Most of us have stopped wearing traditional watches unless we are going to a fancy event or a function, as we already have our smartphones to check the current time. People have already started migrating towards Smart Bands and Smart Watches. On top of that, making a choice takes work, given all the available options on the market nowadays.
We all agree that good smartwatches are usually costly and, honestly, not value for money for everyone. Let me explain what I mean by that.
I turn most notifications off on my smartwatch. The only notifications I get are from Outlook, WhatsApp, and iMessage. If the watch has a calling feature, it might be useful in rare cases. Apart from that, I like having a heart rate monitor, SPO2 monitor, and other fitness-related tracking enabled on my smartwatch. For this use case, I personally think that the Apple Watch or Samsung Watch is overkill.
People often realize later that they don’t need an expensive smartwatch, just one that satisfies their requirements. That brings us to the TOZO S5 Smartwatch, which I think will be suitable for 50-60% of people out there. So, let’s dive right in.
Specifications
First, let’s get the specifications out of the way so we can focus on more important things later.
- Display: 1.43″ AMOLED Touchscreen
- Resolution: 466×466, 326 PPI
- Bluetooth: v5.3
- Sensors: Pedometer, Heart Rate, SPO2
- Water Resistance: IP68 Water Resistant
- Bluetooth Calling: Yes
- Battery: 300mAh
- Battery Life: up to 10 days with moderate use, up to 30 days in standby mode
- Materials: Metal, Plastic, Glass
- Strap: Removable Silicone, Width 22mm
First Impressions
We have always liked TOZO for its minimalist packaging and lack of unnecessary clutter, and this was no different. The box is extremely flat and tiny, making you wonder if anything is even inside.
When you open the box, the watch is at the top right end. The longest box contains the silicone strap, the middle one has the manual, and the last one has the charging cable.
Attaching the strap to the watch was easy: hold the spring mechanism and slide the strap into place. It barely took a minute to assemble. The charging cable provided was Type A, which was disappointing since we switched to Type C for all our devices. In addition, if the charging dock was separate and a simple plug-in USB C, then it would be less susceptible to damage and light for travel. At this point, we are just nitpicking.
Design
I was genuinely amazed when I picked up the watch as it felt premium, and you can tell from the weight that there was no compromise on the quality of the material used.
It features a 1.43″ AMOLED display with slightly thick bezels and the white marking of a traditional clock, which we think feels a little odd if you use a digital watch face instead of an analog one. The watch measures 48mm and has a classic look. The screen has a 336 PPI density and a resolution of 466 x 466 pixels.
Features
For the price, you get almost all the features required by most people using a smartwatch. It has continuous heart rate monitoring, an SPO2 sensor, Sleep Tracking, Bluetooth Calling, Music Controls, Find My Phone, and much more.
If you are using an Apple device, it can easily integrate all the health data with the Apple Health app, which is also possible on Android devices.
There are several watch faces to choose from, and you can also add custom images to the watch face, but the options are limited. It has 5 brightness levels, which need to be adjusted manually as there is no ambient light sensor. At max brightness, we were able to read the text easily in bright sunlight outdoors.
The Do Not Disturb mode disables all notifications on the watch, and Silent mode ensures that all notifications are delivered silently. The raise-to-wake feature is also available, and it works great with a few misses here and there.
You will not get always-on mode on this watch like you do on the Apple Watch and other premium watches in the segment, but you can set the screen timeout to 5 or 10 minutes.
The watch features two buttons. The top-right button helps you navigate to and activate different features on the smartwatch, while the bottom-right button helps you select the workout mode with a single press.
TOZO Wear App
Depending on the device you will use with this watch, you will need to install the TOZO Wear app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The process is very straightforward and will take only a couple of minutes.
From this app, you can access, enable, and turn off all the features that the TOZO S5 offers. This includes wake gesture brightness settings, sound settings, notifications and reminders, modes, health monitoring, weather settings, and more.
You can also upload the watch faces available on the app to the smartwatch. The best part is that TOZO frequently updates their devices, and this app can easily push the firmware update to your device.
Battery Life
This comes with an adequately sized 300mAh battery, which is more than enough for most people. In our testing, we were able to get about 5-6 days of usage with continuous heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking turned on.
Personal Experience: TOZO S5 on High Altitude
On my recent trip to Spiti Valley in India, I decided to take this watch for a spin. It was an 8-day trip during which we reached a maximum of 4500m of altitude, and this watch performed extremely well without charging even once. It helped me monitor my heart rate and blood oxygen and reduced the need to unlock my phone every time I got a notification. At this price, it is definitely worth it.
Final Verdict
TOZO S5 is a great watch that features a timeless design, premium materials, and all the essential features the one may need. Combining that with a great battery life gives you a hassle-free experience, whether using it for workouts, outdoor activities, checking notifications, or Bluetooth calling. You could not go wrong when the product is this affordable. If you have any questions about the TOZO S5 smartwatch, let us know in the comment section below.
