Amazfit Bip S Smartwatch Review

Amazfit Bip S smartwatch review: Price and battery life will smoke the opposition

The Amazfit Bip S isn't the best smartwatch I've at any point tried - way off the mark. But it's definitely the longest-running one. I wore it for almost 10 days straight without having to charge it once, and that's a lot more than I can say for its pricier competitors. But if battery life alone isn't enough to get your attention, the $69 price tag should seal the deal. (UK prices weren't available, but it's AU$119 in Australia, which is about £65.)

The Bip S is the third variant of the Amazfit Bip (along with the Amazfit Bip Lite). Made by Chinese organization Huami in 2018, the first Bip was a fan most loved as it so happens.It did the essential smartwatch errands for significantly less than contenders, and it kept going as long as 45 days on a solitary charge.CNET's Scott Stein gave it high praise, calling it one of the best low-key smartwatches around. 

The Bip S has better fitness features and a slightly better screen than its predecessor, but it hasn't changed much in the last two years. And while it's still one of the best deals out there, it lags a bit behind others, like the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch , when it comes to features and connectivity. 

The Amazfit Bip S comes in four hues, with another two-conditioned pink choice. Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET A design that matches the price

Save for a few new color options (pink and green) and a brighter display, the Bip S looks like a carbon copy of the original Bip. And by that, I mean it looks like a plastic Apple Watch, with a much thicker bezel and lighter frame. 

It's definitely not the most attractive smartwatch I've laid my eyes on, but it's practical and more comfortable to wear than some of the more premium, heavier watches that are bulkier. It's so light that I even forgot I had it on when I slept.

But the biggest price compromise comes at the expense of the screen.It's consistently on, which is a decent advantage, however it's not exactly as sharp, splendid or responsive as a phone screen. The backlight also didn't always turn on when I needed it to. Sometimes it works on demand, but I had to exaggerate raising my wrist more often than I'd like to get it to turn on. And as mentioned before, it's not as sensitive to touch. I had to swipe or tap the screen a few times to get it to respond. When it does light up or brighten though, it's clear to see in broad daylight. 

The Bip S includes a few more watch faces than its predecessors, as well as the ability to customize some of the existing ones.

The Bip S' improved fitness tracking

The first Amazfit Bip secured the fundamentals when it came to wellness following, however the Bip S makes it a stride further by including more exercises and better measurements. 

It can now log up to 10 different activities including yoga, weights and swimming. Its 5ATM water resistance makes it safe for both pool and open-water swims, and its built-in GPS means you can leave your phone on dry land while you're in the water or out on a run.

Since testing the Amazfit Bip S, I've had the option to follow my details precisely. But I have to remember to do it properly. For example, the dial button can be programmed as a shortcut to start workouts, which is convenient. But for running (or other outdoor workouts) I still have to press the screen to confirm GPS connection before actually registering the run. This defeats the purpose of having the shortcut in the first place. The first few times I took it out, I forgot to confirm and it didn't log my run. Because it doesn't have automatic workout detection, you have to start it manually to actually log your workouts -- yet it will pause automatically when it senses that you've stopped moving for a while.

Like its antecedent, the Bip S has ceaseless pulse checking. During exercises, it broke down my information into zones on the mobile app to show whether I was in a light, intensive, aerobic, anaerobic or Vo2 max (maximum oxygen consumption) heart-rate zone.This is like what different sports watches like Fitbit and Garmin do, but since the Bip S' results didn't generally mirror the force at which I saw my exercise, I'm incredulous of its exactness.

The best redesigns on the Amazfit Bip S are prosperity and wellbeing related. Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET The Bip S translates heart rate into health metrics 

In addition to the usual steps and distance, the Bip S adds a new metric called PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence)., which grades you on how much activity you've done during the day This means that rather than relying on step count or calories burned, the Bip S uses heart rate data (along with basic demographic information) to determine whether or not the user was able to raise their heart rate long enough throughout the day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. When this is achieved, the risk of developing chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension and diabetes lowers, according to Huami.

The idea itself is not novel and it's similar to the move ring on the Apple Watch and zone minutes on Fitbit devices -- all of which are activity metrics that go beyond step counting. But it's new to the Bip family, and it was a good way to keep myself honest about how much activity I was doing (or not doing) during the day. Having it actually motivated me to keep going throughout the week. 

Bip S lacks certain smart features and has unreliable connectivity

The greatest major issue for me about the Amazfit is that it didn't generally function admirably as a "smart" watch. Technically it's compatible with iOS and Android, but when I tried to use it with my iPhone , the connection was unreliable. I'd stop receiving phone notifications on the watch, and I'd have to re-pair the app with the phone a few times. A firmware update did help with the connectivity issues, but it didn't completely solve the problem. Seeing my data on the phone app also took a while to sync, too. 

In any event, when the Amazfit showed my notices appropriately, I was unable to do much with them. Because it doesn't have a microphone, dictation is also out of the question, so don't think about programming quick replies. 

All in all, besides a few basic apps for the weather and music control (which is a step up from the original Bip), the watch basically mirrors your phone and doesn't have many standalone functions. Even the alarm app has to be programmed on the phone, and there are no mobile payments of any sort. 

Bip S' long battery life makes rest following a breeze

Even with its spotty connectivity and mediocre smart features, this watch keeps going long after its competitors give up. The fact that I didn't have to sideline it to a charger at the end of the day meant it never left my wrist. 

Huami says it can go up to 40 days on a charge if you're doing the bare-bone functions, although realistically I'd expect about 15 days worth of battery life. Or 10 days if you're firing on all cylinders, like myself (max screen brightness and GPS workouts on a regular basis, for example). 

Past the comfort of not charging it toward the finish of every day, having it on day in and day out implied I followed my rest much more routinely than I did with different smartwatches.

The Bip S gave me a sleep score in the morning based on a number of different factors, like sleep duration, bedtime and quality of sleep compared to other users. As a mother of two small children, I know my sleep habits have room for improvement, so I was shocked to find that I've been averaging about a 90 (out of 100) every night. So either Amazfit clients have unfortunate rest propensities, or it's not truly adept at deciding if I'm sleeping nursing the infant or in reality snoozing. I presume it may be a mix of both.

But even with my skepticism, having this data over a longer period of time helped me identify the times when I was getting the most restful sleep and it changed my bedtime habits (to an earlier hour) so I could maximize that deep sleep cycle. Whether it actually helps me feel more rested during the day is TBD. 

The Bip S is a modest choice, however it won't supplant your phone

If you're looking for a smartwatch to free you from your phone once in a while, this is not it. In that case you're better off getting an Apple Watch Series 3 or Galaxy Watch Active 2 .tracks your rest and movement levels and once in a while tells you when somebody is attempting to contact you. But for some, that's all they really need. And for $69 it's as good of a deal on an entry-level smartwatch as you can get, especially if you're on the fence about getting one in the first place. 

After this audit, I'm most likely going to resign the Bip S for a more astute other option. But I'm definitely going to miss that enduring battery life. And I agree with CNET's Rick Broida, who said he might even consider going back to it when he travels to save losing yet another cable to the hotel room power outlet. But we'll see about that once "traveling" becomes a thing again.