LG made a smartwatch that doesn’t look all that smart. It does, however, have plenty of brainpower. Though its appearance suggests otherwise, the new Watch W7 is based on Wear OS.
As the first Wear OS device with mechanical movement on the screen, LG’s Watch W7 might be overwhelming. But there’s nothing to be nervous about. LG lets you switch between modes, using the physical hands or letting the 1.2-inch (360×360) LCD display take over.
It doesn’t impact battery life, though. LG created a battery reserve specifically for the mechanical components. Plus, you can ditch the Wear OS-related features and get up to 100 days on a single charge. In reality, you’ll want those features and thus the 2-day estimate is what you should consider.
So, how did LG achieve all this? Soprod SA, a Swiss supplier for watch parts, collaborated with LG. From the aluminum exterior to the navigation keys, the Watch W7 heavily resembles traditional timepieces.
Surprisingly, LG chose the Snapdragon Wear 2100. The chip, made by Qualcomm, is already out of date as the Snapdragon Wear 3100 was announced a few weeks ago. But since Wear OS just underwent a reboot, all apps on the Watch W7 should be efficient enough.
The other specifications include 768MB of memory, 4GB of storage, a 240mAh battery, dust and water resistance, Wi-Fi 801.11 b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.2.
When it’s released this fall, you’ll, unfortunately, will have only one color to choose from. The Watch W7 in Cloud Silver gets paired with a black leather band. Yet you’re free to customize it by swapping out for a different 22mm band whether that’s leather, silicone, or metal. In the U.S., Best Buy will start selling it on October 14 for $450.
