Acer's Answer to the Fitbit Blaze Is Very Cheap

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Acer's Leap Ware looks like a decent fitness tracker watch for $139, but that might be enough to sway shoppers.

Acer's Liquid Leap fitness tracker didn't exactly set the world on fire, but the company is making another go at wearables with the Leap Ware, a new fitness watch that's only $139.

The Leap Ware is not Fitbit Blaze killer, but it's cheaper. Credit: Sam Rutherford/Toms's Guide

(Image credit: The Leap Ware is not Fitbit Blaze killer, but it's cheaper. Credit: Sam Rutherford/Toms's Guide)

At Acer's New York launch event today (April 27), I had a few moments to play around with the Liquid Leap, and the design is very simple. There's a 1.1-inch touchscreen up front, and it's covered by sturdy Gorilla Glass SR+ and rimmed in stainless steel, though the back is plastic. The Leap Ware is also IPX7 water resistant, so you can easily go running in the rain.

A surprise feature is the button on the right that activates a built-in LED light, which Acer says can help unlock doors late at night or act as a safety feature when you're running after sunset. I'm not sure how a tiny LED would help you in that situation, though.

The touchscreen was fairly responsive, enabling me to flip through tracking steps, heart rate and other on-board applications. The Leap Ware can track your stress and fatigue, as well as your stamina, and Acer says the watch lasts three to five days on a charge.

MORE: 20 Best Fitness Apps

On the software side, the Liquid Life app for Android and iOS lets you sync the watch to your phone, so you can see who's calling or texting on the watch. The app has some things going for it, including the ability to set fitness goals, coaching via notifications to reach goals and social sharing for some gamification action.

The Leap Ware tracks your heart rate, as well as your stamina. Credit: Sam Rutherford/Tom's Guide

(Image credit: The Leap Ware tracks your heart rate, as well as your stamina. Credit: Sam Rutherford/Tom's Guide)

The problem with Leap Ware is that Acer doesn't have a fraction of the users Fitbit does, so you might not be able to find enough folks to share your activities with. But, at $139, at least the fitness tracker is cheap enough that you could by a couple of them without putting too big a dent in your bank account.

When you compare the Leap Ware to the Fitbit Blaze, the latter offers a lot more features, such as multi-sport tracking, more smartphones notifications, on-screen workouts and even guided breathing sessions. You also get a more colorful touchscreen and music control.

To be fair, the Blaze is more expensive at $199. Based on what we know right now, Fitbit's wearable is well worth the extra cost, but the Leap Ware could be a decent budget pick. Stay tuned for our full review.

Mark Spoonauer
Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.