I am a sucker for smartwatches. I own the Samsung Galaxy Gear and LG G Watch R smartwatches and I even tried a couple of other smartwatches from different brands but still, none of them could match up to my expectations in terms of battery life and user-interface until I recently got my hands on the Pebble Time smartwatch.

Unlike the smartwatches I owned, the Pebble Time Smartwatch is truly a winner in terms of its battery life. On a single charge which takes about 20 minutes to half an hour to get fully charged, the Pebble Time smartwatch could last me for 4 to 5 days of heavy usage. Even when the battery is at zero percent, I like the fact that I could still read the time as the Pebble Time smartwatch would not turn off by itself or black out immediately.

The design of the Pebble Time smartwatch is rather simple and it may not be aesthetically impressive. With a squarish display, a polycarbonate shell, and a wide silicone band; I honest feel out of place when I wear the Pebble Time smartwatch to a formal business meeting but seriously, I don’t really care because it is sporty and comfortable to wear. On second thought, I really do think the Pebble Time Round Smartwatch (another smartwatch model from Pebble) is a worthy companion for formal events!

Checking the time and reading the notifications on the Pebble Time smartwatch is also a breeze for me. With its always-on reflective colour display, I like how I can activate the built-in backlighting with a simple flick of my wrist. Coupled with the new timeline interface, the Pebble Time smartwatch is really nifty and handy.

However, I would not entirely say that the Pebble Time smartwatch is a perfect smartwatch for everyone. If you want a smartwatch that is sexy, well-designed and packed with many rich features, the Pebble Time smartwatch is not something that I will recommend to you. In fact, the Pebble Time smartwatch is meant for the minimalist individual who doesn’t mind spending $149.99 USD on a timepiece that offers the basic functionalities of a smartwatch.

If you make a comparison between the Pebble Time smartwatch and its competitors which are in the same price range, the Pebble Time smartwatch is definitely bound to lose because its competitors would offer features such as a touchscreen display, GPS, NFC support, and a heart rate monitor while the Pebble Time smartwatch does not. But what is really amazing is that despite the minus points, it has not stopped the Pebble Time smartwatch from becoming the best well-funded project in the whole of Kickstarter’s history.

Seriously, if there is one thing that I wish the Pebble Time smartwatch will have; it would be a sapphire glass display because being a rugged and adventurous guy who is always on the move, the probability of me scratching my watch display is very high and a hardy display that can weather the impact of hairline scratches is deeply appreciated. If water sports is your thing, you might want to know that the Pebble Time smartwatch has a water resistance of up to 30m and that makes it super weatherproof.

Looking for a Christmas gift to give to a geeky man? The minimalist smartwatch that is waterproof and functional might just be it.