Review: The Gabb Watch 3e is a great solution for younger kids to stay connected (and feel like a cool spy)

One of my kids is 9 years old, and they definitely don’t need a phone. They have no interest in taking pictures with friends; they’re rarely places without either me or my wife, and they still, from time to time, like to carry rocks in their pockets. All in all, it wouldn’t make much sense to have them carry a phone at all. Still, Gabb does have some options, like the

Gabb Phone 4
, to help you decide if your kid is on the age cusp. But what do you do if your kid just isn’t ready but need something to stay connected?

The Gabb Watch 3e solves a lot of this — on the rare occasion that my kid is at a trusted friend’s house without us, we are still connected via cell service (or Wi-Fi). Plus, the watch is on them at all times and won’t be left on a counter somewhere. They also won’t be distracted by its very limited capability scope. This smartwatch manages to bridge the gap between phone and no phone; that is, if you can get a child who’s not used to wearing a watch to actually wear one.

Specs, price, and availability for the Gabb Watch 3e

Frustration-free

You can get a Gabb Watch 3e on Gabb’s website or on Amazon for $149 (plus a cell service plan, which, month-to-month, is $17.99/mo) — but recently I’ve seen it offered for free along with their service, so keep an eye on deals. It comes in two colors, dark gray and silver, and uses a 20mm wide quick-release band, which comes in black or white.

What’s good about the Gabb Watch 3e

The call is coming from inside the house, outside the house, and everywhere in between

The company considers the Gabb Watch 3e to be your child’s beginning of a safe tech journey and then steps them up to a Gabb Phone and then Gabb Phone Pro. No age ranges are listed for this (Gabb says it’s a decision for parents and children), but it makes sense — this watch is for younger kids who do not need to carry around a phone.

Plus, it’s not an Apple Watch or Pixel Watch. It doesn’t do a thousand things and, therefore, does not need to be incredibly powerful. What it does, like taking calls, sending texts, and working as a calculator, it does well and without a hiccup. I spent some time walking my child through using the Gabb Watch 3e, and they got the hang of it quickly. They dove in, customized their backgrounds, answered calls, and easily figured out the on-screen texting.

The Gabb Watch 3e is an LTE-based device, and inside my house (when not using Wi-Fi), the signal was either one or two bars. This was plenty for calls and texts, which didn’t have much of a delay and still sounded clear. Roaming around town, there was never a location where the service dropped away completely. This is great for peace of mind, and it can take the place of a smartphone — even if there are other youth-based options, like the

Bark Phone
and

Pinwheel
.

Also, with IP68 water resistance and Gorilla Glass 3, we’re a few weeks into testing, and there are no major blemishes despite the fact that it was worn by both a rambunctious child and me. I was initially concerned about the white band and how dirty it could get, but the silicone-like material has fought a lot of dirt and grime on its own. I’m impressed.

Honestly, functionality-wise, I don’t have a gripe with much of anything — it works as intended. As of right now, the watch has never received any spam texts or calls and has always done its job on communications. On top of this, I can set up “safe zones” where the Gabb app on my phone will alert me when my kid leaves or arrives, just as I can with the Gabb Phone 4 Pro.

It’s not instant, but it’s pretty reliable. I can also find their location in a pinch, which is even more accurate than an Apple Air Tag because it’s constantly connected and does not wait to bounce off other devices. The Gabb Watch 3e also offers focus mode and silent mode scheduling, parent-approved contacts (right now, it’s just my wife and me), and no internet browsing or social media. There’s also audio messaging and speech-to-text.

Even the battery life lasts way more than a day, which is great if your kid is like every other kid and charging is the last thing they think about. It clocks in at 500mAh, and because the watch isn’t constantly reading sensors (and you’re not using it to make call after call — it’s for “just in case” after all) that’s plenty for almost 48 hours of use.

+Still, there are some things I’d change.

What’s bad about the Gabb Watch 3e

Thick, bulky, with unusual UI

The Gabb Watch 3e is thick. That thickness adds bulk to what is most certainly a small child’s wrist. My kid had issues with their jacket and hoodie sleeves, telling me it was uncomfortable. Part of this, however, is that I know my child, who doesn’t welcome change. They’re a creature of habit through and through, and wearing a watch is something they’d never done before.

I don’t blame Gabb for this, though the bulk didn’t exactly help because that’s just how my kid is with anything new they’re not used to. It wasn’t long before they could wear it for longer. Just be warned that it might be an uphill battle if your kid is like mine.

Also, it’s hard to get kids to remember to charge things. It’s a responsibility, which is great, but it’s not ideal to send them off with a dying watch as we’re walking out the door. The Gabb Watch 3e uses a proprietary magnetic wireless charger that’s simple enough (it’ll stick to an Apple Watch charger, but not charge).

I would also change some of the icons Gabb has chosen in its UI/UX. A handful of them don’t clearly represent what the given app does. For instance, there’s an app called Gabb Go, which is essentially an adorable digital pet app. Your actions (steps, tasks, and such — it has a built-in parent-controlled to-do list, too) will earn you coins for your chosen pet, and you’ll learn some caring responsibility along the way. That’s great. The icon for this is an arrow circling back on itself. Why?

Then, there’s Gabb Move, which is a fitness tracker. Awesome. You can start activities like walking, hiking, biking, yoga, and more. The icon for this is a circle with wavy lines in it. (Why not footprints or something?)

Finally, there’s a game called Mimic by Gabb. It’s basically “Simon,” where you must repeat patterns after they’re shown on screen. This icon reflects the shapes from within the game, but it’s not immediately apparent that it’s a game at all until you launch it for the first time. All of these icons are image-based. They could include titles along with them, which would also help with reading comprehension. However, once you learn what these apps do, they become second nature.

Should you buy it?

Watch out, Gabb, they’re coming for you

The Gabb Watch 3e is the first kid-based smartwatch I’ve personally reviewed, but I have reviewed a lot of kid and teen phones, including Gabb’s Pro offering. This is a growing sector with plenty of competition, and it seems as though Gabb’s competition is also offering kid-based smartwatches now, including options from Bark, Pinwheel, and companies like Garmin and its Bounce smartwatch. The variety is out there, and overall, the Gabb Watch 3e is sort of the middle-of-the-road option.

The Bark Watch, for instance, has a camera for fun — and a dedicated SOS button for discrete calls for help, two things the Watch 3e doesn’t feature. But you’re also spending a little bit more. Plus, the device you choose will depend on your kid and what they need. While there are other options, the Gabb Watch 3e is a great choice for you and your child, though I am hoping for some design changes down the road. Cost-wise, if you can get this watch for a deal, upgrading later won’t be so painful for your wallet.

At the end of the day, your biggest hurdles will be getting your child used to wearing it and keeping it charged. The added bulk of the physical footprint and design doesn’t help, but it’s easy to use, and the Gabb parental controls are straightforward. Neither you nor your kid will regret the decision to get one — so go for it, as Gabb’s tech ecosystem truly is safe and reliable, and will grow with your child as they advance in their technological needs.