The new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 has arrived and it marks a big change for the premium smartwatch brand.
Gone is the watch’s reliance on Wear OS, Google’s wearable software, in its place is a bespoke TAG Heuer operating system that is far more Apple friendly as a result.
Shortlist spent a little time in the presence of the Connected Calibre E5 — here’s what you need to know…
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5: In short
- Sizes available: 40mm or 45mm
- Display: AMOLED 1.2-inch (326 dpi)
- Case: Stainless steel, titanium; rose gold steel
- Water Resistance: 50 meters
- Software: TAG Heuer OS
- Battery: 3 days for 45mm, 2 days for 40mm; 100% charge in 90 min (1 day battery in 40 mins)
- Price: from £1,350
It’s a beauty
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 is as premium as it gets for a smartwatch. This new smartwatch interaction by TAG offers up some swish Swiss style, with two sizes available: 40mm and 45mm.
When it comes to the 45mm edition, the watch comes in stainless steel or sandblasted titanium with both variants given a lovely looking matte black ceramic bezel. On this, five minute engravings are there so you can tell the time.
The 40mm is bezel free and comes in polished stainless steel or a rose gold option. There are minute markings here but they are printed on the actual glass which gives it a classy look.
And those who are into swinging — clubs, you filthy lot — there is a separate Golf edition which comes packed with information on 40,000 or so courses around the world.
It comes with some strapping straps
There is a brand-new interchangeable strap system on the Connected Calibre E5, which makes it easier to change your watch from fitness gadget to cocktail-ready watch.
It really makes the strap sit flush with the fascia which adds to the premium look of the smartwatch.
The choice of straps is extensive, with rubber versions available — including a fetching orange which is very en vogue right now — as well as nylon and a posh steel variant as well.
The new OS is a refreshing change
We can understand why TAG ditched Wear OS for new software which has been created in house (by some 60 engineers no less). Google hasn’t exactly made it easy for hardware manufacturers to have control over their own gadgets — any software issues had to go to the big G and if they didn’t respond quickly, users would be unhappy and TAG would get the blame.
This changes now the software is in house but it does come with a hefty caveat — third-party apps won’t work with the new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5, so any fitness or tracking has to be done on the integrated software. And you can kiss contactless payments goodbye, too.
Thankfully the TAG Heuer OS was very user friendly in our quick time with the watch. A few nice touches we found included: a screen for all your notifications, a separate area for health metrics and there is also support for Bluetooth.
Health monitoring is strong with this one — an optical sensor tracks heart rate and an update later this year will mean that sleep tracking, which includes detailed looks at blood oxygen, your breathing and all that, will be added. Other tracking includes your running — this is nicely gamified with a diamond on the screen. Keep on track and it stays there.
For those tied to your third party apps, such as Strava, there is the ability to share your data with these, so you aren’t completely out of the loop.
And then there’s the watch faces. TAG Heuer has really outdone itself with the myriad faces on offer — the designs are fantastic and you can change them as often as you change your socks.
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5: early thoughts
It’s been three years since TAG updated its Connected range and that is a long time in the tech world, not so much the watch world. The Calibre E5 is the biggest change yet, with a new OS and new smaller size option.
It’s a fantastic-looking smartwatch and while its price is a premium, there is a lot here for the money.
If you are looking for the smartest-looking smartwatch around, then this may well be it. Time will tell — and more testing from our end — to see if its software lives up to its looks.
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