There is a huge audience out there wanting to simply experience a smartwatch rather than spending big bucks on a high-end gadget. Take a look at smartphone companies. Over the years, be it a Xiaomi or OnePlus, they have all pushed up the average price of their new phones but at the same time, they keep coming up with a few devices that cater to a crowd looking for something reasonable. It’s all about one’s understanding of the value chain.
Amazfit keeps offering some really good smartwatches, like the T-Rex, Stratos 3 and Bip S. Enter Bip S Lite. Of course, the name says it all. It’s not just light on the wrist but also on the wallet. After trying it for 10-odd days one is impressed by many aspects of the smartwatch and at the same time wonders if the company would come up with a couple of upgrades.
Familiar feeling
There is no difference in the design department. If you strap on a Bip S and a Bip S Lite, it would be hard to tell them apart. In fact, we are still reminded of the original Amazfit Bip. The 1.28-inch transflective colour display can be read without any problem even under bright sunlight. Weighing only 30g (with the strap), one wouldn’t even feel that something is on the wrist. The wristband has a soft rubberised finish that looks okay and is certainly not uncomfortable even after a day’s wear. Amazfit hasn’t changed the design probably because it works well.
This brings us to the not-so-good part. Chunky bezels. Yes, it’s still there and it gives the feeling that one is wearing a device from 2019 or even the year before. Amazfit should really look at increasing the size of the screen by reducing the bezels.
The dial on the right side is simply for going into the options menu, which we will discuss shortly. Staying on with the display, it’s responsive enough to score some brownie points. Almost none of the swipes fail. Needless to say, there is no storage available for music files and you can’t load any third-party apps on the device. This is not necessarily a disadvantage. Those who are into fitness devices, want something that offers good sensors and gather accurate readings. Bip S Lite does just that. The companion app is very good and there are a lot of readings at one’s fingertips. The other change one would like to see is the ability to send preset replies to notifications.
It’s not a toughie!
Like we said, Amazfit delivers what it promises — accurate readings. Be it the number of steps one takes, heart rate or sleep monitoring, it’s all there. Of course, at Lite’s price point, don’t expect a built-in GPS. It also doesn’t monitor swims for which we would ask you to look at Bip S. But the watch is 5 ATM certified or up to 50 metres of water depth.
Is it for you?
The company says one can get 30 days of battery life on typical usage. Of course, that’s not a practical scenario because one likes to keep the always-on display setting, well, on! And the brightness level of the display also matters. We are looking at 15-16 days of battery life, which too is brilliant. Also, the watch is hardy and the companion app is helpful. The Amazfit Bip S Lite is what one would like to call a good stepping stone into the world of smartwatches.
Amazfit Bip S Lite Sourced by the Telegraph
At a glance
Device: Amazfit Bip S Lite
- Weight: 30g (with strap)
- Always-on display: Yes
- Water resistant: 5ATM certified
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0/ BLE
- Battery life: Daily use — 30 days (with some features turned off)
- Display: 1.28 inches, 176x176, transflective colour TFT
- Supported devices: Android 5.0 or iOS 10.0 and above
- Sensors: BioTracker PPG bio-tracking optical heart rate sensor, three-axis acceleration sensor
- Price: Rs 3,799
