Montblanc Summit 2 Plus is an expensive 4G eSIM update

Let’s get the obvious thing out of the way first – we’ve no idea why this new Wear OS smartwatch is called the Montblanc Summit 2 Plus and not just the Summit 3. If it was just a 4G update, we’d get it, but it isn’t and we don’t.
That’s not to say that the strangely priced ($1,170!) Summit 2 Plus isn’t similar looking to its non-Plus 2018 brethren but it’s definitely different enough to warrant a new series. For one, the case has been bumped up from 42mm to 43.5mm, which takes it out of the ‘unisex’ band the non-Plus 2 managed to just about squeeze into.
The AMOLED display is also a bit bigger; 1.28-inch as opposed to 1.19-inch. There is a gold and pink version amongst the four different new designs on offer (black diamond-like carbon steel, stainless steel and bronze steel and green, as well) so it’s clear the Swiss company doesn’t want to count female wrists out of its target audience completely though.
Top buys: The best smartwatches in the world 2020The big update though is with regards to the connectivity – the latest Montblanc smartwatch takes advantage of the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100’s LTE capabilities to offer a eSIM option to wearers, which will be offered in partnership with Verizon in the US and Vodafone in the UK.
Like the TicWatch Pro 4G, LTE support means you’ll be able to hook up the Summit Plus with an eSIM that matches your phone’s number, and you’ll be able to use mobile data as well as answering calls on the move and away from your phone.
Sticking with the hardware and it’s actually not a far cry from the original Summit 2; with that Wear 3100 chip powering the show backed up with 1GB of RAM. There’s good news on the battery front though, with a bump from a 340mAh battery to 440mAh one; but it will need that extra juice for the LTE action.
Battery life is said to be a maximum of five days if you switch to the low-power mode, which minimises the smart features and just displays the time.Water resistance is only stated at IPX8 though, which is either a downgrade from the 5ATM of the Summit 2, or just a new way of grading it. Whatever your take, it should survive a shower, but don’t take it swimming. It should make for a decent running companion, however, with a heart rate monitor and GPS on board.Like its traditional mechanical watches, the Summit 2 Plus is designed by Montblanc Montre in Le Locle, Switzerland, but does not get the ‘Swiss Made’ label as the innards are made in China.The Montblanc Summit 2 Plus will go on sale in April – so far only US pricing has been announced ($1,170). Watch this space for updates. In the meantime, check out our list of upcoming smartwatches.