Tag Heuer Connected 2020: 5 things you need to know

The third iteration of the Tag Heuer Connected has landed. It’s mission is simple: improve dramatically on the foundations that the legendary Swiss watchmaker had built for itself.

I had it strapped to my wrist for a couple of weeks to see if Tag Heuer can compete with the activity tracking giants or whether it should stay in its lane. And at a price point that starts at AED 6,500, it really needs to step up its game.

Here are the five things you need to know.

1. It’s a head-turner

The Tag Heuer Connected is one of, if not the, best looking smartwatches out there. It marries the chunky style of the traditional Tag Heuer timepieces with hi-tech digital face. I’ve had pretty much every smartwatch on my wrist in public at one time or another. However, the Connected is the first one to draw admiring glances and queries about it. It stands out as a status piece even when you’re exercising, so get ready to field questions as you’re under a barbell or in the middle of a peloton.

2. It tracks your activities perfectly

One of the biggest gripes with the previous version of the Tag Heuer Connected was its flakiness when it came to doing its actual job. The updated Wear OS from Google is quick to pair with my phone, Strava and Health app, which means I could just crack on with the exercise. The readings I got at the end were accurate. From the GPS route to the heart-rate throughout my run or cycle. Connectivity is no longer an issue with the aptly named Connected.

3. Customisation options are seriously moreish

There are so many combinations that you can create for the watch face, I really did feel spoilt for choice. You can go down the classic route and choose from a selection of preloaded faces or you can really make it your own. You do this by choosing colours, details and more. I spent many an hour tweaking the looks to get it just right. You can then save them and use them later. It’s an obvious feature, but one I loved to play with.

4. It’s tough

Smartwatches have a tendency to be fairly brittle. Scuffs, scratches and smashes are a blight on the entire industry and repairing these are nigh on impossible. Thankfully, the Tag Heuer Connected is built tough. To go along with its bold looks, the OLED screen is protected with sapphires that provide a scratch-resistant surface. So any accidental falls you might have, the Connected should be able to handle the potential damage well.

5. The battery life still needs work

OK, it’s not awful, and it is a marked improvement on the previous two, but the Tag Heuer Connected’s battery could be better. After one particularly long ride of over three hours, the watch was sapped of almost all its power. It needed to go back on charge before I could wear it again that day.