In the last few years, wearables like smart bands and watches have exploded in popularity, with a large number of the buyers veering towards the fitness-focused devices as a way to assist them in remaining or becoming healthier with a more active lifestyle.
A budget of 10,000 or less is more than enough to grab a smart wearable today, and this list will hopefully help you figure out which one is best suited for you.
Mi Band 4 - Rs 2,299
The 2019 successor to the Mi Band 3, the Mi Smart Band 4 is priced slightly higher, but with it comes with a much better display, a larger battery, and more sensors for a better fitness functionality. The new 0.95-inch rectangular full-color AMOLED scratch-resistant touch display is a treat to use, with a resolution of 120x240 pixels, and 24-bit color depth. The polycarbonate capsule design remains largely the same, with the rear PPG heart rate sensor, although the capacitive button has been changed from a circular indentation to a flat surface, and the overall curvature of the top glass has been reduced. The body of the device continues to be held in the same strap design from the previous model and is in fact backward compatible with Mi Band 3 straps, something many users will appreciate if they're upgrading to the new Band.
The Mi Band 4 carries over the 5ATM water resistance from the previous model while the battery capacity is 135 mAh, although the projected battery life is still 20 days on one charge owing to the newer, power-efficient OLED display.
Internally, the Band 4 contains a 3 axis accelerometer, a new 3 axis gyroscope, and a capacitive wear monitoring sensor. It has to be removed from the strap in order to charge it in the proprietary charging pod.
Must read | Xiaomi Mi Band 4 review: Feature-rich fitness band
The Band connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and the well-optimized Mi Fit app allows for tracking progress in outdoor running, cycling, swimming, walking, treadmill and other gym exercises. The device can measure steps, distance covered, calories burnt, and displays weather forecasts and notifications, while also being able to turn your smartphone profile to silent. Xiaomi has allowed for multiple 'band faces' to change the default display design, and various vibration patterns for notifications, allowing for highly customizable user experience. The Xiaomi Smart Band 4 has thus greatly improved on its predecessor, while retaining the features that made the Mi Band 3 so popular, making it a more complete package and perhaps a better deal depending on your preferences.
Honor Band 5 - Rs 2,599
The Honor Band 5 is Huawei's alternative to the Mi Smart Band 4, and offers many of the same tools, with a few extra features thrown in for good measure. The device is made of polycarbonate with a nonremovable strap and has a 0.95-inch full-color AMOLED touch display with a resolution of 240x120 pixels. The display has a higher peak brightness than the Smart Band 4, making it easy to use even under direct sunlight. The display watch face has 8 alternatives available, and below the display is a touch-sensitive area marked by a dual ring pattern that functions as a home button.
The Band pairs with your phone via Bluetooth, and uses the Huawei Health mobile app to fully utilize it's 6 axis accelerometer, gyroscope, infrared wear, and optical heart rate sensor. Huawei's 24x7 TruSeen 3.0 Heart Rate Monitor, Pulse Oxymetry and the TruSeen 2.0 Sleep Detection Technology are excellent software that allows for a continuous heart rate monitor, blood oxygen level monitor and real-time sleep tracking. There are 9 workout modes available for some fairly accurate tracking, the 5ATM water resistance means you can confidently go on a swim with this, and the device alerts you to get up and stretch your legs if you've been sitting for too long. The onboard battery is 100 mAh, with Huawei claiming a 14-day life on a single charge. The Band also allows you to control music playback on your phone, and if you use a Huawei device, it can act as a remote camera shutter.
The Honor Band 5 is a better fitness band than most other options here and will be a better buy for those looking to invest a small budget in a smart band for their daily exercise routine.
Amazfit Bip Smartwatch - Rs 5,799
The Amazfit Bip Smartwatch is one of the cheapest smartwatches on the market right now, and it's massive battery life and a similar design to the earlier Apple Watches make it an attractive choice. The watch has a 1.28-inch always-on anti-fingerprint coated LCD display with rather thick bezels, set in a matte textured polycarbonate chassis and covered with 2.5 D curved Gorilla Glass 3. The display panel is transflective, which means that intense or direct sunlight will not reduce its visibility but will, in fact, increase it. The device has a hardware button on the side to wake/unlock it, and on it's rear are charging pins and a heart rate sensor. The button can also be programmed to start tracking a particular activity if long pressed.
The touchscreen supports gestures like swipe up, down, left and right, and is easy to get used to. The 190 mAh battery inside provides up to a whopping 30 days of life on a single charge, and a further 15 days with minimal notifications. Apart from the battery, there is a 3 axis accelerometer, a barometer, a GPS and a geomagnetic sensor inside. These allow for the watch to track progress while biking, walking or running, and also provides an in-built compass, apart from working with the companion MiFit app for enhanced fitness functionality. The watch also produces vibrations for non-obtrusive alarms and alerts and has a water resistance rating of IP68.
The Amazfit Bip might be the perfect fit for you if you're on the lookout for a fitness wearable and prefer the design of a smartwatch, retailing at Rs. 5,799, with festival discounts bringing it down to Rs. 4,999 in some outlets.
Samsung Galaxy Fit- Rs 8,990
The Samsung Galaxy Fit is one of Samsung's cheapest wearables, but at Rs. 8,990 it is the most expensive one on this list. The band comes with a 0.95 inch full-color AMOLED display that has a resolution of 120x240 pixels and lights up when the wrist is raised, while the straps are interchangeable, allowing for users to mix and match it to their own liking. On the side of the device is a button that functions as a back button, while also being programmable to start a workout tracker when touched and held. The 120 mAh battery should last a week on a single charge according to Samsung's official website.
The Galaxy Fit gains an edge over the other smart bands when it comes to its user interface- FreeOS is a much more intuitive and colorful operating system than the other smart wearable software. Although it is a hassle to use two phone apps (the Galaxy Wearable app to pair and Samsung Health for the fitness features), once you get used to it, the fitness experience on this device is unmatched by any other at this price point. The band detects 6 workouts automatically, while more than 90 different workouts can be tracked via the excellent Samsung Health app. Haptic vibrations are produced for alerts, alarms, and as an inactivity reminder, while highly accurate tracking is provided with the help of the internal accelerometer and gyrometer. The heart rate sensor on the rear also helps to track sleep and even stress levels, and the device automatically detects and starts tracking the wearers' walks after 10 minutes.
The Samsung Galaxy Fit is evidently a smart band priced at a premium because it caters to a niche crowd of highly driven fitness enthusiasts, and if you're one of them, then this might very well be the choice for you.
Mi Band 3- Rs 1,599
The most affordable device on this list, the Mi Band 3 was released about a year ago and has since become one of the most popular fitness bands in the country, retailing at a low price of Rs. 1,599. The body of the smart band is a polycarbonate capsule with a 0.78-inch monochrome OLED touch display. The display has a resolution of 128x80 pixels and has a slight curve before tapering into the edges of the body. Below it lies a circular depression, which is a capacitive button that acts as a home button and can also be used to accept or reject incoming calls to your phone. On the rear of the device is a PPG heart rate sensor, while inside the capsule is a 3 axis accelerometer and a 110 mAh battery which can give up to 20 days of battery life according to Xiaomi's official website. The capsule is housed in a strap made of thermoplastic elastomer with an aluminium alloy buckle. You can swap out the straps for the many other colours and design options available, making the band quite customizable.
The Mi Band 3 can work independently of your phone with features like the display clock and stopwatch inbuilt, but pairing it to your phone via Bluetooth through the Mi Fit app enables a host of nifty fitness-oriented functions, apart from also providing the ability to receive and read messages. Using the phone's GPS, the band provides tracking for various exercises including swimming, given that the band is water-resistant up to 50 metres (5ATM). Another useful feature of the device is the vibrating alarm that is strong enough to alert you or wake you up without disturbing anyone in the vicinity. If by any stroke of bad luck, you lose your phone, the Mi Band 3 can trigger it to play an alert until you find it. With so many tools packed into such a small device that is aggressively priced, the Mi Band 3 should suit the need of many fitness enthusiast or general consumers alike.
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