Let's get back to talking about smartwatch clones of Apple's most popular Watch series, the ultimate dream for Android users. That dream could become a reality, thanks to the DT No.1 DT Watch 11 Pro, a clone of the Cupertino brand's latest wearable that seems to have what it takes to make me fall in love. It boasts a wealth of features and an excellent price/performance ratio, which I'd like to share with you in this review.
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Design and packaging
The sales package appears to be quite well-crafted, although the contents aren't exactly impressive. They include only the smartwatch, a wireless charging base in true Apple Watch style, a user manual—unfortunately only in English and Chinese, but there's a QR code on the box to download the manual in other languages—and finally, a second strap. By purchasing from the official website, you can also receive a free redemption code for the premium features of the Wear Pro app for one month.
The clone watch is sturdy and well-assembled, boasting a 1:1 aesthetic with that of the Cupertino smartwatch. Its square case is made of aerospace-grade zinc alloy, bringing the total weight (including the strap) to about 37 grams, making it extremely light and comfortable to wear. The overall dimensions of the wearable are 46 mm for the case and 9,5 mm thick. The back, on the other hand, is made of plastic, but of good quality. Here we find the sensors, such as the heart rate monitor and SpO2 value, inserted into the protrusion that also serves for wireless charging, and then the buttons for the quick release of the strap. Another important aspect is the construction of the case, which is made from a single piece, thus preventing any possible opening in the event of a fall.
Speaking of straps, or rather straps, as there are two included: one in neon orange with a very sporty look and a second, more traditional one identical to the one that came with the original Apple Watch, ideal for any context, from business to more casual. Both are made of silicone, durable, comfortable, and quite breathable. They are also fully compatible with the original straps, so you can easily find others on the market.
On the left edge of the metal case, we find the system speaker, which will play multimedia content when needed as well as acting as a speakerphone for Bluetooth calls. On the right edge, we find a physical crown that reacts to rotation, allowing us to navigate the system menus. This feature was undoubtedly copied from the more famous Apple Watches, so much so that we also get a small haptic feedback via vibration.
This crown also serves to turn the display on/off and return to the home screen. There's also an additional button for quick toggles. The DT Watch 11 Pro's case aesthetic is completed by a microphone, useful not only for calls but also for giving commands to the voice assistant, which is compatible with Google, Siri, and Alexa, as well as other functions I'll list later.
Display
The DT No.1 DT Watch 11 Pro's display doesn't disappoint, featuring a large AMOLED display with HD resolution. It features a 2,06-inch panel with a resolution of 410 x 502 pixels, protected by a tempered glass screen (third-generation Corning Gorilla Glass style). The display bezels are quite thin, just like its original sibling, but for a greater wow factor, you can choose from the hundreds of free watchfaces available in the app. There's also an Always-On Display, which unfortunately doesn't activate during fitness tracking. There's no automatic backlight sensor, forcing you to manually adjust it depending on the situation, but even at medium settings, on-screen readability under direct sunlight is excellent, as is color reproduction with fairly deep blacks.
Sensors, range and performance
The battery is a 300 mAh unit that provides approximately three days of battery life before needing to be recharged, with all health monitoring enabled, notifications, and Bluetooth for calls. This isn't an impressive figure, but given the many features, it doesn't disappoint. Charging takes place via a wireless charging dock, typical of Apple watches, in about 2,5 hours. Battery life meets the basic expectations of this watch, as there's no GPS, but the integrated Bluetooth 5.3 module allows for calls. It also boasts a true IP68 certification, so you don't have to worry if you wear it on your wrist while showering or if it gets caught in the rain during your run. On the software level, there's also a function that allows you to drain the speaker and microphone from any water infiltrations. The sports section itself isn't one of this wearable's strong points, even though it offers a wide range of trackable activities. More than anything, the dedicated metrics are the same for all sports. I can say, however, that the reliability of the data collected is similar to more expensive and well-known wearables, but the report is less complete and accurate while the heart rate and SpO2 values are comparable to those of a pulse oximeter.
The sleep monitor is also accurate and reliable, as expected from a smartwatch. In terms of additional features, the brand has included functions such as wrist games, breathing relaxation, and even the ability to transfer a QR code created on your smartphone to the watch's display so you can always have it on your wrist, like a digital business card. NFC is available for payments, but don't worry, it can only be used on Eastern networks like AliPay, WeChat, Union Pay, etc. However, you can use it to clone smart lock cards, for example.
Using Bluetooth 5.3, we can make calls directly from our wrist, even saving favorite contacts, or we can dial the number we want to call. The quality of calls through the speaker is very good, as is the microphone, which provides good voice quality to the person we're talking to. I appreciated the ability to set an alarm directly from the smartwatch without having to go through the app, while the rest of the functions are the standard ones we're used to with other similar devices, such as a stopwatch, timer, weather forecast, music control, remote shutter, etc.
The remote shutter is actually a real gem, as it allows you to see what's being framed by your smartphone camera on the watch display, a function that will allow you to always have selfies or shots in focus. But our DT Watch 11 Pro offers other amazing features, such as the ability to record our voice to take notes or capture a conversation with a friend, with the additional option of transferring the recording to a PC. There's also a compass with altimeter, a weather app that doesn't just display the weather for the coming days, but also provides in-depth information, such as air quality. We can also manage music directly from the watch, transferring MP3 files to the watch's integrated memory (4GB), and pairing Bluetooth headphones.
But the surprising thing is that the DT No.1 brand has included a sort of store where you can download three applications: a translator, Google Maps, and WhatsApp. The translator allows for speech recognition with transcription and simultaneous translation in many languages, such as French, English, Korean, etc. Google Maps allows you to navigate to a specific point by viewing the map directly on the watch's display, useful if you have to walk somewhere and don't want to hold your smartphone in your hand, while WhatsApp allows you to respond to notifications from the messaging app with emojis or messages, which you can dictate by voice, while the system will take care of transcribing them for you. You can't send voice messages, but this is already a great feature that sets this smartwatch apart from many budget competitors. It should be noted, however, that this feature is only available for Android users.
In terms of smart notifications, there's unfortunately nothing to report. We can receive them from all the apps on our smartphone, but we can't respond to them, nor can we view photos, audio, or even emojis—at least not all of them. Furthermore, notifications aren't "synced" with what's displayed on our smartphone, so if they're read on one device or the other, they'll remain stored on one device or the other.
Additional one-of-a-kind features
Among the unique features found only on this DT Watch 11 Pro is the ability to import videos directly to the watch (requires a specific program) using the built-in memory of approximately 4 GB, of which approximately 3,2 GB is actually usable. As mentioned above, there is also a native app for recording voice notes, which can be retrieved by connecting the device to a PC. In fact, the "wireless" base is not truly wireless, that is, it integrates magnetic pogo pins.
Management application
The app you use to sync all your data is called WearPro, available for Android and iOS. There are some flaws, such as a imprecise Italian translation, but you can also change watch faces from the app, some of which are even animated, and there are so many, each one more beautiful than the last. Speaking of watch faces, you can create custom ones with photos or videos. For the rest, you can view historical data on steps, sleep, heart rate, blood pressure, and SpO2, and most importantly, adjust the smartwatch's settings. The app is simple but functional, but in general, those who buy watches like this, in my opinion, do so primarily for aesthetics rather than functionality.
Price and conclusion
The Chinese brand's wearable debuted on the official store at the incredible price of around €34, which actually drops to around €24 by redeeming the coupon found in the banners featured in the article. A bargain and decidedly attractive price considering the device offers an AMOLED display and many interesting features, starting with Bluetooth calling. At this price, we certainly wouldn't have expected it to compete with the original Apple watch, but I can say it's money well spent. A lot of aesthetics, a lot of compromises, but overall, the typical functions of a low-cost smartwatch are performed admirably and satisfactorily. A good display, compatibility with accessories like straps and screen protectors from the original Apple watch, good battery life, and niceties like wrist call make this clone very interesting.
