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When the LG Watch Urbane made its debut earlier this year, many reviewers swooned over its gorgeous styling and dazzling display.
Of course, it’s a premium watch, so it comes at a premium price. The Urbane sold for $349, and has recently dropped to $279. But today, and for a limited time, Expansys has the LG Watch Urbane (silver) for $224.99 shipped. That’s the lowest price I’ve seen. But is this really a good deal?
Just to clarify, this is the original Urbane, not the brand new one that was just announced.
I spent some time with the Urbane a few weeks ago, and one thing is certain: it’s a beauty. Love the silver bezel, love the black leather strap, love the eye-popping 1.3-inch color screen. That said, in case it’s not obvious from the photo, the design definitely skews toward men’s wrists. And so does the size. Sorry, ladies. (Actually, it’s LG that should be apologizing.)
Although the watch runs on Android Wear, that software is now compatible with iOS. The good news is that it works. The bad news: it works in a very limited way. You can get notifications from your phone, but you can’t respond to most of them. And you can’t install third-party apps or watchfaces, either.
Even so, if notifications are your main driver — and they’re certainly the main reason I wear a smartwatch — the Urbane makes a decent enough iPhone companion.
But I must say, I really dislike Android Wear. It’s frequently confusing and often frustrating. Of course, I suspect some Apple Watch owners would say the same about Watch OS. Can you live with it? Sure. Will you want to? That, I can’t answer.
But others can. Over 200 Amazon buyers rated the Urbane 4.3 stars out of 5, and CNET’s Scott Stein scored it a 7.2 out of 10 — though one of his dings was price. At $349, the Urbane feels too dear. At $225 out the door, it’s awfully tempting.
Bonus deal: On the other hand! The original Pebble Steel, still among my favorite smartwatches, continues to creep down in price. Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Pebble Steel in black or silver for $89.99 shipped (plus sales tax). That’s considerably less than the newer Pebble Time Steel, which runs $250 and looks less cool. Also, if you ask me, the newer model’s color display adds nothing to the equation. (The longer battery life is awesome, though.)
