If you’re someone who doesn’t exercise at all, finding the right fitness tracker can be a struggle. You don’t need the precise metrics that brands like Fitbit or Garmin offer, but you do want a device that looks stylish and offers basic health tracking features. Enter the Pininfarina Sintesi, a hybrid smartwatch that has quickly become my favorite fitness tracker.
The Sintesi collection is the latest Pininfarina hybrid smartwatch, following the launch of the Senso collection last year. It is inspired by Pininfarina’s design legacy and is named after the Sintesi concept car.
Now, first off, it’s worth noting that Pininfarina is a big name in the automotive design world, famous for its work with big-name brands like Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, but in this case, tech brand Globix is licensing the Pininfarina brand name to create a line of hybrid smartwatches, although Pininfarina had no involvement in the design of the watches.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing: the Sintesi looks especially great in the Sand Dune colorway, which takes direct inspiration from Pininfarina-designed cars.
With a 316L stainless steel case and bezel, water resistance of 5ATM (up to 50 meters), and sapphire crystal glass, the Sintesi feels more like a mechanical watch than a tech piece.
If the aforementioned Sand Dune color isn’t your thing, you can also choose from Azure Horizon (dark blue), Midnight Rose (gray and rose gold), and Midnight Shadow (black), all of which feature intricately textured dials and polished indices.
We recommend getting the Sintesi on the optional rubber strap, and while the genuine Italian leather strap it comes with is soft and comfortable, we think a sportier option would be a better choice.
Daily Health Tracking
Okay, enough about the design, because underneath the Sintesi’s traditional exterior is a host of sensors.
The watch accurately tracks your heart rate zones and variability (HRV), giving you insight into your overall heart health. Although I haven’t used this feature much, it can track your steps, distance, calories burned, and even track your activity to optimize your workouts.
The Sensi also features a personal health monitor, SpO2 (blood oxygen) measurement, a period tracker (which I haven’t needed to use yet), and health reminders to encourage activity and hydration.
Quick health stats and phone notifications are delivered unobtrusively via a small monochrome display on the watch face – so unobtrusive that most people wouldn’t realise this was a smartwatch at first glance.
The watch automatically syncs with the Pininfarina Hybrid Watches companion app (available for both Android and iOS).
Despite its numerous advantages, the 44mm watch feels a bit too large for my wrist, and no one would wear this in bed (even if you have wrists the size of the Incredible Hulk).
Sintesi also offers accurate sleep monitoring, giving you a sleep score out of 100 each morning, but here’s where my main issue with the Sintesi becomes apparent…
Of course, size is subjective, so for me it feels a bit unwieldy, but for those who prefer a larger watch it may be the perfect size, but it would be really nice to have a smaller option with the same functionality in a more compact design.
But overall, the Pininfarina Sintesi is a great hybrid smartwatch that meets my needs perfectly. It combines elegant design with essential health tracking features, making it a great option for someone like me who finds traditional fitness trackers and smartwatches a bit too modern.
If it were just a little smaller it would be absolutely perfect, but that said, the Sintesi has become my favorite fitness tracker and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a stylish and functional hybrid watch.
The Pininfarina Sintesi is available to buy on the brand’s website for £379 / $379.
