If you’re shopping for an Android Wear smartwatch that strikes the best balance of good looks and affordable pricing, it’s going to be hard to do better than the Fossil Q Founder. Retailing at $275, it combines affordability with a classic style that should pair well with everything from casual outfits to more laced-up fare.
Sporting a round stainless steel case, the timepiece simply looks like one of the larger watches in Fossil’s stable, especially with one of the company’s branded pseudo-analog dials emblazoned on the display. Until, of course, you get a pop-up notification that suddenly takes over half the screen, giving away the fact that it’s a piece of wearable electronics.
Similar to the Tag Heuer Connected, the Fossil Q Founder runs on an Intel Atom CPU, in favor of the Qualcomm chips we normally find in Android wear watches. The IP67-rated case measures 46 x 13 mm (diameter x thickness), with either a matching stainless steel bracelet or a more refined-looking brown leather band (both of them 22m). A 1.5-inch color touchscreen sits out front, which the onboard 400 mAh battery is claimed to power for an entire day of use. As usual, it gets all the standard Android Wear functionality, from notifications and activity tracking to voice commands and a decent selection of apps. Other features include 4GB of onboard storage, Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity, and the ability to pair with both Android and iOS devices.
The Fossil Q Founder is available now.