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Xiaomi Smart Band 9 review: the cheapest fitness tracker you should consider buying

6:41 pm | October 21, 2024

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: One-minute review

Not many tech brands are as prolific in making cheap fitness trackers as Chinese giant Xiaomi; the brand cut its teeth on making inexpensive alternatives to top-end smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, and it’s the same with gadgets like the new Xiaomi Smart Band 9.

The second of its budget fitness gadgets released in the West in 2024 after the Smart Band 8 Pro, the Smart Band 9 doesn’t compete with the giants of the wearable world in terms of specs or features. The Xiaomi won’t go head-to-head with your Apple Watches, Garmins, or Fitbits in terms of health monitoring.

Instead, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers a useful core of features at an impressively low price. It’s the cheapest fitness tracker that I could find sold online from a brand I’d ever heard of, and it dramatically undercuts some big-name rivals such as Fitbit.

These core features include sleep tracking, step counting, heart rate monitoring, and calorie counting; turn on certain sports modes and you get a lot more. The results are reasonably accurate too, although it’s not pinpoint precision, and there is no GPS offered.

You can also use the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 as a smartwatch-lite, with notification handling, music control, and weather reports. A few rough edges in this area reflect the price: notifications could be buggy, initial pairing was tricky, and raise-to-wake didn’t always work as intended. But my annoyance would wear off when I remembered the price, and most of the time it worked fine.

As affordable fitness trackers go, this is one of the best on the market right now, but it’d be best enjoyed by people who haven’t tested others. It’s a great entry-level option for people who are new to the health monitoring game and want to test out a gadget to do so, without breaking the bank.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 on a man's wrist in front of a green park. — (Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Specifications

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Price and availability

On sale now
Goes for $60 / £34.99 / AU$79.99
Undercuts most rivals but not the post-discount Band 8 Pro

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 was released in late September 2024 alongside a few other gadgets from the company, which included a redesigned Xiaomi Watch 2 and the Xiaomi Buds 5.

You can pick up the tracker for $60 / £34.99 / AU$79.99, so this falls decidedly into the catchment area for our list of the best cheap fitness trackers. The cost represents a slight price hike of $10 in the US, though in the UK and US, it hasn’t changed in price.

At that price the Smart Band 9 easily undercuts our best-in-class Fitbit Inspire 3 as well as other rivals like the Huawei Band 9, Samsung Galaxy Fit 3, Honor Band 9, and Amazfit Bip 3 Pro. If you’re looking for an affordable wearable from a respected tech company, this is one of the cheapest you’ll find before you venture onto the dark side of Amazon.

The only thing it doesn’t undercut is its predecessor, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro. That launched earlier in 2024 for $99 / £60 / AU$95 but only six months on from its release, I’ve found it from multiple retailers at half its launch price. This chunky fitness tracker is the Band 9’s biggest rival, and I’ll look more at this competitor right at the bottom of this review.

Value score: 4.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Design

By-the-numbers fitness tracker
Bright 1.62-inch AMOLED screen
Band is TPU but other options on sale

Experienced fitness tracker customers will find no surprises in the Xiaomi Smart Band 9.

The screen is a 1.62-inch AMOLED panel with a 192 x 490 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 1200 nits max brightness. This latter is a big upgrade over past models and it makes it easier to see the screen in direct sunlight. Automatic brightness has also seen an upgrade and I never found any issues with its performance, which is the best testament to its efficacy.

I’ve previously had issues with Xiaomi bands (and other fitness trackers) struggling to pick up touch, especially if my hands were wet, but that wasn’t the case for the 9th-gen model. I found the screen wonderfully convenient.

Some may find the lack of any physical buttons a little confusing, but it’s easy to get used to a solely gesture-based navigation system.

The band’s body measures 46.53 x 21.63 x 10.95 mm and weighs 15.8g, and it’s made of aluminum, unlike some past models. This makes it feel nice and sturdy, and its 5ATM water resistance ensures it won’t get damaged from submersion in water. It’s also one of the smaller fitness trackers I’ve tested, which will be good news for people who don’t like bulky wearables.

A few different color options for the Smart Band 9 are going on sale depending on the region – black, silver, light blue, rose and gray options are all available with straps that match.

The band Xiaomi sent me had its default TPU strap which you can see in the images, as well as a magnetic loop one. The former was a little fiddly to use when I was putting the watch on, but I found the latter would slowly slip during use, leaving me with a slightly looser band. As a result, I ended up using the default band most – Xiaomi launched the Smart Band 9 with a few different straps you can buy online, but I only tested these two.

Design score: 4.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Performance

21-day battery life
No GPS but heart rate and other trackers
155 fitness modes, varying in usefulness

According to Xiaomi, the battery life of the Smart Band 9 is 21 days – in my experience that’s almost accurate, as I reached 20, but with an above-average amount of workout tracking during that time in order to test the watch (including an 8-hour long run at one point, which barely dented the battery bar).

That’s a competitive battery life, with most rivals tapping out at two weeks or 14 days, so if you get battery anxiety this is the fitness tracker to get.

Looking at the fitness performance, as you can imagine for the price you’re not getting the most robust or razor-accurate tracking of all time, but I didn’t find it was ever way out.

GPS tracking is done using connected GPS to your smartphone, so you can’t ditch your mobile when going for a run or walk, and accuracy won’t necessarily be quite as high as with a GPS watch. However, it’s not wildly inaccurate either – after an entire marathon I was only several hundred meters off my companions’ more accurate devices.

That theme of ‘in the right ballpark’ is reflected in the watch’s other tracking elements too. Heart rate, step count, and moving minutes all felt reasonably correct when compared to other devices. That wasn’t as true for sleep tracking, which sometimes errantly thought I was asleep when I was reading in bed. However its breakdown of sleep stages was useful, and it’s not something you can expect in all budget fitness trackers.

There are 155 fitness tracking modes by my count, which range in usefulness. Some, like running, indoor rowing, and swimming, provide useful information specific to the activity, but most purely measure time, calories burned, and heart rate. I won’t knock that though as I found the first and last useful during gym sessions to space my sets out.

Digging deep into the menus you can find some pretty odd workout modes like auto racing, chess, and mass gymnastics, but again these all just measure heart rate and time.

I’d recommend the watch most of all for runners, not only because it provides you with pretty in-depth information about your activity, but because of various ‘running courses’ which are basically interval training sessions. The watch will advise you when to run and at what speeds, which can be useful for people trying to build up their cardio.

Xiaomi also charts a ‘Vitality score’ which is a weekly points system to chart whether you’re doing enough exercise per week. It only seems to monitor logged activities though, so if you walk for 20,000 steps but haven't set it up as an activity to measure, that’s nil points for you!

Performance score: 3.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Features

Mi Fitness app used on phone
Music playback, notification handling and more
Some bugs with app and watch

You use the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 9 alongside the company’s smartphone app, called Mi Fitness. Pairing the band and the phone was pretty fiddly, a fact I thought could be down to my own ineptitude until I realized that our Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro reviewer had the same issues with that device, which you can read about here.

Not only is pairing a pain, but some parts of the Mi Fitness app weren’t in English, as you can see from the images attached to this review. Otherwise, it’s a useful place to collect all your fitness data, including more than you can find on the watch itself.

You can also use it to change watch faces, and Xiaomi’s done a great job at creating some good-looking faces that collate all your data into one screen. I was taken with the one you can see me using in the review images – it’s easy to quickly scan for information.

Using your phone, you can set up some non-fitness features of the phone which are pretty useful. You can control music playback from your wrist (well, skip and pause tracks as well as change the volume, but you can’t hunt through Spotify for the perfect running track). You can turn on an alert on your phone if you’ve lost it, activate Do Not Disturb from your wrist, and check the weather.

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Xiaomi Mi Fitness user interface — Mi Fitness' health and wearables pages. (Image credit: Future)

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A feature that should be useful is notification alerts, so your wrist will buzz if your phone gets a notification. It’s handy if you get an important email or text but the band wasn’t always fantastic at handling them. Sometimes it’d repeatedly give me alerts for persistent notifications (ie notifications about the weather, or WhatsApp telling me it was checking for new messages) or send me individual notifications for new texts in busy group messages, instead of bundling them together as some other fitness trackers do.

My most annoying incident with notifications was at 6 am one morning. The fitness tracker had apparently decided I was awake, and so was able to take incoming alerts – I wasn’t, but its constant buzzing with new notifications changed that soon enough! Perhaps this is more an issue with the sleep tracking than the notification system, but it fits in here.

Another issue I found is that the watch’s raise-to-wake (which turns on the display when you turn it to face you) only worked about half the time. I often had to tap the display to see the time.

These gripes may sound annoying, but I’ve been testing cheap fitness trackers for years, and overall the experience of using the Smart Band 9 was a lot smoother than I’m used to – it’s just not perfect.

Performance score: 3.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Scorecard

Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You don’t have a fitness tracker
If you’re a workout tech aficionado, the Smart Band 9 will seem barebones, but it’s designed to help people get their foot in the door with the idea of measuring your health this way.

You want to save money, but not cheap out
One of the cheapest reliable fitness trackers around, the Smart Band 9 should be the first port of call for people who want to save money on their tech.

You’re a technophobe
Finickity pairing aside, a fitness tracker like the Band 9 is a lot easier for technophobes to handle than a fancy smartwatch, and is lighter to wear too.

Don't buy it if...

You want to ditch your phone
The lack of built-in GPS in the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 means you can’t measure your workouts unless you bring your phone with you.

You want dedicated sports tracking
Some trackers will offer you in-depth tracking for specific exercises but for most in its roster, the Xiaomi tracker only measures your calories and heart rate, which might not cut it for everyone.

Also consider

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro

This same-company rival offers a bigger screen and GPS tracking, however its battery life isn't as long. At RRP it's pricier but most places sell it for cheaper now.

Read our full review

Fitbit Inspire 3

Fitbit's most affordable fitness tracker gives you lots of the company's top-notch tech. It's affordable, but not Smart Band 9 affordable.

Read our full review

Wahoo Trackr Heart Rate Monitor review: Professional HR tracking accuracy with chest strap comfort

11:00 am | October 2, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: UK, US | Comments: Off

Wahoo Trackr: One minute review

The Wahoo Trackr heart rate monitor chest strap comes from a company known for working with Team GB athletes. As such this is a professional-grade bit of kit which now offers a rechargeable battery, making it more accessible for everyone than the last generation Tickr.

From running and cycling to fitness classes, athletics - and beyond - the Trackr makes for a super accurate way to get the most clear heart rate data. Since most metrics on smartwatches are now extrapolations from heart rate data, it pays to have the most accurate start point and this is what the Trackr is all about.

Sadly, it does lack the oxygen sensing capabilities of the more modern wrist-worn smartwatches, so data like SpO2 is lacking. For this, you'll need a separate bit of kit in the form of a muscle oxygen sensor.

The Wahoo Trackr is compatible with the company's own Wahoo app suite and plenty of popular third-party fitness apps including Cardio Mapper, Endomondo, and Runtastic. It also works with both ANT+ and up to three Bluetooth connections at once making it highly compatible in terms of hardware.

When it comes to battery life, this model goes for a solid 100 hours on a charge. This model is rechargeable (unlike the other Wahoo heart rate monitors before it) and the supplied USB 3.0 cable packs an LED to show charge status at a glance.

In terms of water use, it's not for swimming with just an IPX7 rating. That's not the best and means it's rated for a depth of one meter for 30 minutes, so it's not designed as a swim tracker and doesn't have onboard memory to make that a feature.

Overall this is one of the most convenient and compatible heart rate monitors that's also comfortable and super accurate - making it clear why this is used by professional athletes.

Wahoo Trackr: Price and release date

Available to buy now in the US, UK, and Australia
Priced at $89.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.95 RRP

The Wahoo Trackr launched on June 25 and is available across the globe. It launched with a price of $89.99 in the US, £79.99 in the UK and $149.95 in Australia.

The Trackr is a more affordable option than the other top-end options from the competition in the likes of Garmin and Polar. You can buy the Trackr directly from Wahoo or on sites like Amazon .

Wahoo Trackr: Design

Comfortable to wear
Small strap length
Simple design

The Wahoo Trackr unit itself is pretty standard in terms of shape and size, although it is definitely one of the lighter options at 39g including the strap. As such it feels like it's barely there and you won't need to worry about it moving around due to its minimal weight.

The Trackr comes in one size with a strap that extends between 68cm and 91cm (27 inches to 36 inches) which sounds like plenty when you consider Wahoo says this works for up to 50-inch chest sizes. The reality felt quite different though as it was a snug fit even on a 42-inch chest.

The straps feature skin-sensitive materials that work to detect your heart rate, without the need to wet them or do anything before getting started. There is a clasp system to attach the strap around your chest which is very easy to use and allows for quick adjusting as needed to find the right fit.

The fact that this model features LED lights for status and charging feedback is a really useful addition. As is that magnetic charging port, which makes it very easy to attach to the cable and get charged up.

The unit is IPX7 rated for water making it splash and sweatproof. Technically it's capable of withstanding being submerged in water at one meter depth for up to half an hour, but since it doesn't store data this won't work for swimming unless perhaps you have your phone poolside – although I didn't test that as the device isn't sold as a swim tracker.

Crucially, the Trackr is comfortable, if a little snug, and you won't notice it once you get going. That's the key, isn't it? So unless you specifically want this for water-based tracking there is very little to complain about.

Design rating: 4/5

Wahoo Trackr: App and features

App is simple but effective
No swim tracking
Lots of third-party app compatibility

The Wahoo Trackr comes with its own app which offers some useful tracking metrics, with some helpful heart rate-specific screens. Of course, you can do this with your training app of choice, so it might seem a little redundant. But for anyone new to this who wants to use the dedicated Wahoo app then it makes sense to have that available.

As mentioned, the Trackr requires an app to work, but it will also pair with a smartwatch. So it's possible to go out without a smartphone and still track all data associated with GPS while getting the chest strap level of accuracy. Usefully, the watch can then store that data so you have it uploaded on your apps of choice when you get back to a connection.

The readouts on the Wahoo app are decent with nice big display data and the ability to pull in more from other hardware. So you could use this with a power monitor, for example, and that will also be displayed in the Wahoo apps. In the case of cycling that can be great for a connected bike and various data monitors all working at once. This is where that ability to use ANT+ and three Bluetooth connections at once comes in handy.

The LED lights are helpful when charging to get your status, but are even more helpful when connecting to see what the device is doing – as well as getting a battery level update. That said, it connects quickly and easily and is always pairing-ready when you clip in and strap on, so the lights are more for to indicate isn't going as planned. I didn't have that issue as this connected first time with many devices.

Features are few, to be honest, but that's not a bad thing. This is a very smart and accurate heart rate monitor that doesn't try to reach beyond its core task, but rather focuses on doing that to the best possible ability – and in my testing across running, cycling, and HITT, it achieved this.

Features & app rating: 3.5/5

Wahoo Trackr: Performance

Super accurate
Easy to setup and use
Wide connectivity

Thanks to this HRM's electrocardiography (ECG) heart-rate sensor, you can expect a 99.6% accuracy as standard. While wrist-worn light-based monitors are better than ever, they're still reliant on less accurate input – making all the data extrapolated from that, using algorithms, less accurate too. In that way, this is a very powerful heart rate monitor that's superb for anyone that wants a greater level of accuracy.

All that said, when out running with the Garmin Forerunner 965 and the Trackr connected to an iPhone 15 Pro Max, the compared data was very similar. As heart rate changed, on a hill climb, for example, the chest strap stayed with me accurately and the watch took a little longer to adapt. As the run went on and averages were more detailed that became less varied between the two – but the watch did still have some lag behind the Trackr.

When glancing in a race situation or training hard where you can only spare less than a second to use the energy to crane your neck and move your wrist, the chest strap reliability and responsiveness were really welcome.

The results were not quite so similar when it came to faster runs – the chest strap really stood out as better here. On doing a fast 5K race with both of these units on, it was clear that the optical Garmin sensor was not as good. It had my heart rate never topping zone three, even though I was all-out and set a PB. The chest strap, on the other hand, was far more accurate, detecting zone four at the back end of the race and my zone five kick-up at the finish. Perhaps this is due to arm movement while going at speed, and sweating, but whatever the reason this put the chest strap into a league of its own.

So, if you're looking to accurately track high-speed, sweaty running, or HIIT classes, then a chest strap is a must and this model makes it easy to set up, monitor, and use with whatever app or device you want. I now run with the Garmin as my display but use the Trackr as the HRM, disabling the optical sensor on the watch in favor of the chest strap's accuracy.

Wahoo Trackr: Buy it if...

You're serious about heart rate training
A chest strap detects changes to your heart rate more quickly than a watch, which makes it a more accurate tool if you're training by heart rate zones.

You hate having to charge your fitness tracker
The Wahoo Trackr’s battery is rechargeable meaning you get a decent 100 hours of use and can then quickly charge back up, rather than faffing about with battery replacements.

Wahoo Trackr: Don’t buy it if…

You like to see your data presented to you in real-time
The Wahoo Trackr must be paired with a device to view the read-out. A phone can be awkward to view while running so you'll need a watch too. Although for cycling, with a mount, that doesn't apply.

You want ultimate ease
If accuracy isn't so important then a wrist-based sensor may be enough for you, with no need to put on the chest strap before you go out to exercise.

Also consider

Garmin HRM-Pro (£119 / US$129.99 / AU$159.00)

Designed for multi-sport use, the HRM-Pro is the most advanced heart rate strap Garmin produces. It’s also one of the most expensive options available. With the ability to connect to multiple devices via Bluetooth and ANT+, capture insights into your running form, and store workout data to its internal memory, the Garmin HRM-Pro has everything you need from a heart rate monitor strap. Although it’s probably of greater interest to those who already own Garmin products.

Read our full MyZone Garmin HRM-Pro review

MyZone MZ-Switch (£139.50 / $159.95 / AU$209.99.)

The MyZone MZ-Switch isn’t just a chest strap. The center sensor node features an ECG monitor as well as an optical sensor and pops out so it can be worn on the wrist like a smartwatch, your arm or even your swimming goggles, giving you the best of both worlds. And, when used in chest strap mode, the MZ-Switch’s accuracy compares with that of the Garmin HRM-Pro. A great alternative if you want to mix it up a bit.

Read our full MyZone MZ-Switch review

Garmin Vivoactive 5 review: Health and fitness tracking finds a perfect balance

6:14 pm | July 2, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Garmin Forerunner, Garmin Vivoactive, UK, US | Comments: Off

Garmin Vivoactive 5: One-minute review

This Garmin Vivoactive 5 review has found this latest sports and health tracking wearable a contender among the best running watches, placing it against the Garmin Venu 3 and even punching up at some of the Forerunner options. The Vivoactive 5 is cheaper than many a Forerunner, but still offers a stunning AMOLED display and over 30 sports tracking options, plus sleep and stress tracking, to name a few health options.

All that places the Vivoactive 5 as an excellent watch for those with an active lifestyle, who might not be power users or marathon runners. It's certainly vying for a spot as one of the best fitness trackers, and thanks to notification functionalities, its pebble-style design and of course that rich display, it even starts to make a play as an Apple Watch competitor.

While this model doesn't feature solar charging and sits at a very slim 11mm thin, making it smaller than the Vivoactive 4, it actually offers a more efficient 11-day top-end battery life. Slimmer and longer-lasting? A great sign for a sequel, especially when you consider the Vivoactive 5 retains a lot of the top-end fitness tracking, GPS-powered workout stuff that makes the best Garmin watches great.

You might also find the older models in the range suit your needs just fine (and will save you money too, compared to picking up a brand new model), so a look at our guide to Garmin Vivoactive 3 vs Garmin Vivoactive 4 might help you choose.

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Specifications

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Price and availability

£259.99 in the UK
$300 in the US
AU$499 in Australia

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 was launched on September 20, 2023 with availability to buy beginning in December, worldwide.

It was priced at $300 (£259.99 in the UK, and AU$499 in Australia) at launch, but can now be snapped up for around $249, at time of publishing. That’s a little less than the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music, and loads less than a Fenix 7 or Garmin Forerunner 965.

The Vivoactive 5 is a decent way to get Garmin watch tracking without costing you too much. If you want a more affordable alternative, you could opt for the Vivoactive 4.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Design and screen

Dimensions of 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm
5ATM water resistance
1.2-inch AMOLED display
Gorilla Glass 3 screen protection

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 hasn't changed much in form since a few models back but that is largely thanks to it being a very efficient and effective design that just works. You have a slimmer body than ever now at just over 11mm and it comes in a single 42mm size.

The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, meaning you won't need to worry too much about scratches, despite that slightly raised glass finish – which looks great but leaves it more exposed to damage.

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The Vivoactive 5 is a little smaller, as well as slimmer, than its 45mm predecessor. But with that stunning high-res screen and longer battery life, it's a welcome change. The small watch itself combined with a silicone band makes for a barely noticeable wrist partner, which is great for sleep tracking and wearing overnight as well as all-day wear. While a Forerunner might feel a little more premium compared to the lighter finish here, with more plastic buttons, the trade-off for lighter watch which is less noticeable on your wrist is perhaps worth it.

Thanks to that 5ATM water resistance, you don't even need to take the watch off in the shower and can use it for swim tracking, in pool or sea as needed.

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen, upgrading the previous MIP display. This is a really bright and colorful display, which means clarity in direct sunlight as well as in use underwater. Crucially, this display is also more efficient, meaning it actually saves battery compared to the MIP display while looking better than ever.

The resolution is high, so you can read a lot of text on that small screen with ease. The colorful finish makes details clear and brighter, while also giving Garmin the chance to enhance its layout. The new layout makes it easier to read notifications without having to reach for your phone than a lot of other Garmin watches, even the ultra-premium ones.

You will likely be able to use this fuctionality for more features in future, like Ring doorbell alerts. To be clear, you'll need the Venu 3 for that right now, but a Garmin software update is all it could take to get the Venu 3's Ring doorbell interaction on the Vivoactive 5 in future, thanks to that do-it-all display.

Design score: 4/5

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Features

Two Garmin Vivoactive 5 watches on a pink background — (Image credit: Garmin)

Attractive and clear layout
Useful shortcuts
Two hardware buttons

The Vivoactive range only has two buttons, unlike the Forerunners or Fenix, which have five. This means touchscreen is the main interaction point and that works very well, with minimal smudges and marks on that resistant glass.

Touch a button to start or stop a workout, while the other can be used to track laps or workout segments. It's simple but works well, with the touchscreen during exercise reserved largely for flicking between data screens.

You have access to over 30 sports tracking options from the get-go, plus this uses the Garmin Connect IQ store for even more health and smart app options available from third-party developers. Although it's worth noting these can be a bit flakey at times, you can't judge the Vivoactive 5 as a unit on the merits of third-party app developers. Besides, I think it's quite charming, like using the internet in the nineties.

Long-press the buttons for shortcut access to useful features like watch controls or clocks and settings. These can be edited too so you do feel in quick control without much menu diving needed.

Features score: 4/5

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Performance

A woman working out in a gym with a ball — (Image credit: Garmin)

As previously mentioned, the Garmin Vivoactive 5 offers over 30 exercises to track, all with clear data screens that you can edit as you need. From the basics like running, cycling and swimming, to slightly more esoteric activities like golf, yoga and SUP – this has more than enough for most needs.

What makes the metrics really useful, aside from accurate GPS and HR monitoring, is the data on health. Pulse OX looks at your oxygen levels and Respiration monitors breathing rate which is helpful in periods of rest, sleep or during yoga. Body Battery is a tried-and-true Garmin Watch metric used to offer a window into how hard you're pushing yourself. That said, there is no Performance Condition or Training Readiness Score here, which is a shame, but you can still use Body Battery to get a good idea of when to rest and push.

It's worth noting that this is a very impressive sleeper entry into the best golf watch ring. You can even connect to club sensors for super-rich data metrics in addition to the wealth of health tracking options on offer here.

The lack of Training Load is a shame, as this metric places your exercise into context and really helps when training hard, so you can see when to push yourself and what type of exercise will benefit your training – aerobic versus anaerobic, for example. Also having a number of hours to rest is a helpful figure to work with – and lets you feel you've earned a rest. This is all sadly lacking in the cheaper Vivoactive range, and available on more premium Garmin watches.

The GPS acquisition is definitely slower than on the Forerunners. That said, after an initial connection in a location taking over a minute, it was faster during subsequent tests at under 30 seconds. Accuracy was high once out and training, with HR and GPS both performing comparably to the Forerunner 965 when tested side-by-side. The Vivoactive 5 features the same Elevate V4 heart rate sensor, also on the 965, it would have been nice to see the more advanced V5 found on the Venu 3. Still, these omissions help keep the cost down, eliminating barriers to entry.

The screen offers lots of data options while training and thanks to the clarity of the AMOLED screens, these are genuinely useful, flitting between them all by using the touchscreen. However, the swimming workout profile locks the touchscreen down to avoid water-based touchscreen inaccuracies. On that subject, swimming lengths were measured very accurately, even when I changed between stroke types every few lengths.

For the price point, the fact this features an SpO2 oxygen saturation monitor is impressive. This is able to track two sets of data at once, using green and red lights, making it a lot more data-rich and accurate in other extrapolated metrics than lower-end watches.

There is a lack of altimeter and metrics to count the number of floors climbed which isn't a deal breaker, although that floors climbed alert is missed when you lose it as a daily measure of active movements.

Sleep data is helpful with REM, deep sleep and light sleep stages, along with pulse oximeter and breathing data for that night. All of that adds up to a competitive offering that gives lots of insight into sleep each morning. I enjoyed the Morning Report which showed changes if I had a poor night's sleep, had drank alcohol or was feeling under the weather.

Having music onboard the watch is a real appeal, as it means going out for exercise without your phone as you connect Bluetooth headphones directly to the watch.

While you can store music onboard, realistically most people will prefer to use Spotify or Deezer and simply save playlists offline on the device. You need a paid subscription to the streaming service in question for these features and the controls aren't great, but it does work and is welcome at this price point.

The Vivoactive 5 initially lacked Garmin Pay in the UK, but that has now rolled out so you can tap to pay and truly explore phone-free.

Notifications from your phone apps work well, with WhatsApp allowing you to read messages as you go without the phone being opened. The options are minimal so it's not an Apple Watch competitor in that way, but is useful enough to stop you reaching for your phone as much.

Apps offer some useful information on your wrist like the weather or sunset times or useful surf data. It's all basic but can be genuinely useful.

The Garmin Vivoactive 5's layout is modular, like other Garmins, so you can arrange to sort your most-used training profiles to the top of the menu, making getting started easy. But it can get cluttered with automatic recommendations, so it's best to put some time into tidying every now and then to make sure it's running at maximum efficiency.

Garmin says the Vivoactive 5 gets you 11 days on a charge, or six hours of GPS tracking with music or 18 hours without. In real world use that worked out to about a working week's worth of use with several GPS-tracked sessions, without music. That means going away for a weekend, with plenty of training, should mean you won't need to charge the watch until the middle of the following week. That's exactly what you want at this price point.

This is not the best Garmin for battery, by a long shot, but it does the job more than well enough while remaining extremely compact.

The charger uses a proprietary charger, which fits most Garmin devices and plugs into a USB-C port for a full charge in about an hour.

Performance score: 4/5

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Garmin Vivoactive 5: Scorecard

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want a bit of everything

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is great for an all round measure of health, fitness and lifestyle. This gives more than enough data to keep you healthy without overcomplicating things.

You're on a budget

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is really affordable when you take into consideration how much you get for your money here, including that stunning AMOLED display.

Don't buy it if...

You have sports specific goals

If you want to drill into data to make sports progress using metrics then the Forerunner or Fenix series might serve you better, especially with Training Readiness features.

You want longer battery life

This does offer a powerful battery performance but there are far longer life options, some using solar, if that's your need.

Garmin Vivoactive 5: How we tested

Our reviewer wore the Garmin Vivoactive 5 as his primary smartwatch for over two weeks, and it accompanied him on some trips as well as during regular workouts. It was paired to a iPhone 15 Pro Max for the majority of the testing.

The tracking results were compared to historical results from the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Wahoo Tickr, as well as the built-in step counter on the smartphone to assess accuracy.

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Also consider

Garmin Vivoactive 5 just one of many considerations for you? Here's a trio of suggestions to look into:

Polar Vantage V2

A great multi-sport option perfect for runners. It doesn't hold music, but it can offer very sophisticated metrics and boasts an advanced suite of running features.

Read our full Polar Vantage V2 review

Garmin Forerunner 265

The more entry-level, cheaper Forerunner in Garmin's stable offers a great package of its key running features, plus one of it holds music. A great alternative for serious runners.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review

First reviewed: June 2024

Polar Grit X2 Pro review

7:58 pm | June 18, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: AMOLED | Comments: Off

One-minute review

The Polar Grit X2 Pro is the brand’s attempt to introduce an outdoor sports watch that can compete with both long-term rivals and those brands that are new to the space.

The Grit X Pro was launched two and half years ago, and while it offered improvements on Polar’s first Grit watch, it was still lacking some big features to compete with the best running watches out there.

That changes with the Grit X2 Pro. By adding features such as free topographic maps, dual-frequency GPS, new biometric sensor technology and an AMOLED color screen, Polar is hoping to level the playing field somewhat and better compete with top-end rivals.

What we get with the Grit X2 Pro is an outdoor watch that definitely feels more in line with models such as the Garmin Epix Pro, the Suunto Vertical and the Apple Watch Ultra 2; but in many respects, it isn't a better watch than any of these.

Polar has definitely made moves in the right direction in terms of mapping and navigation to make the device a great outdoor companion, while adding a color screen and innovations such as dual-frequency GPS also heighten its appeal. Crucially, the software that wraps this all up has also improved.

The Grit X2 Pro is absolutely better than the Grit X, and also steps up on the Grit X Pro; but its price, along with the rival watches and features available around the same price, means it doesn’t quite stand head and shoulders above other outdoor watches right now.

Polar Grit X2 Pro: Specifications

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch worn on the wrist with clock face and step count — (Image credit: Future)

Polar Grit X2 Pro: Price and release date

The Polar Grit X2 Pro launched in March 2024 and is available to buy directly from Polar. It’s also available from watch-specific outlets such as First Class Watches. Priced at $749.95 / £649.99 / AU$1,099.99, it’s significantly more expensive than the Grit X Pro at launch.

Compare that to rival outdoor watches – the obvious comparison here is the Garmin Epix Pro (47mm edition), which comes in at $899.99 / £829.99 / AU$$1,529. There’s the Suunto Vertical (from £545), too, although unlike the Grit X2 Pro and the Epix Pro, it doesn’t include an AMOLED display. Also in this company is the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Value score: 4 / 5

Polar Grit X2 Pro: Design and screen

Attractive, rugged design with nicely textured buttons
Bright and vibrant AMOLED screen
Built with military-grade durability

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch on a log showing clock face and step count — (Image credit: Future)

You certainly can’t accuse Polar of trying to model the Grit X2 Pro on other outdoor watches; you won’t mistake it for an Apple Watch Ultra 2, Garmin Epix Pro or a Suunto Vertical, that’s for sure.

While the look is in keeping with its predecessor, the case size has grown from the 47mm of the Grit X Pro to the 48.6mm-sized case here. It’s slightly thicker (13.4mm compared to 13mm) and heavier (57g up from 47g), too. The Grist X2 Pro definitely has the stature and feel of a watch such as the Garmin Epix Pro. It isn’t the smallest watch that you wouldn’t think twice about wearing to bed, but neither is as hulking as the Coros Vertix 2S, for example.

The rear of the case is made from bio-based plastic, while you have a choice of either a stainless steel or titanium front case, with the latter pushing up the price. Both include the 5-button array of nicely textured buttons that are easily located and responsive when your hands are sweaty or you’re wearing gloves.

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch on the wrist showing bezel thickness — (Image credit: Future)

These are joined by a new 1.39-inch, 454 x 45 resolution AMOLED touchscreen, which delivers a step up on the Grit X Pro display for both screen estate and screen colour. The display is protected by Sapphire glass and is one you can keep on at all times, which you may well wish to do since the raise to wake support isn’t always reliable. There’s a new flashlight mode, but it’s of the kind that illuminates the screen as opposed to a unit that’s built into the watch case. A high-quality AMOLED, it displays a decent top brightness, accurate colours and offers excellent visibility both outdoors and indoors.

Holding that screen to your wrist is a very comfortable silicone strap with a stainless steel buckle; the strap is designed to help improve the reliability of optical heart rate tracking. You do have the option of a leather band, too, although you’ll have to pay extra for that luxury.

In terms of durability, the Grit X2 Pro retains the same MIL-STD-810H military standard of durability as the Grit X Pro, and arrives with the same waterproofing rating. This means it will happily handle being submerged in up to 100 meters of water, and the watch does offer both pool and open water swimming modes.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Polar Grit X2 Pro: Features

Dual-frequency GPS
Free offline maps
Elixir sensor brings ECG measurements

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch on the wrist showing offline maps — (Image credit: Future)

The addition of a few significant features see the Grit X2 Pro take a sizeable leap ahead of the Grit X Pro. The first is the addition of the free, topographic maps, with Europe and US maps already preloaded onto the watch. The Grit X Pro only offered the ability to view simpler breadcrumb trails via third-party app Komoot, so this is a massive change on the mapping support front.

This brings improvements on the navigation front, too, with support added for importing routes from Strava (if you have a premium subscription) – although this has also been rolled out to the Grit X Pro.

On the tracking front, much of what we’ve already seen introduced on Polar’s Vantage V3 watch has been added on the Grit X2 Pro. There’s new swimming metrics, the ability to view your vertical and 3D speed, and Polar’s new Work-rest-guide for indoor training, to prompt you when to rest and resume sets during workouts.

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch showing nightly skin temperature reading — (Image credit: Future)

However, the big one here for outdoor lovers is the dual-frequency GPS mode, which seeks to improve outdoor tracking accuracy when in deeply wooded areas, during adverse weather conditions, and when in the vicinity of tall buildings. While not new to outdoor and sports watches in general, it means the Grit X2 Pro joins the Vantage V3 and the Ignite 3 in benefiting from the latest positioning technology innovation.

Another promised advancement concerns the change in the sensor technology Polar includes in the Grit X2 Pro. Polar’s new Elixir sensor setup is designed to sit closer and more comfortably on your wrist. It packs in Polar’s latest generation optical heart rate sensor technology, along with the ability to track SpO2 levels and skin temperature at night. It also adds ECG measurements – although, unlike Apple or Samsung’s inclusion of an ECG sensor on their smartwatches, it isn’t designed for medical use. Instead, it’s there to help make the most of Polar’s fitness tests, which previously required an external heart rate monitor.

Polar also wants the Grit X2 Pro to be a better smartwatch, so the notification and music control features included on the Grit X Pro remain, with the added colour touchscreen now making what was pretty basic smartwatch support more engaging to use.

Features score: 4 / 5

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch elixir sensor — (Image credit: Future)

Polar Grit X2 Pro: Performance

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch showing hiking mode — (Image credit: Future)

Getting the watch setup with Polar’s Flow companion smartphone app can typically be a little hit and miss in terms of pairing watch to app, though thankfully it was straightforward here. Like the Vantage V3, the Grit X2 Pro does have a tendency to disconnect itself from the paired smartphone, which can at times be irritating if you’re relying on the notifications feature, for example.

When it’s time to get tracking, there are more than 150 sports profiles from which to choose, and you can control which ones show up on the watch from the Flow app. Polar has essentially taken what it offered on the Vantage V3 and presented them here in a more rugged frame.

Most notable over the Grit X Pro is the dual-frequency mode offered here, which in testing proved a strong example of how such a feature can boost outdoor tracking accuracy in problematic areas. It was certainly a cut above the Grit X Pro, holding up well in testing against watches offering similar support such as the Garmin Epix Pro and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Grit X2 Pro isn’t the very best in class for this type of support, and does still have a habit of smoothing out corners like the Vantage V3, but overall it performed very well in our tests.

The Grit X2 Pro makes improvements to mapping and navigation support, too, which brings Polar’s outdoor watch much closer to Garmin, and now Suunto, in this regard. Having a splash of colour on-screen also makes using those features more pleasing.

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch navigation feature — (Image credit: Future)

Maps are easy to read, nicely detailed, and you can use both the touchscreen and physical buttons to interact with them. There’s support for turn-by-turn guidance – although, like the Vantage V3, it’s accessible only through third-party app Komoot; this isn’t the case for using Garmin and Suunto’s outdoor watches. Is it the best mapping and navigation support available on an outdoor watch? No. Is it a huge step in the right direction for Polar? Absolutely.

In terms of the other components that make up Polar’s sports tracking, such as its FitSpark suggested workouts, and its Training Load and Recovery Pro insights, features are certainly easier to engage with and metrics to absorb than elsewhere. The presentation of some training insights could perhaps benefit from being more simplified, because there are absolutely some useful insights here.

Sleep tracking is a standout feature for Polar’s watches, and that doesn’t change with the Grit X2 Pro. Nightly recharge measurements and being able to view your general energy boost from sleep are useful added sleep insights, that’s crucially underpinned by sleep tracking that beats what you’ll get from Garmin and Polar for accuracy.

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch showing cardio load status — (Image credit: Future)

Polar’s heritage is built on heart rate, yet the heart rate tracking performance on the Grit X2 Pro appears to fall in line with our experience of the Vantage V3. That new Elixir sensor array didn’t show any notable signs of improvement from Polar’s previous Precision Prime sensor sensor technology. It’s generally fine for steady-paced workouts, but even on easier runs, the maximum and average heart rate readings seemed a little off at times against both Polar and Garmin heart rate monitor chest straps at times.

Thankfully, Polar has addressed some issues regarding how smooth its software runs on its watches. It has boosted CPU speeds (from 120MHz to 275MHz) and ramped up the memory, all while keeping storage at the 32GB of the Grit X Pro. As a result, swiping through screens is a smoother experience, and performance doesn’t labor in the same way it did on previous Grit watches.

In terms of battery life, the Grit X2 Pro will get you through a week with features such as dual-frequency GPS mode and sleep tracking engaged. Polar quotes up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and 43 hours of GPS battery life. Those are the same numbers attached to the Vantage V3. If you decide to use those features regularly and turn the screen to always-on, battery life will drop to a maximum of five days. As such, if you can live without a 24/7 screen, the Grit X2 Pro will last noticeably longer between charges.

There’s a slight change with the charging setup here, too: the proprietary cable remaining the same as Polar switches from a USB-A to a USB-C connection when you want to power up that watch again.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Polar Grit X2 Pro watch showing 'fueling' feature — (Image credit: Future)

Polar Grit X 2 Pro: Scorecard

Should I buy the Polar Grit X2 Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

First reviewed: June 2024

RingConn Smart Ring review: a solid alternative to the Oura smart ring

3:23 pm | June 4, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

RingConn smart ring: One minute review

The smart ring market is becoming crowded, and as more companies bring out devices to compete with the current best smart rings, we’ve noticed a drop in price. But there are issues with cheap smart rings, including poor quality and secretive manufacturing practices – which is the reason I’ve been somewhat wary about any new smart rings entering the race, including the RingConn Smart Ring.

However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this model. While you couldn’t exactly class it as “cheap”, it comes in at significantly less than rivals. The big question is: how does it compare to the best smart ring out right now, the Oura (Gen 3)?

Well, having spent some time with it, the RingConn Smart Ring isn’t going to knock the Oura off the top spot; its design isn’t as refined and the app isn’t as fun to use. But it’s not far off. The RingConn Smart Ring is good value, offering a comfortable design, minimal scratching, solid data collection and an app that can be busy and slow to sync, but which ultimately gets the job done.

So although RingConn’s smart ring isn’t the best smart ring I’ve reviewed, it certainly isn’t another device to add to the growing pile of disappointing and low-quality smart rings. It’s also refreshing to find a solid alternative to the Oura (Gen 3) and Ultrahuman Ring Air.

RingConn smart ring: Specifications

RingConn smart ring: Price and availability

No subscription model
Costs $279 (which works out at about £219 and AU$418)

The RingConn Smart Ring usually costs $279 (about £219 and AU$418). However, it can often be found discounted on the official RingConn website. At the time of writing, it’s available for $259.

At this price, it’s one of the cheapest smart rings on the market – especially among the models I’ve tested. Sure, you can find lower-quality smart rings at even better prices, but I wouldn’t be confident recommending them.

For comparison, the Ultrahuman Ring Air costs $349 / £280 / about AU$537 and the Circular Ring Slim comes in at $264 (about £209 / AU$405). The Oura (Gen 3) commands a $299 (about £230 / AU$420) price, but you’ll also pay a subscription price thereafter, which is $5.99 (about £4.50 / AU$8) per month.

All things considered, the RingConn Smart Ring – along with the Ultrahuman Ring Air – is my top option if you don’t like the idea of committing to a subscription plan.

Value score: 4.5/5

RingConn Smart Ring review: Design

Unique squared-off design
Super comfortable
Less scratching than rivals

On first glance of the RingConn Smart Ring, you’ll notice its slightly unusual design; notably its subtle squared-off finish. While this shape might immediately put some people off, after initial apprehension, I’ve grown to love it and prefer it over other smart rings I’ve reviewed.

Looks aside, it’s definitely up there with the Ultrahuman Ring Air as the most comfortable smart ring I’ve tested. Small and light, it measures 7.8mm wide and 2.6mm thick and weighs 3-5g, depending on the size you opt for. I’ve made previous comments in my smart ring reviews that anyone who thinks a tech-filled ring is indistinguishable from regular jewelery is in for a rude awakening; but as far as smart rings go, RingConn’s smart ring is fairly unobtrusive.

Mine was a perfect fit; I simply requested my standard ring size, which is also the size I opted to get the Ultrahuman Ring Air and Circular Ring Slim models. However, you can ensure you get the correct size by requesting the free sizing kit.

The RingConn Smart Ring stands out from rivals for a number of reasons, but most notably because it didn’t become quite as scratched during testing, despite wearing it most days (I did remove it when I was weightlifting). If you’ve read my Ultrahuman Ring Air review and Circular Ring Slim review, you’ll know that both devices suffered a series of scratches over only a few weeks of wear. Then again, I did test the matte black version of these smart rings, and the silver version of the RingConn Smart Ring, which could be the reason for the difference.

The RingConn smart ring is made from titanium with a PVD coating and it arrives in three colors: black, silver and gold. It’s IP68 waterproof, which means you can wear it in the shower. That rating technically suggests it could handle a quick swim, too; but, personally, I wouldn’t want to risk it.

Design score: 4/5

RingConn Smart Ring review: Features

An information-packed app
As much data as rivals
No detailed workout tracking

The RingConn Smart Ring is packed with sensors, and its app uses them to collect all sorts of data about your body. The main categories tracked in the app are sleep, activity, stress, and heart rate.

You can dig down further into each of these categories to discover more. For example, click into the sleep section from the app’s main screen to see a sleep score out of 100, total time asleep, sleep efficiency, sleep stages, heart rate and SpO2 throughout the night, skin temperature, and respiratory rate. You’ll find similar in-depth metrics in each of the key categories.

This might seem like a lot of data, but it’s standard compared to other high-end smart rings. This information is also presented in colorful charts and graphs, which can appear cluttered at first glance, but are easy to understand, especially if you’re used to deciphering the metrics that fitness trackers and smartwatches present.

In a recent update, RingConn has added some badges to its app, which reward you for hitting certain goals – such as your optimal sleep time or wearing the ring for 10 days in a row. While I’m not really someone who is motivated by such badges and gaming elements, I know many people are, so it’s good that some fun has been added to the experience.

As with all smart rings, don’t expect a workout-tracking feature – at least not one that works like it would with a fitness tracker or smartwatch with a screen. But what you see in the app is an activity category, which displays active calories, steps, time standing, activity intensity (which is judged by your heart rate) and an activity summary. The RingConn Smart Ring can sync with Apple Health and, in doing so, add fitness data from other sources that you can manually tag. But it isn’t like a fitness tracker that can measure a specific workout activity, like the way you’d select a run or pilates on your Apple Watch.

Features score: 3.5/5

RingConn Smart Ring review: Performance

Excellent 7-day battery
Minor syncing issues
Great data collection

I found the RingConn smart ring collected a huge amount of data and, importantly, performed well compared to my Apple Watch Series 8 in terms of stress and steps, and offering similar metrics to the Ultrahuman Ring Air. It’s also great at spot readings, with real-time options for measuring your heart rate and SpO2.

I found the RingConn smart ring to be particularly accurate for sleep tracking, especially naps throughout the day. I had the flu during testing, so I was able to see how it coped with a lot of rest. It did tell me I wasn’t stressed several times when I was ill, and advised me to work out hard on those days; but I think this points to a broader problem with interpreting stress data.

The only downside to the performance was I had to wait a few minutes for the ring to sync to the app. This is hardly a deal-breaker, but it was noticeable.

However, I enjoyed using the RingConn app overall. At times, I found the layout a bit busy – especially when I wanted to check my sleep score or steps for the day quickly. Nevertheless, it was great to have the option to dive into the data and discover more.

The app has three main tabs. Insights is where all of the important data lives. Trends lets you see how the data looks over time, divided into weekly and yearly reports and breakdowns by categories, such as sleep and stress. The final tab is Me, which contains settings, battery information, and FAQs.

I liked a couple of elements of the RingConn app, including the fact that it tells you how much battery the smart ring has remaining, both as a percentage and as a number of days to expect.

I also thought some of the visualizations worked well, such as the Wellness Balance feature. This visualization, at the top of the Insights page, displays Vital Signs, Sleep, Activity, and Stress Management as a radar chart. It's easy to see where you’re lacking each day.

Overall, the app isn’t as elegant or stylish as that of Oura, but it’s way easier to use than many others – especially that of Circular, which I found unnecessarily confusing.

One way the RingConn Smart Ring knocks the competition out of the water is with its fantastic week-long battery. RingConn promises you’ll get 5-7 days, but I managed just under 7. This puts it at an advantage over Oura (Gen 3), which is between 5-6 days, and the Ultrahuman Ring Air, which offers just under 6 days. It’s also a vast improvement over the Circular Ring Slim, which comes in at 2 days.

In addition, the smart ring comes with a 500mAh portable USB-C charging case that can top up your ring in about an hour. Offering the ability to charge your ring’s battery 18 times, it delivers more than 150 days of battery life. Not to mention, it’s also very cute and ideal for keeping your ring safe.

Performance score: 4/5

RingConn Smart Ring review: Scorecard

RingConn Smart Ring review: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested

I tested the RingConn Smart Ring for seven weeks with an iPhone 14 Pro. I wore it while I was working remotely from a co-working space and coffee shops, working out at the gym, swimming, while walking and travelling to the countryside for some hikes. This meant I had a great chance to test the ring out day to day, but also to see how it performed outside of my regular routine.

I’ve been reviewing wearable tech for more than 12 years, with a focus on health and fitness devices.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro review: Good GPS tracking on the cheap

7:54 pm | April 10, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Xiaomi Smart Band 8: One-minute review

It’s not often you get a device like the Xiaomi Smart Band 8. It’s a very affordable fitness tracker at just $90 / £60 / AU$95, but it’s also remarkably competent thanks to great battery life and an array of sensors that some much more expensive alternatives are missing.

Not only is it one of the most complete budget fitness trackers we’ve tested, but it even defeats the Huawei Band 7 (a tracker I loved) by offering built-in GPS location tracking, too. That could make it a big worry for the likes of even the best Fitbit, and competition can only be a good thing.

I wore it on one wrist with my Apple Watch Ultra on the other (a considerably more expensive option) and was very impressed by just how accurate the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is. Xiaomi says it uses “next-generation data algorithms” for things like heart rate and oxygen saturation accuracy, and from my usage its findings were in lockstep with Apple’s own.

In fact, my only real gripe is that of the setup process. Your mileage may end up varying, but it felt like it got me off on the wrong foot with the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, although thankfully the excellent features and design fixed that nice and quickly.

There are some other omissions, too, like payments, music downloads, and third-party apps, but given the price, those are all things you’d perhaps expect.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 worn on the wrist — (Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Specifications

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Price and release date

Available now
Priced at $99.99 in the US
£60 in the UK
AU$95 in Australia

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro originally debuted in China last August, but it’s taken some time to go international.

Thankfully, it’s available from most retailers now, and at a discounted price of $99 in the US, £60 in the UK, and AU$95 via outlets such as Amazon.

We’ve seen it as low as £50 or $80 in recent weeks, and it’s a steal for that price, which makes it considerably cheaper than its nearest competitors like the Fitbit Inspire 3.

Value score: 5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Design

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 strap — (Image credit: Future)

Available in black or white with swappable straps
1.74-inch AMOLED display
Lightweight and slim

I find it difficult to get excited about fitness trackers these days because, for the most part, they all look mostly the same. That’s not to damn the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro with faint praise, but more acknowledge that just by looking at it, there’s no way you’d expect it to cost as little as it does.

It has a slick, rectangular chassis, and our white unit has a shining chrome shell. It does collect some fingerprints but not as many as you may expect, and houses a 1.74-inch AMOLED display that’s small enough to sit comfortably on your wrist while also being large enough to convey plenty of information at a glance.

It’s a good balance, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s packing a 336 x 480 px resolution that’s easy to read, and it weighs just 22.5g without the strap (still heavier than the Huawei Band 7, admittedly).

There are no buttons, physical or otherwise, on the sides, so you’ll be doing everything with the touchscreen, while the straps detach easily through a subtle mechanism and click into place in a satisfying way. Our review unit comes with an off-white option, but there’s no second strap in the box; it’s a one-size-fits-all kind of deal, and as someone who usually uses larger straps, I can say it works nicely.

On the back you’ll find a charging port, and while there’s no power brick included in the box, it’s worth noting that the USB-A cable that is here isn’t the longest. Some users will prefer USB-C, as USB-A is starting to look a little dated. Still, for under $100, it's just a charging cable. You get what you get.

Design score: 4.5/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 laying on a flat surface — (Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Performance

Strictly a fitness tracker
Plenty of functions
Smart use of widgets

The folks at Xiaomi have built much of the user interface here with the larger display in mind, which means you can swipe between screens that pack multiple widgets into each, making use of every available pixel. It took a little bit of habit-busting to get into the swing of swiping ‘backward’ rather than Apple's ‘up’ to return to a prior menu, but once I did, I was enjoying its functionality with ease.

You can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access a sort of “All Apps” list, but that’s about the only time the UI feels a little tricky as you try to prod the right option.

As always (because many still conflate the two), it’s worth remembering this is a fitness tracker and not a smartwatch. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro won’t pay for your shopping, download music for offline playback, or download third-party apps. It's essentially a single-purpose device, and for that purpose – fitness tracking – it’s great.

I used it to head out for a brisk walk, indoors for a treadmill run, and at the gym. As mentioned in the intro, in all these scenarios, all of its metrics tied up nicely with that of my Apple Watch, which costs around nine times the price of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro in the US.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 music playback screen — (Image credit: Future)

Step counting is accurate, and heart rate data was consistent while awake and asleep. While some have reported inaccuracies with VO2 data, mine synced up with the Apple Watch Ultra nicely.

My favorite thing, though, is the GNSS support for GPS. It’s only a single-frequency connection, so it may struggle in big cities or when surrounded by large buildings, but it works really nicely for a casual run. If you’re a hardcore runner you’ll likely want something with more accuracy or a stronger connection, but then again, if you’re a hardcore runner you probably already own a much more expensive running watch.

When it comes to sleep tracking, things are mainly centered around the stages of sleep you’ll get. That’s fine at a basic level, but outside of that, you’re not going to get as much information as you’d perhaps get with a more fully-featured smartwatch such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, or a sleep tracker like the Oura Ring Generation 3.

Battery life is great, though, with Xiaomi suggesting you can hit 14 days on a single charge. That is, admittedly, with some functionality toned down (like always-on display and some health notifications), but it’s still impressive in a device at this price point.

Without those concessions, you can still reasonably expect around four-and-a-half days, which is still pretty great – and can easily go past five with light use, a.k.a. fewer workouts.

Performance score: 4/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Features

iOS and Android compatible
Don’t expect a lot of analysis on companion app

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 companion app devices page — (Image credit: Future)

I’ll be honest, I feel like the Xiaomi Mi Fitness app and I got off on the wrong foot. Pairing the device with my iPhone was pretty painful; it wouldn’t scan the QR code on the screen, so I had to add it manually via the Bluetooth settings, then that didn’t work on two separate attempts, and then just as I prepared to give up, it sprung to life.

Not a great first impression, sure, and to add to that many of the basic functions of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro were switched off – including things like sleep tracking.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 companion app sleep settings — (Image credit: Future)

Once I switched those on, though, everything was pretty smooth. The Health tab is essentially a dashboard with all of your data for calories, steps, and exercise, as well as sleep and heart rate data, while the Workout tab actually incorporates Apple Maps so you can feasibly use it without needing to switch to Strava to log your routes.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 companion app running map — (Image credit: Future)

There’s also a nice marketplace of watch faces you can download with ease and set on your device.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 companion app band displays — (Image credit: Future)

In fact, the only thing missing is anything close to a deeper analysis of the data collected, which you may expect would be missing at this price.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 companion app vitality score settings — (Image credit: Future)

The closest thing is the Vitality Score, which is a little like Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Score. This takes into account the activity you’ve done in the last seven days and calculates a score for how ready you are for exercise. It’s a nice idea, but as far as I can tell it’s not pulling extra data like sleep history.

Features score: 4/5

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Scorecard

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

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Honor Band 7 review: Budget-friendly fitness tracker with great features

5:20 pm | April 3, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: GPS | Comments: Off

Honor Band 7: One minute review

If you're after a budget-friendly fitness tracker then look no further than the Honor Band 7. It's remarkably similar to the Huawei Band 8 and the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 and, with similar prices, it's difficult to set them apart.

The Honor Band 7 boasts an incredible 1.47-inch AMOLED display which is lovely to look at and engage with. Color graphics are displayed with clarity and brightness, even when outside in the bright sun. The display itself is large enough to present enough health and fitness data so you can avoid needing to launch the app too often.

Tracking data seems pretty reliable across the board, although if you want the most accurate results then you'll need to invest in one of the more expensive trackers that you can find in our best fitness trackers guide. If you'd just like to keep track of steps, heart rate and Sp02 levels, then the Honor Band 7 has everything you need.

I knew there wasn't going to be the luxury of onboard GPS, but I was disappointed to find that tethered GPS could only be activated from a connected phone rather than from the tracker itself. This unnecessary additional step proved to be rather annoying especially when I wanted to just get up and go without getting my phone out of my bag or pocket.

Despite this, I actually really enjoyed using the tracker. It was a pleasure to interact with and I'm not sure you'll find anything better for the price.

Honor Band 7: Price and availability

$59.99 US
£49.99 UK
Around AU$96.50

The Honor Band 7 is available for $59.99 in the US and £49.99 in the UK, which equates to around AU$96.50 in Australia. This is priced very similarly to other budget fitness trackers, such as the Huawei Band 8 and the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro.

The only customization in terms of colorways on offer is the color of the bands, with the three options being: Meteorite Black, Pink, and Emerald Green. Make sure you choose wisely, because the band is not removable.

For the price, you'll get a large AMOLED screen, 96 workout modes, and 14 days of battery life.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Honor Band 7: Design

1.47-inch AMOLED screen
Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) not metal
Three band colours

The design of the Honor Band 7 is almost identical to that of the Band 6. Considering Honor is releasing a new version every two years, it's disappointing not to see some level of upgrade in the size and design of the screen.

The standout feature of the Band 7 is its 1.47-inch AMOLED screen. It's big, bright, and beautifully responsive. The fact that the screen is full-color rather than mono means all the extra details and interface graphics Honor has taken the time to include really pop. I had no issues with fingerprint marks, and the interface transitions were smooth and reliable.

The tracker itself is made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with a spray coating applied to make it look metallic. Despite it looking great, there's no getting away from the fact that it is still of plastic construction, especially when you touch it or get up close to it.

The band comes in three different colors including Meteorite Black, Pink, and Emerald Green. The version I was testing is the pink one, although it's more of a rose gold color in reality. The silicone band is unfortunately non-removable, which is admittedly common for budget fitness trackers like this. It's usually used as a feature to set more premium alternatives apart, although some cheaper trackers like Fitbit Inspire 3 can also detach from their bands.

At 29 grams, it is double the weight of the Huawei Band 8, but it is still comfy and light to wear. I had it on all day and all night for a couple of weeks and had no problems whatsoever with it feeling uncomfortable.

The software interface is where the tracker excels. The graphics are beautifully designed, with just the right amount of data included on each screen. The homescreen can be customized using a range of watch faces, with each one displaying different stats.

The design ethos is replicated in the Honor app, which enables users to see a significant extra level of detail and reports on heart rate, oxygen levels, and activities tracked.

Design Score: 4/5

Honor Band 7: Features

Detailed heart rate and step count info
Optical heart rate and SpO2 sensor
GPS tethered from phone only

One of the most used features of any fitness tracker is the step count. The Band 7 tracks these while displaying the results in a graphic that shows how much progress has been made. The number of steps is tracked with accuracy and presented alongside the number of exercise minutes and active calories burned. Considering most users only want tracked steps as a guide, the accuracy level is more than sufficient.

The optical sensor tracks both heart rate and Sp02 levels. These are available on most fitness trackers, and, even though the results were far from inaccurate on the Band 7, you'll definitely find more reliable results on more expensive trackers such as the Garmin Vívoactive 5.

The stress tracking feature is calculated using heart rate variability collected during manually-activated stress tests, while automatic sleep tracking also uses heart health data to collect information.

Aside from health tracking, the Honor Band 7 can also record data when exercising. By picking from a range of different workout modes, including running, cycling, and rowing, users are presented with a set of analytics, including the time, heart rate, and steps.

GPS tracking can be activated by tethering it to your smart phone. My biggest issue with this fitness tracker is that this GPS functionality can't be activated from the tracker, even if it is close to the connected phone. Workouts that require GPS tracking must be launched from a phone instead. This is an annoying and unnecessary step that makes the process of launching workouts more involved than it needs to be. Nevertheless, a good chunk of features for a band at this price.

Features score: 4/5

Honor Band 7: Performance

Quick and responsive
Generally accurate tracking data
14 days of battery life, 10-12 days for heavy usage

The 180mAh battery on the Honor Band 7 is really good, and I was surprised given how much the device costs. The advertised length of battery life is 14 days, an amount of time that very much matched my experience, especially during weeks in which I wasn't doing much exercise.

As soon as I started using it for my daily commute alongside other exercise activities, I found the battery draining more quickly. No surprises there. Even though Honor promises 10 days for heavy usage, I actually found it to be nearer to 12. It's always nice when the reality is better than expected.

Charging a watch like this every couple of weeks is no trouble at all, especially considering it takes less than an hour to go from empty to full charge. You'll want to keep it within the magic 20-80% to maximize the life of the battery but that's easily done by keeping an eye on the battery life through the watch interface.

When it comes to metrics, I ran stress tests at different times of the day and during different events in my everyday life. I generally found the Band 7 would report my stress levels as normal even at times when I felt noticeably stressed and could tell that my heart rate was raised. I certainly didn't feel like I could trust it.

Automatic sleep tracking provides data that is broken down into sleep stages and the duration of each stage. It's almost impossible to verify the reliability of this data, and fitness trackers are not renowned for being the most reliable anyway. That being said, during my testing period, I was up numerous times during the night and I did find that the tracker was able to identify every one of them.

The tracker itself has a waterproof rating of 5ATM, which means the Honor Band 7 is theoretically able to withstand pressures up to 50m depth, an industry standard among smart wearables these days. I never made it this deep, but had absolutely no problems wearing it in the shower or submerging it in water.

Performance score: 4/5

Honor Band 7: Scorecard

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Honor Band 7

I wore the Honor Band 7 non-stop for two weeks and thoroughly enjoyed doing so. During this time, I used every single feature and carried out a range of different exercise workouts, including running, swimming, and cycling. Throughout all of this I kept track of my heart rate, my stress levels, and my oxygen levels, amongst other similar health measureables.

I used the app to control the device as well as run a number of more advanced tests that were not possible with the watch on its own.

First reviewed: April 2024

G-Shock Rangeman GPR-H1000 review: the smart Casio G-Shock to do it all

12:00 pm | April 1, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: GPS | Comments: Off

Two minute review

The Casio G-Shock Rangeman GPR-H1000 will stand out on any wrist thanks to its bold, angular design – and, in this model's case, punchy yellow finish. This watch screams tough at first glance and Casio is selling on that basis. It might be big enough to get knocked as you wear it, but it's built to take every hit, making it a contender for the best running watches.

It comes with an optical heart rate sensor and full GPS to place it in the running against even the best Garmin watches out there. In fact, this has the Garmin Enduro 2 squarely fixed in its sights, competing on the more extreme tracking with a thermometer, barometer, pressure sensor, altimeter and more onboard. While the Casio tracks well, it doesn't offer maps. This makes it a little limited as a true adventure companion.

However, the Rangeman does pack in solar charging, which will enable you to continue using basic functionality even once the bulk of battery life has been consumed. Although note that with a battery life that lasts up to two months and up to 19 hours in GPS tracking mode, the watch has you covered.

Despite looking chunky, a soft urethane band and double-pin buckle actually mean the Rangeman is comfortable to wear and effortless to find the right fit – presuming your wrist is large enough to pull off this over-sized statement watch.

G-Shock Rangeman: Price and availability

The G-Shock Rangeman is available now worldwide, priced at $499.99 / £479.99 / AU$999.99.

There are two versions available, the yellow GPR-H1000-9 model reviewed here, and a black variant named the GPR-H1000-1. Other than color differences, they're essentially the same model and share an identical price.

Since launch, both models have been available on various third-party websites at a reduced price. At time of publishing, the Rangeman can be bought for as low as £375 / $480 / AU$725.

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Casio G-Shock Rangeman GPR-H1000 — (Image credit: Future)

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G-Shock Rangeman: Design

Comfortable strap and accurate clasp
Rugged exterior
Too chunky for some

The G-Shock Rangeman is all about that chunky, rugged design and bold looks, which makes it both unique and attractive. But it's worth saying right from the outset that if you have a smaller wrist then this watch might feel a little bulky and heavy. That said, its super comfy strap and very accurate clasp system – plus relatively low weight at 92g – ensure it's as comfortable as a statement watch of this kind can be.

Primarily, this is a button-based beast, so you won't have to suffer touchscreen fingerprints or difficulty controlling screens while taking part in sport or activity. But the flip-side is that you have to scroll through the menus to get to what you want. That said, G-Shock menus are very intuitive, having been developed over many generations of watch, and since the buttons are all mud- and water-protected, they work well. If I have one gripe here it's that the up and down options are on the left, which means you need to use your thumb, rather than fingers, which I found a little awkward or at least took some getting used to.

The display is a negative MIPS, which is a far cry from the color displays on other watches of this kind – and a shock, if you're moving from an AMOLED. That said, it's super clear in daylight, gets you a long battery life, and also offers high contrast so that even underwater it's very clear to read – which was actually helpful when swimming.

The Rangeman has a waterproof rating of 200 metres, yet after a half-hour pool swim the watch's screen appeared to fill with a bubble of some sort that was visible across the screen, and remains still now. The watch works fine, but is now showing this odd line that's definitely worrying. In reality, we'd hope that you could send this back to Casio for a replacement if you suffered the same.

The companion app from Casio is decent and allows you a way to control the watch without all those menus. So if you want to re-order the sports available or setup the data screens, for example, you can do that far more easily through the app, which makes it genuinely helpful. The app is also a better, clearer way to view any data –sleep scores and daily steps metrics, for example.

Design score: 3.5/5

G-Shock Rangeman: Features

Tracks many sports
Offers so many sensors
Lacks music

The G-Shock Rangeman is absolutely crammed full of features and sensors, delivering the ability to track nine activity types: trekking, running, biking, gym workout, interval timer, pool swimming, open-water swimming, trail running, and walking. And while taking part in an activity, you have access to data such as distance, direction, altitude, climbing speed, time, pace, heart rate, and burned calories.

Swimming offers stroke count, distance and heart rate, as well as a timer with the option to record splits – so all you could want from a swimming watch then. This works both indoors in a pool as well as outdoors for open water swimming, where the GPS can also help with your data readouts. The screen is fantastically clear above and underwater, and I found the stroke count accurate when compared with the Garmin Forerunner 965.

The lack of onboard music, available with most Garmin watches now, was certainly missed here; there's no option to connect headphones and enjoy music during activities. While it isn't a deal breaker, it certainly would have been a welcome feature at this price point.

Solar charging is a great addition here, since it helps to keep the watch function going for pretty much forever. While the GPS and heart rate tracking might leave you out of battery for the sports modes, you'll still have access to the G-Shock time and date basics. The features the watch part offers include a stopwatch, a 60-minute countdown timer, world times, four different alarms, power saving, and a full auto backlight that illuminates for either 1.5 or five seconds, depending on your preference.

While this doesn't pack all the dedicated surf smarts of the G-Shock G-Lide surf watch, you do still get helpful tide data such as 3,300 points for the tide graph. You also have phone notifications – although, on this screen they're a faff to read. I found myself simply using them as an alert before reaching for my phone – helpful, if you want the phone on silent.

Features score: 4/5

G-Shock Rangeman: Performance

Accurate GPS and health tracking
Excellent battery performance
Quite bulky for daily wear

It soon became clear while testing the G-Shock Rangman that wearing it to bed for sleep tracking was not the most comfortable. I did get used to it, but it was never what I'd call a comfortable experience – but this would apply to all brands of "oversize" watch. During the day, there was no slipping this under a sleeve either. As such, the watch was on show constantly, clearly getting attention with that bright yellow finish.

To be clear, this is a comfy watch, and that strap fits perfectly. It's just chunky, and if you find yourself knocking it on things at first, don't be surprised. This shouldn't worry you, however; that tough exterior appears to be able to handle more than a knock or six. That said, there was an issue with the display on this test unit.

After swimming, it looked like half the screen was filled with water; I pressed down and this moved about under the surface of the screen's top-cover. The watch continues to work just fine, only the screen has this half-filled finish. You can see it in the picture below, where it looks like a trick of the light showing the top third as lighter; but this is water or, perhaps, air inside? Either way, it's disappointing when Casio claims that the G-Shock Rangeman is good for a 200m of diving depth – double that of most Garmins.

In use, the watch performed well. Heart rate was a little on the high side, and quick to jump when compared to a Garmin and chest strap, but this generally levelled out after a while. For cycling, the Rangeman was helpful, where adjustments appeared quickly; but for running , where pure accuracy is ideal, this could have been a little smoother. GPS worked well, with the watch adapting quickly and recording metrics such as speed, pace and distance accurately.

While the menus are dense, the watch is intuitive to navigate, meaning you can access lots of data relatively easily while exercising. It's only really the smaller screen that limits you here, with it often far easier to wait and view the dive data once it had synched.

Performance score: 3.5/5

G-Shock Rangeman: Battery Life

Two months standby
19 hours with GPS
Solar powered extras

Casio has certainly used all that chunky G-Shock frame space well when it comes to batteries, since the Rangeman offers up to two months off a single charge. For use just as a watch, that time is extended further thanks to the solar charging smarts, which sees the watch keep going for basics such as time telling.

As you'd expect, it's with GPS use that a smartwatch battery is really tested, and in this regard the Rangeman achieved 19 hours in GPS mode – although that's with intermittent location acquisition. In reality, with it left turned on, battery is nearer to 14 hours. Still, that's plenty for most exercise sessions, while an easy to attach bespoke clip-on charger that uses USB, will bring the Rangeman back to full charge in just a few hours.

One of the great things about this watch is that you can keep using the Rangeman as a watch alone for months, without charging – say , if you're injured and don't need GPS tracking – topping it back up once you're back to activities.

Battery life score: 4.5/5

G-Shock Rangeman: Buy it if…

G-Shock Rangeman: Don't buy it if…

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First reviewed: March 2024

Suunto Race review: An affordable fitness watch with some compromises

8:20 pm | March 19, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Australia, HRV, UK, US | Comments: Off

Suunto Race review: One minute review

Finnish outdoors brand Suunto is arguably best known for its hardy navigational devices and diving watches, often lagging behind the competition when it comes to genuinely excellent fitness smartwatches.

The fact of the matter is, the market is almost at saturation point. Garmin seemingly brings out a new watch every few months, covering every conceivable exercise niche you can think of, while rivals such as Polar and Coros with its Pace 3 and Apex Pro models, have brought some serious touchscreen-enabled contenders in recent months.

Traditional smartwatch makers like Apple and Samsung, now have models that also crossover into the outdoors/fitness space with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, offering excellent workout tracking, navigation and all of the handy smartphone control, notifications and features you will actually use every day. In fact, the Apple Watch just keeps improving as a fitness partner with every watchOS update.

Suunto Race watch running mode — (Image credit: Future)

In the interest of brevity, the Suunto Race Titanium (the premium version I tested) is the best watch it has made to date, with a crystal clear AMOLED screen, premium styling, and a whole host of fitness-tracking features that can genuinely rival those offered by Garmin et al.

However, it’s far from perfect. There are a number of areas that could easily be improved, including the achingly slow raise-to-wake, the sometimes glitchy OS, and the fact that offline mapping takes a painfully long time to download and upload to the map.

In essence, Garmin still rules the roost if you want the absolute cutting-edge of workout, recovery and training analytics, but Suunto is definitely getting close. Pair that with solid GPS tracking, an impressive battery life and an easy-to-navigate accompanying smartphone app, and you have an enticing offering at this price.

Suunto Race worn on wrist with clock face — (Image credit: Future)

Suunto Race: specifications

Suunto Race: Price and availability

Suunto Race watch face close up — (Image credit: Future)

$449 in the US
£398 in the UK
AUS$720 in Australia

The Suunto Race is offered at two price points. The most affordable stainless steel version costs $449 / £398 / AUS$720, while the more expensive titanium-clad model comes in at $549 / £479 / AUS$879.

There is no difference between the hardware that powers these watches: it’s all about the finish and how opulent you want your watch to feel. In my opinion, the titanium model elevates the overall build quality, thanks to its contrasting Charcoal finish. The bezel on the stainless steel model is all black, which instantly makes it feel a bit cheaper.

Both models can be purchased directly from the Suunto website. At this price point, it's a pretty favorable comparison with its closest competitors, such as the much more expensive Garmin Forerunner 965. Great value.

Value score: 5/5

Suunto Race watch close up — (Image credit: Future)

Suunto Race: Design and screen

Suunto Race watch screen — (Image credit: Future)

Excellent build quality, especially on the titanium model
Only one size
Apple-style digital crown

Some horologists often scoff at the basic design of today’s fitness smartwatches, as they tend to involve a large circular display that’s clad in some kind of metal or plastic to keep everything safe. But it's a winning, practical design, and the Suunto Race isn't reinventing the wheel.

The Suunto Race Titanium comprises a considerable 49mm bezel that houses 1.43-inches of AMOLED touchscreen, running a 466 x 466 resolution. It’s not one for skinny wrists and sits rather proudly even on thicker arms. The fact Suunto doesn’t offer any other sizes is a bit of an oversight: not everyone's going to want a beast of a watch like this.

The build quality is good and the watch feels solid, with the titanium finish adding a nice pop of contrast colour that makes it stand out. There are a limited number of pre-loaded digital watch faces available that range from replicas of analogue timepieces to fully digital displays with adjustable splashes of colour.

Suunto race watch silicone strap — (Image credit: Future)

Overall, they look good, but there’s not the breadth you’ll find via Garmin’s ConnectIQ app (although a lot of those are rubbish), nor are they as exciting or as interactive as what you find on an Apple Watch Series 9 or the latest Google Pixel Watch. However, that's expected of training tools rather than smartwatches.

There are some neat etched-in vents on the titanium bezel that add a bit of texture, while the included silicone strap is ventilated for added breathability and features a small popper mechanism that makes it easy to fit. It’s a great do-it-all choice that works for most activities.

Finally, robustness is built-in via a glass fiber-reinforced polyamide casing and sapphire crystal glass protecting the delicate display beneath. During testing, it held up well, shrugging off scratches and dings with ease. The whole thing is ergonomic and easy to use during training sessions too. Interaction with the Suunto Race is either via prodding and swiping the screen, or through the chronograph style, three-pusher layout of buttons on the right-hand side.

The middle of those is a ‘digital crown’ that can be used to quickly cycle through menus or zoom in and out of maps. Think of it as a kind of Apple Watch Ultra lite set-up, while long-pressing either the top or bottom buttons accesses various shortcuts to menus.

Design score: 4/5

Suunto Race: Features

Suunto Race watch three side buttons — (Image credit: Future)

Accurate GPS
HRV and recovery info
No NFC payments

In general, there’s a lot to like about the feature set on offer here. You can control the music playing on your phone with the watch, and receive notifications when you are getting a call. You can do more with Android devices than you can with Apple, such as send predefined replies to incoming messages from the watch.

It has a full suite of sensors, now ubiquitous on fitness devices, which ranges from wrist-based heart rate sensing to an altimeter and gyroscope so it knows exactly when you are moving.

Suunto Race watch sports mode — (Image credit: Future)

There’s sleep tracking, accurate GPS thanks to compatibility with five satellite systems, and the obvious stuff, such as step tracking, all carefully built-into the relatively diminutive device on your wrist.

As soon as you throw software into the mix, you start to delve into things like Heart Rate Variability, sleep cycle detection and stress and recovery status delivered directly to the AMOLED watch face. Arguably where the cheaper Garmin Forerunner 265 and Garmin Venu 3 stand tall is with lifestyle offerings like Garmin Pay, which allows you to sync bank cards with the watch and pay from the wrist. Garmin also offers guided workouts, complete with animated exercise guides on some models.

Also where features are concerned, other watches like the Polar Vantage V3 come packing a seriously advanced set of biosensing equipment that offer an exceptionally accurate heart rate from the wrist. Right now, Suunto isn’t quite there.

Features score: 3.5/5

Suunto Race: Performance

Suunto Race watch and mobile app — (Image credit: Future)

Initial set-up of the watch is breezy. It’s just a case of downloading the accompanying smartphone app, punching in a few personal details and then getting on with it.

However, if you want to navigate from the wrist, you first have to download offline maps onto your phone, and then onto the watch. This process is extremely slow and boring in comparison to something like the Garmin Epix Pro, yet vital if you want to see any kind of map show up when out running, cycling, or walking. Thankfully, they look great once installed and they’re super easy to scroll around.

On the subject of exercise, there are over 95 profiles covering the full gamut of sports and workouts, with each setting up the AMOLED screen to show the most important stats for each. Of course, you can dive into settings and swap this all around so you can see what’s most important to you.

As for the specific profiles, this definitely feels like a watch predominantly geared towards running, cycling and swimming, but don't they all? The depth of data for each of these activities is impressive, with it able to automatically detect segments in a triathlon and even detect different swim strokes and log stats for each.

Similarly, where running is concerned, you get wrist-based running power, while cyclists can add Bluetooth power meters (and HRM chest straps) quickly and easily. However, you can only add one of each type of sensor, which will be annoying for ardent indoor cyclists or triathletes, who might want both HRM and power meter options.

Within the app, you can create structured workouts or link in existing services, such as Strava, Adidas Running or Training Peaks if these are your preferred methods to train.

Again, it feels like Garmin offers more in its ecosystem, with a number of training plans available to get you running a 5K or even a marathon, complete with guidance on training laid, rest and recovery.

Granted, Race does feature Suunto Coach, which goes into detail on things like Chronic Training Load (its metric for your overall fitness), as well as a look at the training stress balance. This uses heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep quality as factors on your overall readiness to train.

As with so many smart fitness watches, it takes time for this information to build and the Suunto Race only gets better the more you wear it. But also like a lot of its rivals, they tend to bias cardio and endurance activities, rather than strength training.

During testing, I found that strength work in the gym played havoc with the wrist-based heart rate monitoring, which was already proving not particularly accurate on a couple of test runs and cycles. With an Apple Watch Ultra 2 strapped to the other wrist and linked to a chest HRM, I found the Suunto slow to react and often a few bpm out at most points.

Similarly, the entire operating system feels slow and clunky, regularly baffled by too many quick inputs. There’s a definite lag when flicking between menu screens and dithering when raising the watch to wake. You can turn this off, but then battery life is impacted.

Thankfully, battery life is absolutely massive, with an enormous 26 days in time mode, a whopping 12 days with 24/7 tracking and smart notifications. Absolute minimum you will get is 40 hours with GPS running full tilt, but that’s a massive single workout.

In reality, we managed to eke around a week from the battery when wearing it constantly (including to bed), training three or four times per week for around an hour and occasionally using it to navigate on a weekend walk.

Performance score: 3/5

Suunto Race: Scorecard

Suunto Race watch triathlon mode — (Image credit: Future)

Suunto Race: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Suunto Race: Also consider

Coros Pace 3 review: This light running watch is better value than many Garmins

5:39 pm | October 2, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Coros Pace 3: One minute review

The Coros Pace 3 is a strong entry in the best cheap running watch stakes, and perhaps has even earned a place as one of the best running watches released this year. It’s a slender and lightweight device at 32g with a nylon strap (39g, if you opt for silicon), but it’s a powerhouse for evaluating your running performance, collecting plenty of information on stride length, cadence, heart rate zones, elevation and more, presenting it all in an accessible, legible format.

Music storage, a redesigned rear sensor array, a toggle on-off touchscreen functionality and improved satellite navigation tech have meant a small price increase, but it’s still an excellent buy unless you own its admittedly similar predecessor. It’s a superb stripped-back running companion and should serve most recreational road-runners very well indeed.

It isn’t perfect by any means: its light, plastic construction and lack of a properly raised bezel mean it isn’t particularly rugged and is unlikely to stand up to a great deal of punishment on your adventures. I wouldn’t wear it on the trails, or while scrambling up mountainsides, for instance. It falls flat next to the best Garmin watches and best Apple Watches, too, purely from a “smart” perspective, with both offering far superior notification and third-party app interfaces, on-wrist payment options, and more ways to interact with your watch in general.

However, this is what I mean when I say “stripped-back”. It will be great in the middle of a race, and a terrific budget buy for fun-runners and annual marathon participants – but it has a long way to go as a lifestyle watch. Still, for under $250 / £219 / AU$399, it’s a wonderful running watch and I wouldn’t think twice about hitting the roads with the Coros Pace 3 on my arm.

Coros Pace 3: Specifications

Coros Pace 3: Price and availability

Costs $229 in the US
£219 in the UK
AU$399 in Australia

The Coros Pace 3 is available worldwide, costing $229 in the US, £219 in the UK, and AU$399 in Australia. That’s pretty cheap compared to most of the best running watches, such as the Polar Pacer Pro – and I’d place the Coros Pace 3 in a similar bracket to the Polar.

Some of the best fitness trackers such as the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro, higher-end bands such as the Fitbit Charge 5, and specialist running watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 55 all run cheaper. But these are a little more outdated, and not as feature-packed as the Pace 3.

More expensive running watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 265, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, or even higher-end watches such as the Apple Watch Ultra, all feel less cheap, are far more durable, and offer better smart capabilities. However, you might be hard-pressed to get more running metrics from most watches that cost even twice as much as the Pace 3’s asking price.

Value score: 5/5

Coros Pace 3: Design

Coros Pace 3 on wrist — (Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

Lightweight plastic chassis
Simple to navigate watch
Intuitive app layout

The design of the Coros Pace 3 is fairly bare-bones, with a white polymer case and bezel that meets a mineral glass LCD screen. The screen is bright enough to see in most settings, although a little faint in bright, direct sunlight. Plus, it doesn’t have the charm of Garmin’s MIP display, nor the full-bodied brightness of a responsive OLED screen such as the Garmin Venu 2. The screen is touch-sensitive, which can be toggled from navigation-only to always-on, but more on that later.

Bands are available in both silicon and nylon options – we were given the nylon strap to test. The rip-away nylon and velcro feels comfortable; it isn’t irritating and won’t budge on runs (at least, it didn’t during my tests). However, it isn’t the best-looking option for everyday wear. It can feel like a wide festival wristband at times, and really emphasizes its place as a running tool rather than an everyday watch. Which sounds fine in essence; but when it arrives with a long battery life that is in place to ensure the device can be exercised, slept and lived in to monitor recovery, you at least want something that looks nice.

It’s lucky, then, that the design on the software side is nice and economical. Pressing the lower button on the watch’s right-hand side takes you out of your watch face and into a menu of workouts and other system settings, such as Music and Navigation. You can then scroll up, down and select these options with the Apple-style digital crown. Pressing the digital crown first, instead of the lower button, takes you to a widget stack. This displays your vital stats such as steps, floors, running fitness and so on.

It’s an elegant design and works well, and this ethos is shared in the companion Coros app. The “Progress” tab is your main port of call, showing you your vital stats, training calendar, running fitness and recovery metrics, including your sleep, HRV index and even body mass (if you’re diligent enough to continue recording it) at a glance. The “Activities” tab allows you to review your most recent workouts in more detail, while the “Explore” tab takes you to a GPS map feature that allows you to generate routes, which you can import into your watch as courses to be followed via breadcrumbs.

Design score: 4/5

Coros Pace 3: Features

Tons of excellent metrics
Not many smart features
No app-based music control

Features-wise, there’s a lot for runners to love here. The newly redesigned rear sensor array offers advanced heart rate metrics, including heart rate variability while you sleep, and BPM measurements taken at 10-minute intervals throughout the day. You can scroll back through the day on-watch using the rotating crown, or even further in the app. During a workout, those new optical heart rate sensors help to calculate aerobic and anaerobic power, your heart rate zones (explained in full, as opposed to simply numbered as they are in most watches), while the gyroscope looks at cadence and stride, and the GPS calculates elevation and distance.

It’s all presented in granular detail, but never feels impenetrable. It isn’t quite as clean and slick as Apple or Samsung’s presentation, but it’s decent. Sleep tracking is present and feeds into recovery metrics, but no advice is given about how you can improve your sleep. As such, those looking for serious guidance or information about their chronotypes might be better off with one of the best Fitbit watches or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6.

Fitness tests can be taken and the results logged, and perhaps my favorite feature is “running fitness” – a catch-all widget that offers a granular score based on the performance of your most recent runs. It’s a bit like Garmin’s Endurance and Readiness scores all rolled into one, and the drive to push it up (it started me at 0! The cheek!) has kept me on the roads this week.

However, as someone who doesn’t own a lot of music and mostly relies on Spotify these days, I was disappointed about the lack of music control features. Music storage is available, but if you want to toggle stuff on your phone from your watch, you’re out of luck. No loading your card onto your watch to make payments, either. If you want to do anything other than simply run, you’ll need your phone with you. Call and text notifications are available, but no third-party app widgets or interfaces (other than Strava, and so on) also means no Whatsapp. Like the Polar Pacer Pro, it feels very much like a training tool.

Features score: 3.5/5

Coros Pace 3: Performance

Super impressive battery life
Great performance on the road
Touchscreen a little laggy

I tested the Coros Pace 3 on several runs on holiday and at home, and was impressed with the quality, accuracy and breadth of the metrics collected. I was able to create a course in-app and follow it on the watch with little difficulty, although it’s in breadcrumb format rather than full-color maps such as those offered by the top Garmin devices. I was very pleased with the graphs of cadence and stride length, and the Pace 3 even produces on-wrist running power – a feature even the best Garmin watches have struggled with until relatively recently.

Each metric provides not only a graph, but a breakdown of the reasons it matters to your running performance and how it’s measured. This might not sound like a big addition, but it’s massively important: it makes the watch and the information it collects so much less impenetrable and far more accessible. GPS maps of your routes are present, although I’d like a Garmin-style heat signature map of your effort at certain points along the way. I also tried some of the other workout profiles, such as pool swims, and was impressed: I attained information about water temperature and stroke counts, which are essential metrics for triathletes.

I was also blown away by the battery life. After casual use of GPS mode over 10 days or so after its initial full charge, my watch is sitting pretty at 40%. It looks like those claims of a full 24 days in Smartwatch mode, and up to 38 hours in GPS mode, are pretty accurate after all. Expect the watch to last around 18-20 days or so with moderate use, and probably two weeks for power users. This isn’t to be sneezed at for any watch, but at this price point it’s a revelation. Coros has been hard at work to extend the Pace 3’s battery life, and it shows, even with an always-on display.

However, one thing that did prove a little frustrating is the touchscreen. An LCD touchscreen was never going to match the silky refresh rate of an OLED Apple Watch, but I still ended up turning it off, using the buttons and rotating crown to move through the watch’s internal architecture with little difficulty.

I ended my test a little irritated at the lack of the watch’s smart features, but pleased overall with its performance on the road.