ASUS has recently released its latest health-and fitness-oriented smartwatch, the VivoWatch 5. It’s a feature-rich device, with excellent battery life and a good-looking, stainless steel body. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to test it, and after two weeks of use, I am ready to present my findings. Is it a good value device? Is the ASUS VivoWatch 5 good for you? Your decision might become easier if you read this exclusive review:

ASUS VivoWatch 5: Who is it good for?
The ASUS VivoWatch 5 is a great choice for:

People who want to keep a close eye on their health
Users who enjoy the look and feel of classic, heavy sports watches
Fitness enthusiasts who want precise monitoring of their activities
Pros and cons
During testing, I noticed lots of qualities:

The large number of health and fitness monitoring features
The excellent screen visibility in all weather conditions
The smartwatch feels good on the wrist and is good looking
It’s also very sturdy, with a metallic chassis
The battery life is good
However, there are some things that could be improved:

Its thickness makes it uncomfortable to wear while sleeping
Some measurements are inaccurate, namely the altimeter and the temperature (but to be fair, the latter is still under development)
Due to the technology used, the color reproduction of the display isn’t great

I’m quite surprised that the ASUS VivoWatch SP came in a rather large box. But it’s a nice box. Inside, you will immediately be greeted by the ASUS VivoWatch SP itself. It wowed me because I didn’t expect to see it immediately but the feeling was good. I simply love the watch strap. It is made of soft medical grade silicone and I especially love the clasp.

Okay, there are more items to check out in the box. Beneath the watch, you can find an extra watch strap. Since the ASUS VivoWatch SP comes with a quick release strap, you can easily replace it with your strap of choice. But I very much prefer this strap because it looks and feels good. Also to note, the replacement strap is shorter, that means those with smaller wrist will be able to use this to have the perfect fit. How thoughtful.

There’s also the charger and cable. Of all the smartwatches that I’ve reviewed, the ASUS VivoWatch SP has the most unique looking charger. It uses a clip-on type. The clip hangs on to the watch so you will have to take off the watch in order to charge it. But the charging time is quite short. To get from 10% up to 100% takes less than an hour. And the 200mAh battery can last for about 4 days on full use and a week or so on standby.

Right at the bottom of the box are the warranty info and the user manual. This is probably the thickest user manual that I have ever seen for a smartwatch. So much info available to get you started. When it’s this thick, you will know that the ASUS VivoWatch SP has so many functions.

Back to the watch itself. The ASUS VivoWatch SP has a rounded face and the casing is made of matte aluminium. Around the top edges, it is reinforced with stainless steel to give it a more premium look. On the right side of the case, you can find the PPG (Photoplethysmography) sensor at the top and a single button at the 4 o’clock position. On the left side, there’s the metal ECG sensor to aid the sensor at the back of the watch to read your heartbeat. More on this later.