The Sequent SuperCharger 2 is a fitness tracking smartwatch you never need to charge. Ever. How is that possible? It utilizes kinetic movement to power the watch — wear it, and it takes power from your movements — just like traditional automatic watches have done for decades. But here it goes beyond simply keeping the time, it tracks your steps and syncs to your phone using Bluetooth. All without a battery or a charging cable in sight.
The SuperCharger 2 follows Sequent’s first smartwatch, the SuperCharger, which Digital Trends saw at the 2018 Baselworld watch show. It used the same principle, and also shared a similar design, but there are various changes between the two models — most notably the price. While the SuperCharger cost at least $500, the SuperCharger 2 is yours for as little as $180.
Its self-charging technology is the standout feature, being both technically impressive and incredibly useful, but what else do you get? Like the original SuperCharger, Sequent is using Kickstarter to sell the SuperCharger 2. However, I have tried out a prototype to see what it’s like. The design is similar to the first, with a minimalist circular face, a convex piece of glass over it, and an aluminum or stainless steel case. A single crown sits on the right, complete with Sequent’s logo stamped on it, and operates only as a button to prompt the Bluetooth connection.
The $180 model comes with mineral glass and an aluminum body, while the more expensive models starting at $220 come with sapphire crystal and a stainless steel case. There are various colors and finishes available, including a model with a transparent dial, and a limited edition with a deep, inky black finish. It’s not a large watch at only 41mm, so should be suitable for small wrists. Rubber and leather straps are available, along with “ocean textile,” which uses recycled plastic bottles in its construction.
Sync the watch with your phone, using Sequent’s custom app for Android or iOS, and you can see step count, calorie burn, and distance traveled data, plus you can utilize the phone’s GPS for individual sport tracking. On the watch face is a large sub-dial to show progress towards your step goal. Wear the watch at night for sleep tracking, and the body is water-resistant to 50 meters too. Finally, there’s a cryptocurrency-based rewards program linked to the fitness tracking.
The prototype sent by Sequent gave me an understanding of the design and wearability, however not all the features are ready, and there are still parts of the watch that are unfinished. The body has a pleasing amount of weight to it, and the curved glass over the face attractively catches the light, but the plastic ring that runs around the case lessens the SuperCharger 2’s premium appearance.
The ocean textile strap is extremely stiff, even after wearing it for a few hours, and is a little scratchy on the wrist. The closure method, which is something like the Apple Watch Sport’s pin-and-hole system, isn’t quite ready either. The mechanism isn’t final on the prototype, but there is a transparent case back to show it off on the final versions. I couldn’t wear the prototype for long, as the mechanism’s rotor makes a distracting noise, which I’ve been told will be fixed.
Sequent’s app is still tailored for the first Supercharger and although the watch still synced quickly, the step tracking feature is not working yet. The app does show the power reserve of the watch; but it’s unfortunate the power reserve meter from the SuperCharger’s watch face doesn’t return on the SuperCharger 2. Other significant features are missing here, as the SuperCharger 2 does not have a heart rate sensor or built-in GPS like the first either. However, this is what makes it more affordable.
Sequent’s Kickstarter campaign for the SuperCharger 2 has already met its modest goal after only 24 hours. There are still various models available to buy at the time of writing, including the premium and transparent versions. The SuperCharger 2 watch is scheduled to ship at the beginning of 2020. Remember, Kickstarter projects come with risks, so consider this before backing. This isn’t Sequent’s first watch though, and both it and the prototype shows it has a great understanding of smartwatches, and how to make a desirable one that stands out.
