Runtopia S1 is an example of how technology can become democratic and, even in a very competitive market, even a small name, with clear ideas, can carve out a slice of users.
We have always liked independent proposals and we did not ask ourselves to try this new smartwatch, even if the term as we will see is a bit generous, appreciating the qualities and ideas, often intriguing, to offer you our point of view.
Runtopia S1, the review
Robust and with an Amarcord look
Runtopia S1 comes in a small white box, which shows the “face” of the clock in the foreground. From the box it is clear that the model does not like frivolities very much: the smartwatch and the power cable via USB-A with proprietary connector (clock side) immediately appear inside.
The look appears austere, a bit Amarcord for those who remember the Casio G-Shock models (famous in the 80s and 90s, back on the crest of the wave for a couple of years) both for the shape of the case and the strap, and also for the monochrome liquid crystal display.
Once worn, the Runtopia S1 appears lighter than we thought, with a classic hook on the silicone strap.
Switching on occurs simply by touching one of the two buttons on the side and the first synchronization with the App is a matter of a few minutes.
The case, covered in rubber, is very robust and appears ready for use even out of the ordinary, as long as it can withstand some external injury to the rubber if used in an extreme way, for example for a run in the woods.
The display is touch and its use is alternated with the two side buttons, except for the lighting (timed) which is only a button.
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Runtopia S1, smartwatch but not too much
Let's clarify the doubts immediately: Runtopia S1 does some things that a smartwatch does, such as sync with the smartphone App, and the management of the GPS signal, however it cannot be defined as a smartwatch in the strict sense. The definition of sportwatch can be based on how you want to see the categories but it is a point of view.
Runtopia S1 does not have the Apps (other than the one dedicated to running), it does not have an AppStore and compared to other smartwatches in the market it is obviously limited.
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But the ideas are there, especially that of using a liquid crystal display: this is able to show all the necessary information both during the day and (especially) during activity, but allows a much lower consumption than most of the competitors: just think that a charge of the Runtopia S1 lasted for us (drum roll) 24 days, so much so that we forgot where the charger was and we had to look for it (spoiler: we found it) .
The display shows the time, the number of steps (which, however, as we understand it, does not pass to the App, which only deals with sports sessions), the date and the heartbeat detection. Outside of sports activity, the display also shows SMS and other alerts, as well as of course the silent alarm.
During the activity, on the other hand, it shows the distance, the activity time, the time, the GPS signal and always the heart rate, all in real time (which is what you need), while at the end of the run it shows the summary directly on the display activity, so that if you do not have your smartphone at hand you can still make your own considerations.
The activity
Let's make a premise: we were among the first to try the Runtopia S1, a product that is on the market and that works perfectly, but which, like all the news, could, over time, significantly improve (via software) compared to what is written in these lines. .
Having said that, running is the only activity proposed, divided into outdoor or indoor (outside or inside the house): once the first is selected, the GPS is also activated automatically, which takes a while to capture the signal and communicate with the satellites. , a few seconds which, however, are forgiven because, as far as we are concerned, the accuracy seemed more than good.
Indeed, compared to a Fitbit Ionic, it seemed to us that the accuracy increased as the duration of the run increased, as did the heartbeats, the difference of which was a few numbers below, but nothing so particularly relevant.
The function is missing, for those who, like the writer, are not an athlete, which detects the stop and restart automatically, things that can be done from the display or from the buttons in a simple way only if done via the App.
In the end, everything synchronizes with the App: we give it an abundant sufficiency, in the sense that it does its job with a clear, clean and modern interface, but which lacks some fundamental features, such as the detection of steps daily and, possibly, heart rate at rest.
Instead, there are the typical trappings of athletes and non-athletes, such as the management of medals and a small social network.
Considerations
The vote of the Runtopia S1 is undoubtedly positive, because such an advanced device for running, which is the most popular activity among those looking for a sports watch, usually costs at least twice as much, in some cases even seven times as much, to equalize the battery life and the presence of GPS and heart rate.
The model is ideal for those who alternate it with an analog watch, a less advanced smartband or simply for those looking for a faithful companion during physical activity (running) and have no great interests outside of that.
The hardware capabilities of the watch are there and the display is good, considering that it does not have to keep up with an App Store: what is missing, even considering the price and keeping in mind the young age, is undoubtedly greater software support for non-sporting activities (because we keep the watch all day anyway), which we hope will arrive with a software update as soon as possible.
Pros:
• Excellent price / performance ratio • The display lasts almost a month • It accompanies you everywhere, wet or not
Cons:
• The daily activity is poorly maintained • It is not a smartwatch in the strict sense • Only for running (for now)
Price:
• 70.00 Euro (79.00 Dollars)
Runtopia S1 is currently available at the parent company's website at a very attractive price of 70 Euros.
