The smartwatch market in India is a crowded space, with new devices appearing almost weekly. Among these, the Layers Anarc Smartwatch in its striking Dark Brilliance color has carved out a distinct identity. As someone who’s spent a good deal of time wearing and testing this watch in real-world settings, I think it’s fair to say it brings a mix of flair and function. At INR 6,849, the Anarc sets its sights on offering standout design alongside the features you’d expect from a capable smartwatch. So, what’s the real story here? Let’s take a closer look.
Key Takeaways:
- The Layers Anarc Smartwatch stands out with a bold octagonal design, built around an industrial-grade stainless steel case and a vivid 1.85-inch AMOLED display.
- It supports all the essential health tracking features, like heart rate, SpO2, stress, and sleep monitoring, using a 6-axis motion sensor.
- Includes Bluetooth calling with environmental noise cancellation (ENC) and even supports TWS earbud connectivity.
- The 350mAh battery offers up to 4 days of use on a single charge, which is respectable considering the AMOLED screen.
- While it’s stylish and feature-rich, there are scattered concerns about the durability of the watch glass.
First Impressions
What struck me first was the design. The octagonal shape isn’t something you see every day. In a market filled with either round or square watches, the Anarc takes a risk, and it pays off. The Dark Brilliance color, with its metallic luster and stainless steel case, looks sharp and premium. At 43.9mm x 39.9mm x 11.2mm, it feels present but not cumbersome. And the liquid silicone strap? Surprisingly comfortable for all-day wear. Clearly, design wasn’t an afterthought here.
Key Specs
- Display: 1.85-inch AMOLED, 60Hz refresh rate, 700 nits peak brightness
- Chipset: Hisilicon processor
- Build: Industrial-grade stainless steel
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Bluetooth Calling with ENC, TWS support
- Water Resistance: IP68 (dust-tight, fresh water immersion up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
- Sensors: Heart Rate, SpO2, Gyroscope, Accelerometer
- Battery: 350mAh, up to 7 days (claimed)
- OS Compatibility: Android 9.0+, iOS 13.0+
- Price: INR 6,849
- Color Tested: Dark Brilliance
Display and UI Experience
The display is honestly one of the highlights. AMOLED screens are known for rich colors and deep blacks, and the Anarc delivers exactly that. With a 60Hz refresh rate, it feels snappy. The 700 nits brightness holds up decently under direct sunlight, though occasionally I did have to tilt my wrist just a bit for better visibility.
Navigating the interface is intuitive. Side buttons and a functional crown with haptics make moving through menus simple and efficient. The UI design is minimalist, which I liked, although some power users might find it too basic. What’s nice is the variety of over 100 watch faces – ranging from simple static styles to interactive ones. You can definitely tweak the look to match your mood.
Performance and Connectivity
The Hisilicon chip under the hood keeps things humming along smoothly. In daily use, I didn’t encounter much lag, the watch generally performed smoothly. There was minimal lag when switching between applications or navigating through menus. The animations were clean, and responsiveness was adequate for a smartwatch in this price segment.
Bluetooth 5.2 ensures a reliable connection to both Android and iOS devices, but Bluetooth 5.4 would have helped in saving some battery juice. The Bluetooth calling feature, enhanced with ENC, really surprised me. Calls made directly from the wrist were clear indoors and outdoors in moderately noisy environments, but you calling feature is almost unusable in windy environments or on roads with traffic. And being able to connect TWS earbuds directly to the watch for music playback? That’s a thoughtful addition for workouts or quick errands.
Health & Fitness Tracking
The Layers Anarc covers the essentials pretty thoroughly. It includes:
- Heart Rate Monitoring: Continuous tracking that aligned reasonably well with other fitness devices I used for comparison. For high-intensity workouts, like any wrist-based sensor, it might have slight variations, but it is accurate enough for general fitness tracking.
- SpO2 Monitoring: Readings were consistent and helpful for a general check-in on blood oxygen levels. I compared it with a dedicated medical grade Spo2 monitor and the readings were at par.
- Sleep Tracking: It broke down light, deep, and REM cycles and provided a general sleep score. Not perfect, but quite decent.
- Stress Monitoring: Handy to glance at, though admittedly I’m not always sure how to interpret those numbers.
- Sports Modes: Over 100, which seems excessive—but it means there’s likely something for everyone.
Of course, as with any smartwatch, these metrics are best seen as guidance rather than medical advice.
Battery Life and Charging
The Layers Anarc comes with a 350mAh battery, and the company claims it can last up to 7 days on a single charge. In my testing, with typical usage involving notifications, a few short calls, continuous heart rate monitoring, and occasional fitness tracking, I consistently got around only 3-4 days of battery life.
If you heavily use Bluetooth calling, Always-On Display (AOD), or extensive GPS-enabled workouts (though the watch uses connected GPS via the phone), the battery life will naturally decrease even further. Charging the Anarc from 0 to 100% takes approximately 2 hours, which is standard, but it heats up way too much while charging. You cannot just directly put it on your wrist as soon as you take out of charging.
Build Quality and Durability
The stainless steel frame gives it a rugged, premium vibe. The IP68 rating means it can handle splashes, sweat, and short dips in water, perfectly fine for gym sessions or a jog in the rain. However, the flat glass has been flagged by a few users for being prone to cracks or shattering with minor drops. I didn’t have that issue myself, but it’s something to consider. And to address this issue, Anarc watch comes with a screen protector out of the box.
Software and App Experience
The Anarc connects to your smartphone via a dedicated app, which acts as the central hub for syncing data, customizing settings, and managing notifications. The companion app is straightforward and functional.
It handles all the basics – syncing health data, customizing watch faces, adjusting settings. There were a few early bugs that users mentioned online, but Layers seems to have rolled out updates that fix some of those. The addition of Always-On Display and more face options through software updates is promising.
Price & Value
At INR 6,849, the Anarc hits a sweet spot for budget-conscious buyers who don’t want to sacrifice on looks or key features. While it doesn’t have the sprawling app ecosystem of a Samsung or Apple Watch, it does what it promises, and it does it fairly well. The value here lies in the distinctive design paired with solid, day-to-day functionality.
Verdict
The Layers Anarc Smartwatch in Dark Brilliance is more than just a stylish wrist accessory – it’s a solid performer. For under 7K, you get a distinctive design, a vibrant display, Bluetooth calling, and decent fitness tracking. Sure, it has some quirks, like possible glass fragility and a fairly minimal UI. But on the whole, it’s a very likable watch.
If you’re after a smartwatch that doesn’t just mimic the mainstream but brings its own flavor to the table, the Anarc might just be the pick for you.
FAQs
Q1: Is the Layers Anarc Smartwatch compatible with iPhones?
A1: Yes, the Layers Anarc Smartwatch is compatible with both Android (version 9.0 and above) and iOS (version 13.0 and above) smartphones.
Q2: Can I make and receive calls directly from the Layers Anarc Smartwatch?
A2: Yes, the Layers Anarc Smartwatch supports Bluetooth calling. It also features Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) for clearer calls.
Q3: What is the battery life of the Layers Anarc Smartwatch?
A3: The Layers Anarc Smartwatch features a 350mAh battery and is claimed to offer up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge. Real-world usage may vary depending on features like Always-On Display and calling frequency.
Q4: Is the Layers Anarc Smartwatch waterproof?
A4: The Layers Anarc Smartwatch has an IP68 rating, which means it is dust-tight and can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. It is suitable for splashes, sweat, and light swimming but not recommended for deep-sea diving or hot water activities.
Q5: What kind of display does the Layers Anarc Smartwatch have?
A5: The Layers Anarc Smartwatch features a 1.85-inch AMOLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 700 nits.
Q6: Can I change the watch faces on the Layers Anarc Smartwatch?
A6: Yes, the Layers Anarc Smartwatch offers a wide variety of watch faces, including static, responsive, and dynamic options, which you can customize through the companion app.
Q7: Does the Layers Anarc Smartwatch track health metrics like heart rate and SpO2?
A7: Yes, the Layers Anarc Smartwatch is equipped with sensors to track various health metrics, including heart rate, SpO2 (blood oxygen), sleep patterns, and stress levels. It also has a 6-axis motion sensor for activity tracking.
