After being shown off to VIPs behind closed doors at IFA 2014 in Berlin, the Moto 360, Motorola's round-faced smart watch, is out in the open and in the hands of reviewers. It's time to find out how well the Moto 360 holds up against its rivals.
The Moto 360 has a round face that puts it in the same camp as the LG G Watch R. The Apple Watch, Samsung Gear S and Sony SmartWatch 3 all bear a square-faced design.
At 1.72 ounces, the Moto 360 weighs less than Samsung's 2.36-oz. Gear S and more than Sony's 1.58-oz. SmartWatch 3. The Moto 360's 320-mAh battery gives it a capacity that's considerably lower than the SmartWatch 3 (420 mAh) and the G Watch R (410 mAh).
The Moto 360's comparatively slim battery capacity has dampened its generally favorable reviews. The Moto 360's performance and functionality have been described as on par with rivals -- they all run on Android Wear -- but the smartwatch's aesthetics are being called "sleek," "attractive" and an "absolute beauty."
I genuinely want to like the Moto 360. Despite its flaws, it's the best-looking smart watch on the planet and the best Android Wear watch yet. But my issues with Android Wear and the watch's limited battery life keep me from giving it a full endorsement.
The 360's large size is a legitimate concern for narrow-wristed individuals, and the experience is dampened by various imperfections that include cutoff notifications and that "flat tire" at the bottom of the screen. What's more, the battery life is actually worst in class -- and that's saying a lot considering other Android Wear watches also need to be charged once a day.
The Moto 360 is extremely comfortable, looks fantastic, always comes on when I flip it up to look at the time and interact with it, and easily lasts me a full day. Given the standard Qi charging feature, I can always top it off if I need to.
The Moto 360 performed flawlessly for me all week with a Moto G and two Moto X units. I get constant comments on how attractive the Moto 360 is and when I show people what it can do they are thoroughly impressed. If you want a smart watch now, I can easily recommend the Moto 360.
It's just so pretty. It's the first smart watch that doesn't make you feel like a dork. It has the brightest screen of any smart watch yet, and it's way more visible outside. It's easily the most comfortable smart watch out there, too. It's light, it has a smooth back, and the leather straps feel good on the skin. The constant heart rate monitoring is a great feature. It also really is just very convenient. If you're an Android user, it actually does make life just a little bit easier.
