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Technogym Connected Dumbbells review: Sleek AI fitness for your home… at a price
8:01 pm | January 9, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

The Technogym Connected Dumbbells are all about smart tech and compact design. Instead of cluttering your space with loads of weights, these adjustable dumbbells give you a range from 2kg to 24kg in a sleek, compact package—ideal if you’re short on space or just starting your fitness journey.

What makes them really stand out, however, is their AI smarts. Built-in sensors track things like your reps, sets, and weights, which sync up with the Technogym App. The app’s AI Coach then uses this data to suggest exercises and tweak your workouts to help you hit your goals—just like having a PT in your pocket.

I loved the twist-handle design for weight adjustments. It’s quick, smooth, and satisfying to use. The build quality is top-notch, too, giving you confidence they’ll handle even your sweatiest sessions. That said, a max weight of 24kg might not be enough for advanced lifters, and the price tag could scare off anyone keeping an eye on their wallet.

After testing these for weeks, including doing full-body workouts and app-guided routines, I’d say they’re a great choice for those who value convenience and tech-driven motivation. If you’re an experienced lifter or on a tight budget, though, you might want to look elsewhere.

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Price and availability

Technogym connected dumbbells

(Image credit: Future)
  • Connected Dumbbells cost £1,410 / $1,740 / AUS$2800
  • Dumbbells+ bundle costs £2,530 / $3120 / AUS$5030, which includes a stand, an exercise mat, a foam roller, and resistance bands
  • Comes with a two-month free trial of the Technogym Plus membership, which is £8.99/month thereafter
  • Available now in UK, launching soon in US and Australia

The Technogym Connected Dumbbells can be purchased directly from the brand’s official website or flagship stores in the UK for £1,410. At that price, they’re definitely not cheap, especially when competitors like Kabata are offering a similar setup for just $999 / £810. Or there are less-smart-but-similar options available, like the Bowflex SelectTech 552, which can be found online for around £350. Then, on top of that, you’ll have to fork out an extra £8.99/month for the Technogym Plus app if you want to take advantage of its full feature set. Gulp.

If you’re opting for the more complete Connected Dumbbells+ bundle, which includes a sturdy stand, exercise mat, foam roller, and resistance bands, this pushes the price up to a whopping £2,530. Sure, it’s a more complete package if you’re building out your home gym, but it’s a massive cost for a stand and some fitness accessories which can be bought separately elsewhere for much less. The price does include installation and setup, though, which is a nice touch for those who’d rather not fuss with assembly.

If you’re outside Europe and in the market for a pair of these babies, you’ll need to wait a bit—a US and Australian launch is coming later in 2025.

  • Price score: 3/5

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Specifications

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Design and build

Technogym connected dumbbells

(Image credit: Future)
  • Stylish black and silver finish fits any modern gym space
  • Knurled metal handles offer solid grip, even when you’re sweating
  • Twist-handle weight adjustment is smooth and precise

When it comes to design, Technogym’s Connected Dumbbells are a masterclass in how to serve style and substance in one neatly finished package. The black and silver finish feels effortlessly modern, meaning these dumbbells won’t look out of place even if they’re just sitting in the corner of your living room. And let’s be honest—no one wants a home gym setup that makes a space look cluttered. Thankfully, the minimalist look is spot-on here.

But it’s not just about aesthetics. I found the knurled metal handles were a delight to hold throughout most workouts. They’re grippy enough to reassure you they won’t slip, even when your palms are on the sweaty side. You won’t be getting that insecure feeling you can find with some cheaper alternatives.

Adjusting the weight is where the magic really happens. The twist-handle mechanism is smooth and intuitive. It’s ridiculously easy to use, and that satisfying click lets you know the weight’s locked and ready to go. Whether you’re grabbing 4kg for bicep curls or cranking up to 20kg for squats, it’s all very seamless-feeling. The weight range itself, 2kg to 24kg, covers most bases for a variety of exercises, although seasoned lifters might find it limiting if they’re used to heavier loads.

One of the standout features has to be the optional Strength Corner stand. It’s not just there to look pretty—although it does. The stand keeps your workout space organized, stores accessories like a foam roller and resistance bands, and even has a tablet (or in my case, phone) holder so you can follow along with the app without constantly looking down. I found it’s compact enough for smaller spaces—like me in my garden room-cum-gym space—and it means you have everything in one place, saving you from rummaging around mid-session.

As you’d expect from the premium gym equipment brand that is Technogym, the build quality of the Connected Dumbbells is top-tier across the board. Everything feels solid and well-made. The weight plates lock in securely, so there’s no wobbling when you’re mid-rep. The only small snag is docking the dumbbells back into their base—it’s a bit fiddly at first, especially if you’re rushing. But once you’ve nailed the technique, it’s not an issue at all.

In short, the design of these dumbbells is as functional as it is good-looking. They’re durable, user-friendly, and stylish enough to show off.

  • Design score: 4.5/5

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Features and performance

Technogym connected dumbbells

(Image credit: Future)
  • AI coaching adapts workouts to your progress
  • Built-in sensors track reps, sets, and weight use
  • App motivates with milestones and progress tracking

These dumbbells aren’t just your bog-standard piece of gym equipment—they’re essentially a workout buddy. Each dumbbell is fitted with smart sensors that track every rep, set, and weight you use. This data syncs to the Technogym App and this is where the clever stuff happens. The app’s AI Coach uses all that info to create personalized workout plans, tweaking them as you progress. It’s like having a PT in your pocket.

The app itself is super easy to navigate. Whether you’re looking to do strength training, active recovery, or something in between, there’s a workout for it. One of my favorite features is the little celebratory ping when you hit a new PB. It’s a small touch, but it genuinely makes you feel like a champ. That said, the app isn’t perfect. It doesn’t track bodyweight exercises like push-ups or planks, which feels like a bit of a letdown if you like mixing things up.

In terms of how they handle workouts, these dumbbells are a dream. Like I said earlier, adjusting the weight on them is quick and fuss-free thanks to the twist-handle mechanism. It’s smooth, precise, and feels really robust. Even at heavier weights, the dumbbells feel perfectly balanced, which makes a huge difference during more intense sessions when you’re rushing around.

Connectivity deserves a mention too. The sensors sip battery, so you’re not constantly worried about them dying on you. During my time with the dumbbells, I also experienced no glitches or lag between the app and the weights; it all worked pretty seamlessly, which is reassuring. Although for nearly £1,500, so they should. The only downside, I’d say, is the 24kg max weight. This could be a sticking point for anyone looking to go heavy. A 32kg max weight would have solved this issue, IMO.

Nevertheless, for anyone just starting out or at an intermediate level, these dumbbells are a great option. They’re smart, efficient, and genuinely make your workouts more engaging. Advanced lifters might find themselves craving more weight, but for most people, they’ll hit the sweet spot.

  • Performance score: 4 / 5

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Verdict

Technogym connected dumbbells

(Image credit: Future)

The Technogym Connected Dumbbells hit the mark for anyone wanting stylish, space-saving, and tech-packed gym gear. They’re easy to use, look great and the AI-driven app makes training feel a lot less like guesswork. Beginners and casual users will love the convenience and motivation these dumbbells bring to the table.

That said, they’re not for everyone. The limited weight range means serious lifters will likely need something heftier, and the steep price might put off anyone on a budget. Plus, the app’s inability to track bodyweight exercises is a bit of a head-scratcher. Although, this could always be addressed with a simple update at a later time.

So, if you’ve got the cash and crave the tech-savvy features, these dumbbells could be a game-changer. For the right user—especially those tight on space—they’re a smart, functional, and a downright stylish addition to a home gym.

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Scorecard

Technogym Connected Dumbbells: Should I buy?

Buy them if…

You want a tidy home gym. These dumbbells replace 12 sets of weights, making them perfect for small spaces.View Deal

You need tailored workouts. The AI-powered app adapts to your goals and tracks progress effortlessly.View Deal

You’re after sleek, premium gym gear, They look great and work even better—a real statement piece for any home.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You’re into heavy lifting. The 24kg max weight won’t cut it for advanced strength training.View Deal

You’re saving the pennies. They’re pricey, especially compared to other adjustable dumbbells.View Deal

You like tracking bodyweight exercises. The app doesn’t log non-dumbbell moves like push-ups or planks, for some reason.View Deal

Also consider

SelectTech 552
A more budget-friendly alternative with a similar 2kg-24kg range. The dial system is smooth and easy to use, but you miss out on the smart features.

Read our full SelectTech 552 reviewView Deal

Kabata Smart Dumbbells
Like Technogym’s offering, these smart dumbbells use AI to automatically adjust to your fitness and strength levels, ensuring you’re lifting the right amount of resistance. And for a much lower cost. However, with a 27kg maximum weight per dumbbell, they are just as limited when compared to other options on the market. View Deal

JaxJox DumbbellConnect (£599)
These smart dumbbells offer app-based tracking like Technogym but they max out at an even lower 22kg. Good for casual users, but limited for heavier training.

Read our full JaxJox DumbbellConnect reviewView Deal

How I tested

I tested the Technogym Connected Dumbbells over a few weeks, throwing them into my regular workout routines. This meant squats, lunges, and chest presses to push the weight range to its limits. I paired them with the Technogym app to see how well the tracking and AI coaching worked, manually comparing the app’s data with my own counts. I also used the optional Strength Corner stand to keep things organized and explored its extra features. Durability and ease of use were put to the test during high-intensity sessions.

  • First reviewed: January 2025
Reebok Nano X5 review: A formidable training shoe with almost no weaknesses
1:50 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Reebok Nano X5: Two-Minute Review

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

Reebok's famed Nano gym shoe is back for 2025, and the company has promised big things for the "Official Shoe of Fitness" this year.

Sporting shades of the legacy design of previous Nanos, the X5 delivers a new DUALRESPONSE Midsole and a Decoupled Metasplit Outsole, designed to give this year's edition greater flexibility and runnability over previous years.

At its heart, though, the X5 is still the brilliant stable lifting platform of its forebears, and after a whole month of using it in the gym, I can heartily recommend it as one of the best gym shoes of 2025.

Out of the box, the X5 silhouette really impresses. The colorway reviewed here is the White/Black/Energy Red version, and I have to say it's a real head-turner. I absolutely love the style and form, as well as the shape. The Energy Red and turquoise blend on the sole is vibrant and striking, and all the small details on the shoe are really impressive.

There's plastic to complement the Flexweave upper, but this feels like a really premium shoe built to last. As a more sturdy lifting shoe, it definitely feels more robust than my current everyday shoe, the Nike Free Metcon 5.

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of fit and comfort, the X5 again really impresses. It definitely doesn't boast the glove/sock-like hug of Nike's Metcon, but it's still extremely comfortable to wear. I've suffered from absolutely no foot fatigue or blisters while wearing them, and they're very comfortable and sturdy underfoot.

There's a huge amount of space in the toe box, so even wearers with wider feet will find them comfortable and roomy. This also lends them to running and more explosive exercises, although for reasons I'll come to, this isn't their primary purpose.

My one reservation about the fit comes from a slightly loose-fitting collar around the ankle. The X5 comes with an extra eyelet alongside the tongue that isn't laced up out of the box. In this configuration, I felt there was a bit too much play around my ankle. You'll definitely want to lace up through the eyelet, which gives the shoe a much more snug fit.

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to workout performance, I was blown away by the overall stability and sturdiness of the Nano X5. Reebok has really nailed the base with the new midsole, which offers brilliant poise underfoot for strength training. During squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, and all manner of dumbbell and cable work the X5 offers excellent support with no overcompression or wobble. Despite this, there's enough forgiveness in the sole to give you some responsiveness underfoot during workouts. It's really a perfect blend.

The heel-to-toe-drop is listed as 7mm, which is more pronounced than Nike's Free Metcon 5 and around the same as the newer 6. It feels about right, and I didn't ever get the sense that the shoe was trying to rock me forward onto my forefoot. This is crucial for stability during lifts. That same stability also really lends these shoes to stretching and mobility work, I was again really impressed by how sturdy these shoes were, and these are definitely my new go-to for pliability.

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

The Nano X5's sturdiness and stability carry over well into some more explosive moves but are also a limiting factor when it comes to agility and movement. While I can see this being a decent CrossFit shoe, it feels too hefty underfoot to lend itself to plyometrics and running. These will do just fine if you want to do a quick five-minute jog on the treadmill to start a workout, but it's not a running shoe and doesn't perform as well as the Free Metcons over any kind of distance.

While the Nano X5 isn't the beefy weightlifting platform of say, the Adidas Dropset range, it's definitely on the firmer side, which is why it excels for strength training. The Nano X5 would work well for movements like box jumps or pushing a sled up and down your local gym, but I'd have more reservations about any agility work.

Any weak spots I've mentioned here are definitely nitpicks, however. The Reebok Nano X5 is an almost perfect training shoe, as long as you know what you're getting into. There are more forgiving shoes out there, and this definitely isn't a shoe for hybrid training, quick changes of direction, or agility.

Reebok Nano X5: Price and availability

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)
  • $150/£125/ (AUS pricing and availability tbc)
  • Unisex and women's options
  • Six colors of each

Launching January 24, 2025, the Reebok Nano X5 is available at Reebok.com at the price of $150 in the U.S. and select other retailers. UK customers can expect to pay £125, while Australia pricing and availability is yet to be confirmed by Reebok.

The Nano X5 comes in a unisex and women's option, with a slightly different set of six colors for each. The model reviewed here is the White/Black/Energy Red colorway.

I've found the X5 to fit true-to-size, with plenty of room in the toe box, so I wouldn't worry about sizing up or down.

Reebok Nano X5: Specifications

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

Reebok Nano X5: Scorecard

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

Reebok Nano X5: Should I buy?

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

Buy if it...

You want a brilliant strength shoe

The Reebok Nano X5 is the best strength training shoe I've ever used.

You want excellent stability

The Reebok Nano X5 is sturdy and stable underfoot, perfect for lifting weights.

You want to stand out in style

The Reebok Nano X5 boasts a striking design, especially in its more vibrant colorways.

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

Don't buy it if...

You want an all-round gym shoe

The Reebok Nano X5 excels for strength and conditioning, at the expense of a more forgiving fit suitable for running and agility.

You want a shoe for cardio, running, and not strength

The Reebok Nano X5 is primarily a strength and weight training shoe, with some pliability for a quick warm-up thrown in.

You're on a budget

At $150 these aren't cheap, and you'll find more generous pricing on Nike's Free Metcon range or an older Nano X4.

Also consider

Reebok Nano X5

(Image credit: Future)

Inov-8 F Lite G300

Another outstanding all-rounder shoe that excels in weightlifting.

Read our full review

Nike Free Metcon 5

A more forgiving all-rounder that will provide more comfort and pliability, but less weightlifting performance.

Read our full review

How I tested

I used the Reebok Nano X5 as my primary gym for a whole month between December 2024 and January 2025. I conducted over 20 workouts, mainly strength-based, but also stretching and pliability work, interval training, and some running.

First reviewed: January 2025

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review: The ideal runner’s headphones
12:50 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Headphones Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Two-minute review

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are particularly excellent for runners, especially long-distance and trail runners. While it won’t quite last the full length of time needed for an Ultra marathon (what can?), they are among the best running headphones out there.

Like the best open earbuds, they allow you to hear your surroundings in a way that even the best wireless earbuds with good ambient / transparency modes can’t. They also are extremely lightweight, stable, and have a nice long battery life. Shokz has also added in air conduction tech to improve the sound quality, as bone conduction headphones typically lag in this area compared to more traditional options.

It’s no surprise, considering how bone conduction headphones work. At louder volumes, these types of headphones tend to create a vibrating sensation that can be unpleasant, even nauseating depending on one’s sensitivity. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 doesn’t create this sensation for the most part, with one exception that I’ll mention later.

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

headset, charging case, regular case, and accessories (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Before we get to that, we should take a look at the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2’s design. They fit the general mold of bone conduction headphones; there’s the portion containing the drivers that sit in front of the ear connected to the electronics via an over-the-ear loop. Both sides are connected by a wrap-around headband, while the whole thing is covered in silicon to provide some waterproofing. In this case, it’s IP55, surprisingly worse than the lower-tier Shokz OpenRun with their IP67 rating.

Where these headphones differ a little from the competition is the fact that, besides providing four colorways (black, silver, orange, and a Kipchoge-signature white and orange silver-and-orange), you can choose between ‘standard’ and ‘mini’ size headbands, whereas most bone conduction headphones come with a one-size-fits-all one.

This is a nice inclusion. In fact, I might have benefited from the smaller headband, as I could feel the headband move a little if I shook my head. Still, the fit was stable and neither the drivers or section that goes over or behind the ears moved at all. On top of that, it’s very lightweight at just around 30 grams, so you’ll barely feel them – unlike many in-ear buds that start to hurt after being stuck in the ear canals for a while.

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

As far as controls go, I was a bit confused at first since two of them, used for power, pairing, and volume controls, sit under the right side behind the ear, while a third button sits on the driver section on the left side used for changing songs. It’s not a big deal (other than highlighting my mistake of not reading the manual right away), but I’m used to having all the controls on one side. Thankfully, they’re fairly responsive to the touch.

There’s one USB-C port on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, which might be why the IP rating is a little lower than expected here, even if it does have a silicon covering. On the brightside, using this port allows for faster charging compared to the old magnetic one, as five minutes plugged in will produce two and a half hours of battery life. Of course, it will take a full hour to charge up to 100% or twelve hours of use.

It’s also worth mentioning that the only form of connectivity here is its speedy Bluetooth 5.3. There’s no onboard storage or MP3 player: if that’s a consideration for you, you’ll want to check out our best waterproof headphones guide, many of which come with MP3 storage.

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Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
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Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
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Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
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Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The feature set on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are a bit limited compared to wireless earbuds. Since these headphones are an open-ear design, there’s no active (or passive) noise cancellation. Any kind of fine-tuning involves mainly playing around with the equalization (EQ), which is available in the app, though you can press and hold the volume up and down buttons simultaneously during play to cycle through the various EQ options.

As far as the different EQ options go, there are six modes already on hand, along with a five-band EQ for a more personalized touch, which you can save as a new EQ mode. Of the ones already available, there’s a standard, vocal, bass boost, treble boost, classic, and volume boost.

The classic mode turns off the air conduction for a purer bone conduction experience, which also reintroduces that vibrating sensation when the volume is too high, something that I (and many) find uncomfortable. Luckily, it’s the only setting where I really experienced that phenomenon.

Multipoint connectivity is also available, though you have to turn it on in the app. While not a dealbreaker, be aware of the fact that there’s no on-ear detection, so music will continue to play when you take the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 off.

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The improvements in the newest generation of bone conduction headphones have been really heartening, namely that the audio quality is better than before and that I don’t experience those disconcerting vibrations at higher volumes (see my review of the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport for a similarly improved audio experience).

The audio quality has improved for two reasons. The first is the fact that the OpenRun Pro 2 uses the company’s 10th generation bone conduction technology. The second, and arguably more important, is that these headphones also use air conduction. In essence, these are hybrid headphones as opposed to just bone conduction headphones.

After having listened to all sorts of genres from Indie and Metal to Hip Hop and Folk, I can say that they’re allare enjoyable to listen to. The high-end is fairly present with plenty of clarity, though everything does feel just a tiny bit muted as if the headphones’ natural frequency range rolls off a bit with higher frequencies. The mids are full, almost a little too much, so that any audio I listen to has plenty of body. The bass is a bit pulled back, so bottom-heavy music won’t hit as hard.

Because the highs and lows are not as prominent as the mids, there is a very slight boxy quality to music. They sound very good for the form factor, but aren’t going to replace anyone’s earbuds as go-to listening devices outside of a run or the gym.

Since these are open earbuds, there is some leakage. However, it’s not all that noticeable unless you’re using them in a quiet setting. If you use them on the trail, other presumably headphone-less runners might catch a little bit of what you’re listening to, but only if they’re very close to you.

Lastly, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 can used to take and make calls. The call quality is pretty good with plenty of clarity, though the speaker’s voice will sound a little far away compared to speaking on a phone regularly.

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Specifications

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Price and availability

  • How much does it cost? $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

You can spend quite a bit less than the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2’s asking price of $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00 for a pair of bone conduction headphones. Shokz’ own more entry-priced OpenRun go for $129.95 / £129.95 / AU$219.00, for instance. And, of course, there are plenty of much cheaper, lesser-known options littering Amazon.

And there aren’t many options out there that go for more, either. Some of the ones that do are a bit more specialized, such as the watersports-friendly H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, which go for $199.99 / £155.68 (about AU$310) and include 8GB of storage, an MP3 player, and a special feature to record playlists onto it, so you don’t need your phone.

Still, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are worth the price in my mind for the simple reason that they mix in air conduction tech with bone conduction for a better audio experience as well as to minimize the vibrating sensation that typically accompanies the use of bone conduction headphones.

As a value proposition, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 may not be an outstanding deal, but they’re worth the price.

  • Value score: 4 / 5

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: Scorecard

Should I buy the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2?

Buy it if...

You care about audio quality

Getting good sound out of a bone conduction headset is not easy, yet Shokz has managed to do just that thanks to the inclusion of air conduction.View Deal

You’re a runner

The fit is stable and lightweight and the battery life is more than enough for anyone except Ultra marathon runners. It also has an IP55 rating to handle the elements.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want to take it in the water

Not all bone conduction headphones are good for swimming, such as this one. Shokz does have swimming-specific models to check out if you want something that’s more fully waterproof.View Deal

You’re limited on funds

These headphones are on the pricy side for bone conduction headphones. If you’re on a budget, you’re better off considering the slightly inferior non-Pro version.View Deal

Also consider

Shokz OpenRun

The Shokz OpenRun are fantastic for running, and are only slightly behind the OpenRun Pro 2 due to the fact that they employ a slightly older generation driver and don’t include air conduction so you’re still getting some vibration at higher volumes. Still, they sound good, are lightweight, and cost quite a bit less than their more expensive big brother.


Read our full Shokz OpenRun reviewView Deal

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport

The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport is not cheap, but it’s worth it, especially for anyone also looking for headphones to use during swimming. After all, these are tailored to triathletes. They have a strong battery life, complete waterproofing, and onboard storage as well as a special Playlist+ feature that untethers you from your phone during a run or swim.


Read our full H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport reviewView Deal

How I tested

  • Tested over a couple weeks
  • Listened to different kinds of media
  • Tested all the different features

I spent a couple weeks using the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 as my workout headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip-hop to rock and acoustic music to get an idea of how they sound. I also tested the various features, most notably the EQ settings.

After testing, it’s clear that these are, per their namesake, flagship headphones for runners. They’re ideal because of the open-ear design from the bone and air conduction, they’re very lightweight, and have good battery life. Plus, they sound pretty good. Check out our guide to how bone conduction headphones work for more details on how headphones like these operate.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.

  • First reviewed December 2024
Coros Pace Pro watch review: Bright display and bursting battery performer
10:00 am | January 7, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: | Comments: Off

Coros Pace Pro: One minute review

The Coros Pace Pro is a higher-priced model for the brand as the company sets its sights on the Garmin, Suunto, and Polar competition. As such you have a watch that's crammed with all the best features you'd expect from a premium all-sports smartwatch.

So why pay for this over a similarly priced Garmin Forerunner 265? Well, the AMOLED screen on this is the same one found in the Apple Watch with a whopping 1500-nits of brightness, making it a stunner you can read in all light conditions. It does this while remaining battery efficient too for a top class 38 hours with all sensors up and running, or a good 20 days of standby time – with a zippy two-hour recharge time.

It is a lot lighter than a lot of the competition too, as light as 37g with the right strap, yet is still made from robust casing materials and features a useful rotating crown button. The display covering does let it down though, as it's made from mineral glass rather than the hardier Gorilla Glass you'll find from the competition.

GPS and HR accuracy aren't perfect but will be more than good enough to serve most needs, and it's the best on a Coros device yet. If you want even more accuracy you'll need to pay more for the top-end kit or factor in buying a chest or arm strap HR monitor too.

Coros Pace Pro: Specs

Coros Pace Pro showing heart rate

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)

Coros Pace Pro: Price and Availability

Coros Pace Pro crown button

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
  • $349 / £349 / AU$599
  • Cheaper than some premium smartwatches
  • Relatively affordable despite AMOLED

The Coros Pace Pro steps out from the usual business model for this company - of undercutting the competition - instead standing more alongside. As such it is more expensive than many models that have gone before.

The Coros Pace Pro is available to buy now starting at $349 / £349 / AU$599.

For all the specs this offers - including AMOLED display, multi-band GPS, mapping and navigation, and music onboard - this is a really well-priced option. The mineral glass screen is not as impressive as the competition and means it will be more prone to damage.

The watch comes in Black, Grey, or Blue options. There are silicone or nylon band options, which vary the weight from 49g for silicon to just 37g for nylon. The silicon comes as standard but these bands are in the optional extras section, charged at $29 on top of the standard price if you want a second type.

All decent, but when you consider you can buy a Garmin Forerunner 265 for the same price, which is a far more established and reliable brand, this price doesn't seem quite so impressive.

  • Value score: 4/5

Coros Pace Pro: Design

Coros Pace Pro display maps

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
  • Useful rotating crown
  • Bright AMOLED display
  • Super lightweight

Right from the outset the Coros Pace Pro feels so light compared to the competition, which is great news for runners and longer-distance triathletes. I did think it felt a bit less premium as a result, but once I got used to it I realized it's built to a very high-quality finish just with lightness in mind rather than flashy materials.

The watch features a stunning 1.3-inch AMOLED, with a whopping 1500-nits brightness. This is actually the same screen technology used in the recent Apple Watch models – meaning a very bright and color-rich display no matter the conditions. Even reading it underwater feels better than any of the competition.

Unfortunately, the use of mineral glass, instead of the sapphire crystal that Garmin uses, can mean more damage is likely from this less resilient material. Not that I got any damage while testing this, even with heavy gym use.

The watch is a touchscreen, which works fantastically well in a super responsive way, but there is also a rotating crown option. This doubles as one of the two buttons on the watch. Press and hold to unlock then push again to access the various sports which you can scroll through using the rotation. This is so effortless and effective that I found myself using that instead of the touchscreen mostly – keeping the screen lovely and smudge-free.

The second button can be touched to cycle through on-screen metrics, like steps, heart rate, sunset and sunrise, and more. Or press and hold that to access the system settings, alarms, maps, music, and more.

Coros Pace Pro strap in grey

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)

The menus in general deserve a mention as part of the design section as they're clearly well thought out with a minimalism that makes use intuitive and – crucially – fast. You can go from locked to run tracking in as little as four button touches. That crown comes into use again when training as a quick roll can often be easier than using the touchscreen, thanks to that very tactile analog feel.

Round the back, you've got a new optical heart rate sensor with green lights, which also come with the more advanced red light for the detection of SpO2 data and even ECG recordings. Despite the case size moving up to 46mm from the Pace 3's 42mm, this is still compact enough to be worn comfortably on most wrists.

The charger is similar to Garmin's, but is bespoke. It uses a cable that plugs into USB-C so can work with many outlets and charger blocks too. All that and it charges back to full in just two hours.

  • Design score: 4/5

Coros Pace Pro: Features

  • Lots of sensors
  • Always-on display
  • Offline TOPO maps

Coros Pace Pro training load

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)

The Coros Pace Pro is packed full of smart sensors meaning you can enjoy a broad range of tracking. That includes – deep breath – Optical Heart Rate Sensor, Barometric Altimeter, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Electronic Compass, Pulse Oximeter (SpO2) and ECG.

That all means this will offer tracking while exercising, sleeping, walking, and on-demand for things like SpO2 measurement. But it also means everything can be combined to offer smarter overall measurements and more effective feedback on things like training readiness or recovery needs.

That super bright display is also worth mentioning here as it's very clear even in direct sunlight, but won't cost you too much battery – with a decent 38 hours with all systems tracking. There is the option to go for always-on, or intermittent, with the former costing you about 6 days on that 20-day standby battery life. In always-on, you'll see the clock dimmed and it will brighten when you lift to look, as opposed to only doing that to turn on with the intermittent option. I found it super responsive either way.

Coros Pace Pro heart rate display

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)

The inclusion of offline TOPO maps elevates this model forward over its predecessor. It means you can have maps and routes, although it doesn't offer auto re-routing when on the move, unfortunately. Much like the maps, which can be a faff to get routes loaded onto the watch, music is also a drag-and-drop affair as there's no offline Spotify support – although the 32GB storage is plenty.

Run-specific features are fantastic, with this clearly aimed at the racers or those who want to get to that level. You have a workout builder to plan training with dedicated plans, training status so you know if it's time to rest or get out there, a virtual pacer, and a race predictor. All really useful features that can be viewed both in the app and on the watch itself.

The watch does offer notifications for text and WhatsApp messages which come through right away and with that big screen, messages are clear and easy to read. Unfortunately, there isn't yet support for emojis, which might have been a nice touch given the AMOLED display.

  • Features score: 3.5/5

Coros Pace Pro: Performance

Coros Pace Pro tracking

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)
  • Decent battery life
  • Fantastic display
  • Good GPS but average HR

To start on a really positive point, the display is stunning not only to view but also to control. Thanks to a new processor in this model that doubles the speed, the sensitivity and responsiveness are super-premium meaning accessing all the menus is a pleasure. The large and clear display is good for going through your data, including graphs, without the need to reach for the phone and app as it's so fast, responsive, and clear. That applies to mid-training too where even movements don't seem to put off that tactile responsiveness.

Tracking is good but not amazing when you consider how many GPS systems are at play here. GPS acquisition is fast and a helpful bar system shows you signal strength too. While tracking is very accurate over longer distances (5K+), you may find that shorter than that and with hills in the mix can leave you a little less clear. And cycling performance was a little off too, even over longer distances. We're talking meters here, nothing huge, but still not quite as accurate as the smarter algorithms that the competition uses to work out your movements. To be clear, it performs well compared to most watches – and is the best Coros yet – just not quite as well as the latest top-end premium offerings from more established brands.

Heart rate tracking is the other area that wasn't perfect. While some longer runs and gym sessions were well-recorded – compared to a leading brand chest strap there were some inaccuracies. For higher heart rate bursts or longer rides, the accuracy wasn't as good as it perhaps could have been. That said, I've found similar issues with higher-priced competitors so it's not a deal breaker – I'm just being super clear. Coros does offer an armband heart rate monitor which may help improve this output if high-intensity work is what you need to track very accurately – or you're working in zone training.

Coros Pace Pro app

Coros Pace Pro (Image credit: Future)

Battery life is excellent with the 20-day standby time easily being reached or surpassed in my testing. Even training, with all sensors on and music playing over a Bluetooth headset, was still as good as predicted at 38 hours, if not better. I did use the watch with the display off when not in use though, so if you want the always-on display option expect the standby figure to drop by a few days. The USB charger and two-hour charge time combination do make battery something you won't really need to worry about often – which is the goal right?

Get into the app and you're met with clear, bright, and helpful displays that give you data in various forms without getting too complex as some of the competition does. I found it refreshing to have everything I needed there, with breakdowns available front and center, but without feeling like I had to dig around menus or be overwhelmed with too much information in my face. A difficult combination to achieve which Coros seems to have managed in record time.

I did have a few connectivity issues where the WiFi wouldn't work on the watch until I tried to sync a few times. Usefully you can also sync over Bluetooth, which takes longer but gets the job done. Hopefully, the WiFi issue will be fixed with updates although I've had two while testing this and it's still not working perfectly.

The silicon strap is super comfortable, very accurate to fit many wrist sizes, and it doesn't move about at all. That secure fit does mean it's a bit fiddly to get back on each time, so if you remove your watch regularly this might be worth keeping in mind if you're considering buying a different strap.

  • Performance score: 3.5/5

Coros Pace Pro: Scorecard

Coros Pace Pro: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want a superb display

That 1500-nits of brightness on the rich AMOLED display is stunning and the responsiveness of the touchscreen is second-to-none.

You want better battery life

The battery life is long enough that you don't need to charge often, and can use it regularly.

You want comfort

This is super lightweight and a perfect fit with that strap making it ideal for longer distance training and sleep tracking comfort.

Don't buy it if...

You want durability

The mineral glass display cover isn't the strongest so you'll have to be careful not to damage it.

You want music streaming

Yes, this has onboard music but not streaming support for the likes of Spotify making loading up a bit more effort.

You want adaptive navigation

You have maps here, and navigation, but it won't adapt on the fly so it's not ideal for all uses.

Also consider

Apple Watch Ultra 2

A fully fledged high-performance premium smartwatch.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Garmin Instinct Crossover

A dedicated sports watch tool, like a smart Casio G-Shock.

Read our full Garmin Instinct Crossover review

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active review: Too many corners cut
7:15 pm | January 6, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: | Comments: Off

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: One-minute review

Writing this Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active review, I wasn’t exactly expecting it to hit our list of the best fitness trackers on the market — it’s startlingly cheap, designed for people who just need the fundamentals of health tracking. However I wasn’t expecting it to miss the mark so much.

Released as an even-more-affordable alternative to the already-affordable Xiaomi Smart Band 9, the Active model cuts the cost, as well as some corners, from that predecessor. However, it cuts so many corners that, like a really bad lapidarist, it leaves nothing left to appreciate.

Testing a cheap fitness tracker like this, you have to expect some compromises, but the Band 9 Active takes it too far. Many different health tracking metrics were easily proven wrong, with GPS reading poorly compared to data from our smartphone and heart rate information being laughably inaccurate. Calorie burn predictions were also dubious, unless I truly did only burn double-figure calories in an hour-long weights session.

One surprise exception was sleep tracking, which to me seemed vaguely reliable — at least, compared to distance or heart rate. If you just want a cheap and feature-sparse sleep tracker, this could be a valuable option.

Still, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active really struggles to prove itself as a useful health tracker given how ropey the testing results were. It fares a little better with its ‘smartwatch’ lifestyle functions as it was quick to send through notifications and let you control music.

It’s par for the course for fitness trackers to opt for offering a range of features, with the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active trying to track loads of metrics and health considerations. However, it seems that Xiaomi’s focus on breadth over depth has resulted in a wearable that’s hard to recommend. If you want a fitness tracker that has all the good bits of the Band 9 Active and few of the issues, opt for the standard model or the bigger and pricier Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Specifications

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Price and availability

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active alongside the standard and Pro versions.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Costs $44.99 / £19.99 / AU$42.99
  • Cheaper alternative to Band 9
  • Released in October 2024

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active was unveiled in China in October 2024, alongside the Band 9 Pro, and was slowly rolled out globally over the subsequent months. It’s now available to buy in most countries globally including the US, UK and Australia.

You can buy the Band 9 Active for $44.99 / £19.99 / AU$42.99, so it’s an incredibly cheap fitness tracker — though you don’t need to know currency conversions to know that some folks get it cheaper than others. I found some significant price fluctuations on Amazon, with Australian shoppers on the retailer getting a variation of a few dollars depending on the color option, and UK buyers being shown prices literally twice as high as on Xiaomi’s own website! So shop around to find the best price.

That’s a roughly $15 / £15 / AU$20 drop in price compared to the Xiaomi Band 9, a healthy discount that means that the budget band will likely undercut the original one even when the middle child is on sale. The cost also roughly matches the Xiaomi Band 8 Active from last year.

There aren’t many cheap fitness trackers at this price bracket that bear mentioning, so the Active’s competitors are all (relatively) pricey alternatives like the other Smart Band 9 models and options from Samsung and Fitbit if you can find them reduced. More on competition later.

  • Value score: 4.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Design

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Display doesn't look great
  • Rectangular body plus strap
  • Fairly well protected against bumps and water

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active has a pretty utilitarian design. Its body measures 4.6 x 2.7 x 1cm and weighs 16.5g, so it’s pretty small, and it totes a 1.47-inch display with a 172 x 320 resolution.

The band is made of TPU, which feels like a rubbery plastic, and can be adjusted for a wide range of wrist sizes. You can pick up the Active in black, beige or light pink, and your choice is reflected in the band’s body and strap.

With a 5ATM water resistance, the watch can withstand submersion in water at up to 50 meters — however, there are no swim tracking modes on the band, making this a feature you won’t need to test.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)

I bumped and bashed the Band 9 Active a fair few times during testing and it didn’t show a mark — it’s a good pick for clumsy wearers. It’s also small enough that you can wear it to bed without it being too noticeable and annoying.

The display, frankly, doesn’t look great, but that’s what you’re getting for your low entry fee. You can put your own photos as your watchface too which is a nice touch, even if faces end up looking a little like old-school RuneScape characters.

  • Design score: 3/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Performance

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Many metrics seem inaccurate
  • Poor at pulling data from smartphone for GPS
  • 50 sports tracking modes in all

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers about 50 different fitness tracking modes, roughly a third as many as its two siblings though all the basics are covered (and then a few). Before you remark about how many that is, bear in mind that not all fitness tracking modes are equal.

Basically all of the fitness modes track time and heart rate, and some throw GPS in on top — the reason you’d pick between different tracking modes is so it’ll show up as a different entry in your fitness log, and because you can set different workout goals for different activities.

For testing purposes I used outdoor running, outdoor cycling and strength, but the fill list includes everything from badminton and baseball to billiards and ‘back’ (back workouts, that is).

Unfortunately, they’re not great: most of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active’s fitness tracking features don’t work as they’re supposed to.

Here’s an example: one testing day I ran to my gym, which is usually 1.6km but the ‘outdoor running’ mode only recorded it as 1.4km. Then at the gym, I turned on ‘strength’ mode for my workout, and it told me I was at a low heart rate — despite the fact I hadn’t caught my breath after the run, and could feel my heart rate to be elevated.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)

The GPS issue is the most pronounced; multiple times during testing the watch wouldn’t report the full distance of a run or cycle (or, on one occasion, any distance at all, instead of the 4km I had cycled). From my testing, I seemed to lose on average 20% of the distance I actually traveled. It seems to be an issue with how the watch connects to your phone, as the Active only has Connected GPS (which utilizes your phone’s GPS, instead of having it built-in). I would have considered it being an issue with my phone, had I not tested the Band 9 Pro immediately before the Active.

The heart rate issue is also a shame — it’s one of the most important metrics that people use fitness trackers for, so the fact that it’s so obviously inaccurate is a real shame.

Now for a surprise: sleep tracking worked pretty well, surprisingly so given the rest of the performance. It was acccurate in terms of timing, even if I lay in bed reading before sleeping or remained prone for a while after waking up. It also offered basic-but-useful breakdowns of types of sleep (REM, deep, etc) as well as wake-up times and your resting heart rate (for however accurate that is…). If all you want out of a fitness tracker for is sleep tracking, this budget option might be alright.

  • Performance score: 2/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Features

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Mi Fitness app used on phone
  • Music playback, notification handling and more
  • 14-day battery life

Beyond the iffy fitness tracking options, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active more or less ticks all the feature boxes you’d expect for a cheap fitness tracker.

Through Bluetooth with your phone it can tell you the weather, control your music (well, skip, back a track and play/pause) and ping you with notifications. I recommend customizing which notifications get sent to your tracker, lest you want to be pinged every few minutes with the latest weather report.

The Band 9 Active connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3 and the connection was faultless during my testing — except, of course, for the weird GPS issue. You connect to the Mi Fitness app, which can bring you a few extra ways to use your band.

The main one (for me) is that it gives you more depth to examine your past workouts, with a rough GPS map and other metrics. You can also see the results of various metrics tracked via the watch like training load, stress, energy and your vitality score.

You can also use the app to customize your watch to a limited degree — like I said you can set a background photo or pick from a wide range of other displays. You can also tweak some settings of the fitness tracking metrics and set a password for the tracker.

Xiaomi cites the battery life for the Band 9 Active at being 18 days, or about two-and-a-half weeks. From my testing, I’d say you can reliably get two weeks of use out of the band before needing to charge it, but that extra four days may be a stretch if you’re not sparing with your use.

  • Performance score: 3.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Scorecard

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active: Should I buy?

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You're only in it for sleep tracking
If you only want a sleep tracker, and don't care about other health features, then you'll find the Band 9 Active fit for purpose.

You don't care about health at all
Just want a way to control your music, see notifications and check on the weather from your wrist? Then the Band 9 Active is fine for you and you won't need to spend any more.

You want a simple user interface
The Band 9 Active strips some features from its siblings, but this makes it very simple to use for technophobes or seniors..View Deal

Don't buy it if...

Your budget goes any higher
For only a small price increase, you can buy the Smart Band 9 which is a lot better in every way.

You care about tracking heart rate, calories or location
I've already mentioned in detail how iffy the fitness tracking modes of the Band 9 Active are. Don't use it if you actually care about tracking your health.

Also consider

Xiaomi Smart Band 9

For only a small price increase, you can buy this fitness tracker which fixes all of the Active's problems, plus looks nicer and lasts for longer.

Read our full review

Fitbit Inspire 3

A few years of price cuts means that the Fitbit Inspire 3 is fairly affordable, though it'll still set you back the equivalent of several Band 9 Actives.

Read our full review

First reviewed: January 2025

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro review: One big upgrade that comes at a price
5:59 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: One-minute review

Chinese tech company Xiaomi is almost single-handedly keeping the cheap fitness tracker market alive, and the new Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is its new entry for people who want to monitor their health on the cheap, but want a nice big screen at the same time.

This health gadget is a follow-up to the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, released in mid-2024, and for all intents and purposes, it’s a very similar fitness tracker – too similar, for reasons we’ll get to. It has the same software, is largely as accurate for measuring your health, and connects to your phone in the exact same way.

Its key selling point is that, unlike its non-Pro predecessor, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 has a big display. This won me over more than I thought it would – it doesn’t feel much more of a burden on the wrist yet is much easier to press while you’re sprinting down a park path or balancing on a parked bike. I also see it being much more convenient from an accessibility viewpoint, so if fiddly fitness tracker screens put you off, this is the Smart Band to buy.

However with great screens come great price tags and the Smart Band 9 Pro pushes the price up a lot more than its older sibling – it’s not reaching the price point of Garmin’s cheapest options or second-hand Fitbits, but if you’re on the market for something really affordable, its price might give you reason to pause.

Size and cost upgrades aside, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro ostensibly has some improvements to sleep, blood oxygen, and heart rate monitoring – it didn’t feel that different to me. But I was disappointed in how lots of my issues with the previous band weren’t fixed, namely regarding buggy software.

My experience of using the Smart Band 9 Pro was punctuated by notifications waking me up in the early hours, alerts being hidden by other alerts, and the watch maintaining a very lackadaisical approach in waking when I raised it up. These are all issues I reported in my review of the first band, and they’re back here.

As a tech fan, I wasn’t impressed by how similar the Smart Band 9 Pro is to the Band 9, but the perk of its limited number of upgrades is that it functions just as well as that stellar fitness tracker did. Its activity tracking modes aren’t in-depth but they are handy for workout fans and I found the watch very accurate and useful for tracking distance and heart rate on runs.

When it’s working bug-free, the Band 9 Pro is also a useful lifestyle companion with music control, timers, and notification handling, all features that came in handy during testing.

So the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is definitely an upgrade over the Band 9 you should consider if the price doesn’t put you off, but you really should ask yourself if you need the bigger display.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro hanging on a Christmas tree

(Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Specifications

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Price and availability

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro alongside the standard and Active versions.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Unveiled in October 2024
  • Goes for £62.99 / AU$99.99 (roughly $75)
  • Matches Smart Band 8 Pro

Xiaomi announced the Smart Band 9 Pro as well as the Active model in late October 2024, initially for its Chinese market, but it slowly released it globally in the following months.

You can pick up the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro for £62.99 / AU$99.99 (roughly $75). That’s a fairly significant price hike, in the UK at least, over the $60 / £24.99 / AU$79.99 ‘standard’ Band 9, though it matches its predecessor the Smart Band 8 Pro.

The price cements the Band 9 Pro as the premium member of its tripartite, with the Band 9 Active coming in at £19.99 / AU$44.99 (roughly $25). The price puts the tracker equal to, or above, some of the best cheap fitness trackers in terms of cost, and I don’t quite feel that the feature set has seen an increase in step with the price hike.

In a few regions, Xiaomi sells extra straps for the Band 9 Pro, and it sent TechRadar one of these alongside the fitness track for testing. However, at the time of writing, these aren’t for sale in the UK.

  • Value score: 4/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Design

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro on a wrist

(Image credit: Future)
  • Bigger body than rivals, but not much
  • Large 1.74-inch AMOLED screen
  • Screen space is really useful

Its suffix is ‘Pro’ but that could well be ‘Gro’ because the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is, in effect, a bigger version of the non-Pro model in terms of design. That is to say, it’s a standard fitness tracker that’s been scaled up a notch.

The band that comes in the box is made of TPU, and I found it pretty fiddly to clasp but comfortable when worn. It supports a pretty large variance in wrist size, which isn’t something you can say about all fitness trackers. It has an easy-release mechanism so to remove or replace the bands, you simply press a small button on the Smart Band’s body, and I found this easy to do.

You can pick up the band in three color options: black, silver (with a white strap), and rose gold (with a pink strap). As you can see in the images, I used the latter.

The body itself measures 43.3 x 32.5 x 10.8mm, not including the band, and weighs 24.5g. That makes it a little chunkier and portlier than many svelte fitness trackers on the market but its weight wasn’t noticeable on the wrist. In fact, I found it just as comfortable as any other tracker I’ve used.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro flat on a table.

(Image credit: Future)

Next, we come to the screen, the biggest change over the ‘standard’ Band 9 (literally). It measures 1.74 inches diagonally, and like the body, it’s wider and shorter than its sibling. Its resolution is 336 x 480 and the max brightness is 1200 nits, though unlike on the Band 9 I found the automatic brightness wasn’t always that quick. I sometimes struggled to see what I was looking at on my band when outdoors until it had taken a few seconds to adjust the brightness.

This extra screen space will be fantastic for people who don’t get on with the teenie icons of most fitness trackers and smartwatches, and it was especially useful when running so I could easily press a button without needing too much precision.

In terms of protection, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro has 5ATM water resistance: it can survive at depths of up to 50 meters for 10 minutes. Xiaomi advises you not to take it in heated water, though, like a sauna or in the shower.

  • Design score: 4/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Performance

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro showing some activities.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Uses phone's GPS but has heart rate and other trackers
  • Over 150 fitness tracking modes
  • 21-day battery life

In the ‘specs’ section above, I quoted Xiaomi’s estimate for the Smart Band 9 Pro’s battery life of 21 days. However in my testing, I found that the band far exceeded this – it lost a third of its charge in eight days, which included multiple runs (including a three-hour one), several weights training sessions, and sleep tracking on most of the nights. That would put the battery life at closer to 24 days although your mileage will vary.

A 14-day battery life is pretty standard for fitness trackers but 24 days is stellar, so I don’t imagine that the band will let you down. Charging is done with a proprietary charger that plugs into any USB port.

The range of workouts is the same as on the standard band, so there are over 150 fitness tracking modes. Most of these are pretty barebones: they monitor time, your heart rate, and a rough count of the calories burned, so whichever of them you select from the watch largely just dictates how it shows up in your app workout log.

A few of them have more information though, with some like running and cycling using GPS. This isn’t standard GPS but connected GPS, which means the band uses the GPS from your paired smartphone – you can’t go on workouts without your mobile by your side.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro on a wrist

(Image credit: Future)

This is therefore as accurate as your smartphone, but that’s nothing to turn your nose up at – I ran a distance that was measured to be 5K, and the watch told me I ran 5.05km, which is a 1% error margin.

Sleep tracking is present, and it’s not as in-depth as on a fancy smartwatch: you find out how long you slept, how it’s broken down into deep and light sleep and wake-ups, and what your average heart rate was. According to Xiaomi, the sleep tracking has seen an upgrade in the Band 9 Pro.

Other metrics that are tracked – to dubious levels of reliability – are your stress, energy level, and ‘vitality score’ or cumulative exercise over the last week. The watch also tracks blood rate oxygen and heart rate and these are, according to Xiaomi, also improved over the original band.

  • Performance score: 3.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Features

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro flat on a table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Mi Fitness app used on phone
  • Music playback, notification handling and more
  • Some bugs with app and watch

I found the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro quite buggy, which isn’t something that I’m too surprised about given other fitness trackers from the maker that I’ve tested, but it was more pronounced here as some examples disrupted my experience.

Both my most prominent examples come from the band’s otherwise effective notification handling. Sometimes notifications would appear at the same time as, and therefore override more important information; the Pro was very confused when an interval pop-up was immediately succeeded by a message notification, meaning I couldn’t see how many kilometers I’d just hit. And the more annoying one is that, even with do not disturb enabled, notifications would buzz on my wrist in the middle of the night – I was woken multiple times, once at 1 am, by notifications appearing on my wrist.

This latter one is something I experienced with the Band 9, as is another lesser issue: raise-to-wake is unreliable, and sometimes you can lift up your wrist and be met by a black screen.

I shouldn’t compare those two fitness trackers too much, though, because the overall experience of using the Band 9 Pro is great thanks to the larger display. A lot more information can be shown at once using its various widgets: you can see the weather for the next few days, your heart rate on a graph, and a music player to let you pause or skip songs. Buttons overall are naturally a lot bigger, which is a great accessibility win.

Well, most buttons are great, but the exception is in the app drawer which you open by swiping up from the bottom. This is a grid of 26 buttons for different features, and none of them are labeled, so you have to guess which does what. Many of them are identical: two are icons of running people, in different colors, and it’s a real trial-and-error experience. Luckily most of the features that I found myself using can be accessed in other ways, namely by swiping through the home page widgets.

More features come from the tie-in Mi Fitness app, which you download on your phone. It lets you see your fitness and health details in much more detail as well as change your watch face from a huge range of options (including custom photos), see historical data, and set up various features.

  • Performance score: 3.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Scorecard

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro: Should I buy?

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro on a wrist

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a big screen
Whether it’s for accessibility or convenience, a big screen can be a huge draw for some people, especially with how small fitness tracker displays tend to be. If that’s you, step right up!

You need a long battery life
I was impressed with how well the Band 9 Pro lasted, despite some intensive testing – if you can’t reliably charge wearables, a long-lasting option like this is handy.

You bring your phone on workouts
The Smart Band is an extension of your phone – you’ll need your mobile to track GPS and send your watch the music and notifications it handles. You’ll need to buy a smartwatch if you want to do away with the phone.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

Budget is a key consideration
While it’s definitely cheap, the Smart Band 9 Pro isn’t cheap – not compared to its siblings and not compared to the fare that populates Amazon. You can find cheaper options that still work well.

You get frustrated by malfunctioning tech
I’ve detailed how the Smart Band 9 family has buggy software – if this kind of thing in tech drives you up the wall, you might find yourself using the 9 Pro’s stress measuring feature more than you’d like…

Also consider

Xiaomi Smart Band 9

This cheaper option works much the same as the Pro but with a smaller display.

Read our full review

Fitbit Inspire 3

Fitbit's cheapest health band lets you try the brand's range of features and thanks to price cuts, it generally sells for around the same price as the Band 9 Pro.

Read our full review

I tried an AI skiing coach on the slopes in real life: here’s what happened
3:00 pm | December 31, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: | Comments: Off

Carv 2 Ski Coach: One minute review

Carv is a system that gathers motion data from your ski boots using sensors, analyses that via the app on your smartphone, and provides feedback through your headphones. It’s a digital ski coach, using advanced algorithms to detect and evaluate your technique, grade it, highlight improvement points, and provide feedback to help you achieve that.

The first version of Carv used pressure-sensing insoles but has now evolved to two sensor units that clip onto your ski boot in Carv 2. That makes setup a breeze, you just clip them on, check the Bluetooth connection to your phone, pop in a headphone and you’re good to go.

The beauty of Carv 2 is that it works in real-time. It can provide audible feedback on each turn, with more detailed evaluation when you stop, or once you get on the lift. Your skiing is captured in incredible detail: this isn’t just a GPS trace like you’d get from a Garmin, you get detailed data through every part of your turn, recording how your weight shifted and how each of your skis behaved.

Carv 2 gamifies your skiing, giving you a Ski IQ score based on your skill (mine is 124) while helping you target the changes you’d have to make to improve your technique. The aim is to help you become a smooth carving skier, but there’s plenty to help you progress to better parallel turns, so it works for a wide range of intermediate to advanced skiers.

Author checking out Carv app on phone

(Image credit: Carv)

Carv is a unique system and incredibly detailed, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, with audio feedback to help you improve, supported by videos in the app to demonstrate what’s being discussed. It’s like having an instructor with you every time you ski, talking in your ear, while hitting new targets is incredibly rewarding.

Carv 2 isn’t suitable for beginners and it can’t teach you to ski from scratch. It’s also fairly expensive: the sensors cost £99, but you need a subscription to use them and that’s £99/$119 for 6 days (a typical ski vacation). Alternatively, you can pay £199, get the sensors free of charge, and have a full year of use – but in future years you’ll need a new subscription, so there’s an ongoing cost.

Carv app

(Image credit: Future / Chris Hall)

It’s cheaper than ski lessons, but you have to be engaged with Carv to benefit and you don’t have the advantage of having a real-life person to show you what you’re doing wrong – instead, you might end up with repeated feedback, which can feel a little like nagging.

Carv 2 is perfect for me however: as an intermediate skier, who has plateaued and is unlikely to ever have lessons again because I’d rather ski with my family, Carv 2 lets me make small adjustments to focus on my technique. There’s nothing else like it and for a skier, those stats are really addictive and mean that every run counts.

Skiing with Carv 2

(Image credit: Carv)

Carv 2 Ski Coach: Scorecard

Carv 2: Should I buy?

Buy it if…

You’re an intermediate skier

If you love skiing but aren’t getting any better, then Carv 2 could help you make those changes to improve.

You’re a data junkie

Sometimes you just need data and Carv 2 will give you data on everything about your skiing. You’ll get the metrics of your turns, your speed, and the distance you’ve covered, all nicely presented for every ski session.

You feel like you’re held back by friends or family

It sounds mean but … with Carv 2 you can use those slower runs to really focus on your technique and make progress – while skiing with others.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re a beginner skier

If you’re just getting started and you can’t turn, then Carv isn’t for you. Get some lessons to help you learn the basics safely.

You don’t ski regularly

While you could buy Carv 2 for one week of skiing, you’re really not going to benefit unless you’re getting out on the snow regularly – yearly at least.

You don’t like headphones

It might sound silly, but Carv 2 talks to you through your headphones - if you can’t ski with headphones, then you won’t get on with it.

How I tested

I used Carv 2 over two days of skiing on the Stubai glacier in Austria, where I tested all the features. I previously used the original Carv, so had the chance to compare the experience of both systems. During testing, I covered 40km of runs, a descent of 8000m in total, with over 1600 turns across those days. I skied on piste, including some mogul segments. I didn’t have the chance to test it in powder snow. All testing was conducted on a trip paid for and provided by Carv. Carv did not have any say in the content of this article and did not see it before it was published.

First reviewed: November 2024

Saucony Ride 17 review: A reliable everyday running shoe
3:00 pm | December 29, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

I’m new to the Saucony Ride range but had heard great things about the versatility of the Saucony Ride 17. My everyday road trainer tends to be a Mizuno Wave Rider, Brooks Ghost, or Hoka Skyward X (when I’m in recovery mode), so I was intrigued to see what the Ride 17 could offer. I knew they were one of the best running shoes for easy miles, but since I have switched focus from ultra marathons to half marathons recently, I was curious to see how they stood up during harder sessions.

With major upgrades to the previous version, the Saucony Ride 17 now offers an upgraded Pwrrun+ midsole foam, a new mesh upper, and increased padding around the heel. This culminates in a poppier run during those speed sessions and a closer fit around the midfoot – both welcome improvements.

But it doesn’t reinvent the wheel and maintains its comfortable 8mm drop fit, lightly padded tongue, and reliable road traction. It even copes well on light trails even if the best performance comes from running on harder, drier terrain.

The shape of the inner sole does take a little getting used to but Ride fans may not notice the raised inside arch which I found a little distracting.

The Saucony Ride 17 is available now but if you are looking for a cheaper option the Ride 16 remains a great alternative.

SAUCONY RIDE 17: SPECIFICATIONS

Saucony Ride 17: Price and availability

The Saucony Ride 17 is available at a moderate price on par with most non-carbon-plated shoes. Priced at $140 / £135 / AU$269.98, it can be found at discounted prices, but limited sizes are available. We’ve spotted it at £80.99 in the UK at Pro Direct Sports, at $104.95 in the US on Saucony’s own website, and as low as AU$139.99 on The Athlete’s Foot in Australia.

the soles of the saucony ride 17

(Image credit: Lily Canter)

Saucony Ride 17: Design

  • Engineered mesh upper
  • PWRRUN+ sole
  • 8mm heel-to-toe drop
  • Design score: 3.5/5

The shoe is thoughtfully designed to provide a blend of comfort and support for everyday road running. Its updated engineered mesh upper enhances breathability and offers a tailored fit by contouring closely to the foot. The wider perforations in the mesh allow for increased airflow, helping to keep the foot cool and dry during long runs. High sidewalls ensure stability by cradling the foot, creating a secure and supportive ride.

As someone who prefers a slightly lower heel to drop, I was surprised how quickly I adjusted to the deeper fit. However, this may have been because I was distracted by the internal molding. When slipping the shoes on for the first time I was convinced they were a support shoe, because they felt so similar to the Saucony Guide 15. On closer inspection when I removed the FormFit insole I realised my issue was with the raised inside arch. This felt like it was trying to push my foot outwards as if I were an overpronator. I must admit I was not a fan of this geometry, which aimed to create a rocker effect but actually felt like an unnecessary obstruction.

Faring better was the shoe’s midsole constructed with Saucony’s PWRRUN+ foam, delivering plush cushioning and energy return while maintaining a lightweight feel. This innovative foam enhances both comfort and responsiveness, making it ideal for runners seeking a shoe that can handle both long easy runs and tempo sessions.

The outsole features durable rubber with strategic flex grooves to improve adaptability and efficiency during take-offs and landings. This iteration also boasts increased outsole coverage, providing additional protection and prolonging the shoe’s lifespan.

Finishing touches include a secure lacing system that locks the midfoot in place for a personalized fit. I found this, along with the gentle cushioning in the tongue, and slight padding in the heel, created a comfortable, locked-in feel.

The back of the Saucony Ride 17, side by side on a box

(Image credit: Lily Canter)

Saucony Ride 17: Performance

  • Durable and supportive
  • Moderate level of cushion keeps feet comfortable
  • Can handle light trails together with road
  • Performance: 3.5/5

Given that most of my runs are along the towpath which can become a little leafy and muddy in the winter, these road shoes performed surprisingly well. The white colorway was not the best option for hybrid road and trail runs, however.

Although I was slightly distracted by the shape of the insole, once I got running, I barely noticed the shoes. They seemed to mold to my feet, and I had no niggling feelings that they were too hard or too soft, too sluggish or too bouncy.

I was also impressed with the robustness of the outsole which seemed to handle 40- mile weeks without any wear and tear.

When pushing the pace, they were similar to my Mizuno Wave Rider, albeit with less cushioning, and offered a middle-of-the-road level of propulsion and energy return. While they were not as poppy as a shoe like the Brooks Hyperion Max, they felt like an effective all-rounder, designed for easy to moderate-paced efforts. Ideal for everyday runs but not necessarily the pair you would turn to come race day.

Saucony Ride 17: Should I buy?

Buy it if

You run on roads

The Saucony Ride 17 is an everyday workhorse, ideal for banking the miles thanks to its durability. View Deal

You prefer internal support
If you like a shoe with a big drop, a locked-in feel, and modest arch support these are the perfect companionView Deal

You run mid-distance
The Ride 17 will comfortably handle anything you can throw at it on a regular basis, but if you run up to around 10-15 miles it’ll be in its element, and it’ll last ages.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You prefer a tactile shoe
 If you like to feel the ground beneath your feet, and usually wear a lower heel-to-toe drop then these might feel too smotheringView Deal

You are looking for ultra cushioning
These are great everyday shoes for middle-distance runners but are not ideal for ultra runners seeking luxurious cushioning for extended periods of timeView Deal

You mostly run on trails

Although the Ride 17 is a decent hybrid shoe for light trails for anything more technical a specialist shoe would be requiredView Deal

Saucony Ride 17: Also consider

For an everyday run around my go- to is always the Mizuno Wave Rider now in its 28th iteration. It has great grip and is super comfortable. Available for £140 in the UK, $140 in the USA and AU$250 in Australia.

For a durable, versatile hybrid road-to-trail shoe I cannot recommend the Merrell Morphlite highly enough. A bargain at £100 in the UK, but even more of a steal at $59.99 in the US.

Garmin Enduro 3 Review: A battery powerhouse
3:00 pm | December 26, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: | Comments: Off

Garmin Enduro 3: One-minute review

The launch of the Garmin Enduro 3 was undeniably overshadowed by the company's decision to unveil the Garmin Fenix 8 alongside it. The new Fenix brought the AMOLED Epix and Fenix under one name but at a premium price.

The Enduro line puts battery first, all while offering most of the features from the Fenix series. The Enduro 2 did that more than the original Enduro and for the Enduro 3, the remit remains the same.

It promises over a month of battery life on a single charge, with new solar charging display technology to push things even further than a month. Garmin has included its new software, which brings changes to features like mapping and navigation with a new dynamic round-trip routing feature that will let you adjust your route on the fly. Those software changes make using the Enduro 3 feel more like using a smartwatch. It also adds in a new optical heart rate sensor, which brings temperature and ECG-style tracking into the mix as well as offering a boost in heart rate monitoring accuracy.

That’s all while giving you everything great we got on the Enduro 2, for less money than its predecessor and the new Fenix 8. It’s still a very expensive watch and is going to be too pricey for many. You get what you pay for here and if rich sports tracking, training analysis, the best mapping features, and huge battery life are things you want more than anything, that’s what the Enduro 3 will give you.

The Garmin Fenix 8 is deservedly one of the best Garmin watches. But, if you can live without an AMOLED screen and some additional voice-based smartwatch features, the Enduro 3 is great too and will go longer than the Fenix too.

Garmin Enduro 3: Specifications

Garmin Enduro 3: Price and availability

Garmin Enduro 3 on wrist

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)
  • Price for Enduro 3 is $899/£769/AU£1,549
  • Prices for 43mm Fenix 8 start at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699

The Garmin Enduro 3, unlike the Fenix 8, comes in just one size option and costs $899/£769/AU£1,549. In contrast, Garmin’s Fenix 8 series starts at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699, so is something of a step in price even if you opt for the cheapest model.

When the Garmin Enduro 2 launched it sat at $1,099/£929/AU 1,749, so that’s somewhat surprisingly a drop in price for the latest Enduro, which isn’t typically the case when a new model in a Garmin watch series arrives.

Put that up against other outdoor watches outside of Garmin’s own, it’s pricier than the Polar Grit X 2 Pro and the Suunto Vertical. You can also include smartwatches like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra as cheaper alternatives to the Enduro 3 that, unlike the Enduro, pack in AMOLED displays.

  • Value score: 4/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Design

Garmin Enduro 3 case back

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)
  • Comes with a nylon strap
  • Less prominent Power Sapphire lens
  • Lacks Fenix 8 leak-proof buttons

The Enduro 3 sticks very closely to the design of the Enduro 2, including a slightly thicker 51mm, all-black polymer case, titanium bezel, and a very comfy black nylon strap. The differences lie with the same-sized, 1.4-inch, 280x280 resolution touchscreen. While you don’t get a colorful AMOLED one like the Fenix 8, you do get a display that’s a good size and does a much nicer job of masking its solar charging display abilities.

Garmin is using an improved version of its Power Sapphire lens, which once again has the ability to harvest sunlight to give you more in-between charges. Along with being able to perform that task in a more efficient manner, the red ring on the Enduro 2 to indicate those onboard solar powers is now gone, leaving a much clearer and overall nicer transflective display to look at. It is still a breeze to look at in much brighter outdoor light and marks an upgrade both aesthetically as well as in how effectively the Enduro can now harvest that solar power.

Outside of the changes in the display department, this is a watch that feels very Garmin. You’ve got a pretty standard array of physical buttons that aren’t the leak-proof kind included on the Fenix 8. It’s suitable for swimming up to 100 meters depth and uses Garmin’s go-to proprietary charging cable. If you liked the LED flashlight on the Enduro 2, there’s now a brighter one on the Enduro 3. The strap included is a quick-fit kind, which makes it easier to swap in an official or unofficial band. The nylon one included though makes this watch, which will still no doubt be a hulking one for some, a little more manageable and comfortable to wear 24/7.

  • Design score: 4/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Features

Garmin Enduro 3 solar charging

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)
  • New user interface
  • Richer mapping and navigation features
  • Gen 5 Elevate heart rate sensor

The headline news on the Enduro 3 is that the software it’s running on is all new. You won’t get it on the Enduro 2, but you will find it on the Fenix 8 and future Garmin watches. That new software is really centered around bringing sports watch and smartwatch features closer together and making the Enduro 3’s mapping and navigation modes easier to do on the move. Those new mapping and navigation features are led by a new dynamic round-trip routing mode that will automatically adjust your route in real time for whatever reason you need to adapt your route.

The core sports you can pick from stick largely to the same ones as the Enduro 2 with a bigger emphasis on strength training and letting you follow plans to factor that work into your training schedule. These plans range from 4-6 weeks and aren’t just for people who choose weights over cardio. This is about helping runners, cyclists, and swimmers to incorporate more strength training to reap the benefits of it in those sports.

On the hardware front, Garmin has upgraded the Enduro’s optical heart rate sensor to its latest Gen 5 one, which features inside of the Fenix 7 Pro, Epix Pro, and the Fenix 8. Along with promising the best heart rate accuracy that Garmin has to offer, it also unlocks the ability to take ECG-style measurements and temperature readings from the wrist. Those might not necessarily be the biggest reasons you’d be looking at picking an Enduro 3, but for those wanting a better mix of general wellness and sports tracking, the Enduro 3 offers a little more on that front.

In terms of other software features, this is a watch that arms you with an LED flashlight, offers training insights like altitude and heat acclimation, and gives you daily morning reports to tell you if you’ve slept well and whether you’re in good shape to train. While it lacks the new voice features included on the Fenix 8, does still let you pay your way, download apps and customize watch faces, and download and store music from services like Spotify.

  • Features score: 4.5/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Performance

Garmin Enduro 3 hiking mode

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)
  • Impressive battery life once again
  • Slightly improved HR performance
  • Richer mapping support

The Enduro 3 mirrors a lot of what we got in the Enduro 2 and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That’s never more true of the Enduro 3’s standout quality, and that’s the battery life. Whether you’re using it like a smartwatch or using it with its best GPS accuracy mode, you won’t be reaching for a charger for weeks. I managed to get just shy of a month from it and that was while mainly using it with its most accurate GPS mode. I used it for outdoor runs, indoor workouts, pool, and open water swims, and the battery performance really impressed

You do get that added reserve of solar charging, which boosts battery performance considerably. 36 days of battery in smartwatch mode becomes 90 days. Getting to that number requires regular exposure to sunlight to top up those reserves. I could see from spending just a couple of hours in strong sunlight how that battery is noticeably topped up too.

The multi-band GPS support is as good as it is on other Garmin watches like the Fenix 8 and the Forerunner 965. If you’re looking for accurate GPS support in more challenging conditions, the Enduro 3 is fit for the job. Moving to Garmin’s latest Gen 5 Elevate optical heart rate monitor does see a small improvement in the reliability of heart rate tracking but as I do find with bigger Garmin watches, it struggles at high intensity such as when I used the Enduro 3 for harder running sessions.

While the first Enduro missed out on Garmin’s great mapping support, that changed for the Enduro 2 and the Enduro 3 gets the best Garmin has to offer on that front now. That includes adding new ways to toggle and change map views and also features Garmin’s new dynamic round-trip routing, which does take a few minutes to adjust routes before you can be on your way again.

Garmin’s efforts to make strength training feel more a part of the tracking experience is a valiant attempt. Especially when elements like rep counting aren’t impeccable on sports watches in general. Adding plans that are presented like Garmin’s running ones makes it easy to follow plans, which is going to be welcomed by those that typically neglect it.

  • Performance score: 5/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Scorecard

Garmin Enduro 3 mapping

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)

Garmin Enduro 3: Should I buy?

Garmin Enduro 3 review

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)

Buy it if...

You want a Fenix 8 but it’s too expensive

While the Enduro 3 costs a lot, it is cheaper than the latest Fenix and gives you its best features for less.

You spend a lot of time outside in the sunshine

Garmin’s improved solar charging display technology will make the difference as long as you’re exposing it to sufficient sunlight to top battery levels up.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want the best Garmin smartwatch sports watch mash-up

While you’re getting the best of Garmin’s sports tracking, you’re not getting everything Garmin has to offer in smartwatch features. You’ll need to grab a Fenix 8 for that.View Deal

You want the slimmest, best-looking Garmin watch

While the new solar charging tech improves the Enduro 3’s look, it’s still going to be a bit big and rugged for some wrists.View Deal

Also consider...

Garmin Fenix 8

It’s got the option of an AMOLED screen and more smartwatch features to make it more useful when you’re not tracking.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 8 reviewView Deal

Garmin Instinct 2

While not as fully-fledged an outdoor watch, the Instinct 2 gives you a lot of the good Enduro 3 stuff for a lot less money.

Read our full Garmin Instinct 2 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Enduro 3 for over a month to completely drain the battery, tracking activities like running, swimming, and using mapping and navigation features. I made use of smartwatch features like notifications and music support and wore it alongside the Garmin Fenix 8 to compare GPS accuracy. I also used a heart rate monitor chest strap to gauge the performance of heart rate tracking for both steady-paced and high-intensity workouts.

First reviewed: December 2024

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: One last workout
11:00 am | December 25, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Headphones Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: | Comments: Off

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: One-minute review

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 arrives as an updated version of the Jabra Elite 8 Active, which were released in September 2023. They were sporty truly wireless earbuds and we were big fans, stating they were “everything you’d want from a pair of fitness earbuds”.

For Gen 2, Jabra is still promising buds and a charging case that can withstand the rigours of a tough workout and stay put in the process. Now it’s increased the Elite 8 Active’s spatial sound powers, and promises improvements with how they’ll block out the world with ANC and HearThrough modes.

Outside of those upgrades, it’s largely the same experience as using the Elite 8 Active Gen 1. They offer a great, reliable fit without ear hooks and bright, customizable sound with good but not class-leading battery life.

These are set to be Jabra’s last set of Elite true wireless earbuds, as it’s decided to shutter its consumer headphone business. It’s a genuine shame because the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, while not a necessary upgrade for Gen 1 owners, is one of the best true wireless sports earbuds you can buy that also work great outside of workouts and are well worth the money in our opinion.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Price and availability

  • Priced at £229.99 / $229.99 / AU$329
  • Released: June 2024

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 launched in June 2024 and went on sale for $229.99 / £229.99 / AU$329. That does mean they come in pricier than the Elite 8 Active Gen 1, which are currently available for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329.

These are definitely true wireless sports earbuds that sit at the top end in terms of pricing. They’re slightly more expensive than the Beats Fit Pro, but do remain cheaper than the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Sennheiser Momentum Sport, which unlike the Elite 8 Active, uses ear hooks to keep them secure during your sweatier sessions with them.

  • Value score: 4/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Specifications

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Design

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
  • Same reliable fit as Gen 1
  • Charging case now slightly heavier
  • Added USB-C to 3.5mm cable

Essentially, the design and the way the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 sits and operates in your ears hasn’t changed from Gen 1. You can pick it up in black, coral, navy blue and olive (pictured) colors, with its liquid silicone rubber coating which has a pleasingly soft touch to it.

Like Gen 1, it’s using Jabra’s ShakeGrip fit to keep them inside of your ears without the need for wingtips or ear hooks. Again much like its predecessor, the fit is great: they really do really stay put without aids. There’s not many earbuds that achieve this kind of secure fit when your exercise time gets more intense without adopting some sort of earhook design, but these really do the job of remaining secure. They’re comfortable too, I’ve used them for over an hour-long workouts and they’ve not caused any sort of irritation.

While there’s nothing here to add extra security to its fit, Jabra does still include large, medium and small silicone eartips to improve sound isolation and help you make sure you enjoy the best ANC performance, with the ideal fit inside of your ears.

Jabra builds physical controls once again into the exterior of the buds, which can be customised in Jabra’s Sound+ companion smartphone app. These controls allow you to handle calls, adjust volume, skip back and forward through tracks and are some of the best controls I’ve used on fitness-focused earbuds, especially when you’re on the move. The controls are more reliable to press than to swipe or tap on touch controls, which seems to be the route a lot of other earbuds opt for. Jabra’s approach works great here, and I found the volume control support particularly well integrated into the buds.

In terms of its defence against moisture, it’s the same as Gen 1 with Jabra sticking to an IP68 water resistant rating. This gives it one of the strongest levels of protection against moisture you’ll find on a set of earbuds: we dropped the first gen into a glass of water, no trouble. The case also carries an IP54 rating, which isn't as strong a defence against water, but does mean as a package the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 offers good protection against sweat, rain and a splash of water or two.


The charging case has slightly jumped in weight, likely to account for its added smarter powers, with a physical button in front to pair with your devices and a single LED light above to indicate pairing and charging status. At the base is a USB-C port to charge the buds or you can use the accompanying USB-C/3.5mm cable to enable the new spatial sound mode when connected with other devices like a monitor or TV..

  • Design score: 5/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Features

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
  • New LE Audio smart case
  • Improved ANC and Heathrough modes
  • Bluetooth 5.3

The headline news here lies with the case, which Jabra is calling the world’s first LE Audio smart case. That case allows you to enjoy spatial sound from devices such as TVs and screens built into gym equipment, by using a physical USB-C to 3.5mm cable jack to plug the case into that device, and stream audio from the case. Then when you stick the buds in your ears and have spatial sound enabled in the app, you can enjoy that surround-sound listening experience. It’s a revolution to no longer need cabled headphones for gym equipment.

On the listening front, Jabra says it’s improved the effectiveness of the ANC and HearThrough modes on Gen 2 to be twice as effective at cancelling out sound. There’s Bluetooth 5.3 to offer reliable connectivity, support for multipoint sharing and a welcome Bluetooth range of up to 10 meters.

Inside of the companion smartphone app, you’ve got scope to tinker with that sound and enable a Spotify Tap mode for quick access to the music streaming service. There’s fast pairing for Android devices and you can summon your smartphone’s assistant, whether that’s Siri or Google Assistant, straight from the buds.

In terms of audio codecs supported, it’s the same AAC and SBC ones offered on Gen 1, which might be a source of bad news for serious audiophiles, though I’d expect that’s not going to be an issue for those grabbing these predominantly for workouts.

  • Features score: 4/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Performance

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
  • Same enjoyable, workout-friendly sound
  • ANC mode good but not best in class
  • Spatial sound case mode could have its uses

The remit of the Gen 2 Elite 8 Active is the same as Gen 1, to offer a sound that’s a great fit for workouts. There’s the option of active noise cancellation, but like its predecessor it’s not Jabra’s best available advanced ANC support. There’s also a HearThrough mode, which can be tweaked in the app to control the balance of your sound and exterior sounds, to give you more or less awareness of your surroundings. You can also choose to have neither of these modes in play as well.

When you head into the companion Sound+ app, you’ll be met with an equaliser, six EQ presets and the scope to build custom ones. There’s also a Dolby Spatial Sound mode, which is designed for when you’re exercising in front of a screen. So, maybe watching the TV on a screen built into a treadmill as opposed to listening to music. This Spatial Sound mode is also now extended to the case. It feels like quite a niche feature to add in here and actually more of a useful feature when you’re not in the gym with them. They’re a nifty solution for when you’re flying and don’t want to use those free wired headphones.

These are buds tha sonically sound solid when you’re working out and when you’re just working at your desk. To me, the sound profile doesn’t sound all that different from the first generation Elite 8 Active. It’s a sound quality I’d describe as bright, powerful with plenty of bass warmth. They don’t give you the best they have to offer in sound straight out of the box, but once you’ve tinkered with things in the app, you can get something that helps that treble sparkle and achieve overall a more balanced sound whether you opt for bass-heavy songs or prefer things far more relaxed.

It’s a similar story for call quality, where there’s six microphones in place to deliver calls to your ears. The call quality overall here is very good for a truly wireless earbud. Calls offer good volume and the clarity overall makes them ideal to break your workout for an important call.

Jabra claims that the ANC support on the Gen 2 can cancel out twice as much noise as Gen 1, but does stick to the same adaptive hybrid ANC support, so that ANC adjusts based on your environment. It’s particularly designed to help battle more blustery, windy conditions such as the sort of intrusion you get running or cycling.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)

I’d say that the ANC performance has been good overall. I’m not wholly convinced it’s twice as good as Gen 1, but I’d put its performance below the top-performing ANC-packing truly wireless earbuds. Inside and outside, they muffle the sounds around you in an effective way as opposed to entirely drowning them out. I found that running near busy roads did an effective job of drowning the sounds in my environment. While they don’t entirely block out wind, they do a good job of muting it. It was a similar story using them in a gym and dampening the sound of the gym speaker system.

It’s a similar story with Jabra’s HearThrough mode: I can’t say I noticed a discernible difference between Gen 1 and Gen 2, but it remains one of the best examples of a mode that wants to achieve a better balance between interior and exterior sounds.

In terms of connectivity, I’ve had some good and a little bad here, which wasn’t really the case with Gen 1. In general, connecting to a range of devices including an iPhone, Android phone, Android tablet, MacBook Air, a connected rower and an Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Forerunner 965 has been fine. With the iPhone, I’ve experienced the buds disconnecting and reconnecting during some listening time. It could have something to do with running a beta version of iOS on my iPhone, but this isn’t something I’ve experienced on the previous version. Thankfully, it’s only happened a couple of times, but it’s not ideal.

For battery life, it's more of the same here with Gen 2. Jabra promises the same battery numbers with and without ANC in use. It’s up to 8 hours of music streaming with ANC in use or 14 hours with ANC turned off. When you factor in a fully charged case, you’re getting anywhere from 32-56 hours depending on that ANC use.

My experience suggests certain EQ modes in use also offer quicker drain on battery, as does listening volume. For over an hour of use with the ANC enabled and the bass boost EQ mode, the battery dropped by around 30%. For a similar workout without ANC, it was half that. So I wouldn't say those promised numbers entirely correspond with my experience of using them.

Fortunately, Jabra does still include its useful fast charge mode, which gives you an hour of listening time from a 5-minute charge. You've also got the convenience of wireless charging if you happen to have QI-certified setup.

  • Performance score: 4.5/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Scorecard

Jabra Elite 8 Active: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want the most comfortable earbuds for workouts

The fit is great, the sound is too and as a package, these are some of the best fitness-focused buds you can put in your ears.View Deal

You want a sound upgrade

While it won’t be for everyone, the new smart case gives you scope to improve the experience of watching shows and films from devices that don’t easily let you pair over Bluetooth.View Deal

You want earbuds with good controls

Jabra’s approach controls to the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 make them one of the best to tinker with playback, volume or take calls when you’re in the heat of a workout.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You already have Gen 1

If you love the sound, fit and performance of the Elite 8 Active Gen 1, then there aren’t huge reasons to make that upgrade.View Deal

You only have a small budget

These buds don’t come cheap and while you get what you pay for, you could pick up cheaper buds with less extras and still have workout-worthy sound.View Deal

Also consider

JLab Go Air Sport

The best really cheap workout earbuds.

Read our full reviewView Deal

Sony WF-1000XM4

The best workout headphones for noise canceling.

Read our full reviewView Deal

How I tested

I used the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 for two weeks, using them for a range of workouts including indoor and outdoor runs, gym workouts like indoor rowing, cycling and strength training. I also used them for travelling on trains and buses and using them for work.

In terms of pairing to devices, I paired with an iPhone, Android phone, Android tablet, MacBook Pro streaming from services and apps including Spotify and YouTube. I also tested with the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Apple Watch Ultra to test the connectivity support for smartwatches and sports watches. I also paired them with a connected rower and treadmill.

I have over a decade of experience testing and writing about consumer technology and that includes a big focus on sports headphones. I’ve tested sports headphones and truly wireless earbuds across a range of prices from budget to premium, so have a good idea of the good and bad in this category and what makes a great pair of headphones for exercise.

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