The Jabees 7Seven swimming headphones pack some features you don’t even find on their contemporaries at Shokz for around half the price. For many, that’s plenty of reason to buy. The 7Sevens are light as a feather at 28g and packs an ample 32GB of MP3 storage, essential for underwater listening where Bluetooth connectivity is weaker. This storage space outdoes quite a few older bone conduction headphones sets that have retained their price over the years, and puts the 7sevens in the same league as the Nank Runner Diver2 Pro and H20 Audio Tri 2 Pro.
Multipoint connectivity and Bluetooth 6.0 are great quality-of-life upgrades we wouldn’t expect on cheap headphones, allowing you to link to multiple devices and switch between them seamlessly. This is nice to swap between the phone for running and commuting and laptop for work, and works well in practice. Phone calls with the built-in microphone are, unfortunately, a bit tinny: the recipient of my test calls could hear me fine outside on a rainy run, but even at max volume the other person’s voice wasn’t great.
Music fared much better. Regardless of whether it was streamed via Bluetooth or loaded onto the headphones via the MP3 storage feature, quality was good, especially considering these are cheap bone conduction headphones. The transistors do vibrate at higher volumes during bassy tracks, which is especially noticeable above-ground on runs and in the office. However, in the water during swims, the vibrations are greatly reduced.
(Image credit: Future)
Controls are simple and intuitive, with volume up and down also allowing you to skip tracks as usual. Everything else is handled by the multifunction power button with a variety of long and short presses, and it’s generally easily remembered, although I kept the manual to refer back to.
Generally speaking, the Jabees 7Seven headphones offer good quality that bely their price, but there are still some niggles here and there that have been ironed out in more expensive offerings. The fit around the ears isn’t adjustable: instead, the 7Sevens are packaged with a “secure fit loop”, a little piece of elastic common in bone conduction headsets that are supposed to tighten the band around the head. The battery only covers five hours of playback time, so they’ll need to be quite frequently charged. And then there are the high vibrations from the transistors at full volume and slight call quality issues.
However, none of these annoyances are enough to reduce the 7Seven’s status as a value-for-money alternative to the likes of Shokz and H20. It’s got some great features, stores a ton of music, and that five-hour playback will be enough for several pool sessions and a run. They won’t last all the way through an ironman event, but if you’re into that, you’re probably opting for the more expensive headphones anyway.
Jabees 7Seven headphones: Price and availability
$59.99 / £47.99 / AU$99
Cheaper than most high-quality swimming headphones
Same 32GB storage as more expensive brands
The Jabees 7Seven bone conduction headphones are available for $59.99 / £47.99 / AU$99, and bundle deals on multiple headphones can be found on the Jabees’ website. Considering some of their competitors are double, sometimes triple the price, you’re getting a lot for your buck with 32GB storage
Jabees 7Seven headphones: Scorecard
(Image credit: Future)
Category
Comment
Score
Value
For the price, they are terrific.
4.5/5
Design
Some more attention to the fit and transistor vibration would have been nice-to-haves.
3.5/5
Features
Multipoint connectivity, Bluetooth 6.0, 32GB storage. No notes.
5/5
Performance
Good in the water and on runs, although a couple of niggles.
3.5/5
Jabees 7Seven headphones: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You’re on a budget
At under $60 / £50 / AU$100, these headphones are great value.
You’ve got a big music library
32GB is a lot of space for MP3 storage.
You’re a regular swimmer
As opposed to dedicated runners, these headphones are great for mixed disciplines.
Don't buy it if...
You do long multi-sport events
Five hours of battery isn’t enough for long days on the trail.
You don’t own your own music
Without a library of MP3s to listen to in the pool, these headphones become less attractive.
Also consider
Shokz OpenRun
The best cheap bone conduction headphones for running.
I tested the Jabees 7Seven underwater and on various runs. I drained the battery down, tested onboard MP3s and Bluetooth streaming alike, and adjusted the fit using the included secure fit loop.
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is a great fitness watch, which isn’t something I was necessarily expecting from Garmin’s slimmer, more budget-friendly offering. It’s stuffed with features such as PacePro, Garmin’s virtual pacing system for runners, which generally belong on more expensive, more specialist watches like Garmin’s Forerunner series.
Still, the Vivoactive series is a lifestyle watch for active people. It shares a lot of DNA with Garmin’s other lifestyle watch, the Venu 4, but it’s cheaper and made from less premium materials. If the Venu 4 is like an Apple Watch, the Vivoactive 6 is more like an Apple Watch SE: there have been some compromises made to lower the price, but it’s still a really effective, comfortable activity watch I enjoyed wearing.
Like the Apple Watch SE 3, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is very light, weighing in at just 36g with a band, and slim at just 10.9mm thick. This means it’s comfortable for all-day wear, and you can go from the gym to the office and even to bed and basically forget about wearing it. It slipped easily under my shirt cuff during daywear when other Garmin watches would bulge. Any sleep tracker has to be comfortable to wear throughout the night, and this was the case with the Vivoactive more so than the Venu, which is a milimeter or so thicker and much heavier due to its metal construction.
Smart wake alarm, a new feature for Garmin, was long missing from its lineup, and I was pleased yet surprised to see it in the Vivoactive line. It wakes you up with haptic vibrations at the lightest point in your sleep cycle, within a 30-minute window. Having tried it for a few days, I found it a much more pleasant way to wake up than my usual alarm, and I feel anecdotally less groggy in the mornings.
I enjoyed the Auto Activity Start feature too, which I set to start recording after one minute of road running. It really contributes to a seamless, super-light smartwatch experience when you don’t have to toggle around to get to the running settings – just run. It’s a nice-to-have, but it adds to the overall ‘virtual assistant’ experience many smartwatches are now striving for, to anticipate your needs without you having to wade through menus. I do wish the Vivoactive 6 had a microphone and voice assistant, but I can accept shortcomings at this price point.
It’s not necessarily the watch I’d recommend to adventurers or serious runners due to missing features from other Garmin watches, and it’s packing the older Elevate V4 heart rate sensor, which is functional but not as accurate as the upgraded Elevate V5, and my tests against the Polar H10 heart rate monitor corroborate that. But it’s a great fitness tool and the best cheap Garmin watch of 2025.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
$299.99 / £279.99 / AU$549
Affordably priced compared to other Garmins
Comparable to most smartwatches from Apple and Samsung
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 retails at $299.99 / £279.99 / AU$549, although can be found on sale for slightly less.
That's very comparable with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 and Google Pixel Watch 4, and slightly more expensive than the Apple Watch SE 3. Although it's perhaps leaning more towards fitness enthusiasts than those all-rounder watches, I'd say this is a great price for the amount of features on offer.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
Cheap and most certainly cheerful, stuffed with premium features for the price.
5/5
Design
Two buttons and a touchscreen, nice and light, with a redesigned UI.
4/5
Features
Tons if you like your fitness, but lacking some modern smartwatch amenities like a microphone.
4/5
Performance
Accurate enough, comfortable to wear and lasts ages. I do wish it was packing Garmin’s more accurate HR monitor though.
4/5
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want an Apple Watch SE alternative
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is an excellent value package, with an AMOLED screen and loads of training tools.
You’re a runner
PacePro, automatic run tracking, and Garmin’s advanced suite of fitness and recovery tools make it a comprehensive run tracker ideal for most people.
You struggle with comfort
Bulky, heavy watches are difficult to wear at night. The Vivoactive 6 is practically invisible on-wrist, and ideal for slimmer wrists.
Don't buy it if...
You want an adventure watch
The Garmin Instinct 3 is a little bit more expensive and packs lots of outdoor-focused navigation features.
Accuracy is everything
If you need the latest Elevate V5 heart rate sensor for pinpoint precision rather than an estimate, go for the Venu 4.
Also consider
Garmin Forerunner 570
The best Garmin watch for runners: it’s more expensive, but ideal if you love pounding the pavement.
I wore the Garmin Vivoactive 6 for 10 days, performing different kinds of workouts, sleeping with it on, and draining the battery down. I tested its various functions, including the new Smart Wake alarm, and tested its Elevate V4 heart rate sensor against a Polar H10 chest-mounted heart rate monitor.
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is a great fitness watch, which isn’t something I was necessarily expecting from Garmin’s slimmer, more budget-friendly offering. It’s stuffed with features such as PacePro, Garmin’s virtual pacing system for runners, which generally belong on more expensive, more specialist watches like Garmin’s Forerunner series.
Still, the Vivoactive series is a lifestyle watch for active people. It shares a lot of DNA with Garmin’s other lifestyle watch, the Venu 4, but it’s cheaper and made from less premium materials. If the Venu 4 is like an Apple Watch, the Vivoactive 6 is more like an Apple Watch SE: there have been some compromises made to lower the price, but it’s still a really effective, comfortable activity watch I enjoyed wearing.
Like the Apple Watch SE 3, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is very light, weighing in at just 36g with a band, and slim at just 10.9mm thick. This means it’s comfortable for all-day wear, and you can go from the gym to the office and even to bed and basically forget about wearing it. It slipped easily under my shirt cuff during daywear when other Garmin watches would bulge. Any sleep tracker has to be comfortable to wear throughout the night, and this was the case with the Vivoactive more so than the Venu, which is a milimeter or so thicker and much heavier due to its metal construction.
Smart wake alarm, a new feature for Garmin, was long missing from its lineup, and I was pleased yet surprised to see it in the Vivoactive line. It wakes you up with haptic vibrations at the lightest point in your sleep cycle, within a 30-minute window. Having tried it for a few days, I found it a much more pleasant way to wake up than my usual alarm, and I feel anecdotally less groggy in the mornings.
I enjoyed the Auto Activity Start feature too, which I set to start recording after one minute of road running. It really contributes to a seamless, super-light smartwatch experience when you don’t have to toggle around to get to the running settings – just run. It’s a nice-to-have, but it adds to the overall ‘virtual assistant’ experience many smartwatches are now striving for, to anticipate your needs without you having to wade through menus. I do wish the Vivoactive 6 had a microphone and voice assistant, but I can accept shortcomings at this price point.
It’s not necessarily the watch I’d recommend to adventurers or serious runners due to missing features from other Garmin watches, and it’s packing the older Elevate V4 heart rate sensor, which is functional but not as accurate as the upgraded Elevate V5, and my tests against the Polar H10 heart rate monitor corroborate that. But it’s a great fitness tool and the best cheap Garmin watch of 2025.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
$299.99 / £279.99 / AU$549
Affordably priced compared to other Garmins
Comparable to most smartwatches from Apple and Samsung
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 retails at $299.99 / £279.99 / AU$549, although can be found on sale for slightly less.
That's very comparable with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 and Google Pixel Watch 4, and slightly more expensive than the Apple Watch SE 3. Although it's perhaps leaning more towards fitness enthusiasts than those all-rounder watches, I'd say this is a great price for the amount of features on offer.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
Cheap and most certainly cheerful, stuffed with premium features for the price.
5/5
Design
Two buttons and a touchscreen, nice and light, with a redesigned UI.
4/5
Features
Tons if you like your fitness, but lacking some modern smartwatch amenities like a microphone.
4/5
Performance
Accurate enough, comfortable to wear and lasts ages. I do wish it was packing Garmin’s more accurate HR monitor though.
4/5
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want an Apple Watch SE alternative
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is an excellent value package, with an AMOLED screen and loads of training tools.
You’re a runner
PacePro, automatic run tracking, and Garmin’s advanced suite of fitness and recovery tools make it a comprehensive run tracker ideal for most people.
You struggle with comfort
Bulky, heavy watches are difficult to wear at night. The Vivoactive 6 is practically invisible on-wrist, and ideal for slimmer wrists.
Don't buy it if...
You want an adventure watch
The Garmin Instinct 3 is a little bit more expensive and packs lots of outdoor-focused navigation features.
Accuracy is everything
If you need the latest Elevate V5 heart rate sensor for pinpoint precision rather than an estimate, go for the Venu 4.
Also consider
Garmin Forerunner 570
The best Garmin watch for runners: it’s more expensive, but ideal if you love pounding the pavement.
I wore the Garmin Vivoactive 6 for 10 days, performing different kinds of workouts, sleeping with it on, and draining the battery down. I tested its various functions, including the new Smart Wake alarm, and tested its Elevate V4 heart rate sensor against a Polar H10 chest-mounted heart rate monitor.
In recent years, Huawei has dedicated itself so aggressively to wearables that in 2025 they shipped more watches than any other brand – including Apple. In the past year I’ve reviewed a number of the best smartwatches from Huawei, including the GT5, the D2 and the Fit 3. I awarded all three an impressive 4.5 stars, which just goes to show what a good track record Huawei has created thus far.
The Ultimate 2 represents Huawei’s most advanced smartwatch to date and is perhaps the pinnacle of what is currently possible with smartwatch technology. It’s packing sonar communications, a world first for a smartwatch, and an X-Tap feature for measuring blood flow through the finger. Huawei has aimed high, and as far as specs on paper go, they’ve achieved exactly what they set out to do. Look out, Apple Watch Ultra 3.
This is not a smartwatch for the casual user but rather a dedicated device for professional athletes and serious recreational fitness enthusiasts. The primary focuses are diving and golfing, although Huawei promotes the watch as being ideal for a much broader range of activities. As you’d expect, there’s also a full set of health tracking capabilities.
As well as rugged and premium materials, performance across the board is very strong, indeed. The display is super-bright, even when being used in direct sunlight. The interface is fast, responsive, and finely tuned for an optimum user experience. GPS tracking is quickly found and always accurate. Extreme waterproofing is engineered to perfection. The positives go on. I think if it could have been made slightly smaller and dealt with the pesky Huawei app side-loading issue, Huawei would have had the perfect package.
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Specifications
Component
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2
Price
£899.99 (Blue) / £799.99 (Black)
Dimensions
47.8 x 47.8 x 12.9 mm (Blue) / 48.5 x 48.5 x 12.9 mm (Black)
Weight
80.5g without strap
Caze/bezel
Zirconium-based Liquid Metal (Amorphous Alloy) / Nanocrystal Ceramic
Display
1.5 inch AMOLED (466 × 466 pixels)
Operating System
HarmonyOS
GPS
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and QZSS
Battery life
4.5 days typical usage, 11 days in power saver mode
Connection
eSIM (for phone-free calls), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, and NFC
Water resistance
20 ATM
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Price and Availability
Blue: £899 / Black: £799
Not available in the US or AUS
It’s expensive, but very advanced
There’s no getting away from it. The Ultimate 2 Blue, at £899, is one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market, only beaten by the likes of the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, which retails for £1,119. If you’d like the Black version, then that retails at £799.
The most similar price is the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which costs £749 and will always be a winner amongst Apple fans. If you’re not concerned about sonar communication but want a premium rugged offering, then the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra for £599 is a great shout and works well with Android phones, being compatible with Google’s Play Store.
Value score: 4.5/5
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Design
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
One of the largest smartwatches on the market
Premium and rugged materials throughout
Bright and high-resolution AMOLED display
It’s difficult to make any mention of the design without first stating that this is one of the largest smartwatches I’ve ever worn. With a 47.8mm case diameter and a 12.9mm thickness, it’s in the realm of the chunky Garmin Epix Pro (although they range up to 51mm) and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. I get that this is a rugged smartwatch packed full of innovative hardware, but this size of watch won’t be for everyone. I, for one, didn’t like wearing it while exercising. You can see it in the photos, but even on my reasonably sized wrist, the watch looks and feels odd. Slender-wristed folks, you’ve been warned.
That being said, everything else about the design of this watch is incredible. Beginning with a zirconium-based liquid metal case, the Ultimate 2 packs high-performance materials for a premium and rugged build. This metal is strong, hard, and allegedly more corrosion-resistant than stainless steel, which means users will have no problems exposing this watch to saltwater environments, even for long periods of time.
The bezel (blue and white on mine) is nanocrystal ceramic (sometimes dual-color) which is smooth, durable, and most importantly, scratch-resistant. If I'm honest, I think it looks a little too much like a plastic finish, which detracts from the overall premium feel.
The display is a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED screen made of sapphire glass. You'll be hard-pressed to find a harder or more scratch-resistant material when it comes to smartwatches. I experienced zero scratches or cracks during my few weeks of testing, and I do not expect to have any problems in the future either.
The strap I've been testing is a durable fluoroelastomer strap with a blue/white color combo. It suits the overall watch aesthetic and is flexible enough to get a comfortable fit. It’s ideal for adventuring and exercising, but if you'd prefer a more polished and professional look, then there's also a metal link strap in the box. Huawei also throws in a longer diving strap when you purchase the blue package.
Design score: 4.5/5
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Features
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Industry-leading waterproof rating
New X-TAP for PPG and ECG
No third-party apps
One of my biggest bugbears with all Huawei watches is the copious number of legal agreements that have to be agreed to. Rather than providing a single agreement that users consent to before using the watch, Huawei has determined that it's better for users to provide specific consent at the point of using each individual feature. This is the only smartwatch company that seems to do this, and I think it significantly interrupts the user experience.
The diving and water-related features are by far the biggest selling points of the Ultimate 2, and the 20ATM waterproof rating means it can be subjected to rain, swimming, diving, snorkeling, and high-speed watersports. It also boasts a diving certification of 150m.
Despite not being able to test the more extreme parts of these claims, I can confirm that I had no performance issues after submerging it for several minutes. By way of comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 tops out at a waterproof rating of 10ATM, which makes the Ultimate 2 the industry leader at the time of writing.
The Ultimate 2 is also the first smartwatch to feature a sonar-based underwater communication feature, which lets two Ultimate 2s exchange messages up to 30 metres apart. You can say goodbye to traditional forms of underwater communication, although the requirement for both users to need the exact same Huawei watch is limiting. It'll be interesting to see whether the diving industry begins to adopt this technology or whether Huawei has gone more niche than they needed to.
Aside from these groundbreaking features, the Ultimate 2 includes top-level health tracking. It centers around a Distributed Super-Sensing Module that is paired with Huawei’s TruSense system. This combines multiple sensor types (optical, electrical, acoustic, and mechanical) to improve health tracking accuracy.
Huawei has integrated a sensor, named X-TAP, on the side of the watch which measures blood flow through the finger, making it capable of taking ECG and PPG readings. Taking health readings from the wrist has always been notoriously inaccurate, so a feature like this that uses more reputable sensor technology is very welcome indeed.
Features score: 4.5/5
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Performance
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Accurate metrics
Between three and eight days of use
Too bulky
We've recently seen a rise in silicon-carbon battery technology that adds silicon to the graphite anode and thereby increases the capacity of the battery. Huawei has brought this new tech to their Ultimate 2 smartwatch, although it's labeled the battery technology 'high-silicon'.
As a result, we're looking at an 867mAh battery rather than the 510mAh battery that was found in the first version of this watch. That's quite the upgrade considering the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra sit just below 600mAh batteries.
While testing the watch, I achieved between three and eight days of use depending on how intensely I was using it and whether I was using GPS on a regular basis. Having always-on-display activated significantly reduced the battery life, but there are no surprises there. My normal smartwatch habit involves performing daily GPS tracking for around 30 minutes, tracking health metrics regularly, and actioning dozens of notifications each day. Doing this drained the battery in just under five days.
The specs state that normal use will result in 3.5 days of use on iOS and 4.5 days on Android. The additional life on Android is on account of having to perform less frequent refreshes to maintain the connection. Either way, having a smartwatch that can last several days between charges is fine by me, especially given the rich feature set.
After comparing it to other Huawei smartwatches and my Suunto Race S during activity tracking, I have to say I was very impressed with both the responsiveness and the accuracy while tracking metrics, including heart rate, SpO2, and ECG.
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Huawei has upgraded its Sunflower GPS technology. I tested its GPS capabilities in built-up urban areas as well as in dense woods, and it was capable of finding a signal quickly, with and without fuss. There was absolutely no inaccuracy or drift while tracking my runs and bike rides. If you need GPS that you can rely on, then there are very few watches on the market that will match it.
As accurate as the Ultimate 2 is in terms of tracking exercise, I actually think the watch is just too bulky to make it comfortable for most types of exercise. You certainly wouldn't want to wear it for long periods of time while running, swimming, or when in the gym. As a result, I'm not quite sure who this watch is designed for. If Huawei could reduce it by a few grams and slim it down a little, I'd be giving it a five-star rating without reservations.
If you can cope with the size, you'll be pleased with the user experience. The software, HarmonyOS, is fast and well laid out and integrates surprisingly well with Apple and Android phones. I especially like the addition of text labels to icons, which significantly helped me find features quickly and efficiently. Interaction with calls, texts, and other types of notifications was equally seamless.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
An expensive smartwatch but the technology is very advanced.
4.5/5
Design
It's large but there are premium and rugged materials throughout
4.5/5
Features
A range of innovative features set it apart, including sonar communications.
4.5/5
Performance
Accurate health metrics and solid fitness tracking alongside a reasonable battery life.
4.5/5
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Buy it if...
You’re a serious diver that needs the tech to back you up
With a range of diving-specific features, including sonar communication, the Ultimate 2 is hands down the go-to product for divers.
You want finger-based health measurements
The sensor on the side of the watch is capable of measuring blood flow through the finger, a type of measurement that is regarded as more accurate than through the wrist.
Don't buy it if...
You have a slender wrist
It’s big, chunky, and not always that comfortable. This is a watch for larger wrists or medium-sized wrists at a push.
You’re not into diving
With cheaper and more lightweight alternatives, the Ultimate 2 is not ideal for runners and gym enthusiasts.
Also consider
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Component
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Price
£899.99 (Blue) / £799.99 (Black)
$799 / £799 / AU$1,399
$649 / £599 / AU$1,299
Dimensions
47.8 x 47.8 x 12.9 mm (Blue) / 48.5 x 48.5 x 12.9 mm (Black)
49 x 41 x 14 (mm)
47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm
Weight
80.5g without strap
61g
60.5g
Caze/bezel
Zirconium-based Liquid Metal (Amorphous Alloy) / Nanocrystal Ceramic
Titanium
Titanium
Display
1.5 inch AMOLED (466 × 466 pixels)
49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display
480 x 480 full-color AMOLED
Operating System
HarmonyOS
watchOS
Wear OS
GPS
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and QZSS
Dual-frequency (unspecified)
Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life
4.5 days typical usage, 11 days in power saver mode
36 hours
590mAh, up to 100 hours
Connection
eSIM (for phone-free calls), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, and NFC
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
Water resistance
20 ATM
Yes, WR100 (diveproof)
10ATM + IP68
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.
I tested the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 in much the same way as we test all smartwatches here at TechRadar. Over the period of several weeks I wore and interacted with the watch on a daily basis. This included daily activity tracking using the built-in GPS and regular health metrics monitoring, as well as responding to dozens of notifications each day.
In addition to this, I also ran tests on numerous other features found in the watch, including listening to music and playing games. One of the biggest selling points is the set of diving features, including tech that allows for diving down to 150 meters. Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to verify Huawei’s claims that the watch can cope with the pressure at this depth, but I did test its ability to cope with water submersion.
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle : One minute review
The best electric bikes come in many shapes and sizes. Some e-bike manufacturers embrace a brutalist and utilitarian design philosophy, while others try and keep their e-bikes looking as much like traditional push bikes as possible. The Quella Imperial Electric Courier before us today most definitely falls into the second category.
Quella is a British-based bicycle brand with a passion for fixed-gear bikes. It continues Quella's focus on creating stylish, minimalist bicycles. The Imperial is unlike a lot of other e-bikes on the market in that it features a rear hub that contains both the motor and the battery. This leaves the rest of the e-bike to adopt any design Quella decides, rather than being limited by bulky batteries and trailing cables. I loved the bike from my first ride.
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Specifications
Component
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle
Size range:
51cm, 54cm, 58cm, 61cm
Motor:
Zehus Gen 2 all-in-one rear hub motor
Top speed
15.5mph / 25kmh (UK)
Power:
155Wh (watt-hour) battery unit
Control:
Phone app
E-bike classification:
Pedelec
Speeds:
Single-speed
Brakes:
Radius dual-pivot caliper brakes
Frame material:
4130 chromoly steel, with track geometry
Weight:
15.2 kg / 33.5 lbs
Range:
60 km / 37 miles
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
$2,289 USD / £1,699 UK / $3,500 AUD
Located in the middle of the market
Fantastic spec for the price
The Quella Imperial sits comfortably in the mid-range of the e-bike market, competing with brands like VOLT and some models from manufacturers like Trek and Cube. These bikes, like the Imperial, offer a balance of features, performance, and price.
Even though the price will put a lot of people off, if you’re not comfortable spending more than this for a higher-spec e-bike, then the Imperial is an incredible offering.
Value score: 4/5
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Design
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Rear hub with integrated motor and battery
Regenerative braking feature
Classic aesthetic with a modern twist
One of the most important features of the Quella Imperial e-bike is that the electric motor and the battery are integrated into the rear hub. This creates a beautifully clean and minimalist aesthetic, to the point that many would think it was a standard push bike. As a result, the frame is not cluttered by a battery, which means that the top, down, and seat tubes are free from electronic clutter.
There are, however, two distinct downsides to this type of hub design. The first is that the battery can't be removed, and therefore you need to bring the whole e-bike to mains power. I'm a big fan of removable batteries, as I can separate the battery from the frame and therefore charge it wherever I like. The other downside to this design is that if the battery fails, then you'll need a complete hub replacement or, worse, potentially a whole new bike.
While we're on the subject of the battery, it includes a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that recharges the battery as you pedal backward. This is similar technology to that used in Formula One engines, and even though I didn't find myself using it very much, it is a clever and simple way to extend the bike's range.
Moving onto the design of the bike itself, Quella has created a modern e-bike that still embraces a classic, minimalist aesthetic. I love the vintage-inspired track frame made from 4130 chromoly steel that continues Quella's heritage style. In particular, it features a unique and eye-catching chrome-plated finish, giving it a polished, premium, luxurious look.
Quella has also inserted aggressive-looking deep-section rims and bullhorn handlebars, and I loved the riding position that this afforded me. The single-speed design won't be for everyone, but I love its simplicity, and the lack of derailleurs, shifters, and multiple sprockets means it's super low maintenance.
Design Score: 4.5/5
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Performance
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Smooth and reliable power assistance
Perfect for city living
Effective regenerative braking feature
The Quella Imperial e-bike is far from a powerhouse, but despite this, it’s a very clever, lightweight, and efficient city commuter. Having tested numerous e-bikes, it doesn't get much better than this, especially if you have an aversion to heavy and bulky e-bikes that are hard to manoeuver around.
The assistance comes from a 250W motor and 40Nm of torque, which serves up smooth, subtle, and natural-feeling power delivery. It won't zoom around but rather provides a "helping hand" to make starts easier, maintain speed on flats, and take the sting out of minor inclines. The motor kicks in rapidly after you begin pedaling and is reliable enough to give you the assistance you need when pulling away from standing still.
The rear-hub motor is less efficient than mid-drive alternatives, especially when riding routes with a lot of inclines. This is further compounded by the single-speed design that restricts the rider to only one gear. As a result, the motor has to work much harder, which can lead to rapid battery drain and the risk of overheating. This makes it a less ideal choice for riders who frequently encounter hilly terrain.
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But given this isn't the target market of this e-bike, I don't see a problem with that. I actually really loved the simplicity of the single-speed design that meant I wasn't faffing around with gears all the time. This is an e-bike that you can just jump on and ride, and in all honesty, that's my favorite type of ride.
The regenerative braking, KERS, is one of its best features. In terms of functionality, when you backpedal, the motor acts as a generator, not only slowing the bike down but also recharging the battery. This worked incredibly well and was a serious game changer when I needed to finely manage any remaining battery life.
The Quella Imperial is about simplicity and efficiency, rather than brute force. It provides a seamless, non-intrusive power assist that makes urban cycling a breeze.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Battery life
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Small battery located in the rear hub
A range of 37 miles (60 km)
Two to three hours to recharge the battery
The Imperial e-bike has a 155Wh (watt-hour) battery unit that is significantly smaller in capacity compared to many other e-bikes that feature 400Wh batteries or more. The small battery is due to Quella's integration of the battery into the hub. This has the added benefit of reduced weight and minimalist design, but it does have an impact on range.
Quella claims the e-bike has a maximum range of 37 miles (60 km) on a single charge. I always find it near impossible to achieve an e-bike manufacturer's range claims because there are too many varying factors. These include the terrain, wind strength, temperature, and, of course, my weight. I gave it a go, though, and managed to achieve around 75% (just under 30 miles) of the advertised range. That's still not bad.
The limited range, compared to many competitors, can be offset by the fact that this is primarily an urban city bike and that journeys are likely to be much shorter between charging locations. If you're doing those types of rides, then you'll have no issues at all. If you're doing long daily commutes, then you will find that a daily charge is required – but you’ll need an extension cord, or to lug the whole bike over to a mains socket to do so, rather than removing the battery.
The battery takes approximately two to three hours to charge due to the smaller battery size, which is really quite fast for an e-bike.
Battery life score: 3.5/5
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
A high-spec e-bike that sits in the middle of the market.
4/5
Design
A rear hub with an integrated motor and a seriously classy frame.
4.5/5
Performance
Smooth and reliable power assistance with a cool regenerative braking feature.
4.5/5
Battery Life
A small battery that yields around 37 miles / 60 km of range
3.5/5
Buy it if...
You prefer a classic look to your e-bikes
With an integrated motor and battery in the rear hub, the Quella Imperial looks much like a traditional push bike.
You value smooth power delivery
It doesn’t get much smoother than the Quella Imperial. I found it to be reliable and consistent and couldn’t ask for anything more.
Don't buy it if...
You need a top-range
37 miles (60 km) the Imperial is far from the highest performing in this area.
You want a removable battery
The battery is located in the rear hub and therefore can’t be removed for charging purposes.
Also consider
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle: Also consider
Component
Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle
Brompton Electric G Line
ENGWE MapFour N1 Air
Size range:
51cm, 54cm, 58cm, 61cm
Small, medium, large
Not specified
Motor:
Zehus Gen 2 all-in-one rear hub motor
250W
250W In-Rotor Motor
Top speed
15.5mph / 25kmh (UK)
15.5mph / 25kmh (UK)
15.5mph / 25kmh (UK)
Power:
155Wh (watt-hour) battery unit
345-wh. 4-hour full charge using included 2A charger
360Wh 10Ah high-capacity battery
Control:
Phone app
LCD Display
LCD Display
E-bike classification:
Pedelec
Class 3
Class 3
Speeds:
Single-speed
4-speed + 3-speed (electric assist)
Shimano 7 speed
Brakes:
Radius dual-pivot caliper brakes
Tektro Hydraulic Disc brakes with 140mm Front / 160mm Rear
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
Frame material:
4130 chromoly steel, with track geometry
Steel
Carbon
Weight:
15.2 kg / 33.5 lbs
16.1 kg / 35.5 lbs
15.6kg / 34 lbs
Range:
60 km / 37 miles
30-60km / 20-45 miles
100 Km / 62 miles
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)
Brompton Electric G Line
A foldable e-bike with off-roading smarts. For anyone who wants the classic Brompton experience with a little bit more comfort.
How I tested the Quella Imperial Electric Courier Bicycle
I had the e-bike in my possession for around one month and used it to carry out a variety of different rides. I focused on shorter rides rather than longer commutes, as I wanted to be fair to the e-bike's core target market.
Using one of the best under-desk treadmills, otherwise known as walking pads, have become the easiest way to sneak movement into a workday, and the DeerRun Q1 Classic leans into that promise with a low price, zero assembly model with a relatively compact footprint. It’s built for steady walking rather than running, with a responsive remote and a deck that feels stable and lightly cushioned.
It’s not whisper-quiet and the companion app is basic, but if your goal is to add a few thousand steps while you edit docs or watch a webinar, this compact slab of motivation makes a convincing case for itself.
DeerRun classic review: Specifications
Component
DeerRun Q1 Classic
Speed range
0.6–3.8 mph
Dimensions
49 x 20 x 4.5 in (pad), belt ~39.4 x 15.4 in
Weight
~43 lb
Capacity
up to 300 lb
Controls
Handheld remote and Bluetooth via PitPat
Claimed noise
“Low noise” brushless motor, <45 dB (in my room it sounded higher)
Compatibility
PitPat Fitness App
DeerRun classic review: Price and availability
$188 USD / £169 GBP / AU$413
Very affordable
Often on sale
DeerRun often discounts the Q1 Classic/Classic Pro family heavily; I’ve seen it listed at$188 in the US, with a stated 300 lb maximum user capacity and a 60-day risk-free trial plus one-year warranty. In the UK its Q1 Classic/Classic Pro walking pad is listed at£169 on DeerRun’s UK store and in Australia the same model is shown fromAU$413 on DeerRun’s AU store.
Value is where the DeerRun Q1 Classic shines. For a sub-$200 walking pad with a decent-sized belt, a proper remote, and a one-year warranty, it’s outstanding value. There are slicker pads with folding frames, longer belts or quieter motors, but they typically cost a fair bit more. If your goal is to add 5–10k steps to your day while you work, you won’t find many better bargains right now.
Value score: 5/5
DeerRun Q1 Classic review: Design
I’ve been using the DeerRun Q1 Classic in a spare-bedroom office with a big desk and a fairly wide gap underneath. I’m 5 foot 7 inches and weight around 60 kg, and the deck felt a comfortable size for steady walking while working. It ships in a single box and there’s no assembly – plug it in, pair the app, and you’re moving within minutes.
Getting the unit upstairs was the hardest part; it’s manageable but a bit hefty. First impressions were good: clean design, compact size, and a belt that feels well set up out of the box with no sticking or drift.
Day to day, it’s a smooth operator. The handheld remote is responsive, so nudging your pace up or down feels natural rather than jumpy. The deck has a hint of bounce without wobble, and even after longer sessions I didn’t notice excess heat or that telltale treadmill overclocking smell. Noise is where it falls short: it isn’t obnoxious, but I wouldn’t use it during calls. I could watch webinars, but I had to turn my volume up.
This is a walking pad first and foremost, rather than an at-work under-desk treadmill. With a top speed of 6.1 km/h, it’s designed for a brisk walk rather than a run. There’s no safety rail as standard, but you can buy one separately as an accessory, although if you’re just planning to walk on it, you shouldn’t need one.
Storage is straightforward. It doesn’t fold, and it’s a touch heavy to lug around, but I could tilt it against the wall behind a door, and its slim 4.5-inch profile barely ate into the room. If your sofa sits tall off the ground, you could slide it under; but mine is too low to fit the height of the pad.
The power cable is short, which may impact the layout of your workstation, and DeerRun charges extra for a longer lead – again, some cynics might feel nickel-and-dimed here. On a practical note for upstairs offices: running created enough vibration through my timber floorboards that items started migrating across my desk. The pad itself stayed composed; but as the minutes passed, more and more items started edging towards the edge of my desk before tumbling onto the floor. Shock absorption isn’t the best.
Design score: 4/5
DeerRun Q1 Classic review: Features
(Image credit: Lily Canter)
Very basic. The PitPat app pairs quickly and offers simple programs but it’s not clear whether it can sync with apps like Strava. I couldn’t work out how to do this and found conflicting information online. Personally, I just used the remote to control the speed of the pad and promptly ignored the app after setup.
Features score: 3/5
DeerRun Q1 Classic review: Performance
The build is pleasantly robust for the price. The deck feels stable, the belt runs true, and the top surface is grippy without being abrasive. You don’t get a fold-up rail or incline - this is a flat, under-desk pad - but there are transport wheels and it stands upright neatly.
Walking quality is the headline. The pad accelerates and decelerates smoothly, speed changes via the remote are measured rather than lurchy, and I didn’t experience belt stutter or drift once it bedded in. The deck has just enough give that longer stints don’t feel like you’re marching on plywood. On a solid ground-floor slab, it should be ideal; on suspended floorboards, plan for some transmitted vibration at higher cadences.
Performance score: 4/5
Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
Outstanding for the price
5/5
Design
Solid and simple
4/5
Performance
Really good at what it does, but limited speed like many walking pads
4/5
Features
Lacking other than simple PitPat app
3/5
DeerRun Q1 Classic: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You're on a budget
Do you need a compact, inexpensive walking pad for a home office? The DeerRun is a solid choice.
You want to keep it simple
You’re happy using a 'stop-go' simple remote and don’t care about a fancy app.
You’re on the ground floor
Without good shock absorption, upstairs use might be noisy.
Don't buy it if...
You want true running speeds
This is not a running treadmill, and those that need a do-it-all device won't get that here.
You need whisper-quiet operation
Want to walk while in meetings, or early in the morning in a busy house? This isn't it.
Also consider
Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill
Our best budget under desk treadmill, the Mobvoi is a great alternative if you want a simple walking pad to go the distance.
Used daily under a desk in a first-floor spare room, including long work sessions and webinar viewing. Assessed ease of setup, noise, stability, belt tracking, top speed, app pairing and day-to-day storage.
The Garmin Venu 4 is a gem, and one that should satisfy moderate-to-serious exercise enthusiasts that want a great smartwatch with a generously sized battery and heavy focus on fitness. While it isn’t as rugged as the Forerunner, Instinct or Fenix range, this is a watch better-suited to people who want an unobtrusive, premium-looking watch for the office and a powerhouse for runs and rides, something between a Samsung Galaxy Watch and a regular Garmin.
The Venu 4 delivers on this promise, packing a suite of features from the best Garmin watches into its sleek-looking stainless steel body and bright screen. It’s missing a few features that you might expect to find on an Apple or Samsung smartwatch, such as LTE connectivity and full-color maps – and at this price tag, you might miss at least one of them.
The operating system, as slick as it is, also has a few cumbersome quirks: I’m so used to Google and Apple’s raise-to-speak voice assistants that to use the upper button and touchscreen to get to Garmin’s voice assistant functionality, which I use to set kitchen timers and the like, seems almost archaic and counter-intuitive.
However, these are small niggles: generally speaking, the watch performs admirably. While the lack of full-color directional maps is disappointing, the interface works just fine when following courses during runs, and the voice assistant is as responsive as Siri, if not as sophisticated as on-device AI such as Gemini. The battery, said to be up to 12 days of use in smartwatch mode, is an accurate measurement: I wore the watch for around 10 days before needing to charge it, with quite a bit of working out. The heart rate readings from Garmin’s Elevate V5 sensor are accurate enough for all but elite athletes, but I’ll touch on that more in the Performance section of the review.
New health tools such as Lifestyle Logging and Health Status are useful, especially the self-reporting Lifestyle Logging structure, which allows you to assign tags to your day (caffeine, alcohol, healthy meals, heavy meals and so on) to show the effects of different stimuli on your metrics.
Garmin’s usual suite of outstanding metrics are present and correct: as a regular runner, I find stride length, cadence and so on useful for tweaking my technique, and Garmin’s Race Calendar and Primary Race widgets are second to none. It’s a worthy buy for anyone who wants a Garmin, but doesn’t like the outdoorsy look so many of them share.
Garmin Venu 4: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
$549.99 in the US
£469.99 in the UK
AU$949 in Australia
The Garmin Venu 4 costs $549.99 / £469.99 / AU$949, and this is true for both the 41mm and 45mm sizes. You get the choice of Silver, Slate and Lunar Gold colors – I have the Slate option, and it looks great – and you can pay an additional $50 / £50 /AU$69 for other bands. I’m seriously considering splashing out on a brown leather band, which would really set off the look of the Slate.
Value-wise, this is around the price of a more expensive Apple or Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic, and I’d say that’s about right for where this sits in the market; what it lacks in smart communication credentials, it makes up for in battery life and fitness features. There’s no getting around this is a price rise over the older Venu 3, but the premium metal body and additional features make it worth the tradeoff.
Value score: 4/5
Garmin Venu 4: Specifications
Component
Garmin Venu 4 (41mm)
Garmin Venu 4 (45mm)
Price
$549.99 / £469.99 / AU$949
$549.99 / £469.99 / AU$949
Dimensions
41 x 41 x 12 mm
45 x 45 x 12 mm
Weight
46g with band
56g with band
Case/bezel
Stainless steel/Polymer
Stainless steel/Polymer
Display
390 x 390px 1.2-in AMOLED display
454 x 454px 1.4-in AMOLED display
GPS
GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, SatIQ
GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, SatIQ
Battery life
Up to 10 days
Up to 12 days
Connection
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Water resistant
Yes, 5ATM
Yes, 5ATM
Garmin Venu 4: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Stainless steel body upgrade
Redesigned UI
Brighter screen – but bezels are thick
If you’ve got this far in our review, you’ll know I like the look of the Garmin Venu 4. Whereas the stainless steel element of the 3 was confined to the bezel, with the case itself made of plastic, Garmin has expanded its use of steel to include the case as well, and it looks all the better for it. The dark metal of my Slate model is understated and classy, and I can’t wait to pair it with a leather strap. The screen is bright, but the bezels could be slightly thinner for my taste. Still, it’s hard to complain about the looks of this watch.
As opposed to its more outdoor-oriented watches such as the Fenix, Forerunner and Instinct series, the Garmin Venu 4 has two buttons instead of five. Its snappy and responsive touchscreen does most of the heavy-lifting when it comes to navigating, although you can configure the buttons to operate on long and short presses. A long press on my “back” button ignites the LED torch (a great addition on all the best Garmin watches now), while a long press on my upper “start” button summons the Controls tab, through which I can activate the Voice Assistant, Find my Phone, DND and other functionalities quickly. It’s a nice system.
The redesigned UI isn’t quite as smooth and seamless as watchOS or Wear OS, but it isn’t far off. Garmin used to look downright basic in comparison (which I think had a charm all by itself to be honest, and part of me misses it), but it looks great and works well in practice when you’re swiping through widgets or teeing up a workout. Garmin users who choose to upgrade will find the new setup intuitive to use, as will first-timers.
Design score: 5/5
Garmin Venu 4: Features
(Image credit: Future)
New Health Status and Lifestyle Logging
Usual suite of excellent fitness tracking features
Speaker, microphone and LED torch
Tons of great features abound here. The new Health Status feature looks at five key metrics during sleep: heart rate, HRV, respiration, pulse ox and skin temperature. It details whether all of your metrics are in their normal range, and if one or more is out of whack, something is afoot.
Often, this can be combined with the Lifestyle Logging feature to self-diagnose potential issues. Lifestyle Logging allows you to tag your day with the amount of caffeinated drinks, meditation, alcohol, healthy meals, heavy meals, cold showers, or other custom tags you might care to add. If your skin temperature is outside your healthy range and you logged some alcoholic drinks at a party the day before, or your HRV is off after a day of too much caffeine, you’ll know what to change to bring yourself back in line. Still, it will be a cold day in hell before Garmin makes me give up my morning coffee.
The usual suite of wellness and fitness features are present, with the Venu 4 – like the rest of the best Garmin watches – excelling at running and cycling, in particular. Training plans from Garmin Coach, local courses generated in the Garmin Connect app and upcoming races can be loaded onto your watch to turn it into a training powerhouse. Advanced metrics such as power for cyclists, and ground contact time or vertical oscillation for runners really empower the watch to be particularly helpful for connoisseurs. I also use it to time my rest periods in the gym between sets – a useful feature in the Strength workout profile to keep my mind on my workout. I’m missing full-color maps here, but the basic follow-along directional arrow for longer courses will be good enough for most.
Smarts-wise, the Controls tab features the Find my Phone and Voice Assistant functionalities, which are serviceable and useful but pretty basic. There are no on-device AI smarts here, but I can set a timer easily enough. The LED torch is eminently useful in three tiers of powerful white light and a less aggressive red option for night runs. A speaker and microphone allow you to take calls on-wrist, which is useful in a pinch. However, without the option to connect the watch to your network without a phone via LTE, it’s a convenience rather than a necessity.
Features score: 4.5/5
Garmin Venu 4: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Elevate V5 sensor is accurate compared to industry-standard heart rate monitor
Battery life performs as described
The watch was comfortable and useful throughout the testing process
I compared the Garmin Venu 4’s Elevate V5 heart rate sensor to a chest strap – the Polar H10, described as the most accurate heart rate monitor available to most people, and used by professional and amateur athletes alike – during a couple of workouts.
During my tests, after a brief bit of initial variation, the Garmin Venu 4 tightened up and matched the Polar H10’s readings very closely. After a 30-minute run, the Polar H10’s average beats-per-minute for my heart rate registered as 156bpm. The Garmin Venu 4 registered 151bpm.
For training purposes, that’s certainly close enough for most – it isn’t really a serious statistical outlier – although I suppose it could be closer. The Apple Watch Ultra 3, which I also wore during this run, registered 155bpm. Still, 5bpm out across the entirety of the workout isn’t anything to worry about, and a good enough estimation to indicate the Elevate V5’s accuracy.
Battery life performs as described, too: the watch lasted a full 10 days with multiple workouts before needing a top-up. The Venu 4 was comfortable to use and better to sleep in than a lumpy Fenix – I hardly took it off all week.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Garmin Venu 4: Scorecard
Attribute
Comments
Score
Value
About right for its place in the lineup, but not a huge bargain
4
Design
Looks great and is intuitive to use. Top marks
5
Features
I would have loved LTE and full-color maps, but they’re my only quibbles
4.5
Performance
Accurate, long-lasting and looks great on wrist in the office. Enough smarts for most.
4.5
Garmin Venu 4: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
You’re looking for an all-rounder
This smartwatch can be worn looking smart to social occasions, dressed up with a change of strap, and out on the trail.View Deal
You want battery life
Forty-two hours for the Apple Watch Ultra 3? Try 10 days with the Venu 4. View Deal
You’re a keen outdoor exerciser
While this will work fine for the gym, it’s a bit of a waste for gym-bunnies: it really shines on runs, hikes and rides. View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You’re a rugged adventurer
Those who spend their lives in the wild might prefer an Instinct or Fenix instead. View Deal
You want the smartest watch
If you’re looking for LTE connectivity, an AI voice assistant and seamless phone connectivity, you might be better off with a Wear OS or Apple Watch. View Deal
Also consider
Component
Garmin Venu 4 (41mm)
Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm)
Samsung Galaxy Watch8 (40mm)
Price
$549.99 / £469.99 / AU$949
From $399 / £369 / AU$679
From $349.99 / £319 / AU$649
Dimensions
41 x 41 x 12 mm
42mm x 36mm x 9.7mm
42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6mm
Weight
46g with band
30.3g (42mm)
30g
Case/bezel
Stainless steel/Polymer
Aluminum with a metal back or Titanium (100% recycled)
Armor Aluminum
Display
390 x 390px 1.2-in AMOLED display
Always-on Retina LTPO3 display Wide-angle OLED at 374 by 446 (42mm)
1.3-in super AMOLED
GPS
GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, SatIQ
L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou
GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life
Up to 10 days
24 hours, 38 hours in Low Power Mode
Up to 30 hours
Connection
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, second-generation ultra-wideband chip, and 5G (Optional)
Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3
Water resistant
Yes, 5ATM
WR50 and IP7X
Yes, 5ATM
Apple Watch Series 11
The best all-around smartwatch for iPhone users, and a solid Venu 4 alternative.
I wore the Garmin Venu 4 for two weeks, drained the battery down while completing gym, running and hiking workouts. I used features such as Lifestyle Logging, tested the Voice Assistant, ECG functionality, ran at night with the torch enabled, and conducted an accuracy test against the Polar H10 heart rate monitor and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Another year brings another cheap fitness tracker from Chinese tech company Xiaomi, but its Smart Band 10 is its first such gadget in a while that isn’t an instant must-buy for people looking for an affordable way to track their runs, steps or sleep.
The follow-up to the Smart Band 9, and perhaps the ‘original’ model to a potential 10 Pro and cheaper 10 Active version according to precedent, this 2025 wearable enjoys the same lack of competition that the last few generations of Xiaomi Smart Band have seen. Gone are the days in which every tech company is releasing a cheap fitness band, and Xiaomi is now one of the few companies giving Apple Watches, Garmins, or Fitbits a run for their money in this arena.
This lack of competition seemingly isn’t such a good thing, though, because Xiaomi hasn’t changed all that much with the Smart Band 10 from its predecessor. The new model has a slightly larger display and a higher price than the 2024 model but not a whole lot else.
So if you’re looking for a fitness tracker on a budget, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, with a lower starting price and a year of price cuts over the Band 10, is a much more tempting prospect than this newer and slightly larger model.
Family rivalry aside, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has all the strengths and pitfalls of previous members of the family, but that’s no bad thing as the last-gen model is currently our top-ranked cheap fitness tracker.
There are over 150 fitness tracking modes, which record a varying degree of metrics but will sometimes surprise you in collecting more than just time and heart rate, and a selection of pre-programmed running workouts are quite useful to save you from carefully timing your 'couch to 5K' style walk-run workouts. You can also measure your sleep, stress and calories burned, with GPS collected from your connected smartphone.
The Band also has options for weather reports, notification handling, music control and calendar reminders; there’s a short but useful list of features which help you outside your workout hours.
You can keep using the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 for three weeks without needing to charge it, which is a really competitive stat that’ll let you take it travelling, or on holiday, without needing to bring a charger.
Like previous Xiaomi wearables, the software can be a little buggy at times (both the tracker and its tie-in Mi Fitness app), but the problem that plagued my experience with the Band 10 most was its strap.
The default fluororubber band’s tentative clasp kept coming undone at the slightest provocation, sometimes causing it to fall off during a workout or run. Xiaomi sells extra bands, many of which have real clasps, but it’s a shame that the default one is so unreliable.
(Image credit: Future)
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Specifications
Component
Value
Price
$73.99 / £39.99 / AU$133
Dimensions
46.57×22.54×10.95 (mm)
Display
1.72-in AMOLED display
GPS?
No
Battery life
21 days
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Released in June 2025
Costs $73.99 / £39.99 / AU$133
Premium Ceramic Edition also on sale
The Xiaomi Smart Band was released globally in June 2025, just a few days after its announcement in China.
You can pick up the wearable for $73.99 / £39.99 / AU$133, which is somewhat of a price increase over the $60 / £34.99 / AU$79.99 asking price of the previous-gen model.
It’s still a fair way off the RRP of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro though, so it’s not ventured into premium territory just yet.
In some regions there’s also a premium model called the Ceramic Edition, which is the model I tested. I’ll get to the differences later but it’s also more expensive at £54.99 (roughly $70 / AU$110, although I couldn’t see it on sale in the US or Australia).
Depending on where you live, Xiaomi also sells a collection of alternative wrist straps, using different materials and designs to the default one. These range in price from doppelgangers of that sold-in-the-box model to fancy silk or leather straps.
Value score: 4/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Larger 1.72-inch AMOLED screen
Unreliable band clasp, but other options on sale
CE comes with premium body and different color option
Xiaomi has slowly been increasing the screen size of its cheap fitness tracker, which is how we get here. The Smart Band 10 has a 1.72-inch display with a 212 x 520 resolution and 1500 nits max brightness. All those specs are incremental upgrades over the Band 9.
I don’t imagine many people will complain about this boost; I didn’t find the previous-gen band hard to use and I again found it easy to control the watch, finding workouts to start or reading from menus or changing tunes (well, most of the time, more on that below). The brightness increase in particular helps make the screen easier to see on a sunny day.
A bigger screen doesn’t mean a bigger band body, with the 46.5 x 22.5 x 10.9 dimensions and 15.95g weight marking a size increase only in width, and of a tiny amount. The band is super lightweight, easy to forget about on your wrist. The Ceramic Edition adds an extra millimeter to the height and width and 8g to the weight.
Perhaps it’s time to touch on the Ceramic Edition, because design is the only area (beyond price) where it’s different. This model has a body that’s clad in Ceramic, not aluminium alloy as the standard model, which feels much more expensive to the touch.
The Ceramic Edition also comes in a pale white model called Pearl White, while the standard is sold in black, silver and pink.
(Image credit: Future)
The Ceramic Edition also has a fluororubber strap, while the standard model’s is made of TPU, and it could be a reason not to upgrade.
Like the last-gen band, the Band 10’s strap is a simple fare with one band full of adjustment holes and the other using a small tongue which you press into the hole to lock it in place. And it was anything but reliable: the tongue would fall out and cause the band to drop off with very little provocation, sometimes none at all. Throughout testing it’d constantly drop off at inopportune moments, and once I didn’t notice and would have left it on the floor had someone not pointed it out to me.
I never had this issue with the Band 9 and so have to assume it’s something to do with the fluororubber material used here, though possibly reports from buyers of the standard Band 10 will concur. The natural solution would be to buy one of the alternative straps which Xiaomi sells, though that’s an extra expense that you’ll need to consider carefully.
Design score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Over 150 fitness modes
Battery life lasts for three weeks
No GPS, but heart rate tracker
Any battery size increase in the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 only compensates for its larger display size, and its official battery life estimate remains the same, at 21 days or 3 weeks. That’s a competitive stat, especially when you compare the band to daily-recharge smartwatches.
In my own testing, the smart band didn’t last quite that long, usually getting to 18 or 19, but that could well be because I did more exercise than normal in order to test the thing. Under average use, I can see it lasting three weeks.
One thing keeping the battery life low is the lack of GPS, with the band instead relying on your connected smartphone’s positioning when tracking movement activities. This means you have to work out with your phone to get a reasonable estimate of distance, but at least it’s pretty accurate.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has just over 150 sports modes, which is the same stat as the last few generations of this wearable. They range from popular modes like running and cycling to dances, water sports, ball sports, winter activities and even various board games (you can track your game of bridge, if you like…).
(Image credit: Future)
The stats you get from these activities vary quite a bit, with most just tracking time and heart rate – you find yourself measuring these activities so that your app log will have a complete list of everything you’ve done, not because you’re getting an in-depth analysis of your hockey performance.
However I was sometimes caught out by modes offering more information than I thought; I tracked an indoor rowing session and the wearable tracked the number of strokes, giving me details on my average and maximum strokes per minute.
You get most information from a mode like running or cycling where you can see pace, steps, heart rate, cadence, stride and more, with averages and graphs of your workout. The app also displays the effect of your training with various metrics.
It’s not as in-depth as something one of the best Garmin watches would give you, but the low cost makes the band handy for runners on a budget, and there’s also a list of preset running courses: useful if you don’t know what you want to run.
One thing to note in the Performance section is that once during testing, the Smart Band 10 overheated and turned off. Admittedly, I was out in the sun on a fairly warm day but it completely turned off the band mid-workout, and I could only turn it back on by going home and plugging in the charger (which is the only way to turn it on at all, as far as I could tell). It’s something to bear in mind if you live somewhere warm.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Mi Fitness app used on phone
Music playback, notification handling and more
Some bugs with app and watch
The way to make the most of the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is by connecting it to a phone or tablet with the Mi Fitness app installed. This can sometimes be a bit fiddling, and I’ve had trouble multiple times connecting a Xiaomi wearable to the app, but this wasn’t the case for the Band 10.
The app lets you see loads more information about your workouts but it’s also useful in letting you change your band display, with a huge selection of options (seemingly many of which are from third-party makers, not Xiaomi).
While the focus of a cheap fitness tracker like the Smart Band 10 is, well, fitness, the Xiaomi does offer a few lifestyle features too, none of which are actually new to this generation of band.
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For example you can set up weather reports, calendar memos, alarms and music controls. The latter of which raises an odd concern because the increased screen size hasn’t been matched by an increase in forward or back button sizes, meaning they’re small and squished to the top and bottom of the screen; I found them a little hard to reliably press at times.
You can set up notification alerts to be sent to your Smart Band though, as in all Xiaomi wearables, it can spent some time fiddling around with your phone’s permissions settings (and some good luck) in order to get it to work. Raise-to-wake doesn’t work flawlessly here either, and sometimes I needed to repeat an exaggerated wrist-lift gesture to get the band’s screen to turn on.
I mentioned sports tracking before but you can also use the band to measure sleep, SpO2 and stress, and like Apple there’s also a three-band daily counter which makes sure you’ve burned enough calories, done enough steps and worked enough active minutes per day – if I wasn’t set to do a workout on a specific day, these were still a useful reminder to do enough activity.
Performance score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
A price increase and a new reliance on buying an extra strap mean this isn't as cheap as before, but it's still pretty affordable.
4/5
Design
The good-looking display is all well and good, but you may need to buy a better strap.
4/5
Performance
There are lots of fitness modes but only a few are very useful. Still, it has everything you'd expect at this price.
3.5/5
Features
A few useful features and functions help ensure the Band 10 is for life, not just a workout.
3.5/5
Xiaomi Smart Band 10: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want as big a display as possible
Its slightly-bigger display is a useful accessibility feature, making the band easier to use (especially while you're working out).
You're training as a runner
The range of run courses are really useful, so you can follow a guided jog and have the timings worked out for you. The rest time recommendation and training estimation also help.
You're on a budget
There are loads of expensive fitness trackers you can buy if you've got cash to spend, but if you want something more affordable, the Band 10 is one of your few options.
Don't buy it if...
You're not going to buy an extra strap
With its default strap, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fell off my wrist while working out, while outdoors and, once, without my noticing. I'd really recommend buying a different one so you don't lose the thing.
You find the Band 9 discounted
Last year's Xiaomi Smart Band has almost all the same features as this newer tracker but with a lower price.
You need top-tier fitness tracking
If you want all the best and most accurate fitness tracking on the market, you can probably guess that there are better (and pricier) options than this cheap pick.View Deal
Also consider
Component
Xiaomi Smart Band 10
Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
Xiaomi Smart Band 9
Price
$73.99 / £39.99 / AU$133
£44.99 (roughly $60, AU$90)
$60 / £34.99 / AU$79.99
Dimensions
46.57×22.54×10.95 (mm)
42.9 x 28.8 x 9.9 mm
46.5 x 21.6 x 10.9 (mm)
Display
1.72-in AMOLED display
1.6-inch 256 x 402px AMOLED display
1.62-in AMOLED display
GPS?
No
No
No
Battery life
21 days
13 days
21 days
Samsung Galaxy Fit 3
One of the only other contemporary cheap fitness trackers comes from Samsung. The Galaxy Fit 3 has a shorter battery life and fewer fitness modes, but its square display is easier to use.
Last year's model, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has most of the same fitness and lifestyle features. Its display is smaller and dimmer but its battery life is a lot longer.
It’s hard to stand out in a crowded field of fantastic fitness trackers, and while the Suunto Race had a lot of great ideas, its execution was ever-so-slightly off.
We awarded it 3.5 stars out of 5, finding issues primarily with heart rate tracking accuracy while noting it’s cheaper than many of its rivals despite feeling premium.
That gives the Suunto Race 2 a lay-up to be one of the best fitness trackers around, right? Fix the minor issues, and it’ll be a winner. Thankfully, Suunto has taken advantage of the legwork done by the first Race, and its successor is better in just about every way.
It looks great, performs well, and is just as intuitive for a fitness tracker newcomer as it is to someone that’s been tracking their body’s rhythms for years. With two and a half weeks of battery life and a relatively lightweight design, it’s comfortable to wear to bed for sleep tracking, too.
That does come at a cost (it’s more expensive than the original), but it’s easily one of our favorite fitness trackers of 2025 so far.
18 days in Smartwatch mode, 30 days in Standby time mode, up to 200 hours in power saving mode
Connection
Bluetooth
Water resistant?
100M
Suunto Race 2: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Two versions: Stainless Steel and Titanium
Steel starts at £429 / $499 / AU$899
Titanium is £529 / $599 / $999
One of the big draws of the Suunto Race was its price, but the Suunto Race 2 fixes the problems with the original Race at the cost of a higher price tag. The Stainless Steel model is more expensive, while the Titanium model ratchets the price up again.
It’s now around the price of a Garmin Forerunner 570, so hardly beyond the pale even with the increase.
Expect discounts around the usual sale seasons like Black Friday, but it’ll give Suunto Race 1 owners looking to upgrade some ‘sticker shock’, for sure.
Value score: 4/5
Suunto Race 2 review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
1.5-inch display
Feels premium to hold and wear
Straps feel comfortable
As mentioned, there are two versions of Suunto Race 2: Stainless Steel, and Titanium. Our review unit is the former, in the Coral Orange colorway. In all honesty, three out of four of the Stainless Steel models have the same black chassis color but with different straps, while the Feather Gray is a more off-white color.
Titanium models are, again, the same chassis, but with two different color options; outside of the material choice, you’re getting the same general design throughout.
Straps attach with a pin system, which—while a little fiddly—does mean they’re more secure than other rivals. The display is 1.5 inches (slightly larger than the 1.43-inch panel on the Race 1), and is brighter, too, now up to 2,000 nits.
(Image credit: Future)
Two hardware buttons flank a digital crown for scrolling through menus, and the display is touch-sensitive, too, which could give it a leg-up over non-touchscreen rivals that can feel slightly less intuitive.
On the underside, there are the sensors, and the straps have gaps in them, which can make them feel more breathable than fabric-based alternatives.
There’s a pleasing weight to the Suunto Race 2. It doesn’t feel flimsy or too light, but it’s not too light where it feels cheap, either. That’s a tough balance to find, so kudos to the team at Suunto for finding a way to make it feel premium while not being too heavy to wear to bed.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
Suunto Race 2: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Built-in GPS
No music storage
We’re still sad offline music streaming isn’t more common across fitness trackers, as it feels like such an obvious inclusion, but at least if you don’t need a killer playlist, you can take your Suunto Race for a run without your phone safe in the knowledge there’s GPS built in.
It’s accurate, too, doing a good job of identifying my location whether I was in busy London streets or riverside pathways closer to home. It matches up almost perfectly with my Apple Watch Ultra, which is my main tracker of choice. You can download maps for offline usage, too, something Garmin’s Instinct line doesn’t have.
There are over 115 sport modes included, too, running from the usual suspects like running and cycling, to strength training and more bespoke workouts like mountain trail runs.
Battery life is great, too. In smartwatch mode you can expect 16 days, while GPS mode reaches 55 hours - five hours more than the Suunto Run 1.
As you’d expect, it ties into the Suunto Coach app to offer detailed workout metrics beyond what’s available on the watch, and this data can be imported directly into the likes of Strava for ease of tracking and sharing with friends (and rivals).
Features score: 4.5/5
Suunto Race 2: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Brighter display
Faster processor
Improved heart
We’ve already noted the improved display brightness, and that means it’s much easier to read the Suunto Race 2’s Always-On panel in direct sunlight.
Another of our issues with the last model was its clunky UI, and there’s not a whole host that’s different here aside from the fact that performance is improved thanks to a processor that Suunto reckons is twice as fast as the last generation. That makes moving through widgets much slicker on the device.
While some sleep tracking often feels binary, requiring you to trigger a specific mode (see the Apple Watch lineup), Suunto has done a great job of picking up on the occasional afternoon nap when I was feeling under the weather, as well as offering sleep stages and phase breakdowns.
Still, the elephant in the room is heart rate. Could Suunto fix the biggest issue with the Race 1? As it happens, yes, yes it could, offering similar results to those found on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which we’ve tested against a highly accurate Polar H10 heart rate monitor and finding it the current gold standard for wrist-based heart rate measurement.
Not only that, but the Race 2 tracks heart rate variability while you’re sleeping. As someone with a heart condition, which means overnight tracking is particularly important, that’s a huge boon. Still, it only provides an average, rather than ad hoc information about your HRV.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Scorecard
Attribute
Comments
Score
Value
Great value at the low-end, but the stainless steel version is a little too pricey
4
Design
Great, stylish design that’s comfortable to wear all day
4.5
Features
No music storage is a shame but everything else is great
4.5
Performance
Major heart rate improvements
4.5
How we tested the Suunto Race 2
When testing the Suunto Race 2, I took it on some very light running exercises and on rucking excursions in a local, rural area.
To test its GPS, I visited London to assess its accuracy amidst larger buildings and more signal noise, and wore it regularly during the day and at night to judge the heart rate and sleep tracking.
Buy it if...
You want a great fitness tracker
With accurate sensors and GPS, and a ton of workout modes, the Suunto Race 2 is well worth a look for competitive runners and intermediate athletes.
You want long-lasting battery life
The 55 hours on offer in GPS mode is among the best around, and the 16 days in ‘smartwatch’ mode isn’t shabby, either.
Don’t buy it if...
Heart rate isn’t important to you
The Suunto Run’s heart rate accuracy isn’t as good as its younger brother, but it is $100 cheaper, which could sway you in its direction.
You want smartwatch features
There’s no NFC payment features or installable apps here, despite the Titanium model costing more than the Apple Watch Series 10.
Light therapy is all the rage, with claimed benefits to reduce fine lines, acne and even skin conditions like rosacea, and a new brand has entered the fray in famed smart lighting brand, Nanoleaf. The immersive lighting brand’s all-new LED light therapy face mask offers seven light therapy modes (red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, purple and white), offering deeper penetration with near-infrared light (NIR).
There are perhaps quite a few better-suited parties than a smart home brand to wrangle the complex world of beauty, and that might just show in the soft landing of Nanoleaf’s first-ever LED light therapy face mask. Don’t get me wrong; I liked the device, but some refinements to its offering could have nudged it into a slightly higher score.
For instance, it lacks the cool product identity of Shark’s CryoGlow LED face mask, but it also doesn’t quite match up in the specs department. I’ll go more into depth in the performance section of this review, but in short, Nanoleaf’s light technology is just shy of recommended peak performance wavelengths across the board, and features some colored light therapies that haven’t been extensively studied that I wouldn’t want to evaluate without some research to refer to.
(Image credit: Future)
That being said, being a tech-first company does come with certain benefits, and Nanoleaf has clearly given some thought to how we use our devices. Unlike the CryoGlow and several other hard-shelled LED face masks on the market, Nanoleaf opts for a flexible silicone mask with cutouts for the eyes, nose and mouth, making it comfortable to wear and more easily portable.
Plus, you can detach the remote (which doubles as the battery housing), which means you can easily stow the mask in a suitcase when traveling, and it won’t bend or bruise as a result of being squeezed into your hand luggage.
As for the results; they’re not dramatic, but neither are the results I’ve seen from higher-grade LED face masks. If you want a value-focused LED mask, Nanoleaf will deliver, with some added frills you might not want or need. It’s a solid travel-friendly backup to a pricier model, too, if you’re an avid light therapy fan; but if you want to maximize results, you’re best off stretching your budget for a more effective mask.
(Image credit: Future)
Nanoleaf LED face mask review: Price and availability
Announced and released in early 2025
Costs $249 / £129 / AU$249
Affordable among LED face masks
The Nanoleaf LED light therapy face mask has a list price of $249.99 / £129.99 AU$249, though it’s worth highlighting that it's often listed at $199.99 in the US (which was its pre-tariff pricing). It can be purchased directly from Nanoleaf as well as third-party retailers such as Amazon.
Out of the box, the Nanoleaf LED light therapy face mask comes with eye socket cushions, the rechargeable controller, the charging cable, and velcro straps.
Nanoleaf is offering a much more affordable mask than much of its competition by cutting some corners when it comes to specs. My recommendations for the product are to use it as an entry point into light therapy, or as a travel-friendly stand-in for a more expensive and fully featured mask; that said, its US price is a little steep.
Value score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Nanoleaf LED face mask review: Design
Flexible silicon
Detachable remote
Face fit will vary
Made from medical-grade silicone, Nanoleaf’s LED light therapy face mask offers a flexible form factor that’s nice and lightweight at just 258g. In use, it’s fairly comfortable; I found the eye holes to be too narrow and the mouth cutout to be too low, but for some, this won’t be an issue. The face fit otherwise is relatively good, though it’s pretty far from my chin.
The mask comes with silicone eye-socket cushions, which make the mask slightly more wearable and help to block out as much light as possible to protect your eyes during use; though some still seeps around. Its adjustable velcro head straps are fairly effective for keeping the mask in place, although if you have particularly silky hair or a lack thereof, it can slide around a little too much for my liking.
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On the underside of the mask are its 108 four-wick LED bulbs (432 LEDs total), which work across the mask's various light therapy programs to deliver results.
As the controller houses a lithium-ion battery, much like those for many light therapy masks, it’s unsuitable to be stowed in hold luggage during flights. This is where Nanoleaf’s understanding of tech-related lifestyle requirements is a benefit – you can unplug the controller to carry it in your hand luggage and stow the mask itself in your hold bag, making this one of the best LED face masks for travel.
Design score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Nanoleaf LED face mask review: How it works
Nanoleaf’s LED light therapy mask has seven preset light therapy routines that address different skincare goals. However, it’s worth highlighting that there are very specific color wavelengths that have been studied and identified as potentially beneficial in skincare, those being blue (415nm), red (633nm), and NIR (830nm). In Nanoleaf’s LED face masks, these three treatments all fall just outside of the recommended range for peak performance. That doesn’t mean they won’t work, but as a budget mask, you shouldn’t expect it to provide quite as good results as a pricier model with better LEDs.
The only other direct color included is green, and the rest are combinations of these primary LEDs. These settings, including green, lack clinical evidence for efficacy and studies into potential risks, so use at your discretion. The mask is FDA-cleared, however, meaning it has been approved as safe for use by US regulators, but not for its efficacy.
Nanoleaf claims the mask offers the following treatments and benefits, each paired with an 850nm wavelength NIR:
Lights, wavelengths and benefits
Red
640nm
Stimulates collagen production and improves circulation to promote skin repair and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Green
520nm
Soothes sensitive skin, minimizes redness, and boosts lymphatic flow to reduce swelling.
Blue
460nm
Evens skin tone by reducing pigmentation of scars and age spots.
Yellow
640nm + 525nm
Calms irritation and redness to promote a refreshed, brighter complexion.
Cyan
460nm + 525nm
Kills bacteria and reduces oil production to treat and prevent breakouts.
Purple
640nm + 460nm
Combines red and blue light benefits to promote overall skin healing and reduce general skin imperfections.
White
640nm + 525nm + 460nm
Stimulates cellular activity across multiple layers of the skin to allow deeper penetration of skincare products, maximizing their effectiveness.
Nanoleaf recommends using the mask for 5-10 minutes three to five times per week, depending on your skin’s needs, and says that with consistent use, “a noticeable improvement in skin texture and tone should be visible after 4 to 6 weeks.”
(Image credit: Future)
Nanoleaf LED face mask review: Performance
Various treatments for different skin needs
Battery life sufficient
Decent results, but needs consistency
I tried two full cycles of Nanoleaf’s face mask in my testing: the blue and red light treatments, so I had a more solid comparison point against Shark’s Cryoglow. Worth highlighting up front is that these results are never permanent; all light therapy masks require continued regular use to reap the benefits.
Its red light therapy for inflammation reduction seems promising, and if that’s your priority, this more affordable mask might just be the best way to treat fine lines and wrinkles. After a 4-week cycle with four treatments per week, I noticed some small improvements to fine lines and repair to skin damage.
Blue light, for me, didn’t seem to work nearly as well, and I’d say overall there are better masks that offer more immediate results for acne sufferers; for me, I think my skin benefits from having room to breathe during treatment, which this skin-tight model doesn’t afford. After four weeks of use, my acne didn’t show any discernable changes as it had with the Shark Cryoglow, but there are of course ample outside factors that color results here.
As I’m writing this review I’m trying out the Cyan mode, as oily, acne-prone skin remains my biggest skincare challenge, but it’s too early to say if I’m seeing any significant results; however once again I feel the mask’s closeness to my skin might just negate any benefits from the light therapy here, as I’m often more oily after a treatment than before.
Where the Nanoleaf loses the most points is in comfort. It’s made of malleable silicone, which does make it more travel-friendly, but it’s a lot less enjoyable to wear. It gets a little warm under there, and especially given that I did some of my testing through sticky UK summer heat, that has made for some unpleasant me-time. It’s a bit loose around the jaw, too, and the velcro straps do slip around some.
As you can see, the mask sits naturally about 1cm lower on my face than where it should (Image credit: Future)
The eye holes are also too small, meaning the light can leak out a fair amount, which isn’t the best thing for your eyes. Add to that the fact that, for my face at least, the holes don’t quite line up, particularly around my mouth, and this ill-fitting design can lead to further discomfort.
Battery life, at least, is more than sufficient; it lasts around three hours (enough for around 15 10-minute treatments) on a full charge, and recharges in just over an hour.
Despite some moderate results from treatment and mild discomfort, Nanoleaf’s mask is, at its price point, a solid performer and a great choice for those first-time light therapy users.
Performance score: 4/5
Nanoleaf LED face mask review: scorecard
Category
Comment
Score
Value
A fairly affordable mask for its relatively good specs.
4.5/5
Design
Not the most comfortable, but travels well.
3.5/5
Performance
Noticeable results, but not peak effectiveness
4/5
Nanoleaf LED face mask: Should I buy it?
Buy it if...
You’re looking for a travel-friendly mask
With its detachable battery and controller unit, Nanoleaf’s LED face mask is much easier to travel with than some alternatives.
You’re on a budget
Nanoleaf’s LED face mask is a great budget option, especially if you can find it on sale.
Don't buy it if...
You want peak power and performance
With some of the light therapies falling outside of recommended wavelengths, you’re not getting peak performance from this mask, though it’s by no means bad.
You want a relaxing spa companion
Sure, beauty is pain, but I’m not sure self-care needs to be uncomfortable, and this mask can run pretty hot, and may not fit your face comfortably.
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested
I tried two full treatment cycles using Nanoleaf’s LED face mask with the scientifically backed Red and Blue light therapies in order to assess how well it performed over time.
Through my daily use, I was able to consider the comfort, design features and benefits for the device, but I also compared it against my experience with the Shark CryoGlow.
I’ve been testing beauty products for four years, informing myself on the latest trends and research in order to provide reliable, relatable recommendations based on my in-person experience.
