Hugo Boss Touch review

Both style and substance in a Wear OS watch

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Verdict

If you're looking for a fashionable watch to wear, the Hugo Boss Touch may just be the best choice for you.

While it won't offer the incredible battery life of the Hugo Boss hybrid watches, coming with Wear OS software and a big display means this watch offers a lot more functionality.

It still doesn't offer as much functionality as watches from some of the leading smartwatch manufacturers, but then again the design is the real hook here and if you like that you're probably already readying your credit card.

Who's this for?

Hugo Boss fans are the number one market for the Touch. If you identify with the brand, love the look of this watch and you're interested in getting a smartwatch strapped around your wrist, buying this is sort of a no-brainer.

If you don't particularly care for the Hugo Boss brand, but you want a premium feel watch for an affordable price, this is still a good option for you, though products like the Emporio Armani Connected offer similar features for around the same price.

Although you can get more functionality from smartwatches like the Ticwatch S, Apple Watch 3 or Samsung Gear Sport, none of those products have the same design as these fashion-led alternatives.

If that's what is most important to you - as well as having smartwatch features - then the Hugo Boss Touch and its relations are designed specifically for you.

Should you buy it?

Buy this if you're enamored with the look of the watch and you're convinced you want a smartwatch.

You will have to charge it up every night and you won't get the fitness features some desire from a smartwatch, but it looks eye-catching on the wrist and feels like a premium, well-designed product with the latest Wear OS tech inside.

Plus keeping the price down to below £250 / $300 means this watch is competing well with a variety of other smartwatches rather than using the Hugo Boss name to try and charge insane amounts of money for a watch that will only last you around five years.

Competition

Not sold on the Hugo Boss Touch? Take a look at some of the alternatives we’d recommend for you.

Emporio Armani Connected 

A lot of whether you want the Hugo Boss Touch is going to come down to the design, and if you’re not a fan you may prefer the look of the Emporio Armani Connected. It’s a similar price to the Hugo Boss watch, but it doesn’t come with NFC so you won’t be able to make contactless payments with it.

Apart from that there are a lot of similarities between these two Wear OS watches so it will likely come down to the design when deciding which - if either - to buy.

Apple Watch 3 

One just for the iPhone users here, but the Apple Watch 3 is the pinnacle of the smartwatch right now and it’s actually around the same price as the Hugo Boss Touch depending on where you live.

It’s a little more clear the Apple Watch 3 is a smartwatch from a quick glance at your wrist, but if you want access to fitness features and you already own an iPhone it’s worth considering the Apple alternative over the Hugo Boss.

Diesel On Full Guard 

We didn’t intitally love the Diesel On Full Guard. Our review said, “For the price, you can do a lot better – you're essentially buying the brand here, rather than a leading Wear OS timepiece.” All of that said, it’s a similar price to the Hugo Boss Touch and it may be the perfect design for you.

Design is a big, important factor when it comes to these high-end smartwatches that have a more fashionable edge, so you may find yourself leaning toward the Diesel option over the Hugo Boss.

First reviewed: June 2018

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.