Nixon Mission SS smartwatch review – the device with brawn and brains

If you’re looking for a smartwatch the ticks a few boxes then you need to check out the Nixon Mission SS which has the rugged look of a sportswatch and is powered by Google’s Wear OS.

The Nixon Mission SS at first glance looks like your regular outdoor timepiece with a chunky design that makes a statement when it’s seen on your wrist.

But touch the 1.39-inch Corning Gorilla Glass covered 400 x 400 AMOLED screen and you’ll see the Mission SS is as smart as it is rugged.

The 48mm device is waterproof to a depth of 100m with a solid stainless steel bezel and moulded fibre reinforced polycarbonate case.

There is also a custom 23mm solid stainless steel three link bracelet as well as a stainless steel double locking clasp.

Under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC (system on chip) and Google’s new Wear OS (which used to be called Android Wear).

Users will find all of the usual apps on board and the Mission SS will also deliver your notifications from your paired smartphone – whether it’s an iPhone or an Android device.

There is also a Nixon app with support for Surfline to check on surf conditions and also Snocountry for snow skiers.

It also has GPS support so you can run Maps and is also compatible with the popular fitness apps as well.

You can also use it for voice searches which are initiated by the usual “OK Google”.

The watch can be used with Bluetooth headphones to listen to music downloaded to the watch without your phone.

It can also be used as a remote shutter to take photos with Google Camera on your phone.

And as you expect from a sportswatch it also has a thermometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, gyrometer, accelerometer and humidity sensors.

You can easily adjust the watch face as well as all the subdials as well to have the information you prefer ready to view at a glance.

There is a choice of nine different hand colours, nine different digit colours and 14 different subdials.

The Nixon Mission SS is unapologetically chunky and bold – which is exactly what the brand is known for.

It paired with our smartphone really easily and we were able to see our notifications and navigate the menus.

There is only one button on the watch on the right edge and it took a solid press to get it to work most of the time.

The Nixon Mission SS is priced at $679.99 which is comparable to the price you pay for a regular high-end sports watch.

VERDICT

The Nixon Mission SS smartwatch is the ideal solution for users who want the best of both worlds – an attractive rugged sportswatch and the intelligence of a smartwatch.