Admittedly, I’ve never used a smartwatch before, having always used traditional analogue wristwatches. But ever since the release of the first Apple Watch in 2015, I’ve been tempted to get a smartwatch to try it out and see how it works.
However, the high price point of the Apple Watch is a little off-putting for me, so I’ve recently started looking at cheaper alternatives that can still provide value for money and are also great for daily, day-to-day use.
Oppo’s latest release, the Band 2, caught my eye due to its price and features, and fortunately, over the course of two weeks, I was able to test the device out – here are my thoughts.
Design
Inside the box, you’ll find the Band 2, a charging cable and the safety guides – the standard items you’d expect to find inside.
With the Oppo Band 2, it uses a 1.57-inch AMOLED display which allows for really vibrant colours and is overall, bright enough to display whatever is on-screen clearly.
The designers were going for a sleek and minimalistic design, and they got it spot on. With bands that are light and breathable (weighing in at just 33g), I barely felt like I was wearing a watch at times, and even forgot to take it off before I slept.
It also comes with a water resistance rating of 5 ATM, which means that rain or shine, wearing the watch out is perfectly fine! You could even bring the watch for a swim, and it’ll be a-okay.
Overall, this means the Band 2 has a great design that doesn’t compromise comfort and durability, making it a great watch to wear out for any occasion!
Features
To have the full experience for the Band 2, you have to download the HeyTap Health app, which allows you to change things such as custom watch faces and notifications. It even lets you see detailed reports of your workouts, stress levels, breathing patterns etc.
The watch also comes with an in-built stopwatch and alarm, so there’s no need to use your phone if you need to time or wake yourself up!
Unfortunately, the Band 2 is not fully compatible with iPhone, so features such as music control and “Find My Phone” are not supported. However, when I tested it out with an Android phone, the features worked just fine, though the music control sometimes tends to be a little sluggish.
As for phone calls, the watch will buzz to notify you whenever one comes in, though there is only an option to decline the call. This is the same for notifications, with the watch buzzing each time you get a message, though you can control which apps send notifications to your watch via the HeyTap Health App.
Performance
The Band 2 shines in its primary focus: Exercising. For example, when I did bouldering with it, it gave me a detailed rundown of the session, such as the number of calories burnt, my average heart rate, as well as a classified breakdown of the intensity of the activity. However, I had to start the activity manually via the watch itself, which may be a little tedious to do over and over again.
Running and walking, however, are two activities that the watch automatically detects, giving you live information such as the distance covered, the duration of the activity, a breakdown of the intensity and the number of calories burnt.
Lastly, the watch also provides you with a summary of your day, such as the number of activities done, the number of steps walked, and calories burned to name a few. This thus makes the watch a great companion to have while exercising, and for its price, makes it a really good watch to consider.
Battery
In terms of battery life, the Band 2 claims a battery lifespan of 14 days for regular day-to-day use. During the two weeks that I tested out the Band 2, the battery life didn’t last for that duration, but it still did alright. I generally used it for some exercise and everyday use, and it managed to survive on a single charge for almost a whole week straight.
Charging-wise, the Band 2 does so incredibly quickly, going from nearly flat to fully charged in less than an hour. So, in conclusion, the battery life on the watch is superb and can be used for long periods.
Verdict
For its price point, the Oppo Band 2 is, in my opinion, one of the best value-for-money smartwatches I’ve seen. Its detailed summaries of your workouts give great information. Furthermore, its long battery life and sleek design make it easy to pair with outfits and use for everyday activities as well.
For more information, you can check out Oppo Band 2’s official site. Or if you’re ready to jump in with a purchase, you can get it from their Shopee or Lazada digital stores.
Photos Courtesy of Glenton Weng of the DANAMIC Team.
Oppo Band 2
S$99
Pros
- Good value for money
- Great for workouts
- Comfortable and lightweight
Cons
- Customisability is limited
- Certain features are unavailable on IOS
