Maxima Max Pro Turbo: Better battery life and features in the segment; Detailed review

Last month, the Indian watch manufacturer Maxima launched a smartwatch called Max Pro Turbo. The smartwatch is priced at Rs. 2,999 and offers features such as Bluetooth calling, SpO2 tracking and heart rate measurement. We got a chance to experience the device and divided our thoughts into various sections. Overall, the Maxima Max Pro Turbo is one of the better smartwatches in the segment. 

Built quality & Strap

As soon as someone takes the Maxima Max Pro Turbo in their hand, they'll realise that it has a premium finish. The silver metal chassis around the main screen gives the smartwatch a classy look while adding durability to the entire structure. Further, the display has a layer of curved glass which blends well with the edges. The back panel of the smartwatch is made of plastic, which is the case with most budget smartwatches, so no complaints there.

Wearing the watch is a comfortable experience, thanks to the excellent quality silicone straps, which are interchangeable just in case someone wants to experiment with the look of the Max Pro Turbo. Users can wear the smartwatch for the entire day as it is lightweight (It weighs 46 grams with the strap). Further, since it has an IP67 rating, users can wear it while doing their evening cardio or working out at the gym. Overall, in terms of built quality, the smartwatch is among the better ones in its segment.    

Display

The Maxima Max Pro Turbo has a rectangular 1.69-inch TFT IPS display with HD resolution. The display has equal bezels on three sides with a slight chin on the bottom, which is acceptable at its price. Even though this is a large display, the watch does not outsize the wrist. Now, let's talk about the quality of the display. It produces bright and pleasant colours, especially in certain full-screen watch faces.

Since the display has a peak brightness of 550 nits, it is legible even in direct sunlight. Hence, users won't face any trouble looking at the display in bright sunlight, which unfortunately is the case with some of the products in the segment. One thing worth mentioning about the smartwatch is that Maxima has made it simple for the users to set the display brightness. All they have to do is swipe down from the top edge and adjust a slider to adjust the display's brightness.

User Interface

Now, let's talk about the user interface of the smartwatch. As soon as users press the crown button, they will see the home screen with the watch face they've set. Navigation on the smartwatch is easy and natural. Like on their smartphones, users can swipe down from the top of the display to open the quick settings, including the brightness slider, silent toggle, battery saver mode, flashlight, and a weather widget. Another button controls the watch's connection with its companion smartphone. In day-to-day usage, one should find the brightness slider and the Bluetooth connection buttons very handy.

Upon swiping right on the home screen, users will open the smartwatch's main menu, inspired by the app library on the Apple Watch, where several app tiles/icons float around in space. Here, users can tap and drag to enlarge the tiles and open the app they want to. Further, users can control the size of app tiles by rotating the crown located at the right of the display. It is good to see a functional crown on a smartwatch in this segment.

Swiping up from the home screen, users can access up to eight notifications from their smartphone, including notifications from messaging and social media apps. Last, upon swiping left on the home screen, users will scroll through menus like Activity which displays the number of steps, sleep, and other health monitoring features. Overall, the Maxima Max Pro Turbo's user interface feels natural and is easy to move around.  

Health monitoring features

First, the watch can measure users' steps, the calories burnt, and the distance walked. The second menu displays users the sleep they have taken while wearing the smartwatch, dividing it into two light and restful sleep. When it comes to heart rate and SpO2 tracking, the smartwatch is one of the better devices available out there. Compared with an oximeter, the readings on the device were mostly correct, differing by one or two points on occasion.

Nevertheless, no smartwatch provides an absolutely accurate reading of heart rate and SpO2 levels as they use optical sensors to measure the vitals from outside of the body. The Maxima Max Pro Turbo has several sports modes, including walking, running, cycling, skipping, badminton, basketball, football, climbing, tennis, golf, yoga and bowling. Although, it does not have an in-built GPS to track the location of the workouts.

Below attached is the image of a workout that was measured using three smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch Active 2, which is considered to be one of the best smartwatches at its price. As seen in the image, the number of steps measured by the Maxima Max Pro Turbo and the steps by the Galaxy Watch Active 2 are quite close.

Call quality

The Maxima Max Pro Turbo supports Bluetooth calling and has a dedicated menu that contains a dialer pad, recent call log and favourite contacts, which can be added with the help of the SmartFit app. The smartwatch is fully capable of making and receiving calls when connected via Bluetooth with the companion smartphone. While attending calls on the smartwatch, the receivers did not complain regarding the call quality, clarity or loudness of voice. Although the speaker on the watch is loud, users might have to hold it closer to their ears in a noisy environment. To receive calls, one must connect the smart watch using the Bluetooth setting and from the application.

Battery life and charging

This is another aspect where the watch delivers. The Maxima Max Pro Turbo claims to offer a battery life of up to 10 days without the calling function and up to three days with the calling function. In usage, the smartwatch lasted about six to seven days on a single charge while attending short calls every once or twice a day and manually measuring heart rate and SpO2 levels. Although, the battery life could decrease if users enable automatic heart rate monitoring.

Given the price point, the effective battery life is good. The smartwatch calling feature, not only on the Maxima Max Pro Turbo but on all smartwatches, is made to help the user when their smartphone is not handy. Charging the device takes about two hours with the charger in the box.

Maxima SmartFit app

Users can download the Maxima SmartFit app from Google or Apple app to customise their smartwatch. The application allows users to view all the metrics in one place and customise the watch face, enable or disable several settings such as Quick View (life wrist to wake display) and more. Further, the smartwatch can sync with the app to showcase all the notifications the user receives. The application does not take much space and is easy to use.

Price

The Maxima Max Pro Turbo is available on Amazon for Rs. 2,999. At this price, the smartwatch is tough competition to models from companies like Noise and Boat. There are a total of four colours to choose from, including Silver Grey, Jet Black, Gold Black, and Army Green.

Conclusion

The Maxima Max Pro Turbo is a decent smartwatch at the price it comes. Those with a tight budget and looking for a lightweight yet capable smartwatch should go with the Maxima Max Pro Turbo. The smartwatch is made in India and comes with a charger and a few manuals.

Image: Republic World