Review: TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – Back to The Future

A little over 30 years ago, my eyes fell upon an ad in a magazine for a blue TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph watch. I was smitten.

I still have that watch today and thanks to regular TLC from TAG Heuer, it is as reliable today as the day I brought it home after parting with (then) a considerable amount of my hard-earned.

Whilst there is something very romantic about an old-school timepiece, time and tide wait for no man and like many watchmakers, TAG Heuer has embraced the connected-watch shift and we have been sampling one of their latest releases – the Connected Calibre E4 – specifically the 45mm version with a very smart orange rubber strap.

We have reviewed many smartwatches here at SonnyDickson.com and whilst most of them have followed the same reliable formula, the new TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 sets itself apart with a great combination of design and manufacturing excellence as well as being feature-packed for everyday use.

What’s Special About the TAG Heuer Calibre E4?

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 is an all-in-one fitness and smartwatch that offers a suite of features to help you achieve peak performance – whilst looking every bit a TAG Heuer timepiece. For example, it not only provides you with crucial fitness information like your heart rate and workout data; but it also allows you to receive notifications on the watch for incoming calls, texts and even emails.

TAG Heuer has always been an innovator in the world of sports watches. They were one of the first companies to introduce products with advanced functions such as time zones and chronographs. TAG Heuer’s Connected Calibre E4 watch is just another way they are staying true to their tradition of innovation.

The smarts for the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 are provided by the Google Wear OS that runs on the electronic nervous system of the watch. Unlike other, Android-based platforms in the past, Wear OS works seamlessly with Android or iOS smartphones.

Housing this power and capability is a 45mm Grade 2 titanium body with a matt sandblasted finish that I expect will wear very well over the years. The crown and function buttons are blended into the design such that they don’t upset the lines of the Calibre E4 nor cause accidental data interruptions when you’re working hard boxing at the gym.

Why Upgrade Your Traditional Sports Watch?

Traditional sports watches are not enough to meet our need for connection and convenience. And that’s what TAG Heuer’s Connected Calibre E4 smartwatch offers. TAG Heuer has always been a pioneer in the luxury watch market, but now they want to offer more. That’s why they created the world’s first true smartwatch for men.

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 is available in three versions of each of the 42mm and 45mm diameters:

• Titanium Case with Rubber Strap
• Steel Case with Steel Bracelet (or Black Leather Strap)
• Steel Case with Rubber Strap

Plus there’s another version for the golf enthusiasts called the Connected Golf Edition.

TAG Heuer has developed their smartwatch to help you stay on top of your schedule, send and receive messages, track your fitness and health, and so much more. Features like text notifications and activity tracking will have you forgetting that this is a traditional watch at all.

I also love the little nuances of the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 – the digital luminescence of the screen in ‘always on’ mode is a great example of the traditions of Swiss watchmaking being modernised and honoured.

Design

TAG Heuer has always largely focused on its design and function. The smartwatch is designed to be lightweight and comfortable. It’s also water-resistant up to 50 meters which means it can withstand any situation you put it in while still being compatible with the most popular fitness apps and running metrics.

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E34 features an AMOLED display 1.39″ touchscreen with Sapphire Crystal Glass that is high-resolution and bright (454×454 pixels at 326ppi), making it easy to read at any time. Plus, the Connected Calibre E4 includes a very responsive microphone that you can use for voice commands and phone calls among other things thanks to Google Assistant. The TAG Heuer app also lets you customise your watch-face – right down to the complications.

The glass back houses the heart-rate monitor and other vital sensors as well as the connection points for the battery charger. Unfortunately, there’s no wireless charging on the Calibre E4.

Display and Hardware

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 features a touchscreen 1.39″ AMOLED display and metal body that is water-resistant up to 50 metres. The display has an auto-brightness function that makes it very easy to read in bright sunlight or on the road at dawn.

The case measures 45mm in diameter, has a thickness of 15.3mm, and weighs just under 90 grams thanks to the use of titanium.

Another thing worth mentioning is the rubber strap, which was designed to be soft and flexible to ensure maximum comfort for daily wear. The rubber straps come in black, orange, red, lime green, light blue, khaki, and a brown leather version – designed specifically for the Connected Calibre E4 42mm version.

Software

This is where in my opinion the rubber hits the road with any connected watch. All watches have the same primary function – to tell you the time – however, it’s the extra features, the ‘sizzle’ as some might say, that sets a smartwatch apart.

Thanks to the combination of Swiss engineering and Google coding, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 sets a new benchmark for me in terms of the day-to-day liveability of a smartwatch.

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 has a wide selection of software features. The watch offers smart notifications, which alert you when you receive an email, text, or app notification. And if you don’t want to be bothered by an incessant buzzing sound on your wrist, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 lets you set silent alarms that will notify you with vibrations.

From a fitness point of view, the Connected Calibre E4 is again a step above, with built-in workouts with haptic feedback to give you instructions as well as hyper-accurate vital statistics measurements for heart rate and movement.

These fitness programs are perfect for advanced fitness levels or those of us that need a little more encouragement.

Connectivity and Battery Power are two other features of the Connected Calibre E4 that enable massive advantages.

Wireless Connectivity

• Wifi
• Bluetooth 5.0

Sensors

• Heart Rate
• Compass
• Accelerometer
• Gyroscope
• NFC
• Microphone
• Barometer
• Ambient Light

Battery

• 440 mAh
• 1h 30min charging time to 100%

And because this is a smartwatch, there are other apps like music control; it can work with Spotify to help you find new songs to listen to and download them directly onto your watch for the ultimate music listening experience without having to whip out your phone every time.

Final Words

TAG Heuer’s new Connected Calibre E4 smartwatch is the perfect example of a sports watch that has been upgraded to become a smartwatch. It not only covers all of your daily fitness needs, it also offers a suite of smartwatch features to make your daily routine a tad bit more convenient.

The Swiss company is one of the most well-known and prestigious in the world, offering watches for all occasions. TAG Heuer’s newest offering is an excellent example of how traditional watchmaking has evolved to keep up with modern technology.

To sum this watch up – the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 is everything you could possibly ask for in a perfect modern-day timepiece: classic style, durable construction, luxurious materials, precision engineering, intuitive connectivity, refined design and Swiss quality craftsmanship.

Available from TAGHeuer.com – as tested in Titanium and Orange Rubber Strap – $3,650