Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 review

Updated: The Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 now faces competition from the likes of the Apple Watch 3 Edition and the Mont Blanc Summit and we've updated this review accordingly.

The Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 is the premium watch brand’s latest attempt to create a fashionable wristwatch that can also provide the same functionality you’d get on other Android Wear products.

This is an expensive but great looking alternative to the likes of the LG Watch Style and Huawei Watch 2, offering the same Android Wear 2.0 functionality in an arguably more attractive package.

Smartwatches aren’t always designed with a fashion focus, but the Tag Heuer has exactly that. But is the premium design and fashion brand enough to pull you in and get you to spend quite a bit more than you would on the other Android Wear products on the market?

Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 price and release date 

• More expensive than most other Android Wear watches
• Starts at $1,550 (£1,200, AU$2,300) but can be much more expensive

Don’t expect the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 to be cheap; this is one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market. Tag has brought its premium prices to the Connected range, which starts at $1,550 (£1,200, AU$2,300) and goes all the way up to $3,100 in the US and £5,700 in the UK.

The higher end product for the UK comes with diamonds embedded in the bezel though, so that’s why that version is so much more expensive.

You can create your own watch on the online Tag Heuer store, and that will mean the price of your watch will vary. It’s out now in the US, UK and Australia, so you’ll be able to get it delivered pretty quickly.

Design and display

• Premium design with the Tag Heuer design ethic
• Can be a bit heavy if you're looking for a fitness friendly device
• Many different design options available but each has a large, bright screen

If you decide to buy a Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45, a big highlight will be the different styles available to you. It doesn’t offer customization to the level that Motorola did with its Moto Maker store functionality for the Moto 360 watches, but there are 56 versions on its UK store at the time of writing.

You can choose the material used on the bezel – your options vary from diamonds to aluminum, titanium to ceramic. There are a mass of different choices as well as variations in color for the bezel,  but if you go for some of the more premium materials you’ll be spending a lot of money.

We found the cheapest version was with a titanium bezel and a silicone strap. You can buy additional straps separately as well, hence why Tag Heuer is calling this a modular watch. 

It’s simple to pop out the strap by pushing on the connectors from the rear of the watch, but we’re not sure this simple switch in straps is deserving of the watch being called ‘modular’.

For the purpose of this review, we used the Blue Mat Ceramic Bezel edition with a Blue rubber band – that costs $1,700/£1,450/AU$2,350.

The core design of the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 is like a premium watch that you’d probably spend far more money on than your average smartwatch. 

The ‘45’ in the name refers to the watch’s diameter. It’s a chunky piece, measuring 13.7mm thick. That means it’s suited to larger wrists, but the sporty styling makes it look intentional, similar to a Garmin Fenix 3.

It’s also waterproof, so you can take this in the water if you want, but we wouldn’t recommend swimming with this device due to the weight.

It’s heavy at 62.5g, but the weight makes it feel premium. And it looks expensive too, as unlike the previous Tag Heuer Connected watch, this has a full metal case.

On the right hand edge there's a crown that feels tactile when you push the button down. You can’t rotate this for navigation like on the Apple Watch, which is a bit of a shame, as that would have made for easier navigation around the watch’s interface.

The bezel, despite being prominent, is even more just for show, as unlike the one on the Samsung Gear S3 it doesn't rotate. The Connected Modular 45 also isn’t a comfortable device to wear while exercising, unlike the Gear S3.

Compared to the size of alternatives on the market such as the Huawei Watch 2, this is a much thicker and larger option for your wrist.

There’s a 1.39-inch AMOLED display. That offers a clear 400 x 400 resolution, which is quite a bit better than most of the competition. It’s also a large screen compared to a lot of other Android Wear products on the market.

We found that particularly good while navigating around the device, which is a touch easier than the last Tag watch thanks to Android Wear 2.0 software.

The screen is one of the best things on the Connected Modular 45, as it’s clear, bright and doesn’t look like a flat tire like we’ve seen on the Moto 360 watches in the past.