Running Reimagined: Smart Plans for Beginners [e245]

Since I started running, I've been using a TOMTOM watch, but in June, its buttons suddenly stopped working. Just when I was agonizing over which new watch to get, I got the opportunity to beta test the new Codoon X3 sports watch. Well, I guess this is a kind of reward for hard work, hahaha.

In late July, I finally received the long-awaited Codoon X3 and couldn't wait to unbox it.

The Codoon X3 comes in a black paper box adorned with the green Codoon logo. The packaging is simple and elegant, avoiding excessive and impractical packaging, which aligns well with the current environmental themes.

Opening the box, the Codoon X3 is fully presented. Like the outer packaging, the X3 is also simple and lightweight, weighing only 52g. It has a metallic feel but is not heavy. The round dial has a diameter of 45mm, which is a suitable size for Asians. The black and orange quick-release strap design prevents the watch from being too monotonous, but the strap material feels a bit stiff and lacks breathability, causing slight discomfort during long-term wear, especially during sleep. I believe this will improve over time, and I hope more strap materials and colors will be available. The lower layer of the box contains a clip-on charging dock, a user manual, and a 'Running Handbook,' which covers running posture, weight loss running methods, dealing with plateaus, running plans, pre-race preparation, race strategies, and injury management. It's quite considerate.

The Codoon X3 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for its screen. The semi-transmissive, semi-reflective color touchscreen can display data clearly in almost any lighting condition. The default main menu of the dial is black and white. The lower black area shows the date, time, and day of the week, while the upper white area displays the day's steps, calories burned, and remaining battery. The basic elements of a sports watch are clear at a glance. There are also two other dials to choose from, catering to personalized needs.

The back of the Codoon X3 has two charging contacts that fit perfectly with the clip-on dock. However, this also means that the X3 can only be charged in this one way, which I find slightly inconvenient but not a major issue. The two green-wave four-light heart rate sensors on the top ensure the accuracy of heart rate measurements to the greatest extent.

Since the watch is produced by Codoon, it currently only supports the Codoon app. The initial binding process is super simple: open the Codoon app, click on the discovery menu, and scan the QR code on the watch face using the scan function. After binding, you can view and set it in 'My Equipment.' It can monitor data such as sleep and heart rate and has smart message notifications, call reminders, sedentary reminders, and alarm functions. Data is automatically synced and uploaded when the app is opened in a Bluetooth environment. The upload speed is faster than other devices I've used, comparable to Bolt in the watch world. In actual tests, the step count of the Codoon X3 is not much different from that of the iPhone and updates in a timely manner. The X3's performance in step count algorithms and recognition is trustworthy.

The Codoon X3 uses a combination of physical buttons and a touchscreen. After unlocking the main menu with any physical button, swiping left enters the sports mode page. Currently, it offers seven sports modes: outdoor running, indoor running, walking, indoor walking, cycling, mountain climbing, and pool swimming. It also supports interactive experience courses within the Codoon app.

Continuing to swipe left on the menu, you can successively enter the local weather, air quality index (AQI), heart rate, and more functions interfaces. Notably, the 'more functions' section includes a compass function, which, after calibration, can be used with the directional scale on the watch face to meet the basic needs of outdoor enthusiasts.

After getting familiar with the Codoon X3, I couldn't wait to try it out. Coincidentally, it was time for the regular run event of Beijing aR, so I chose the familiar Olympic Forest Park for the X3's debut.

The Codoon X3's sports initiation process is quick. After unlocking the screen, long-pressing the upper physical button enters the star search and positioning stage. In an urban environment, it can accurately locate within 5 seconds. During a month of use, there were occasional issues with positioning and recording tracks, but I believe these will be resolved with firmware updates.

The default sports mode of the X3 is outdoor running, but you can select other sports modes by swiping down on the touchscreen. The touchscreen is highly sensitive and performs well even in sweaty or shower conditions.

To evaluate the Codoon X3's sports performance, I specifically chose two completely different paces in the Olympic Forest Park for comparison. Under known distance and relatively accurate pace conditions—let's assume the pace accuracy is due to confidence—let's see how the Codoon X3 performs.

The Codoon X3 also allows viewing historical data through the watch face. Currently, it can trace back the last seven exercise records. For more, you need to check through the Codoon app. In a road running environment, you can view exercise mileage, time, average pace, average heart rate, calories burned, total steps, and step frequency and stride data through the watch, covering the important exercise performance data. After syncing with the app, you can observe more detailed segments.

The left side of the image shows data from 07.24, and the right side shows data from 08.24.

Based on the above data, let's discuss the issues exposed by the X3 at this stage:

The pace display is mostly 5s/10s, which is likely due to star search positioning every 5 seconds.
The heart rate performance is not very stable.

Since it is still in the beta testing stage, I believe Codoon has time to fix the above issues. We will observe again after the official release and firmware upgrade of the X3.

Additionally, in a sports environment, the data presentation on the X3 watch face has room for optimization. I hope future versions will allow custom settings based on personal usage habits, as user habits vary greatly.

As for the battery life, which everyone is concerned about, the Codoon X3 can be described as performing excellently. The official data states that it can last 40 days on standby after a full charge, 15 days in daily mode, and 20 hours in GPS sports mode. My personal test confirms this! After more than a month of use, with a total exercise mileage of over 250 kilometers and an accumulated time of about 25 hours, I have only charged it four times. My daily training is mostly 10k at a 5-minute pace, with each session consuming about 5% of the battery. There was even one night when I ran 51 kilometers around the Third Ring Road, which took nearly 7 hours and consumed 30% of the battery. This shows that in continuous exercise environments, the X3's battery life can basically reach the official data of 20 hours. The 20-hour continuous battery life can even meet the needs of a 100-kilometer trail run, which is excellent. This is why I said earlier that the single clip-on charging dock does not cause much inconvenience.

As Codoon's new generation of smart sports watches, the X3 also supports more interactive experience courses in the Codoon app. This is a major highlight of the X3, as Codoon offers six main courses: interactive exercise classes, running special training, full-body fat burning, body shaping, strength building, and maintaining health. With the Codoon X3 sports watch, training will be more relaxed and effortless.

As a smart sports watch priced below 1,000 yuan—the limited internal purchase version is currently priced at 699 yuan in the Codoon official store, and it is said that the price will increase slightly after the official release in September—the Codoon X3's performance can be described as 'good value for money.' With its impressive appearance, convenient operation, and strong technical support from Codoon, I believe the X3 will impact the existing sports watch market after its official release. As an entry-level running watch, the X3 is worth the price.

The internal purchase discount is about to end. If you still want to buy it, click the link to purchase!