Kids' smartwatch comparison: which is the best? imoo Z7, Z1, Xplora, TCL and Apple Watch SE
Verdict in brief
All five kids' smartwatches offer the most important basic features and are close in price. The imoo Z7 has the widest range of features and, with two cameras, the biggest safety package.
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Pros
- imoo Z7: best call quality, video calls with front and rear cameras, body temperature measurement
- imoo Z7 and Z1: location accurate to 10 m, 14 days of location history
- Blocking of unknown calls on the Xplora X6 Play and both imoo models
- App lock on the imoo Z7, Z1 and Apple Watch SE
- Phone calls underwater with the imoo models
Cons
- Apple Watch SE: no camera, needs an iPhone, much more expensive at around €270
- TCL Movetime MT42X: only splash-proof
- imoo Z1: no real-time tracking
- Xplora X6 Play: no health tracking, no video feature
If you want to buy tech for your kids, you are caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, they should have access to current tech and learn to deal with it. On the other hand, you open Pandora’s box with internet access and all its risks. Then there is safety: a smartwatch shows where the kids are moving around, and the kids can get in touch in dicey situations. I compared five smartwatches for kids.
The five models
I compared the imoo Z7 and the Z1, a predecessor model, the Xplora X6 Play, the TCL Movetime MT42X and the Apple Watch SE, on communication, safety and kid-friendliness. The Apple Watch needs an iPhone for pairing. The other four work with Android and iOS. For all of them, you need the respective app on your smartphone.
Communication
All five watches offer calls in both directions. For that, you need a SIM or eSIM on all of them. There are clear differences in call quality and volume. In my view, the imoo Z7 has the best call quality.
- Video call: Only the TCL and the imoo Z7 have a video call feature. I consider it important mainly for safety reasons, because kids can show their surroundings if they don’t know where they are. The Xplora has no video feature.
- imoo Z7 and Z1: They deliver location and live image at the same time. The Z7 offers a 180-degree view: it has a front camera and a rear camera on the underside. The housing can be flipped up for an all-around view. I think that is really cool.
- Apple Watch SE: It has no camera at all, so no photo or video recording.
- Messages: All five can do voice and text messages. The two imoo models and the TCL send photos. Only the two imoo models send videos.
Safety
- Tracking: Except for the imoo Z1, all offer real-time tracking via the app. The Z1 and the Z7 show the location accurate to 10 m. In the app, you can view the location history for 14 days.
- Blocking calls: The Xplora X6 Play and both imoo models block unknown calls and protect against spam and unwanted calls.
- Locking apps: On the two imoo models and the Apple Watch. On the Apple Watch, this is important, because you can load many apps onto the watch, which isn’t necessarily good for kids.
- Usage time: On the imoo Z7 and Z1, you can see how long the watch was used.
- Health: Except for the Xplora, all have heart rate, blood oxygen and a step counter. That can help prevent lack of exercise. The imoo Z7 also measures body temperature and notifies parents if it stays above 37.5 degrees for a longer period.
- Water: Except for the TCL Movetime MT42X, which is only splash-proof, all can handle normal swimming and water fights. In my opinion, a kids’ smartwatch doesn’t need more than that. Strong: with the imoo watches, you can make phone calls underwater.
Kid-friendliness
Except for the Apple Watch, I find all models kid-friendly, appealing and sturdy. Super cute is the Bump to Make Friends feature of the two imoo watches: kids connect with others via Bluetooth. For that, the other child must also have an imoo watch, though.
Prices
All the watches are in the same price segment, between €150 and €180. Only the Apple Watch SE in the GPS version stands out at about €270.
Verdict
All five smartwatches bring the most important basic features. Because the prices are so close together, the imoo Z7 offers the widest range of features and, through its two cameras, the biggest possible safety package. If I had to buy a kids’ smartwatch, it would be this one.
Ad: The video is an ad. You can get the imoo Z7 via the link in the video description.
Questions and answers
- Which kids' smartwatch has the widest range of features?
- In a comparison of five models, the imoo Z7 offers the widest range of features. With its two cameras, it also offers the biggest possible safety package.
- How much do kids' smartwatches cost?
- The four models compatible with Android and iOS cost between €150 and €180. The Apple Watch SE costs about €270 in the GPS version.
- Which kids' smartwatch can be used underwater?
- All except the TCL Movetime MT42X can handle normal swimming and water fights. With the imoo smartwatches, you can even make phone calls underwater.
- Do you need a specific smartphone for a kids' smartwatch?
- Only the Apple Watch SE needs an iPhone. The imoo Z7, imoo Z1, Xplora X6 Play and TCL Movetime MT42X work with Android and iOS. There is an app for all of them, and you need a SIM or eSIM.
- Can you tell whether your child is sick with the imoo Z7?
- The imoo Z7 measures body temperature. Parents are notified if it stays above 37.5 degrees for a longer period.
