Smartwatches normally have a tendency to not have as a lot room for design creativity as conventional mechanical watches, however just a few watchmakers have discovered a strategy to mix each. Notable amongst these is Fossil, which has wholeheartedly embraced the sensible method, bringing the distinctive styling of its varied manufacturers to smartwatch varieties. Amongst these is Diesel (Fossil manufactures smartwatches with Diesel branding), recognized for its intentionally aggressive look which finds attraction over the world significantly for its clothes and sneakers, but in addition for its mechanical wristwatches.
The newest product from the secure is the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch, which, like a lot of Fossil’s smartwatch choices, runs on Google’s Put on OS platform. Priced at Rs. 25,995 in India, the Diesel Gen 6 is a correct smartwatch in each method, however one which additionally has its personal distinctly butch type. Is that this new smartwatch well worth the value? Discover out on this assessment.
The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 has three buttons, other than contact display controls.
Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch: value and variants
The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch has been launched in a single 45mm variant by way of dimension and specs, though there are 4 totally different coloration choices out there. The one I obtained for this assessment is the gunmetal variant with a steel link-based locking strap, however you can too decide a two-tone (with a silicone strap), brown (with a leather-based strap), or silver (with a steel strap) one. The steel choices are expectedly a bit higher from a sturdiness perspective. All variants are priced the identical (Rs. 25,995).
Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch: design
Whereas many smartwatches use an oblong display form for higher emphasis of what they’re, and are simpler to make use of, the spherical display is equally widespread significantly amongst manufacturers which use Put on OS or attempt to provide a special aesthetic attraction. Within the case of the Diesel Griffed Gen 6, it’s miles from the commonly compact, light-weight, and screen-focused smartwatch expertise that you simply get from competing merchandise such because the Apple Watch sequence.
As an alternative, the Diesel Gen 6 is huge, cumbersome, and unapologetically aggressive in its look — simply as you’d anticipate from a Diesel-branded product. This features a outstanding scrolling dial-button with the Diesel emblem, two extra with plastic guards surrounding them, and a substantial general thickness which additionally provides to the burden of the smartwatch.
Naturally, the look must be backed up by an identical watch face to make sure the specified impact, and there are lots to select from — however extra on that later. The precise {hardware} itself capably pulls off the Diesel aesthetic, and is admittedly a superb search for most individuals of their 30s and 40s, assuming you are a fan of Diesel’s unapologetic styling.
The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 runs on Put on OS, however makes use of the Diesel On companion app on Android and iOS.
Though the general dial dimension of the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is 45mm, the display is significantly smaller at roughly 1.3 inches in diameter. The watch straps are replaceable, however you will most likely need to persist with the matching one you get with the smartwatch; the gunmetal variant’s strap seems to be and feels nice. Beneath the watch are the optical sensors for coronary heart fee and different features, and a zone for the magnetic charger to latch on.
The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is rated at 3ATM for water resistance, and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Put on 4100+ chipset. For connectivity, the gadget helps Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC, and runs on Put on OS 3.
Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch: software program, interface, and app
The Fossil Group (which developed the Diesel Griffed Gen 6) has caught with Google’s Put on OS for years now, and also you get model 3 on this gadget. Notably, there are some tweaks to the working system to offer it some Diesel customisations, together with using a particular companion app known as DieselOn (as a substitute of the Put on OS app), varied customized watch faces designed to go together with the aesthetic of the smartwatch, and assist for Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant.
Put on OS works usefully on each Android and iOS, with the Diesel On companion app equally current on each platforms. In my case, I had the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch paired with a OnePlus 9 Professional (Evaluation) for this assessment, with Put on OS linking with my Google account for synchronizing with most of my Google apps and providers.
Apps reminiscent of Google Hold and Google Maps are significantly helpful on a smartwatch, as is Google Match for well being monitoring based mostly on the {hardware} capabilities of the smartwatch itself. For many apps in your smartphone, notifications are synced based mostly in your notification settings in your paired smartphone. Because of this you will not see notifications in your smartwatch if they have been muted in your smartphone, though the specifics could be tweaked.
There’s coronary heart fee and SpO2 monitoring on the Diesel Griffed Gen 6, however the accuracy and usefulness of those aren’t distinctive.
The core performance and sustaining the reference to the smartphone is dealt with by the Diesel On app. This consists of synchronizing notifications, with the ability to reply from the smartwatch, and putting or receiving calls on the watch. Nevertheless, sure different options and performance could be carried out immediately on the smartwatch itself, both by way of a Bluetooth hyperlink to the paired smartphone or by way of a direct Wi-Fi connection.
A quite vital level within the case of the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch is the implementation of Amazon Alexa because the voice assistant, as a substitute of Put on OS’ typical default Google Assistant. As soon as arrange, you’ll be able to set one of many buttons to invoke Alexa, which hyperlinks to your Amazon account and works with your entire ecosystem both through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The speaker on the gadget supplies voice responses as nicely, and the performance labored as anticipated more often than not.
In most different methods, this can be a Put on OS gadget just like a lot of what you will see on different units from the Fossil Group and different smartwatch makers. This consists of the traditional Google fonts, icons, and normal styling of Google’s smartwatch platform. That mentioned, the platform does enable for a good quantity of customization by producers, and the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 expectedly seems to be and feels a good bit totally different to the Put on OS 3.5 powered Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 sequence.
A key component of customization is within the watch faces, and Diesel has provided a good set of 14 watch faces which might be designed to go nicely with the feel and appear of the smartwatch. You may as well customise every watch face individually, altering colours, hand motion animations, and issues as per your liking. After all, you’ll be able to entry the Google Play Retailer for Put on OS to obtain different watch faces or apps, however the preinstalled choices are fairly good for my part.
The customized Diesel watch faces go nicely with the aesthetic of the smartwatch.
The Diesel On app seems to be and feels a bit barebones and unpolished, however it will get the job carried out by way of sustaining the connection, dealing with notifications, and offering fundamental well being monitoring knowledge reminiscent of steps and coronary heart fee. Thankfully, the Griffed Gen 6 is a full-function smartwatch, and when related with Wi-Fi, is pretty succesful by itself even with out your smartphone round.
There’s a comparable Diesel On app on the smartwatch as nicely, however this does not do a lot other than providing some unusual quotes, climate, occasions, and fundamental data. On the entire, the software program expertise is not fairly as polished as that of the similarly-priced Galaxy Watch 5, however it is not too shabby both.
Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch: efficiency and battery life
Fossil’s vary of smartwatches aren’t positioned as technological marvels and even pitched in direction of the fitness-focused consumer as can be the case for a tool such because the Fitbit Versa 4. Alongside these strains, the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is pitched as a branded, The style-focused sensible wrist accent above all else, however the Rs. 25,995 price ticket is essentially justified by its precise smartwatch performance as nicely.
A smartwatch is, in spite of everything, meant to be not solely a mirror of your smartphone’s display, but in addition a fairly succesful gadget by itself. Wi-Fi connectivity and the fairly well-equipped Google Play Retailer for Put on OS ensures that you are able to do a good quantity on the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 even when it is briefly not related to your smartphone (reminiscent of at dwelling, when your telephone is in one other room).
The first rate processor and OS model signifies that the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 performs reliably most often, however there have been events the place the smartwatch grew to become a bit sluggish and laggy, when a number of apps had been being downloaded or the gadget had simply re-synced and was receiving many notifications without delay. It is undoubtedly not as fluid and hassle-free an expertise as on the Galaxy Watch 5.
Aside from reliably pushing notifications and likewise letting you view or reply to most immediately from the smartwatch, the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 works nicely to take calls immediately in your wrist. The microphone and speaker work nicely sufficient, making certain that you’ll take quick calls in your wrist as wanted, even in considerably noisy environments.
Health monitoring on the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is essentially current solely to examine packing containers, and the steel strap does not even provide the safe, skin-hugging match that’s normally wanted for the optical sensors to work optimally. This is not the form of smartwatch you’d need to put on on exercises, and also you’re unlikely to really profit from health monitoring within the applicable eventualities for this gadget, reminiscent of at an workplace, or on the pub after work.
An always-on mode allows you to view the time and fundamental particulars even on standby, however this impacts battery life
When sitting nonetheless with my arm at relaxation, coronary heart fee and SpO2 monitoring had been fairly correct in comparison with readings from an Apple Watch Collection 7 and a pulse oximeter. When shifting, the understandably free match of the steel strap meant that readings had been exhausting to get, and had been typically off the mark even when one thing did seem.
Step monitoring and distance monitoring on exercises had been normally a bit off as nicely, with the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 measuring 1,055 steps for 1,000 steps that I manually counted — an error margin of 5.5 %. Sleep monitoring is correct sufficient, however the Griffed Gen 6 is kind of heavy, and due to this fact fairly uncomfortable to put on whereas sleeping. Equally priced smartwatches from Samsung and Fitbit are rather more correct and cozy for health monitoring, so you must think about these if monitoring options are essential to you.
Battery life on the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is a major disadvantage of the smartwatch, and is what largely holds it again from being actually sensible as an all-day gadget. With unusual use together with having an always-on watch face, common well being monitoring, and sometimes answering calls on the smartwatch, the gadget ran for round 12-13 hours on a full cost.
Even with the watch positioned on a desk for your entire time, the battery would final for lower than 24 hours on a cost. Charging itself is fast, however this does imply that you will have to have your charger readily available always.
Verdict
The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is a quite well-equipped smartwatch on paper, and certainly will get many of the bits that make it a smartwatch proper. Nevertheless, the design and aesthetic imply that the gadget does not fairly work the way in which typical smartwatches from manufacturers reminiscent of Apple and Samsung do. You may need to think about this for the way in which it seems to be and the way it matches together with your wardrobe, quite than as a severe smartwatch.
Positive, you’ll be able to simply as simply purchase a daily mechanical wristwatch for that, however then it should solely inform you the time; The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 is clearly extra succesful, with the flexibility to deal with calls, notifications, and a few pretty helpful apps, other than having a totally practical voice assistant readily available as nicely. It is the perfect smartwatch to put on in most formal and casual settings due to how on-brand it seems to be — so long as you do not have huge expectations of the well being and health monitoring performance.