Is it worth it?
Struggling to juggle fitness goals, incoming messages and a hectic commute without feeling tethered to your phone? Matakul’s ultra-thin Q9 PRO puts a bright 1.9-inch canvas of data on your wrist so you can glance at heart-rate zones, hydration reminders or a WhatsApp ping in seconds and get back to living. For busy commuters, weekend runners and anyone who wants the gist – not the glare – of their digital life, it promises two-week stamina and genuine IP68 ruggedness. Yet the real hook is its customisable face library: over two hundred dials (or your favourite pet photo) tease you into reading on.
After a fortnight swapping my everyday analogue for the Q9 PRO I’m pleasantly surprised by the battery and workout accuracy, but the patchy notification delivery means it’s not the no-compromise Apple Watch alternative some adverts imply. If you care most about tracking steps, runs and sleep on a budget, this is a quietly competent pick; if you’re chasing flawless messaging integration, consider spending more – or keep reading to see whether the work-arounds I found might still make it worth your wrist.
Specifications
| Brand | Matakul |
| Model | Q9 PRO |
| Display | 1.9-inch HD |
| Battery life | Up to 14 days |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
| Sports modes | 24 |
| Compatibility | iOS 9+/Android 4.4+ |
| Weight | 38 g |
| User Score | 3.6 ⭐ (11 reviews) |
| Price | approx. 60£ Check 🛒 |
Key Features
Ultra-thin Case
At just 0.8 cm, the aluminium-polymer shell disappears under sleeves and feels weightless during yoga inversions. The slim profile isn’t just aesthetic: reduced bulk minimises wrist-sweat build-up on hot runs, something chunkier rugged watches often cause.
1.9-inch HD Display
The large square panel packs over 320 × 385 pixels so small fonts stay legible. Laminated glass cuts internal reflections, while adjustable brightness scales nicely from 5 % at night to 100 % in harsh noon sun – I could still read pace data on the Regent’s Park loop.
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Certified to survive 1.5 m submersion for 30 minutes, the watch shrugged off a spontaneous dip in Hampstead Heath ponds. Runners will appreciate the dust seal too: trail grit rinsed off under the tap without muffling the speaker.
Two-week Battery
A 200 mAh lithium-polymer pack, low-power Bluetooth 5.1 chip and stripped-back OS deliver up to 14 days per charge. For travellers, that means forgetting the charger on a five-day city break and still having juice to record 30 minutes of GPS-assisted runs each morning.
24-Sport Mode Suite
From HIIT to badminton, each mode tweaks sampling frequency for better calorie maths. I toggled cycling mode on a 40-minute commute and the cadence graph mirrored my Wahoo speed sensor spikes, proving the algorithms aren’t just re-labelled walking data.
Firsthand Experience
Unboxing felt almost toy-like: the carton is smaller than a phone case, and at 38 g the watch body rested in my palm lighter than the silicone strap of my Garmin. A magnetic two-pin puck clicks on with reassuring strength – full charge in just under 90 minutes according to my USB meter.
Pairing through the GloryFit app on a Pixel 8 took three minutes, firmware update included. I set the watch face to an old holiday snap; the 320 × 385-pixel panel rendered sunset hues crisply, though contrast drops in mid-day sun unless brightness is at 80 %.
Morning commutes became an informal stress test: London drizzle, contactless taps, and overcrowded Tube carriages. The IP68 seal shrugged off puddle splashes, and despite the 0.8 cm thickness it slipped easily under a shirt cuff. Haptic feedback is gentle – fine in meetings, a bit too subtle on a bike ride.
Workout tracking is respectably accurate for the price. On a 5 km Parkrun the Q9 PRO logged 4.96 km when tethered GPS was active, within 0.8 % of Strava on my phone. Heart-rate peaks were consistently 3–5 bpm lower than a Polar H10 chest strap, acceptable for zone-based training but not clinical.
Sleep analysis felt optimistic: one late Netflix session the watch credited me with 45 minutes ‘light sleep’ I swear I spent raiding the fridge. Still, the overnight SpO₂ spot-checks matched my fingertip oximeter within 1 %.
After 13 days of mixed use – three runs, countless notifications, and always-on lift-to-wake – the battery dipped to 12 %. That’s short of the claimed 14 days but streets ahead of my friend’s daily-charged Apple Watch SE. Re-charging before a weekend trip took 85 minutes, close to the initial figure.
Pros and Cons
Customer Reviews
Early buyers praise the feather-light feel and marathon-length battery but grumble about notification reliability and iOS quirks – typical of first-generation budget wearables finding their footing.
Battery life easily lasts my work week and pool sessions
Tracks heart rate and oxygen all day without fuss, astonishing value.
Simple set-up, good screen, would happily recommend to friends.
SMS alerts never worked, Bluetooth drops if my phone is in my bag – ended up giving it to my child.
Struggled with iPhone pairing and settings stuck in Celsius, screen times out too quickly.
Comparison
Stacking the Q9 PRO against the Amazfit Bip 5 (roughly £90), Matakul wins on screen size and weight but trails in app polish; Zepp’s software simply syncs more smoothly with Strava and Apple Health.
Versus the Huawei Watch Fit 2 (around £120), the Matakul lacks native GPS and NFC, yet surprisingly matches battery life and undercuts it by a tidy £50. If you rarely pay with your wrist, the saving may trump the missing conveniences.
Finally, compared with bargain-bin no-name bands under £40, the Q9 PRO offers a sturdier metal frame, higher-resolution panel and proper IP68 testing rather than vague ‘splash-proof’ claims – useful insurance when British weather inevitably turns grim.
Still, serious runners might pony up for a Garmin Forerunner or Coros Pace for ANT+ sensor pairing and advanced training load metrics; the Q9 PRO is more lifestyle tracker than performance coach.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does it work with iPhone?
- Yes, any handset on iOS 9 or newer, but message previews may need the GloryFit app running in the background.
- Can I swim with it?
- The IP68 rating covers pool lengths and shallow open-water dips, but not high-pressure scuba dives.
- Does it measure blood pressure?
- No, it monitors heart rate and SpO₂ only – avoid devices that claim cuff-free BP accuracy without medical validation.
- How do I change the watch face?
- Open GloryFit > Device > Dial Centre, pick one of 200 templates or upload a photo, then sync – takes about 20 seconds.
Conclusion
If you’re after an affordable way to log steps, heart rate and weekend 5 Ks without playing nightly roulette with a charger, the Matakul Q9 PRO earns its keep. The screen is bright, the chassis is practically invisible on the wrist, and a £50-£60 street price undercuts most name-brand rivals.
Conversely, commuters who need rock-solid notifications or Apple Watch-level app support will find the Bluetooth hiccups frustrating. Spend more if seamless messaging or native GPS is non-negotiable. For everyone else – students, casual joggers, holidaymakers – keep an eye on seasonal sales; at the lower end of its price band the Q9 PRO is a nimble companion worth considering.
