The smartwatch market in India is booming, and everyone from established players to newer brands are vying for a piece of the pie. This week, I've been putting the Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 through its paces. At a price point hovering around ₹4,000, it promises a premium experience without breaking the bank. But does it deliver? Let's dive in.

Design and Build Quality: A Familiar Feel

First impressions matter, and the ColorFit Ultra 3 doesn't disappoint. The metallic finish on the rectangular dial gives it a sophisticated look, although the body is primarily plastic. It’s lightweight and comfortable to wear for extended periods, a definite plus for a smartwatch you're meant to wear 24/7. The silicone straps are soft and flexible, causing no irritation during my workouts or while sleeping. The watch feels sturdy enough to withstand daily wear and tear; I accidentally bumped it against a doorframe, and it came away unscathed. The single button on the right side is responsive and offers easy navigation. It is IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, meaning it should survive splashes and sweat but I wouldn't recommend swimming with it.

Display: Bright and Colorful

The 1.96-inch AMOLED display is one of the highlights of this smartwatch. Colors are vibrant, and the screen is sharp enough to read text and view notifications clearly, even under direct sunlight. I found the brightness levels to be adequate for most situations, although I did crank it up to maximum when outdoors on a particularly sunny afternoon in Delhi. The touch response is smooth and accurate, making it easy to navigate the menus and interact with the watch. There's also an always-on display (AOD) option, which is convenient for quickly checking the time, but it does take a toll on battery life.

Performance and Features: Does Enough, But Could Do More

The Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 offers a comprehensive suite of features, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, sleep tracking, and activity tracking. The heart rate sensor seemed reasonably accurate when compared to a chest strap monitor I use for more serious workouts. Sleep tracking provided detailed insights into my sleep patterns, including sleep stages and duration. However, I found the step counter to be slightly generous, overestimating my daily steps by about 10-15%. The watch supports Bluetooth calling, allowing you to make and receive calls directly from your wrist. The call quality is decent in quiet environments, but it can be a bit muffled in noisy surroundings. There’s also a quick reply feature for responding to messages, but it’s limited to pre-set responses; you can't type out custom replies.

Battery Life: A Mixed Bag

Battery life is always a crucial factor for smartwatches. Noise claims up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge, but in my testing, I managed to get around 4-5 days with moderate usage, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and notifications. With the always-on display enabled, the battery life dropped to around 2-3 days. These figures are fairly standard for smartwatches in this price range. Charging the watch from 0 to 100% takes about 2 hours with a standard USB charger.

The Competition: Alternatives to Consider

The Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 faces stiff competition in the Indian smartwatch market. Here are a couple of alternatives to consider:

• boAt Wave Ultima: Offers a similar feature set at a slightly lower price point. However, the display and build quality aren't quite as good as the Noise ColorFit Ultra 3.
• Fire-Boltt Phoenix Pro: Boasts a larger display and longer battery life, but the software experience isn't as polished as the Noise ColorFit Ultra 3.

Choosing between these options depends on your priorities. The Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 strikes a good balance between features, design, and performance. reportersays, the market is ever evolving and there are new launches every week!

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Bright and vibrant AMOLED display
• Comfortable and lightweight design
• Comprehensive suite of features
• Decent battery life

Cons:

• Step counter accuracy could be improved
• Limited quick reply options
• Plastic build (despite metallic finish)

Verdict

The Noise ColorFit Ultra 3 is a solid smartwatch that offers a good value for money. It's a well-rounded device with a bright display, comfortable design, and a decent set of features. While it's not perfect, it's a great option for anyone looking for an affordable smartwatch for fitness tracking and notifications. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.