Fine, I’ll admit it. I like to judge books by their covers.
When I was first pitched Kospet, a smartwatch brand from China, I was immediately hesitant. The rugged look might be for some, but not me.
But sporting an affordable price point of RM450, I thought it was worth checking out. And so, the brand sent over their Kospet Tank M3 Ultra to try.
After over two weeks with it, has my mind changed?
The visuals
Again, I must say that I’m not a big fan of the aesthetic. For ladies who prefer a more feminine look, Kospet’s rugged watches do come off a little too bulky.
Out of the lot, though, the Tank M3 Ultra stood out to me the most. With a squarish face that is reminiscent of an Apple Watch, it looks the sleekest to me.
Featuring black silicon bands and some metallic orange navigation buttons, the watch isn’t actually ugly, in case that’s what I’ve been making it sound like. For those fashionistas out there, I will say that it does complement sporty and casual looks.
However, it does stick out like a sore thumb if you’re dressing up for a nice function or dinner. Due to the size of the watch face, I have gotten quite a number of comments about how off it looks.
Perhaps a more delicate band would be useful, but Kospet only really has more masculine options available. Most of the watch faces also lean manly, but there are more minimalistic and custom designs you can pick out.
But enough on the looks. Let’s get to the actual performance of the Kospet Tank M3 Ultra.
The performance
On my first day of using the watch, I was admittedly ready to pass it off as some cheap watch that did the bare minimum (I’m sorry, Kospet, but I must be honest).
The reason for this was simple. I decided to update the watch, and instead of shutting down or showing a loading screen, the watch stayed on, and ended up glitching out.
This was when I began thinking that I was right and that the watch wouldn’t actually be a worthwhile purchase, no matter how inexpensive.
But when the watch finished updating, all the glitches cleared up, and I haven’t had any similar problems since—I had judged too soon.
As an iPhone user, I’m pleased to say that the Kospet can link with Apple Health, which is great as I do refer to it for my step count, as well as need it to earn my WeWard points (an app that rewards you for walking).
The watch has a ridiculously thorough list of activities, 170+ to be exact. This ranges from your typical walking to more obscure activities like… house chores?
I also toggled on auto-recognition that detects when you’re working out, though it’s more limited, kicks in rather late, and does require confirmation from the user.
The sleep tracking functions work decently, too, though there was one night that my watch must’ve been a bit off and thus didn’t actually track my sleep. I do wish that the watch could’ve somehow alerted me about that.
My favourite part of the Tank M3 Ultra, though, has to be the battery life.
This beast lasts a good week of light to average usage. I even went on an activity-packed trip where I hiked, sailed, and surfed with the watch on, and even used it for my morning alarm.
And no, I didn’t have to charge it once during the three-day trip, and then some. Which was great, because I didn’t bring the charger in the first place.
And yes, I did sail in the sea with this watch on, with salt water splashing around. The watch is IP69K, making it dive-proof, so I felt completely safe bringing it along on more extreme activities.
Its stainless steel unibody build and Corning® Gorilla® glass screen also made me feel at ease—goodness knows my clumsy self has knocked the watch against a wall or two.
The verdict
To summarise, I was wrong.
The Kospet Tank M3 Ultra was actually way, way, way more functional than I initially expected. Aside from what I mentioned, it can do a lot of your usual smartwatch things, too, like detect your heart rate, stress levels, and blood pressure.
To support your wellness, it also reminds you to stand up after periods of inactivity, and you can use the app to track any fitness goals. On the topic of the app, I do find it quite simplistic, which I actually appreciate.
There’s no question that this watch is chock-full of great features. But again, I must come back to the visual appeal, which is honestly the main barrier for me.
With that in mind, I hope that Kospet will launch some more feminine designs down the road, widening its target demographic.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Incredible battery life | Seems limited to more rugged designs |
| Wide range of sports | Sports recognition can be limited and inefficient |
| Durable and dive-resistant |
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