28 Jun
Blog

Oppo Band Review: First Attempt Fails to Captivate

Oppo band

"The Oppo Band goes the same well-known route as many other low-cost fitness wearables and is therefore difficult to stand out."

  • Heart rate and blood oxygen tracking

  • Accuracy does not match with other devices

  • No automatic screen brightness

The Oppo Band is the first fitness tracker from Oppo, a company better known for its smartphones like the Find X3 Pro than for wearables, although it has recently attracted attention with the Apple Watch-like Oppo Watch. Given that the basic fitness tracker is such a well-established piece of tech these days, what can Oppo bring to the genre to highlight its maiden voyage? Unfortunately, the answer is not very much.

design

The Oppo band has a 40mm main body that is attached to a thick rubber band that is secured with a plastic pin. You have to take the sensor out of the bracelet when it needs to be charged, which reveals a plastic bezel piece like a bezel on the bracelet itself, giving it a classier, more coherent look than old Xiaomi Mi Band models that used the same charging method . It's the only design element that sets the Oppo Band apart from most of its competitors.

Oppo bandAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

The strap has a lot of holes so it will fit most wrist sizes, although it was difficult for me to get the fit just right as it was either a little too loose or a little too tight. This will of course vary from person to person. I wear the Oppo band 24 hours a day and haven't noticed any skin irritation, but it does get a little hot at night when worn.

What I have noticed is that the plastic bezel that surrounds the module on the bracelet is worn out slightly and has picked up a few small notches after only a short period of wear. I haven't climbed any mountains or actually gone through any activity that could be described as "tough". So if you take part in activities that break things, the Oppo Band may not look good for long.

Oppo strap from the side on the wristAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

The AMOLED screen measures 1.1 inches and is very colorful but does not have automatic brightness adjustment so you can choose the right setting for you. With the default setting of 20%, it cannot be seen in sunlight and ideally needs to be increased to 80%, which has an impact on battery life.

Health tracking

On the back of the main module of the Oppo Band there is an optical heart rate sensor and a blood oxygen sensor (SPo2), while inside there is a 3-axis gyroscope. It doesn't have a built-in GPS or electrocardiogram that you'd likely find on more expensive fitness tracking wearables. It records a range of activities including indoor and outdoor walks, running and biking, and swimming (it has a water resistance of 5 ATM), yoga, cricket, and a few others. Sleep tracking is also an option.

Oppo HeyTap app training screen

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Oppo HeyTap app sleep screen

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Settings of the Oppo HeyTap app

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Main screen of the Oppo HeyTap app

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It connects to the HeyTap app that I used on an iPhone 12 Pro during my test. The app contains settings and adjustments for the band itself, as well as historical activity data. The daily calendar view is relatively simple, with daily overviews showing the number of steps, exercise time, calories burned, and active hours. To view individual workouts, you must select another option that includes a real-time heart rate graph. Finding these different sections is a bit confusing at first.

The accuracy of the Oppo Band is not as good as that of many other fitness wearables.

Sleep tracking breaks down sleep stages, assigns a sleep score, and uses the SPo2 sensor to provide breath analysis. Oppo gives some information on where to improve, but nothing that you won't find on any other fitness tracker. All data is presented simply and clearly, but without much depth. The Oppo Band is suitable for people who want to know more about their health and want to follow regular exercise sessions, but it does not provide detailed data and advice for people who are serious about fitness or a specific sport.

Oppo strap on the wrist from behind

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Oppo band review screen

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The strap on the Oppo belt

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The accuracy of the Oppo Band is not as good as that of many other fitness wearables. At night, the SPo2 sensor often showed sudden, dramatic drops that were not registered by other models or recorded by the Withings Sleep Analyzer. The number of steps was also usually significantly lower than with other wearables. In a single day the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 and Honor Band 6 were worn, it recorded 4148 steps while the Mi Band 6 displayed 5645 and the Honor Band 6 5565. On another occasion when it was tested against the Fitbit Versa 3, it showed 225 steps versus the Versa 3's 467. When comparing the heart rate monitor, the Oppo Band's results were consistent with other wearables.

software

Oppo's software is a simple swipe-and-tap proposition, with a swipe up or down to scroll through the menu and a swipe left to right to change the watch face. This is an unusual choice and quite frustrating. I almost never want to change a watch face once one has been selected, so this gesture feels like a waste. It would have been preferable to show notifications or have quick access to exercise tracking.

Oppo band training screen

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Notifications on the Oppo band

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Oppo band heart rate monitor

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Oppo strap on the wrist

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The screen is very responsive – sometimes it reacts a little too quickly, which can lead to errors – but the software is quite lengthy and most functions take longer than they should to perform. Would you like to start a workout? Tap the screen to wake it up, swipe up twice, tap again, select a workout, and tap again. Again, these actions would be minimized with a more sensibly designed gesture control system.

Notifications are reliable and while they cannot be interacted with, the text is clear and properly formatted. Music can be controlled but not saved from the Oppo Band, and there are a few other simple features like a stopwatch, weather screen (but only if you give it access to your location at all times), and a phone finder.

battery

It takes about an hour to fully charge the Oppo Band's battery, and although Oppo claims it will last for 12 days, it will depend a lot on the features you are using.

Oppo tape chargerAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

With the screen brighter and sleep monitoring, heart rate monitoring, and notifications turned on, the battery lasted eight days before I had to recharge it. It would have taken nine if I'd left it flat.

Price and availability

The Oppo Band is available now in the UK and costs £ 40 or about $ 56 from Oppo and Amazon. It wasn't officially released in the US, although imports will be available from outlets like Amazon and AliExpress. If you choose to get one this way, make sure it is the "global" version as the Oppo tape was previously available in China and functionality may be different from the UK / global model.

Our opinion

Oppo enters a very crowded room with the Oppo Band. There are several inexpensive fitness trackers out there, and while perfectly acceptable in terms of design and software, the accuracy issues are less acceptable, battery life is no better than its competitors, and the accompanying app doesn't have enough in-depth features to appeal to serious fitness fans . The Oppo Band does not attract attention.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The Honor Band 6 can be purchased for roughly the same price and has better smartwatch functionality, more style, and a beautiful screen. The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is even cheaper than the Oppo Band and fulfills the same functions. The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is slightly more expensive but more readily available, and while it doesn't quite offer the same functionality, it's more than enough for the casual trainer. If you're keen to spend more, we recommend the Fitbit Charge 4, which benefits from a better app experience, rich data, and good battery life.

How long it will take?

Apart from the easily scratchable plastic cover around the main module, the thick rubber band feels strong and the whole thing is waterproof up to 5ATM. No software update has come in for the Oppo Band during the time I had it that I was hoping would fix the accuracy issues. If you're happy to accept that it may provide data that is different from other models, the general functionality of the Oppo Band means it will last for several years, provided your own use doesn't change.

Should you buy it?

No, there are better and more accurate fitness trackers.

Editor's recommendations



28 Apr
Blog

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 Review: Still a Winner

xiaomi mi band 6 review

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 activity tracker

“The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is equipped with sensors that allow you to track your activities, simple software that makes it easy to use, and a comfortable fit for 24-hour portability. It's not for the serious athlete, but it's great for everyone else. "

  • Convenient and easy

  • Easy to use with a reliable app

  • Comprehensive sensor array

  • Heart rate monitor accuracy concerns

The Xiaomi Mi Band, or Mi Smart Band as it is often called, has always been one of the best low-cost fitness bands out there. Since the first was available in 2015, Xiaomi has updated it annually to keep up with new technological developments and it has only gotten better. The latest version is the Mi Band 6, which I've been wearing for over a week and the formula hasn't changed much.

It filled the space that the Honor Band 6, another inexpensive fitness tracker that surprised me with its capabilities and style, meant that while there is a lot of goodwill towards the Mi Band 6, it still has a tough job ahead of it had. Will Xiaomi's tried and tested wearable still work if others prefer a smartwatch-like design? That's how it went

design

Xiaomi didn't dare to look different from the look of the Mi Band 6, so it is very similar to the Mi Band 5 – a generous screen on a core module attached to a silicone band with a pin-and-hole connector to to hold it on your wrist. At 13 grams, it hardly weighs anything, is a little more than 12 mm thick and in the black color it is an almost completely incognito piece of technology. The module can pop out of the band so you can swap it out for lighter versions if you want the Mi Band 6 to stand out a little more.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The screen is a 1.56-inch AMOLED panel, versus the 1.1-inch AMOLED on the Mi Band 5, and it's sharp, colorful, and bright. I could see and see it in all lighting conditions, despite it there is no automatic brightness function. So I just set it to the maximum. Unfortunately, the screen isn't always on, but you can choose how long the screen stays on (up to 10 seconds). The wake up gesture is accurate and does not require excessive movement to be activated.

There are hundreds of different watch faces to choose from through the app, but don't think that this means you are spoiled for choice. There isn't much of a difference between them, and many of them are pretty unattractive. I tried to find even a handful that I liked. I chose one and didn't want to change it for another.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 review claspAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

xiaomi mi band 6 review pageAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 review wristwatchAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

I found it very comfortable and had no problem wearing it 24 hours a day. The pin-and-hole adjustment can be a hassle at times, but it's easy up here, and there are a variety of adjustments available so that it fits regardless of the thickness of your wrist. It doesn't get too sweaty, isn't annoying at night and the band itself hasn't collected any fluff either, so it looks neat and new for longer.

No, the Mi Band 6 isn't a style icon, but there's a reason Xiaomi hasn't strayed far from the established look of the Mi Band – because it works. Smartwatch-like fitness bands are fine, but there's still room for a more compact, less intrusive fitness band to wear next to a traditional watch. If you're looking for a fitness tracker that fits well, can be worn day and night, has a pretty screen, but isn't trying to be a smartwatch, this is it. It also looks a lot better than the many cheap smartwatches infiltrating Amazon's wearable space, and is a much better option overall.

Activity tracking

Before we get into the details, let's talk about the app. I used the Mi Band 6 with an iPhone 12 Pro. The Xiaomi app called Xiaomi Wear is available in the App Store. However, the band also works with the Mi Fit app developed by Huami, the company behind the Amazfit range of wearables, and maker of Xiaomi's wearables. Both integrate with Apple Health, but it's the Mi Fit app that I would recommend.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Confusing right? Yes, especially because Mi Fit – the app not developed by Xiaomi – is the better option as Xiaomi Wear has not been fully localized for use outside of China and there are still some options and menus in Chinese. Mi Fit might not be as attractive to look at, but it has all the information you need, stays connected with no hassle, and won't scare off newbies.

Let's move on to activity tracking. The band has 30 different training modes, six of which can be recognized automatically or activated quickly in the menu. The usual options like walking, running, and swimming are available, as well as a range of more unusual activities like street dancing, zumba, and boxing. I found the auto detection a bit arbitrary and started the workout myself.

The data collected in the app are well visualized. The graphs show heart rate, pace and heart rate zones as well as GPS routing when you grant access to the app. The simplicity is repeated throughout, with everything from sleep to stress data presented in a logical and clear manner. However, sometimes menus can be very dense and historical data can be difficult to find. The main screen in the Mi Fit app shows statistics about the band, including the remaining battery.

It requires some learning and does not look as modern graphically as the Xiaomi Wear app, but it offers all the information you need in one place and is also reliably synchronized. It also provides a PAI value, and the usefulness of this statistic increases the longer you wear the band. You need to read something about what this actually means though, as the in-app explanations are pretty bad.

How about the accuracy? During daily activity, the steps and calories burned were consistent with my Apple Watch, as were the SpO2 blood oxygen readings. However, the accuracy of the heart rate is less certain. A higher value tends to be displayed during exercise and when monitoring in the background. This may be a result of the strap being attached as it is not easy or convenient to get the pin-and-hole system really tight on your wrist. If you force a heart rate measurement, the results will be consistent with the Apple Watch at rest. This shows that there are some problems with the measurement.

For sleeping, I compared it to the Withings Sleep Analyzer under the mattress. It measured very similar total sleep time and REM sleep, but underestimated my deep sleep stage and overestimated my light sleep stage by about an hour each compared to the Withings. It shows a sleep value and also evaluates breathing during sleep. The discrepancy in the sleep stage is not a problem as it is not certain that the Withings sleep is 100% accurate. However, the breath measurements did not match the Withings, which in turn could have something to do with the fact that the band is worn loosely at night. Otherwise, the Mi Band 6 is a good sleep tracking partner for general use by someone without specific sleep problems.

The Mi Band 6's activity tracking is superb – comprehensive, easy to use, and presented logically for easy understanding

Other features include bike tracking for women, breathing exercises, alerts to remind you to move, and automatic stroke detection while swimming. I was struggling with the auto-pause feature, which seemed to pause my workout when I was still in the middle, forcing myself to dig into the settings and turn the feature off.

A software update can remove the heart rate monitor's slight overestimation and a few other accuracy concerns, but the rest of the Mi Band 6's activity tracking is excellent – comprehensive enough for the casual fitness fan, simple to use, and presented logically easy to understand.

Software and battery life

The Mi Band 6 is easy to use. Swipe up on the screen to see a vertical list of options that includes exercise modes and notifications, as well as features like alarms and a world clock, as well as access to the heart rate monitor, stress monitor, and SpO2 blood oxygen test. The order of the list can be changed in the app, as can features that can be accessed with a swipe to personalize the Mi Band 6. It's all relatively smooth, and once the features are placed in an order appropriate for your own use, it's very convenient to live.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The band displays notifications from your phone with moderate frequency, with most, but not all, of the warnings displayed on your wrist. For example, there appeared to be an issue with viewing Gmail notifications, but not with Twitter or Outlook. It may be due to the settings in iOS but I couldn't seem to solve it. It's a nice addition, but don't expect alerts to be that helpful as long messages don't display in full and there's no way to interact with them.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Xiaomi claims that the battery will last two weeks before it needs to be charged. However, it depends on your own use. If you want to take advantage of the continuous heart and stress monitoring features, track sleep, and record an exercise every day, it will take half that time. When used with all of these active features, the battery was 8% on the seventh day. Charging is quick but it is done using a short proprietary cable that is small and easy to lose.

Price and availability

The Mi Band 6 costs £ 40, which is roughly $ 55. It is available through Xiaomi's online shop in the UK. Everyone in the US has to import one, although the Mi Band 6 just like the Mi Band 5 finds its way on Amazon. One thing to watch out for is backing up the UK or "global" version, otherwise it will contain some China-specific features that will not work.

Our opinion

The Mi Band 6 is an excellent fitness band for people who are interested in their general health and want to track their daily movements and make improvements. I put it this way because the Mi Band 6 is not a serious fitness tracker for sports addicts. For example, GPS is not built in, and the accuracy concerns mean anyone seriously looking to improve their performance may find it inadequate.

All of this is reflected in the price. High-end fitness tracking products like the Suunto 7 or Garmin Forerunner 745 cost at least $ 500 and are far better suited for people who train for a marathon or are serious about a particular activity. If you aren't, there is a bit of pointless spending that much, and the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is great value when you consider what it can do and what sensors it contains.

Xiaomi has not broken its proven formula with the Mi Band 6, it remains a cheap, comfortable fitness band with a list of focused activity features and all the important sensors a modern tracker needs to keep most people happy.

Is there a better alternative?

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2, priced at $ 60, has a similar design and is more readily available, but doesn't have an SpO2 sensor for improved sleep tracking or GPS. The Honor Band 6 is a great alternative if you prefer a bigger screen and a more traditional, clasp-style band. If you choose Fitbit, Fitbit Charge 4 is our recommended version, but it's much more expensive at $ 150. Sometimes there are decent deals out there to bring that price down a bit.

How long it will take?

The Mi Band 6 should be durable due to its simple plastic construction and be enclosed in the protective belt, which can be replaced inexpensively if it breaks. The entire tape has a water resistance of 5 ATM (50 meters), so it is suitable for swimming but not for diving. Provided Xiaomi has app support (both versions were updated in the last two weeks when this review was written), the Mi Band 6 will last for several years without any problems.

Should you buy one?

Yes. It may take some effort or patience to get one in the US, but it's a good fitness tracker at a very reasonable price.

Editor's recommendations




20 Apr
Blog

Honor Band 6 Review: Fitness Tracking Done Right

Honor ribbon 6 rating

Honor Band 6 review: just what a fitness tracker should be

"It's exactly what a good fitness tracker should be – inexpensive, not too big, and with an emphasis on full health monitoring features and some welcome extras."

  • Compact and light

  • Excellent sleep tracking

  • Useful smartwatch-like notifications

  • Very inexpensive

  • USA import only

  • No always on the screen

It's probably best to think of the Honor Band 6 not as a simple fitness tracker as it counts more than just your steps, but for a lot less money than a smartwatch. All of the health monitoring sensors and technology you'd expect are inside, and Honor has added some smartwatch-like features, just like the Honor Watch ES. Does this make the Honor Band 6 a desirable hybrid device or is it a messy amalgamation that doesn't really know what it's supposed to be? I found out.

design

The Honor Band 6 is shaped like the Honor Watch ES, only smaller and less complicated, and that does it just right. The Honor Band 6's plastic case features a 1.47-inch touchscreen on the front, a single button on the right, and Honor branding on the left. It's chunkier than the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2, but because it's very light, it'll never bother your wrist. Despite the taller 11mm profile, I've worn it with shirts and overnight without any problems, and the solid strap has plenty of holes in it to make adjustment easier.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There are three colors available – black, gray, and pink – but the incognito black or gray goes best with this. It's not particularly stylish, but because it doesn't try too hard, it's not offensive to the eye. All the time I wore it, I didn't want to hide it under my sleeve out of embarrassment, but I didn't want to show it off either. Most of the time, I've forgotten it's there until somehow it reminds me.

The small, simple body comes closer to a traditional fitness tracker and so much the better.

It may not sound like it, but that's a compliment. Honor's decision to bring Band 6 closer to the smartwatch and further away from a basic fitness band was a risky one. Design can quickly become overwhelmed and in the end it doesn't serve anyone very well. That's what happened with the Watch ES, but the Band 6's small, simple body gets closer to a traditional fitness tracker and so much the better.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The screen is a winner. The 194 x 368 pixel resolution makes it sharp enough to be conveniently viewed and read, the thin frames keep it from looking cheap, and it's very responsive and easy to press because of its well-assessed size. Unfortunately, there is no screen available so either press the button or the screen to activate it, or raise your wrist. Gesture recognition is quick and accurate, but it's annoying that the screen doesn't wake up automatically to show notifications when they arrive.

Using the Honor Ribbon 6

The Honor ribbon 6 does the design of a hybrid fitness tracker right, but what about the functionality? With its big screen, the Honor Band 6 has more smartwatch features than you can expect at this price point. I connected it to an Apple iPhone 12 Pro using the Huawei Health app and it has proven to be reliable at showing notifications even though there is no way to interact with them. However, the text shown is clear and extensive. It has a variety of general features, including the weather, a stopwatch, a timer, and the ability to ping your phone if it's misplaced.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The focus remains on fitness. It's not that drastically different from Honor fitness bands I've tried before, but that's not a negative. There are 10 different training modes – including running, walking, biking, swimming, rowing, and elliptical training, plus a free training mode – for indoor and outdoor use that covers all common basics. However, the list looks anemic alongside fitness products from Amazfit, which often have more than 100 different training modes. The question is how often do you go climbing, surfing, or kayaking? If the answer is never, then the Honor Band 6's 10 modes will likely be just fine.

The Band 6 recognizes workouts automatically or can be started manually in a very short time. The menu is navigated by swiping and tapping, while the physical button on the side of the case acts as the home and back button. It's smooth and fast, and I had no problem controlling the Honor Band 6 on my wrist.

Data-rich exercise records are displayed on the watch. Distance, pace, speed, cadence, steps, step and heart rate are recorded during a walk and presented in an easy-to-read format. It's annoying that these records on my iPhone couldn't always be easily synced to Huawei Health, making it difficult to build historical trends.

Health traits

In addition to normal fitness tracking, the Honor Band 6 measures heart rate, blood oxygen content (SPO2) and stress. It also tracks sleep and has an app for breathing exercises. You can choose to have constant heart rate and stress monitoring, but the SPO2 values ​​must be recorded manually. How do the results of the Honor Band 6 compare to the Apple Watch Series 6?

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I recorded a 55 minute workout with both of them. The Honor Band 6 claimed I took 3,058 steps and burned 417 kilocalories with an average heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The Apple Watch showed I took 5,738 steps and burned 380 kcal with an average heart rate of 122 beats per minute. Throughout my use, the Honor Band 6 has underestimated the number of steps compared to the Apple Watch. The difference is considerable, but it may not affect overall health statistics as heart rate and calorie expenditure are very similar.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Blood oxygen measurements are taken quickly, and the results are consistent with those from the Apple Watch. The usefulness of the feature outside of sleep tracking or mountaineering is questionable, but it's always good to have more health-related data to spot any discrepancies. The Honor Band 6 also features a menstrual cycle tracker.

The sleep tracking is excellent and Huawei's TruSleep is one of the best systems I've used. The automatic sleep detection is very precise and assesses my sleep and wake times correctly on most days, even if I don't get out of bed immediately. The data provided is detailed – duration, stages, and breathing – and assigns a sleep score with guidance on how to improve your sleep patterns.

Honor ribbon 6 rating sleepAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Honor Ribbon 6 Rating Huawei Health AppAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Honor Band 6 Review Huawei Health App NotificationsAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

The combination of all of these statistics helps build a complete picture of your overall health with minimal financial outlay. The Huawei Health app shows all the collected data in a clear and precise way. The Huawei Health app is available for iOS and Android. It's easy to set up and sync, and the app provides plenty of information, as well as ways to customize the clock with different watch faces.

Battery life

Honor claims the Band 6's battery will last 14 days before it needs to be charged. However, this is either optimistic or it depends on when all features are turned off. During my time with it, the battery has dropped about 10% every day when using heart rate and stress monitoring and tracking my sleep. If you add a workout every other day, you get a maximum of 10 days of one fee. That's still decent, but not what Honor says.

Price and availability

The Honor Band 6 is available in the UK for £ 45 / US $ 62 through Amazon. Although Honor stated that Band 6 would come to the US through their own online store, it has not yet done so, so US buyers will have to use an import service. For example, it's $ 52 on AliExpress.

Our opinion

I found the Honor Band 6 very easy to live with and its wide range of features is useful. It is crucial that it is not overwhelmed with pointless features like the Watch ES's personal trainer or a clunky design. It maintains the simplicity of a regular fitness tracker while integrating an attractive screen and simple but helpful smartwatch-style functions. Trying to be everything to everyone is usually not a good product, and the Honor Band 6 does the right mix.

It has just the right level of complexity when it comes to health monitoring, with easy-to-use features (some of which are automated) and enough sensors to provide an informative view of your daily health. It won't satisfy the hardcore athlete, but it's more than enough for ordinary people. This is the Honor Band 6's strong point – it does what a good fitness tracker should do without messing with features that don't matter at this price point.

Honor hasn't raised the price above $ 100 either, which is where smartwatches appear that look like watches. Instead, it's the kind of fitness tracker that you should buy instead of the mostly terrible cheap smartwatches available on Amazon. It's a different world in terms of build, polish, and performance. Only availability affects the Honor Band 6, but if you are ready to put in the effort, it is definitely worth it.

Is there a better alternative?

The Honor Band 6 is very affordable, and it's difficult to find a competing fitness tracker with the same features for the same price. The $ 50 Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is our affordable fitness tracker. It's not as feature-rich as the Honor Band 6, but it's more readily available.

Outside of the US, the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 will likely be the biggest competitor as it offers very similar features. While the final price has not yet been confirmed, it will likely cost about the same as the Honor Band 6.

How long it will take?

The plastic housing, the strong silicone band and the water resistance of 5 ATM ensure that the Honor Band 6 does not break so quickly. Even if treated roughly, it should prove to be durable. Provided the software is kept up to date and the Huawei Health app is supported, the Honor Band will last 6 years.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Honor Band 6 is an affordable, feature-rich fitness tracker that also manages to take advantage of some helpful smartwatch-like features.

Editor's recommendations




23 Jan
Blog

Amazon Halo Review: No-Fuss Fitness Band, Privacy Disaster

Amazon Halo Fitness Band

Amazon Halo Review: Affordable but Questionable Fitness Band

"Amazon Halo is a no-frills fitness band, but privacy concerns tarnish an otherwise capable workout companion."

  • Slim, lightweight design

  • Informative sleep rating

  • Accurate body fat scan

  • Laboratory integration

  • Subscription for access to all functions

  • Questionable privacy

Amazon has taken its first steps in the wearable device market with its Halo fitness tracker. Much like its Echo and Alexa devices, the Amazon Halo is designed to blend in with the background and seamlessly track your health and fitness. The $ 99 Halo creates a niche with unique features not found on other fitness wearables. However, some of these features raise serious privacy concerns. We have both good and bad problems so you can decide if you want the Halo to be your next fitness machine.

Forget about simple carrying and design

The Amazon Halo has a simple design with a woven fabric band and a screenless tracker unit reminiscent of the older Fitbits. It has a single button that interacts with the Halo app, two microphones for speech analysis and an LED indicator. On the bottom there is an optical heart rate sensor and a charging area. Its straightforward design allows you to charge the tracker without removing it from the band.

Amazon Halo Fitness BandKelly Hodgkins / Digital Trends

The tracker unit is slim and mounts under the band with the heart rate sensor flush with your skin. The tracker clicks securely into place on the band, but it can be removed quickly and easily if you need to change the bands. The sensor unit is waterproof up to 50 meters, so you can swim and shower while wearing it.

The tape consists of a strong net with a Velcro fastener. The Velcro on the halo is just perfect. I can pull the Velcro as tight as I want without having to struggle with the various settings of a buckle. The mesh fabric is not as silky smooth as silicone straps, but it is pleasant on the skin even when perspiration builds up. If you don't like the web, Amazon sells a sports band with a more rubbery feel.

The Halo lacks a screen to grab your attention and lacks a vibrating motor to keep you buzzing. It's also incredibly slim and light (18 grams). It's so unobtrusive that I barely felt it on my wrist. I like that I could wear the halo and forget about it, but I miss the display, especially when I'm running. I can't check the time, watch my pace, or monitor my heart rate from my wrist like I can with my Garmin or Fitbit.

Activity tracking stays with the basics

The Amazon Halo is a more than powerful activity tracker with a heart rate sensor as well as a gyroscope and an accelerometer for movement tracking. It records all of the standard metrics for a fitness tracker. It counts steps, compiles calories and tracks selected workouts (walking, running, cycling and more) in real time. You can also add an activity manually if you forgot to start your tracker. One blatant omission is GPS. Most fitness bands have built-in GPS or at least connect to your smartphone.

Amazon Halo Fitness BandKelly Hodgkins / Digital Trends

The Halo takes a novel approach to measuring your activity level. You will earn points for every minute you are active. The Halo gives you two points for every minute of intense activity, one point for every minute of moderate exercise, and one point for every 20 minutes of light activity. Not only does Halo give points, but it also takes points away for every hour you are sedentary. You can set your own points goal, but Halo recommends achieving at least 150 points per week, which is in line with World Health Organization guidelines for physical activity.

The Halo's relaxed weekly scoring system has successfully kept me active.

Amazon's scoring system is great for those trying to get fit and need that extra encouragement. Since performance is measured weekly, I didn't feel compelled to exercise every day. I could spread my exercise over a week and mix a workout into my daily life if it fits my schedule. This relaxed approach successfully kept me active and kept me from becoming discouraged if I had to miss a workout.

Sleep tracking stays simple

Amazon's Halo competitor, Fitbit leader when it comes to sleep tracking. At night, the Halo can track movement, heart rate and even body temperature, giving you a detailed insight into what factors can affect the quality of your sleep. All of this data is summarized in a sleep score so that you can assess your sleep at a glance.

The halo accurately recorded my wake times, sleep times and movements during the night. The tracker not only monitored the length of my sleep, but also correctly rated the quality of my sleep. It was spot on with his assessment – when I woke up tired from a restless night, the Halo app knew instantly.

The Halo app goes one step further than simple analysis. It also provides insight into your sleep cycles. When I had a pattern of insomnia, the app gave me guidance on how to improve my rest. If I needed more detailed help, I had the option to sign up for a sleep laboratory. This third-party service offered activities that would improve my sleep, such as: B. Limiting caffeine in the afternoon (one of my bad habits!). The lab helped me implement these suggestions and then analyzed whether they actually helped improve my sleep.

The analysis of the tone voices is convincing and uncomfortable

The most impressive and controversial feature in Halo is tone-voice analysis. When enabled, Tone uses your Halo tracker's audio hardware to hear your voice regularly throughout the day. The idea behind Tone is to make you aware of how you sound to other people. Are you moody or positive? Do you sound tired or optimistic?

Amazon Halo Fitness BandKelly Hodgkins / Digital Trends

In order to protect privacy, Tone does not monitor the words you say, only the tone of your voice. In addition, the recordings are not saved. This eases some privacy concerns, but it limits functionality. Once marked as stubborn, I could think about the entire conversation. I couldn't hear exactly what I was saying.

I found the tone speech analysis compelling, but also creepy. I was checking my sound stats all day to see if I was negative without realizing it. I wish there was a notification that would nudge me if my mood changed. Instead of waiting afterwards, it would be helpful to be able to change my setting in real time. Although Tone recognized my mood for most of the time, I didn't feel comfortable with the device always listening in the background. The battery was also very discharged.

Although for the most part Tone recognized my mood accurately, it was a huge drain on the battery.

What I liked was the "Live" tab which offered on-demand, real-time analytics. I was able to practice a short speech and watch where my voice fell on the positivity and energy chart while speaking. I could then get a full analysis of how I sounded. This feature is incredibly useful for repeating a speech or preparing for an interview.

Body fat tracking with half-naked selfies

Many attached health devices promise to monitor your body fat, but few do exactly that. Most smartphone apps and even smart scales take your height and weight and put that information into a body fat calculator. However, this formula doesn't take into account whether the majority of your weight is fat or muscle. It also doesn't tell you where your fat is concentrated.

Amazon Halo improves body fat measurement by using your height and weight data along with photos of your body. These photos, taken only in your skivvies, can be used to determine if you are limp or fit for your weight. It also helps identify where your fat is located. When you are struggling with your body image, the process can be terribly uncomfortable.

All body scan photos are securely processed by Amazon in the cloud and then automatically deleted. They are only saved when you want to use them to keep track of your progress. This sets a privacy flag. They trust Amazon to handle your half-naked selfies discreetly. Do you feel comfortable with it?

Although uncomfortable and worrying, the body fat estimates can provide some accurate results, especially for those who are building muscle, not just losing weight. With the saved photo scans, you can literally see your body fat melt away. Just like with tone speech analysis, you need to decide whether leaving your comfort zone is worth the information it contains. For me, a one-time scan to test the function was sufficient.

The battery life is as expected

The Halo lasted up to a week with normal use on a single charge. Tone speech analysis was a tremendous burden, reducing battery life to a disappointing two days. Fortunately, the Halo charged consistently in just over an hour. The Halo may have hit Amazon's promised battery life, but we expected more from a tape that doesn't have a screen and only basic sensors. The Fitbit Charge 3 with color display, several sensors and smartwatch functions also lasts six days between charging cycles.

Labs

Like the Apple Watch, Amazon has partnered with third-party services to expand the health and wellness information you can get from your device. Most of these labs will help you develop healthy habits that will improve both your mind and your body. For example, you can receive training content from Sweat and take part in the American Heart Association's lunchtime powerwalks. With its clout and reach in retail, this is an area that Amazon could really develop in the years to come.

Not everyone is willing to forego some privacy for the sake of innovation.

Privacy is a deal breaker for some

We can't review the halo without mentioning privacy. Daily voice recordings and snapshots of your scantily clad body can make many people feel uncomfortable. However, Amazon is quick to point out that these features are optional. You don't have to use them to take advantage of the hands-off fitness tracking offered by the Halo.

subscription

You can use Amazon Halo to track basics like step count, activity level, and sleep. If you want more than just the basics, you can choose an optional subscription service that costs $ 4 per month and offers access to advanced features like sleep scoring and labs. Each Halo comes with a free six-month trial subscription. So give it a try and decide if it's worth the extra money.

Our opinion

The Amazon Halo is a straightforward fitness tracker for those who want to improve their health and fitness without worrying about it. The halo tracks the most important metrics. You don't have to view them every minute of the day. However, privacy concerns cast a long shadow over the device. Not everyone will be happy with their device if they take almost nude photos of them and hear them all day. Where you draw that line will determine whether you should buy the Halo.

Is there a better alternative?

The Amazon Halo brings some unique features to the table, but not everyone is willing to give up their privacy for the sake of innovation. Anyone looking for a fitness tracker with robust health and wellness features should consider the Fitbit Sense. Like the Halo, the Scythe focuses on your health and wellbeing, rather than just cross-threshold workouts.

How long it will take?

The Amazon Halo has a simplified design that interferes with a fabric strap that attaches to the tracker. There is no display and only a single button, which reduces potential problems with the device. As long as you do not abuse it, the halo will be used for many years. If you run into hardware problems, Amazon's Halo comes with a one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

If you can look beyond the privacy issues, the Halo is ideal for those who prefer a hands-off approach to training. You just need to achieve a weekly goal and you won't be constantly reminded to move every hour. Those who want to track every metric and micromanage of their progress should pass the halo on and choose one of the many alternatives.

Editor's recommendations




01 Apr
Blog

Wyze Band Review: Put This Tracker on Your Radar

Wyze band on the wrist

Wyze Band Review: Put this tracker on your radar

"The Wyze Band is an affordable fitness tracker that you can use to control your smart home."

  • Heart rate tracker at an affordable price

  • Sleep tracking also included

  • Incredible value

  • Alexa built in

  • The screen is a little shaky

  • Difficult to put on

Most people know Wyze as a company that makes smart home products such as the Wyze Lock and Wyze Smart Plug. The company not only wants to make your home intelligent, Wyze now also wants intelligent technology with the addition of Wyze band to his lineup. With so many fitness bands already on the market, Wyze faces tough competition. So it fits together

Alexa on the wrist

Wyze band on the wristAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

The Wyze Band's standout feature is the addition of Alexa. However, this is not the only fitness band with Alexa. It just seems that Alexa's uses are different in this particular band.

You feel a bit like James Bond when you walk through the door and then tell the watch to lock the door behind you.

While Fitbit's Alexa focuses on your body, Wyze Band's Alexa seems to focus more on controlling your smart home devices and more traditional applications. By holding your finger on the screen, you can activate Alexa and ask questions, or use the voice assistant to control your home devices like lights, locks, and more. You feel a bit like James Bond when you walk through the door and then tell the watch to lock the door behind you.

Unlike Fitbit, I couldn't use Alexa to tell me how many steps I took or other fitness information. By the way, Alexa doesn't talk about the Wyze Band. All answers are displayed as text on the screen. This could be a bonus if you hate Alexa's or a digital voice.

Features you'll love

Wyze band backAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

Aside from Alexa, the Wyze Band has a pretty good summary of the features. It records steps / distance, heart rate and sleep, and everything can also be tracked in detail in the Wyze app. The battery also lasts a remarkable 10 days. To compare how good this is, the Fitbit Inspire only lasts up to five days. The less you have to charge, the better. The Wyze Band is also water resistant up to 50m, which means you can swim, dive or just walk in the rain.

Great view, dubious note

I was quite impressed with the clear clarity of the AMOLED touchscreen, which is comparable to the more expensive fitness tracker Samsung Galaxy Fit. It almost looked like I was looking at the screen on my phone. The colors were bright and everything was super clear and easy to read.

Where the screen is neglected is its responsiveness. It has a function that should turn on the screen automatically when you lift your wrist. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. I usually had to move my wrist a little to turn on the screen.

In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Fit, it is activated when typing.

It was also not very touch sensitive. I think that's kind of good because it doesn't respond to accidental touches so easily. It was a little frustrating when I tried to access statistics. In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Fit, it is activated when typing.

Band frustration

Snap Wyze BandAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

Attaching the band around your wrist is annoying. Instead of a buckle, the band has a small knob that is supposed to slip into a hole. It is frustrating and can take a minute to get that little knot into your preferred hole. If you have a handicap, such as carpal tunnel, arthritis, or tremors, securing the ligament may be next to impossible. I have a mild carpal tunnel and it took much longer than it took to get the Wyze band on my wrist.

Our opinion

At $ 25, the Wyze Band is cheaper than any other comparable brand fitness band on the market. While it's not perfect, it's a nifty tracker for the price. It lacks the ability to connect to your phone to check messages or track exercises other than running, but it can control your smart home devices. The Alexa capability is a great asset to such an affordable band.

Will it take?

The Wyze Band seems to break easily if it gets caught on something, but otherwise it seems robust. There is a one-year guarantee on material and workmanship.

Is there a better alternative?

For the price no. If you want more features, e.g. For example, the ability to use your phone with your tracker or to automatically track multiple types of exercises, the Fitbit Inspire HR for $ 70 is the next best choice.

Should you buy it

For $ 25, you really can't go wrong looking for a basic fitness and sleep tracker. The Wyze Band is a good choice. If you combine it with the also very affordable Wyze scales, you are on the way to a healthier lifestyle without spending a lot of money.

Editor's recommendations