Apple Watch fans may have gasped at the $AU1,299 price tag of the Ultra model when it was revealed last September, but that still seems like a bargain compared to some options. TAG Heuer today revealed three new versions of its Connected Calibre E4 smartwatch featuring premium build materials, but they’ve also got price tags fitting the watchmaker’s recognisable branding.
You don’t have to look very hard to tell the new models apart from the existing versions of the Connected Calibre E4, as they each now feature black-coated grade 2 titanium cases with smaller sizing options and hardware that TAG Heuer claims makes for the lightest smartwatches it’s ever built.
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 42-millimetre is the cheapest option amongst the three new additions at $AU3,650, and features a bezel-less face with a 1.28-inch, 416×416 OLED screen pushed to the edges of the case, which is covered with domed sapphire glass featuring a sharper curve around the edges. For comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra features a 1.92-inch, 502×410 OLED screen, for about $AU2,351 less. Feature-wise, the Connected Calibre E4 doesn’t introduce anything new to its predecessor, with battery life still topping out at about a day’s use. It runs the current version of Google’s Wear OS, but TAG Heuer says all three new additions to the line will be getting the Wear OS 3 update later this year.
The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 42-millimetre Golf Edition is slightly more expensive at $AU3,850, but includes a white rubber strap, a black leather alternative with green stitching, and three TAG Heuer-branded golf balls. It does muster some software improvements, too, with details on over 40,000 golf courses around the world, and improved intelligence allowing the smartwatch to track the wearer’s game all on its own without any manual input, including what club they’re using, where they are on the course, and their score.
At $AU3,800, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Sport Edition is the priciest of the three new versions. But at 45 millimetres, it’s also the largest of the three, with dimensions matching the previous Connected Calibre E4 models. It will be a little heavier on the wrist, with a ceramic bezel surrounding the display, but makes up for that with a larger 1.39-inch, 454×454 OLED screen and an alternate strap featuring a breathable rubber mesh for those who actually intend to sweat while wearing it.
The Sport Edition’s most notable software improvement is a new Trail & Hiking feature that finally takes advantage of the watch’s built-in barometer to track altitudes and gradients while running, taking that data into account when it comes to calculating an athlete’s performance.
All three new additions to the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 smartwatch lineup will be available starting later this month.