Lava Prowatch ZN First Impression: The silicone strap variant of the Lava Prowatch ZN has an MRP of ₹4,999. It has been launched at a price of ₹2,599.
Highlights
Lava has launched its first smartwatch
We tried it out for a few days
The Prowatch ZN is priced at ₹2,599.
Indian brand Lava has entered the wearables category. At an event on Tuesday, the company's top officials met with the media. They didn't hesitate to say that Lava had held an on-ground event after 5-6 years... and that too for a smartwatch. Clearly, Lava understands the potential in this market. Is it possible to capitalize on that potential? The company has introduced the Prowatch ZN with a "Tough Hai Pro" philosophy, which promotes its build quality and features. I have the Prowatch ZN in my hand, with a silicone strap. How is this smartwatch? Let's find out in our first impressions.
Lava Prowatch ZN Price in India
The Lava Prowatch ZN variant with silicone strap has an MRP of ₹4,999, down from its launch price of ₹2,599 . The Prowatch ZN with a metal strap can be purchased for ₹2,999, and also comes with a silicone strap.
The first impression of any product is its box. The packaging of the Lava Prowatch ZN is quite solid. It comes in a square compact box. Upon opening the box, the first thing you find is the watch attached with a strap and a charging cable, which can be connected to any mobile charger.
The Prowatch ZN is a watch with a circular dial. This dial is neither too big nor too small. There are two rotating crowns on the right side of the dial, one at the top and the other at the bottom, which are used separately. Lava claims that the dial of the Prowatch ZN is made of metal and zinc alloy. Personally, I found it quite durable. The bottom area also seemed strong.
The Prowatch ZN's silicone strap is wide and long. Its design is similar to that of a regular watch strap. The strap is detachable from the dial, which I found to be a good option since I often need to clean the strap. The company claims that the Prowatch ZN's strap is resistant to sweat and water, so it won't feel like a problem during outdoor activities.
Due to my slim wrist, the Prowatch ZN felt a bit large in my hand. I have sensitive skin, so I experienced itching when I tightened the strap. However, the Prowatch ZN looked good in the hands of a colleague. In terms of look and feel, it can rival any expensive smartwatch.
The Prowatch ZN's circular dial features a 1.43-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 466x466 pixels, a peak brightness of 600 nits, and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. All these features enhance the Prowatch ZN's display. Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection reduces the chances of scratches.
I was pleased with the Prowatch ZN's display quality. The display delivers punchy colors that aren't eye-catching. The display brightness is set to maximum by default, but I didn't lower it. Everything looked quite sharp indoors. Even in sunlight, the display didn't disappoint, and I was able to see the time and my step count without interruption.
The Prowatch ZN is quite easy to use. Pressing the top rotating crown turns the watch on. I downloaded Lava's Prospot app from the Google Play Store. After signing in and pairing the watch via Bluetooth, the Prowatch ZN started working.
First, I changed the watch face. This option is available by rotating the top rotating crown. You can also change the watch face in the display settings or from Prospot. The Prowatch ZN supports a total of 150 watch faces.
All the Prowatch ZN's features are available by simply flipping the display from left to right. Bluetooth calling was the first feature I used. I liked its quality. The speaker sound was also satisfactory. You can save your top 10 favorite contacts so you can call them from the watch if needed. You can also view phone messages on the Prowatch ZN. You can receive WhatsApp and Instagram notifications.
The watch can also control your phone's music. It connects to the phone's camera. It has a calculator feature. A few games also come pre-installed on the watch. One feature I particularly liked was that the watch can function as a flashlight when needed.
Settings can be configured to your liking. I didn't need it much, as I was able to see every activity in detail on the Prospot app.
The Prowatch ZN also functions as a fitness tracker. It offers over 110 sports modes. I didn't use any of them because I was short on time. However, the watch's built-in PPG sensor continuously measured my heart rate and SpO2. I found the sensor to be accurate in both cases, as it showed a higher heart rate while walking. This sensor also calculated my sleep. On Tuesday night, I slept for 7.5 hours, and the watch told me that I was in deep sleep for only 1.5 hours. On my first day wearing the watch, I walked 4,785 steps. However, the watch didn't display each step count. The display updated 10 to 15 steps simultaneously.
The watch also measures stress and can guide you through breathing exercises. I haven't used these yet.
The Prowatch ZN features the RTL8763EWE-VP chipset, which delivers smooth performance. During three days of use, I experienced no performance issues. The new Lava Watch features a 350mAh battery, which claims to charge within one hour. During three days of use, I didn't need to charge the watch. The battery dropped from 96% to 82%.
Lava claims a 7-8 day battery life with normal use. Using it for Bluetooth calling provides up to 3 days of backup, with a standby time of 15-20 days. Its charging cable is magnetized, which attaches to a point on the bottom of the dial to charge the watch.
Other features include support for an always-on display. Bluetooth calling also supports call recording. If you are unable to pick up an incoming call, you can send a quick reply. It comes with IP68 rating, which means wearing it, one can swim in clean water up to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. AI voice assistant is also provided in the watch. The most important thing is that the company is offering a 2-year warranty. There
are many such things in Prowatch ZN which make it worth buying. I cannot ask you to buy the watch on first impression, but do compare it with the products present in your wishlist.
