Moto 360 Sport Unboxing and First Impressions

Earlier this year, Google announced the new Moto 360 2nd Gen smartwatch for 2015, and also confirmed that a “Sport” model is coming soon. The sports and fitness-focused smartwatch will be available in the US on January 7, and below is our first hands-on and unboxing for those interested.

Instead of offering a highly customizable watch with leather straps and a beautiful aluminum bezel, the Motorola 360 Sport is the first smartwatch for fitness. Although the Moto 360 is hugely popular, it may not appeal to those who prefer to buy a smartwatch outdoors, go to the gym or exercise. The Moto 360 Sport fills that gap, costing just $299 and here’s what you need to know.

Motorola’s new fitness smartwatch will go on sale in the UK this month, but won’t be available in the US and retail stores like Best Buy until January 7. Below is our hands-on video, some first impressions, and other details for those considering buying when it’s available.

Overall, the new Moto 360 Sport looks very similar to the 2nd Generation model released earlier this year. It has the same internals, a similar screen size, and a beautiful design. However, there are some notable changes that could make this the perfect smartwatch for some.

Two key features of the Moto 360 Sport are the built-in GPS sensor, which many smartwatches lack. This allows users to enjoy the watch and its features without connecting or connecting to a smartphone. The Moto 360 Sport will allow owners to jog, hit the gym and do other things without needing to connect to their phones. With GPS doing all the work, you can keep counting calories, tracking steps, heart rate, and more with built-in sensors.

The second feature is what Motorola calls “Anytime display,” which makes the Sport look better than most outdoors with a brand new hybrid display technology and automatically switches to maximum brightness when outdoors. In our few moments with it, we noticed that it looks great in direct sunlight, especially in low-power black and white, but fully clear with full colors, it’s the same as most.

Without much talking, here’s our quick hands-on video and unboxing of the new Moto 360 Sport. We have the black model, but it also comes in white or vibrant orange.

For those wondering, the Moto 360 Sport has a 1.37-inch or 45mm screen. The regular Moto 360 2nd Gen comes in a 46mm model and a smaller 42mm model, as well as a 42mm option with an even smaller strap for women.

It is powered by a 1.2 GHz Quad-core processor with 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, a smaller 300 mAh battery (normal 46 mm 400 mAh), heart rate sensor and a GPS sensor. The sweat-resistant silicone band is durable, feels nice and is very comfortable. It also gets extremely dirty and dusty after a few minutes. Like all silicone cases, it collects lint and dirt very easily.

The Moto 360 Sport can be used without a smartphone with built-in GPS and is IP67 dust and water resistant. It looks very similar to the Samsung Gear S2, but runs Android Wear and works with all Android smartphones as well as iOS.

Motorola promises “all-day mixed use” in terms of battery life, and that’s when the hybrid display is set to auto. The ambient light sensor, which makes the screen not 100% round (bottom), should help automate brightness and improve battery life. This is also something one can turn off and adjust the brightness to get even longer battery life.

Our first impressions are quite positive. It is very light, extremely comfortable and feels great on the wrist. I barely notice it, and when I turn my wrist, all the fitness information you can imagine is just a tap away.

The default watch face is the “Sport” option, which is customizable, but all other Motorola faces are also available out of the box. Tapping each of the four corners shown above quickly launches certain fitness-focused apps. Moto Body is in the top left, steps and walking goals or distance are in orange at the top right, followed by a timer and calorie burn meter at the bottom right and left. These are nice additions and something gym rats will love.

We’ve only used it for half a day, so there’s not much to say in terms of performance, battery life, or features, but so far it’s your traditional Android-wearing smartwatch, but with some added fitness or sports benefits. The aluminum frame on the top gives it a stylish look without spoiling its “sporty” side, and the button is nice and tactile too.

My favorite part of the watch so far is that it’s incredibly lightweight and how good the display looks both indoors and outdoors. We’ll have to spend more time with him to say more, but so far he seems like a great gym companion. This could be the perfect Android wear watch to help users achieve those New Year’s resolutions. Again, the Moto 360 Sport will be available in the UK and select regions later this week and in the United States. January 7 $299.