Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2: Put your money on the right one!

By Ankit

| Published: Thursday, April 21, 2016, 11:12 [IST]

Asus launched the second iteration of their smartwatch, the ZenWatch 2, in September 2015 at IFA Berlin. Apple launched the Apple Watch in April 2015. Priced at around $349, the Apple Watch is almost priced twice the price of an Asus ZenWatch 2 ($170).

Can the Apple Watch justify its price tag when there is the Zenwatch at almost half the price? Here we look at how the ASUS Zenwatch 2 and Apple Watch stack up against each other in various departments.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: This comes in two dimensions, the 38mm strap and 42mm strap. Both these variants are available in the all the different design options. These include anodized aluminum, stainless steel and the classic 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition.

Zenwatch 2: This comes in two dimensions as well, the 18mm and 22mm straps. Both these variants are available in 18 different strap material and design options. There are even custom apps for changing watch faces. The variants weigh 50 grams for the smaller version and 60 grams for the bigger one.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: It is powered by Apple's very own custom Apple S1 chipset. There are very few details about its internals, as has been the case with Apple.

Zenwatch 2: Powered by the low-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: 8GB of internal storage, with 2GB dedicated for music files. Non-expandable.

Zenwatch 2: 4GB of internal storage, none dedicated for specific usage. Non-expandable.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (for iPhone connections), Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS for location.

Zenwatch 2: Wi-FI 802.11 and Bluetooth 4.1. GPS location sensors are missing.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: Running on Apple's first-ever OS for smartwatches, WatchOS 1.0.1, the Apple Watch is a beta product by all means. The OS borrows most elements from the iOS and some from OS X. WatchOS is only compatible with iOS for connectivity.

Zenwatch 2: Running on Android Wear, the Zenwatch 2 has a couple of years of experience when it comes to the user interface. Google's very own wearable OS is highly customizable and is also compatible with iOS devices, apart from Android.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: Although the exact capacity is not explicitly mentioned, the Apple Watch manages to provide around 18 hours of moderate app usage. This counts all the time when it is connected via Bluetooth and taking in notifications simultaneously.

Zenwatch 2: The battery capacity is a good 400mAh and the Zenwatch 2 provides around a full day of usage with moderate connectivity. ASUS also claims that a 35-minute charge can get you 50% juice to last through half a day comfortably.

Apple Watch vs ASUS Zenwatch 2

Apple Watch: Now, this is the most important part of the entire comparison. The Apple Watch is priced starting from $349 upto $17,000 for the Edition. It is an iPhone exclusive and works the best with your iPhone, despite Android Wear compatibility.

Zenwatch 2: The ASUS Zenwatch 2 is currently one of the best-looking smartwatches for Android and the pink and gold color variants make it a favorite among the ladies too.