Pininfarina Senso Hybrid Smart Watch Review – PMH01A-01

Pininfarina is a design agency that’s finest identified for its vary of iconic automotive designs, together with the Alfa Romeo Spider and the legendary Ferrari Testarossa.

They’ve now partnered with Globics, a agency that specialises in hybrid and digital smartwatches, to supply the Pininfarina Senso.

Whereas I’m all in with Garmin, I can see the enchantment of hybrid smartwatches, they cater for individuals who choose the aesthetic of a standard analogue watch however need a number of the performance of a wise watch, together with well being and health monitoring.

They don’t seem to be the primary model to do that, with Withings dominating the hybrid area of interest, however it’s a lot much less aggressive than the traditional multisport and smartwatch market.

Associated Critiques

Specification / Options

• Pininfarina Senso
  • Case: 316L chrome steel
  • Wristband: Italian real leather-based strap
  • Wristband clasp: Chrome steel
  • Glass: Sapphire glass with anti-fingerprint coating
  • Watch diameter: 44mm
  • Wristband width: 22mm
  • Show measurement: 11mm
  • Watch thickness:16mm
  • Waterproof: 5 ATM
  • Constructed-in rechargeable battery with 30 days reported battery life
• Sensors
  • Accelerometer
  • Optical coronary heart fee sensor (PPG)
  • 3D magnetometer sensor
  • ECG sensor
  • Metrics and options
  • On-demand ECG and SpO2 monitoring
  • Coronary heart fee monitoring
  • Sleeping monitoring
  • Alarm setting
  • 24/7 exercise monitoring
  • Pre-loaded sport mode
  • Linked GPS
  • Notifications
  • Climate forecast
  • Chrono and timer
  • E-compass
  • Distant management (Music and Digicam)
  • Stress stage detection
  • Breathe coaching
  • Hydration and Sedentary reminder
  • Menstrual cycle monitoring
• Connectivity
  • BLE 5.0. You should allow Bluetooth reference to location settings to get pleasure from GPS monitoring performance.
• Appropriate OS
  • iOS 16.0 or greater
  • Android 11 or greater

Pininfarina Senso / Gobics vs Withings

Globics doesn’t seem to promote watches on to shoppers. As a substitute, it produces a variety of hybrid and smartwatch platforms that different manufacturers, like Pininfarina, use.

Trying on the product specification and the watch face design I suspected that the underlying {hardware} is likely to be the identical as one of many Withings watches.

The ScanWatch fashions all have the monochrome OLED show and subdial in the identical place, and the subdial will also be used for show steps or exercise objectives.

Each manufacturers have the identical 30-day battery life, 5ATM water resistance and use linked GPS relatively than built-in GPS. They each have Sapphire glass shows and 316L chrome steel casings.

The charger design is kind of related, with two electrodes and a small plastic nubbin between the electrodes.

However there are some variations that point out the Globics {hardware} is completely different:

The PPG optical coronary heart fee sensor is a special design than any of the ScanWatches. It has a design just like the PPG of the Metal HR, however the Globics/ Pininfarina has an extra LED to the best of the sq. sensor. Nevertheless, I’ve by no means seen the LED activate in order that it might be one thing else.

The Pininfarina watch solely does on-demand SpO2 readings, whereas lots of the Withings watches can routinely do night time readings.

Then, after all, the app itself is totally completely different.

Design

The general look and construct high quality of this watch are its important promoting level of the Senso PMH01A-01. If it wasn’t for the small digital show, you’d simply assume this a luxurious watch from one of many huge manufacturers.

The Senso boasts a sturdy and classy 316L gunmetal gray PVD chrome steel case. Measuring 44mm in diameter and 16mm in thickness, the case encompasses a brushed end on the physique, whereas the fastened bezel on the high showcases a refined end, creating an attention grabbing distinction. The watch’s crown, positioned on the 3 o’clock place, is knurled for simple grip and is flanked by two push buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock, permitting the wearer to work together with the dial’s numerous capabilities. The dial is protected by scratch-resistant and shatter-proof sapphire crystal glass, making certain the watch’s longevity and sturdiness.

The textured dial of the Pininfarina Senso encompasses a hybrid analogue-digital show, combining the most effective of each analogue and digital parts. The analogue show consists of silver baton-style hour markers and a luminous baton-style handset, enabling simple studying of the time even in low-light situations. On the 12 o’clock place, an OLED sub-dial shows the watch’s quite a few capabilities, whereas a second sub-dial at 6 o’clock showcases a 60-second show, including to the watch’s performance and visible enchantment.

Complementing the watch’s premium design is a real Italian leather-based strap in a wealthy brown hue. The strap not solely offers a cushty match but in addition provides a contact of class to the general aesthetic of the watch. Securing the strap is a chrome steel pin buckle clasp, making certain a safe and adjustable match for the wearer.

With a water resistance ranking of fifty metres, the watch is appropriate for swimming and might stand up to splashes and showers, although it isn’t really helpful for water sports activities or diving.

On the underside of the watch is the PPG coronary heart fee sensor, and to the left of that is the metallic contact factors for charging.

I don’t have intensive watch data, however the general aesthetic is vaguely just like the IWC Pilot watches, however with a squarer case. I personally assume this seems nicer and extra elegant than the designs Withings has used on its ScanWatch fashions.

Set Up

Organising the Pininfarina Senso is easy. After downloading the companion app and creating an account, you pair the watch by way of Bluetooth. The app guides you thru the method, which includes urgent the crown of the watch when it’s on cost.

As soon as paired, the app prompts you to enter private info like age, top, weight, and health objectives. This knowledge personalises the monitoring options and suggestions.

The app itself has a clear, intuitive interface. The principle dashboard shows an summary of your every day stats, together with steps, coronary heart fee, sleep, and extra. Tapping into every metric reveals extra detailed insights and traits over time.

Navigating the watch’s options is equally user-friendly. The OLED show reveals the time by default, and you may cycle by way of completely different screens utilizing the buttons, displaying knowledge like steps, coronary heart fee, climate, and notifications. Turning the crown accesses a menu the place you can begin exercises, take ECG and SpO2 readings, set alarms, and modify settings.

One minor gripe is the slight delay when elevating your wrist to view the time. The show takes a few second to light up, which will be mildly annoying. Nevertheless, that is seemingly a battery-saving measure and a typical concern with hybrid watches.

Health Monitoring

The Pininfarina Senso affords primary health monitoring that will probably be enough for informal use. I used to be glad to see that that it’s attainable to sync your actions with Strava. Massive manufacturers like Huawei and Honor had been very sluggish to implement this straightforward characteristic, and it made the watches lose enchantment to many runners and cyclists.

The watch lacks GPS and, due to this fact, depends on assisted GPS out of your telephone. Although, when it does join, the accuracy is nice, which is reward of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely greater than the watch.

This may be problematic; regardless that I had allowed the app to entry my location on a regular basis, on at the very least one event, after I went working, it didn’t connect with the telephone’s GPS and, due to this fact, didn’t plot my route or precisely measure distance.

Moreover, I discovered that the guts fee monitoring was not correct in any respect. It is a frequent drawback with a wrist-based HRM, and I’ve bony and bushy wrists, which doesn’t assist. One huge issue within the inaccuracy is that the watch has a leather-based strap, and it’s unattainable for me to get it tight sufficient. You should purchase rubber straps, which can considerably enhance the efficiency.

The HRM is ok for every day put on and fewer intense actions like strolling.

The info you get again from the app is primary however effective for most individuals. It’s simply the essential stuff like your route, distance, tempo, tempo evaluation, coronary heart fee evaluation, then steps and energy. So no superior working evaluation like floor contact time, symmetry/gait, VO2 max or coaching standing.

For every day exercise, the watch routinely tracks steps, energy burned, and distance travelled. You’ll be able to set every day objectives within the app, and the watch’s subdial will present your progress all through the day. The step monitoring appears correct, carefully matching my telephone’s pedometer.

Well being Monitoring

Past health, the Pininfarina Senso additionally affords a number of well being monitoring instruments.

It has all the standard options, akin to step counting, sleep monitoring, resting coronary heart fee, and energy.

You then have some extra superior options which have rolled out to watches in recent times. There are SpO2 (blood oxygen) measurements, however these are on-demand solely, whereas most competing choices present some type of steady monitoring. For those who don’t have a identified drawback along with your lungs, after getting accomplished one studying and confirmed your SpO2 is ok, you don’t actually need to repeatedly monitor it, and I at all times change it off on my Garmin.

You then get on-demand ECG readings, which is a much less frequent characteristic however is rising in recognition, with Apple, Withings, Garmin and Samsung supporting it on some gadgets.

Just like SpO2, in case you don’t have a identified coronary heart drawback, after getting accomplished it a couple of occasions, you shouldn’t have to do it often except you might be at excessive danger of creating an issue.

One purpose why it’s possible you’ll need to use the ECG extra usually is the stress stage detection which makes use of coronary heart fee variability (HRV) knowledge, the watch assigns a stress rating from 1-100, with greater values indicating greater stress. The app additionally guides you thru respiratory workouts to assist cut back stress ranges.

You then have handbook monitoring for issues like hydration, weight and menstrual cycle monitoring.

Sleep Monitoring

Sleep monitoring has at all times been a well-liked characteristic of smartwatches. The watch routinely detects once you go to sleep and get up, and offers a breakdown of your mild, deep, and REM sleep levels. The app additionally provides you a sleep rating based mostly on metrics like whole length, effectivity, and restfulness.

I discovered it moderately correct, it was a bit off with the time I acquired to sleep however I’m a little bit of a stressed sleeper. On one event it utterly tousled however that’s a problem that occurs with most watches.

My important gripe is that the app solely offers an in depth evaluation of your earlier night time’s sleep. You’ll be able to’t scroll again and look at the opposite days; you possibly can solely see the essential sleep log. I typically prefer to view historic knowledge, as it may be helpful to attempt to establish patterns that trigger sleep issues or enhance sleep.

Battery

One of many strongest promoting factors of hybrid watches is the distinctive battery life, and the Pininfarina Senso is not any completely different.

Pininfarina claims the watch can last as long as 30 days on a single cost.

I discovered that in my regular use with all of the options enabled, every day health monitoring and some SPO2/ECG measurements, the watch falls properly in need of this quantity, however it’s nonetheless round 2 weeks, which is greater than enough for my wants.

For me, it has to cost a smartwatch every day, which actually bothers me, which is why I’ve by no means dedicated to WearOS. Something over 5 days is nice in my books.

When it’s time to recharge, the included USB charger tops up the watch comparatively rapidly. Going from a low battery warning to 100% took just below two hours in my testing.

Value and Various Choices

The Pininfarina Senso has an RRP of £399 and is obtainable in 4 designs:

• Moonlight Silver (reviewed)
• Mercure Gray
• Sunburst Rose Gold
• Slate Gray

You should purchase it instantly from pininfarina-hybridwatchbyglobics.com, and it’s obtainable on Amazon UK.

Withings could be the principle various choice as they’re one of many solely manufacturers that concentrate on hybrid watches. They’ve:

• ScanWatch Nova for £549
• ScanWatch Horizon for £449
• ScanWatch 2 for £320
• ScanWatch for £280
• Metal HR Sport for £189

All of the watches have 30 days of battery life and both 5ATM or 10ATM water resistance. The ScanWatches all have Saphire glass shows with a 316L chrome steel case.

When it comes to options, they’re all superior to the Pininfarina. All of the ScanWatch fashions have an ECG and an Oximeter, however Nova and ScanWatch 2 have 24/7 temperature monitoring. None of them have GPS.

There are different hybrid smartwatches. Maserati has its personal, albeit with very restricted performance and no HRM. Fossil has the Commuter hybrid smartwatch, and Garmin has a variety of trend and hybrid smartwatches, together with the Lily, Vivomove and Intuition Crossover. However, not of those competing choices compete with the general look of the Pininfarina Senso.

General

I just like the Pininfarina Senso, however it’s removed from excellent. Nevertheless, it has big potential.

If I had been judging this watch purely on its good options, it wouldn’t be that good. It is a watch you purchase primarily for the aesthetics, and the good options are an added bonus.

It’s considered one of, if not the best-looking smartwatches available on the market. The ScanWatch Nova and Horizon definitely compete with their look, which is analogous to the Rolex Submariner or some Tag watches.  However I personally choose the look of the Pininfarina Senso.

The app and general good options are what let it down barely, particularly contemplating the £400 price ticket. The app seems good, however it doesn’t have the extent of knowledge that competing manufacturers have. Syncing appears to be very sluggish, and I had some points with the linked GPS working.

Whereas the app shouldn’t be superb, it nonetheless works, and it’ll seemingly do every little thing most individuals need from a hybrid smartwatch. I’m simply extra demanding as I’m a eager beginner athlete and accustomed to the information and performance of my Garmin.

I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Captivated with all issues know-how, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cell, wearables, and good residence gadgets.

As a health fanatic who loves working and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related know-how, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My numerous pursuits permit me to deliver a singular perspective to tech running a blog, merging life-style, health, and the most recent tech traits.

In my tutorial pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Techniques Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior research additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the know-how curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has persistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many high know-how blogs within the UK. With my dedication to know-how and drive to share my insights, I purpose to proceed offering my readers with participating and informative content material.