week view so you can see how your sleep schedule looks over time. Oddly enough, not too many fitness tracking companies include this functionality in their apps, so kudos to Withings for doing so.

This is another place where I should reiterate the comfortability factor of the Steel HR. If you’ve ever been able to go to bed with an activity tracker, you should have no problem sleeping with this device on your wrist.

The Steel HR is one of the most accurate sleep trackers we’ve ever tested

If you do happen to wear the Steel HR to bed, it can also wake you up thanks to its silent alarm feature. This helpful little feature has managed to wake me up pretty much every time I’ve worn it to bed. Plus, it’s easy to see that Withings spent a lot of time getting the vibration motor just right. It’s not too jarring, nor is it too subtle. That might sound like an odd thing to point out, but trust me – you’ll know what I’m talking about once you try it out for yourself.

We’d really like to see more notification options on the Steel HR, like other messaging apps and social networks

The Steel HR also supports a limited amount of smartphone notifications, including incoming calls, texts and calendar events. They work pretty well, and I’ve never had any problems with notifications not coming through. It’s worth pointing out that since the digital display is so small, there’s not much room to display a full message. Thus, when you receive a notification, you’ll simply receive the name of the contact or event, along with a series of vibrations to let you know which type of notification you’ve received.

We’d really like Withings to add more notification options to the Steel HR, like other messaging apps and social networks, for instance. Even though not everyone wants a ton of notifications sent to their wrists, the option to turn them on or off would certainly be nice.

Because it has a small digital display, the Steel HR isn’t going to last as long on a charge than other Withings watches. That’s okay though, because this device still offers up stellar battery life. With normal use, it’s entirely possible to get the Steel HR to last around 25 days on a charge. Withings also says you can get 5 days on a charge if you’re using it constantly in workout mode, and you can also get an additional 20 days out of it in power reserve mode (time and activity tracking only).

When you do have to charge your Steel HR, just place it on the magnetic charging pad. It only takes about an hour or two to get the watch fully charged up, but make sure you place it on the charger correctly. It can be a little difficult to get the pins matched up the right way.

Display	Analog display with secondary digital display
Battery life	Up to 25 days with normal use
Heart rate monitor	Yes, optical
GPS	No
Water resistance	5ATM (up to 50 meters)
Silent alarm	Yes
Connectivity	Bluetooth Low Energy
Sensors	Day & Night motion sensor High precision MEMS 3-axis accelerometer Low power consumption
Notifications	Call, text and calendar alerts
Compatibility	Android, iOS
Dimensions	36mm model: 36.3mm diameter, 13mm thickness, 18mm wristband width 40mm model: 39.5mm diameter, 13mm thickness, 20mm wristband width
Weight	36mm model: 39g (watch only) 40mm model:49g (watch only)

Software

I’ve said this time and time again – Withings’ Health Mate app is one of the most beautiful activity tracking apps out there. It features plenty of Material Design elements, a soothing color scheme, and once you get used to the app’s layout, it’s pretty easy to navigate.

The app’s simplicity can be a positive or a downside depending on what type of user you are

Health Mate features a timeline layout, so you won’t need to go digging through a bunch of confusing menus to find what you’re looking for. The app’s simplicity can be a positive or a downside depending on what type of user you are, so let’s start off with the positives.

When you open the app, you’ll see a big yellow section at the top, which displays your current activity level for the day. Swiping to the left will pull up your weight, and a swipe to the right will bring up your active alarms. Easy.

Below the colorful section at the top, you’ll see the current date, and all of your activity that your watch has recorded for that day. So, if you wore the device to bed, took an hour-long walk, then went swimming, all of those activities will show up in that section. And if you’d like to check out your activity level for another date, just scroll down on the timeline to the date you’re looking for.

Oh, and if you’re already invested in another fitness tracking platform, you’re in luck. Health Mate connects with a number of different apps like Google Fit, MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper and Nike+. You can even link Health Mate to your Nest account if you happen to use a Withings Aura alarm clock.

Read more: The best fitness tracking apps for Android

I should bring up a few things that I’m not a huge fan of, though. Health Mate may be prettier than other apps, but it might not be as user friendly. This app is really good at throwing a lot of information at you at one time, and while some people may like that aspect, others may not. For instance, since all of your activities are laid out in a timeline format, things can get pretty crowded once all your activity stats are displayed from the past few days. Also, there isn’t really an easy way to view all of your running activities in one place. Instead, you need to open up your most recent run, then use the arrows at the top to flip through your activities one at a time. I like seeing my progression overtime, but Health Mate makes it kind of difficult.

Health Mate is beautiful and works incredibly well, just like the Steel HR itself

With all of that said, Health Mate is the perfect app for the Steel HR. I say this because it’s not the most robust app, nor is it the best for power users. It’s beautiful and works incredibly well, just like the Steel HR itself.

Gallery

Should you buy it?

The Withings Steel HR is available now for $179.99 for the smaller 36mm variant, or for $199.99 for the 40mm version. So, is it worth the nearly $200 price tag? Yes, absolutely.

Withings really hit the nail on the head with the Steel HR. It’s accurate, affordable, comfortable enough to wear all day, and downright gorgeous. Not only that, it sports a digital display that, while not of the greatest quality, offers a unique take on bringing a digital screen to a traditional analog watch design.

The Steel HR is the best fitness tracking analog watch you can buy

No, this device isn’t for everyone. It doesn’t offer an on-board GPS, nor is the digital display great for outdoor use. But for everyone else looking for an attractive, well-built fitness tracker that doesn’t actually look like a fitness tracker, the Steel HR may be just what you’re looking for.

Have you had any experience with the Steel HR? If so, how do you like it? Be sure to give us your thoughts in the comments below!

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