Skagen Falster 3 X by KYGO smartwatch review

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Introduction

Skagen is a Danish lifestyle brand that's been making watches for 30 years. Though the brand finds itself under the Fossil Group of watch brands - it brings a unique style. Skagen's watches are regarded as minimal, yet stylish and functional. This is exactly how I'd describe the Skagen Falster 3 smartwatch.


The latest edition of the watch is in partnership with premium audio lifestyle brand X by KYGO. Unique to this edition is the matte black wrist strap and watch body. The wrist strap carries the KYGO "X" and you get some exclusive watch faces. The Falster's overall design is more refined with the third generation, but it does share the same key traits with the first iteration: a round, flat watch body with floating lug ends.

Skagen Falster 3 specs and features:

Case: 42mm stainless steel watchcase with matte black finish; 11mm thick
Display: 1.3" round OLED screen; 416x416 px; 328 ppi
Battery: 310 mAh; magnetic pin fast-charger
Weight: 41g (without straps)
Strap size: 22mm; interchangeable quick-release pin
OS: Google Wear OS 2.17
Chipset: Snapdragon Wear 3100
Memory: 8GB ROM; 1GB RAM
Connectivity: Bluetooth v4.2 + LE; Wi-FI 802.11n; NFC
Misc: 3 ATM water resistance up to 30 meters; Google Pay, Google Fit,
Compatibility: Android or iOS (with limited features)
Aside from the solid design and looks of the Falster 3, there's not much else that sets it apart from other Wear OS watches. It's worth noting that there is no shortage of features - the Falster 3 has fitness tracking, heart-rate monitoring, standalone GPS, NFC for Google Pay, rapid charging, a built-in speaker, and a microphone. There's a plethora of sensors including altimeter, ambient light, and gyroscope. There is no cellular-enabled variant of the Falster 3.


The Skagen Falster 3 has a retail price of $295, which is on the high end for a Wear OS smartwatch, so let's find out what the Falster 3 offers and if this stylish package is worth it.

Design and display

The Falster 3's Danish styling is minimal and attractive. The watchcase is round and flat - measuring at 42mm in diameter and 11mm of thickness. The lug ends (where the wristband attaches) floats outward, which gives the Falster its unique look. The watch case is made of stainless steel and in the case of the X KYGO Edition of the Falster 3, it's matte black everything.


The 1.3-inch OLED screen has a thin bezel around it, and the fit of the glass around the case is tight, but there is still a slight groove that can sometimes get gunked up with food or debris. On the left side is a slot for the loudspeaker, and the right side has a total of three buttons. The microphone is also on the right side, as well as a noise-reducing mic at the top of the case.

The middle button doubles as a rotating crown, and can be used for scrolling through the app menu or looking through recent notifications. The other two buttons can be customized for shortcuts.


The back of the case is also black, save for the charging interface and the heart rate sensor. The charging interface consists of two contact rings that let the magnetic charger work in any orientation. This charger has had issues in previous versions of the Falster, but I haven't experienced any in the time I've used the Falster 3.


The X KYGO variant of the watch comes with a silicone strap that features the KYGO "X" on the wearer's side of the band, and a white strap loop (also with branding) accents the all-black look of the watch.


The glass and watch body are both built sturdily. Its stainless-steel body and matte finish are strong and durable. I was installing a new dishwasher and was under the sink wearing it and I realized I forgot to take it off before I jammed my hand past some pipes. I was sure that I scraped it up, but it turned out there was not a scratch on it. Watches go through a lot of rough use and based on my time with this watch, I have the impression that it's built to last like a real watch.

Features, controls, and Wear OS

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