Scinex SW20 Review: Full-Featured GSM Smartwatch within Budget
Verdict
If you’re looking for a SIM supported smartwatch that has the necessary features to work standalone and doesn’t empty your wallet then the Scinex SW20 could be for you.
Pros
- GSM sim card support (850/900/1800/1900)
- Make calls and send messages from the watch
- Built-in camera for taking photos and recording videos
- 2-days battery life on regular use
Cons
- A little bulky in size
- Doesn’t have GPS
User Review
( votes)Good smartwatches are usually priced high, but the Scinex SW20 is kind of different. It offers a handful of smart features including GSM phone technology. All for a price that makes it well within range for almost everyone.
GSM based smartwatches are extensive in terms of features. They can work as a full standalone watch phone without needing a parent device
We made a list of 11 smartwatches that work standalone.
The price of these devices can reach the ceiling quite easily. That’s where the Scinex SW20 is a bit different.
It is a clever choice to test drive a basic product before taking on an expensive one. This phone-cam-watch can do that exact thing for you. Some people, in fact, are going to find it equally as powerful as an expensive smartwatch.
Read the rest of the review to learn all about the curious case of the Scinex SW20.
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Table of Contents
Design
The Scinex SW20 is a unisex watch. It looks good both on the wrists of men and women. The shape is square (if not a slight rectangle) and it measures 1.8-inches in height, 1.65-inches in width with a thickness of 0.43-inch.
The overall size of the device can be asserted as not exactly small, but not all that bulky either. The body is made of aluminum and the band is made of a TPS material. The band comfortably fits wrists from 13.5cm to 18.5cm in circumference. The operational buttons and the camera are situated on the side.
The downside of the design is that you cannot replace the band. It is permanently attached to the body of the watch. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to test how long-lasting and durable the strap is so we’re hoping Scinex thought of this! Another downside with the durability is the lack of water resistance. You’ll have to be careful to keep it clear of water.
The Scinex SW20 is available in 4 colors (as seen in the images below). These are Gold/Black, Silver/Black, Silver/Blue, and Silver/White. One thing I can say that the pairs of colors complement each other really well.
[Click on the colors below to go straight to that product on Amazon]
Features
GSM Technology: Scinex SW20 supports a micro SIM card. It supports GSM carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile (who provide micro sim card). The band frequency is 850/900/1800/1900.
This watch can work fully standalone and act like a wrist-based smartphone. You can dial calls and write messages directly on the 1.5-inches touchscreen. So you will no longer need to carry a smartphone to make it work.
Connected Smartwatch: This watch can be used as a connected device with your smartphone. It connects to both Android and iOS devices through Bluetooth. You can remotely use this device to receive calls, messages, and notifications from the phone.
Camera & Video: This watch features a 1.3-megapixels camera on the side. You can take images in front, shoot videos and save them in the memory storage. The camera is never going to replace the quality that you can get with your smartphone but the pictures are okay.
Built-in Speaker with Mic: It is pretty much similar to your cell phone. It supports conversation over the loudspeaker and the mic enables you to speak without a headphone. You can also listen to music on the bite-size speaker. The speaker set is moderately loud and the mic picks sound well.
Storage: This smartwatch features a memory card slot. A memory card of 16GB comes with the device and it is expandable to 32GB. So there is enough room for storing images, videos and music.
Pedometer & Sleep Monitoring: The Scinex SW20 can work as a basic activity tracker. It has a pedometer and sleep monitoring built-in. It can track activities such as steps taken, calories burned and distance traveled. Plus, it can monitor the quality of your sleep.
Recommended Next: Don’t miss our ultimate guide to kids’ watches.
Battery & Compatibility
The Scinex SW20 contains a 300mAh and 3.7V replaceable lithium-ion battery. It is recorded to last as long as 2 days on normal use. Even so, it largely depends on the way you use it. The more you put pressure on the battery by using high-intensity operations like the camera, the sooner it drains.
This device is compatible with Android 4.0+ and iOS 7+. You need to install the official app named “Mediatek SmartDevice” for many functions to work. Though it connects to iOS, there is a small limitation. SMS read/write is not available for iOS devices.
Why Scinex SW20 is Better than Scinex SW30
If you look around, you would come around another Scinex device. That is the Scinex SW30. It is priced lower than the Scinex SW20.
So is it a cheaper alternative to SW20? I would say no because many important features are missing in it. Have a look at the chart below.
GSM Technology
Connected Features
Loud Speaker
Memory Slot
Camera
Pedometer
Sleep Monitor
Compatibility
Scinex sw30
Android
Scinex sw20
Android, iOS
Does The Quality of Scinex SW20 Reflect Its Price?
The Scinex SW20 is much cheaper than a lot of smartwatches on the market. It also has the rare ability to make phone calls without being paired to your phone.
However, in terms of interface and overall quality, it just doesn’t compare to the quality offerings from market leaders like Apple, Garmin, and Samsung
However, if you’re up for a challenge and refuse to pay $400 dollars for a watch then this could be right up your street. It does offer very good value for money and you get an awful lot for what you pay for. It’s just not refined in any way.
