Noise ColorFit NAV Review: Affordable Feature-Rich Smartwatch Priced Under Rs. 5,000

Build Quality Isn't Too Impressive

The Noise ColorFit NAV features a square dial surrounded by minimal bezels, except for the bottom. This smartwatch is lightweight weighing around 40 grams along with the band, thanks to the polycarbonate build. And, there is a matte oleophobic coating that keeps fingerprints and smudges away so that the dial looks clean.

Like the other smartwatches out there, the Noise ColorFit NAV also has IP68 water resistance, which keeps it functioning even amidst dust and dirt. And, it can withstand underwater for a maximum depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. Though there's water resistance, the company states that it can withstand only shower and shouldn't be used for hot water bath, sauna, and ocean water as the salty water and moisture can damage the band. Also, the smartwatch isn't meant to be worn while swimming.

The wrist band is made of a skin-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane and it can be adjusted as well. As the strap is easily removable, you can wear any third-party strap of your choice with the smartwatch. When it comes to controls, there are buttons at the right and a matte finish too. One of them is the home button while the other one is a back button. At the rear of the dial, there is a heart rate sensor and a glowing green LED light to measure the heart rate. You can see charging pins also at the rear of the dial.

Well, I liked the smudge-resistant coating that doesn't require me to clean the fingerprints and smudges from the smartwatch frequently but the overall design and build do not give a premium feel to the device. The strap feels solid but it is not too comfortable to wear continuously for a few hours. The company doesn't state if there is a scratch-resistant glass on the display, which would have been a better option. And, it misses out on the always-on display that can be set to turn on on lifting your hand. In addition to these, there are a dozen watch faces that users can choose from and an update will soon bring more watch faces.

There's a 1.4-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels. The color display on the supports customizable font sizes too. The other option that I liked is the ability to adjust the brightness of the display by just swiping from the bottom. It also has icons to display options such as airplane mode, battery indicator, find phone, and DND. The display shows the daily activities such as steps, distance, active minutes, and calories burnt for the day. I like the ability to set an alarm, and control the music playback. It also comes with sunlight legibility and viewing angle are also good.

Delivers Mixed Performance

The Noise ColorFit NAV comes with an ample set of features including Preset SMS, that is available on Android. It is possible to reject calls while you are busy right from the smartwatch itself. there's also Find My Phone feature, which works pretty well. During the pandemic crisis, I like the addition of another feature, Hand wash reminder but it could be annoying for some users. Some notable features include sedentary reminder, low-battery reminder, weather forecast, wake gesture, stopwatch, wrist orientation, and more. However, the step counts have not been too accurate as compared to a few apps that I tried and the Amazfit Bip S Lite smartwatch I used.

When it comes to the OS, the Noise smartwatch runs the company's proprietary OS. During the usual usage, there doesn't seem to be any lags. It is minimalistic and doesn't have too many buttons or options. It also alerts emails, calls and messages.

One notable thing is that the response to gestures is a little delayed. During my review, there was a delay in the lift up gesture that shows the time. This could be really annoying while you are involved in some other task such as driving. Also, the go back to home screen function took a few seconds and wasn't instantaneous. The interesting aspect is that the Noise ColorFit NAV has inbuilt GPS, which is a rare aspect in the affordable smartwatch market segment.

Talking about the Noise ColorFit NAV's battery performance, it is key highlight as the battery can last up to three days on regular use. I could get close to three days of usage with many of the featured turned on continuously. If the notifications are turned off and not all features are not enabled, then we can expect it to last relatively longer.

Should You Buy?

Given that the Noise ColorFit NAV is priced at Rs. 4,499, it is an affordable smartwatch that will fall within your budget. The smartwatch features a decent build quality and an ample set of features. The feature-loaded smartwatch is a value-for-money offering at an affordable price point.

Given that it comes with an ample set of features, I would like the addition of a few more aspects such as a better design and build as the others in the market segment while the in-built GPS and long-lasting battery life are attractive. Though there are a few misses, it is an affordable smartwatch priced under Rs. 5,000. And, it can be used by sports and fitness enthusiasts who are looking out for budget smartwatches that can track their activities on a daily basis. It lets them enjoy features such as 10 different sports tracking and water resistance without shelling out a lot of money. 

So, it will be an option for people seeking a budget offering that will help them get a basic experience but cannot be compared to the premium offerings in the market.