Amazfit products are not positioned as competitors to the Apple Watch. But smart watches from this manufacturer are loved by users, because inexpensive gadgets turned out to be very effective. Almost the main hit, Amazfit Bip, has found its next heir. After the release of the Amazfit Bip S, it is time for the Amazfit Bip S Lite. Let's look at this device and compare it with its predecessor, finding out what exactly the Lite console gave or deprived.
Specifications Amazfit Bip S Lite
- Display: touch transflective color display (64 colors) with a diagonal of 1.28 inches and a resolution of 176 × 176 pixels, with Always-on Display technology, 2.5D Corning Gorilla 3 protection, anti-fingerprint protection.
- Communication and navigation: Bluetooth 5.0/BLE.
- Waterproof: 5 ATM dust and waterproof (rain, splashes, accidental immersion, showers, surface swimming, non-deep diving).
- Battery: 200 mAh, up to 90 days in standby mode and up to 30 days in normal mode. Charging time up to 2.5 hours.
- Sensors: Huami's BioTracker PPG for heart rate scanning, triaxial accelerometer.
- Compatibility: Android from version 5.0, iOS from version 10.
- Dimensions: 35.3 × 42 × 11.4 mm.
- Weight: 30 g with strap and 18 g without.
- Model number: A1823.
We open it and feel it. What is what?
So, in front of me is a small box. It’s light, which already puts you in a good mood. Inside, everything is on point: the watch itself, the charging dock and the manual. The latter could be completely neglected.
The two important things that first come to mind when you pick up a watch are: “Wow, how light it is!” and “How pleasant they are to the touch!” Indeed, they weigh 30 grams with a strap. Pushinka. The body itself has a nice rough plastic surface. Front side, glass with 2.5D effect (essentially rounded glass) and oleophobic coating. Here, by the way, is Corning Gorilla Glass 3rd generation.
The strap is silicone, removable, but choose your colors before purchasing, since I found alternative straps for sale only on AliExpress.
The strap has many grooves for a classic lock with a tongue, suitable for different hands. But the free end lock here is unusual. It has a ridge and does the job very well. But you need to get used to taking off and putting on your watch.
The watch unit itself is somewhat similar to the Apple Watch. Similar outline, 2.5D effect and button on the side. The screen here is TFT, 176 by 176 pixels. It won’t pamper you with a saturated picture or super contrast, but it will please you with the fact that it is clearly visible in the sun and can work for 30 days without charging. And that's why.
A transflective display is used here. From the English words “pass” and “reflect” (transflective = transmissive + reflective). In daylight, the display reflects light, allowing you to see what is displayed on it. If this is not enough, then press the button on the side and the backlight turns on. Yes, the screen here is always on and can be seen without active backlighting. Due to this, long battery life is achieved.
The backlight also turns on automatically if you raise your hand to look at your watch. This works due to the accelerometer. Since there are no optical light sensors here.
The display, of course, is touch-sensitive; all operations are done with swipes and taps. The side button turns on the backlight, and by holding it you can assign a custom action. For example, tracking your run.
On the back of the main unit there is a heart rate monitor. It is optical, the BioTracker PPG sensor was developed by Amazfit itself and the manufacturer claims that it is very economical in terms of energy consumption. We will return to this later. The main thing is that this sensor unit does not stick out much from the body, like, for example, an Apple watch. And the watch generally sits comfortably on the hand.
A few words about charging. The docking station is similar to those found on Huawei bracelets. The main block is inserted with a click into the grooves. There is no need to remove the strap, just remove it from your hand. Charges from any USB connector. A full charge took me a little over two hours.
What can the Amazfit Bip S Lite smartwatch do?
When purchasing such a gadget, you need to clearly understand what to expect from it. A relatively young category of devices - smart watches - not only displays the time, but also displays a lot of useful information: these are notifications about calls, SMS, emails and messages from instant messengers, as well as from various applications running on a smartphone. Now you can not take out your phone, but quickly get information directly from the watch screen. In addition, they learned to count the steps taken, provide a weather forecast and display the track played by the smartphone.
The main screen of Amazfit Bip S Lite itself is not just time numbers, but a functional information board with widgets. For example, they may display the current heart rate or some kind of reminder.
The widgets themselves are also not static; you can add them at your discretion, displaying more than 20 different functions on the main screen: alarm clock, stopwatch, charge indicator and others.
The Amazfit Bip S Lite watch is perfect for people leading an active lifestyle. During one of 13 workout programs, the watch will track distance traveled and heart rate, calculating calories burned. The more active you are, the more points the application will give out, and virtual rewards also act as an incentive.
Amazfit Bip S Lite's heart rate and step measurements are accurate enough for fitness use.
In the Zepp application (Android, iOS) on your smartphone, you can select applications from which notifications will be sent to your watch. Unfortunately, you cannot answer messages and calls - you can only mute the sound and hang up the call.
Amazfit app
The watch can work either independently or in conjunction with a smartphone. If you want to use the gadget’s capabilities to the fullest, you will still have to pair it with your phone. In the Amazfit app, you can set which notifications will appear on your watch, set training goals, and track your progress.
In general, it is not necessary to use the application all the time - it is more needed for the initial setup and keeping statistics of your activities. You can also start a workout with geolocation tracking in the program - then you can save not only the history of the steps taken, but also track your movements while jogging or cycling.
Another favorite feature available in Amazfit is the ability to add friends who use the manufacturer’s fitness gadgets in the application and monitor their sports achievements.
Amazfit Bip S Lite package contents
The black paper packaging with the product characteristics is already in a thick white cardboard box.
In addition to the watch itself with a single black strap, it also contains a charging cradle, as well as a compact but multi-page user manual in several languages, including Russian.
Let's sum it up
Owners of the first generation Amazfit Bip, of course, should not upgrade to the lightweight version. There are no significant improvements in this model. The light version is worth buying for those who do not care about the GPS module, but what matters is the price reduction of about $10 and slightly improved water protection.
In general, this is a fairly good budget option for a smart watch with a minimal set of functions and capabilities, but with excellent battery life and an adequate price. It is unlikely that you can find a smart watch on the market with a similar price-quality ratio.
Amazfit Bip S Lite design
The watch has the same rectangular shape with rounded edges as the rest of the Bip line. The only physical button is located on the right side of the device. This important control element is made of 316L stainless steel. On the back of the watch there is a biometric sensor and two charging contacts.
But only the button on the watch is made of steel – the main body is made of polycarbonate, which makes the device so light.
Amazfit Bip S Lite can be purchased in one of three colors: blue, pink and black. The removable silicone strap is 20mm wide and the same color as the case.
The blue and pink elements are produced using Huami's proprietary technology, which makes the straps soft, dry and resistant to dirt. The black one is made from skin-safe TPU material that inherently has these characteristics. There are two strap options: long 110 mm and short 85 mm.
Design
The Amazfit Bip Lite smartwatch looks similar to the older version without the Light prefix. The similarities are noticeable:
- in a display with 2.5D glass and wide frames around the screen;
- mechanical control key on the right side of the case;
- the location of the heart rate sensor and magnetic charging contacts on the back side.
Among the differences: factory markings appeared next to the smaller heart rate sensor. The hole for the biometric sensor has also disappeared, making it possible to implement moisture protection of 3 atm: with the watch you can swim in the shower, walk in the rain and exercise in the pool, but not dive into depth.
The watch is attached to the hand using a stretchy silicone strap. The standard solution can be changed to another, not necessarily an official bracelet purchased on AliExpress.
It is convenient to use Amazfit Bip Light due to:
- weight 32 grams: not felt when worn;
- silicone strap: has a lot of holes for fastening, stretches when fastened tightly.
Amazfit Bip S Lite screen
The screen of this model is made using TFT technology. This is a reflective display that does not fade in the sun and can remain on for a long time, consuming virtually no energy. The screen displays up to 64 colors in the RGB palette, which provides a bright, realistic picture.
The display recognizes touches and swipes - it is with their help that the main control of devices occurs. Amazfit Bip S Lite has a useful Always-On Display function, which allows you to ensure that certain information is always displayed on the screen even in inactive mode.
Display and control
The watch screen is made using transflective technology: under the matrix there is an additional reflective layer that uses external light (sun, lamps) to illuminate the pixels. What does this give the user:
- increased energy efficiency: saves battery, since the LED backlight turns on only at night;
- the information remains readable even when the display is exposed to direct sunlight.
TFT matrices are inferior to AMOLED counterparts. Their advantage is the affordable cost of production.
The characteristics of the miracle display revolve around a diagonal of 1.28 inches and a resolution of 176 x 176. The entire available palette is expressed in only 8 colors. A layer of oleophobic coating is applied on top: it does not leave fingerprints. There is tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Despite its presence, it is recommended to use additional protection in the form of films.
The screen's downside is its viewing angles. It is difficult to see information from the side, which is why you have to look at the display directly.
The Huami Amazfit Bip Lite is controlled using a touch panel and a mechanical button. The latter can:
- turn on the backlight;
- return to previous menu;
- go to the main screen;
- When pressed for a long time, activate frequently used functions.
Swipe functions:
- from top to bottom – opens information about battery life, Bluetooth connection status and allows you to enable do not disturb mode;
- bottom to top – displays received notifications and messages from instant messengers;
- from right to left – weather forecast for the day/week;
- from left to right – go to the main menu.
Notifications received from a smartphone are displayed in full (full text). You cannot reply to a message; template phrases are not provided.
The main menu includes the following sections:
- status – displays the distance traveled per day, number of steps, heart rate, calories burned;
- activity – enable active modes;
- alarm;
- timer;
- weather;
- settings - people come here to change the dial, find the phone, and reboot.
You cannot switch between multiple tabs. To open a new one, you have to close the old one.
Amazfit Bip S Lite Software
To connect the watch to a smartphone, you will need to install a special Zepp application (formerly called Amazfit). It is developed for both Android and iOS. The MiFit app is no longer suitable for working with this watch.
To link your watch to your smartphone, you will need to activate Bluetooth on it. When you turn on the watch for the first time, a QR code will appear on it, which must be scanned in the proprietary application. This will allow the devices to be paired.
The Zepp app provides options for fine-tuning the watch and how it reacts to various events. This applies to displaying notifications, setting alarms, and unlocking the screen. Here you can work with your workouts, setting a goal for them, tracking your activity over the previous days and monitoring your heart rate, number of steps taken, and quality of sleep. Amazfit Bip S Lite allows you to control music, which will allow you to avoid taking out your smartphone once again, relieving your hands.
The operating system of Amazfit Bip S Lite remains closed. So you won’t be able to install additional third-party applications or widgets here.
Available functions and working with the application
The capabilities of Amazfit Bip Lite are comparable to those of budget smart bracelets:
- sleep monitoring;
- heart rate measurement;
- weather display;
- starting a timer or stopwatch;
- displaying received notifications;
- Warm-up reminder for long periods of inactivity;
- counting the distance traveled and kilocalories burned.
As mentioned at the beginning, there is no GPS here. As an alternative, they suggest using the navigation module of a smartphone and building the routes taken based on it. This and other functions work with minor or noticeable flaws: sleep phases are set incorrectly, real heart rate is reduced during exercise.
To install a new watch face on Amazfit Bip Lite, use the proprietary Zepp or Mi Fit application. There are 20–30 themes to choose from, which you will first need to download to your smartphone, and then they will appear on the watch. Some options offer to configure the display of numbers or the always on display (AoD) mode.
On iPhone, watch faces are only available through the official application.
Download the official software from the application store (Google Play/App Store) or after turning on the watch, scan the QR code that appears on the display. In addition to installing themes, the software records measurement results so you can then view their detailed statistics.
The Zepp and Mi Fit applications differ in their set of functions, but they both allow you to connect Bip Light to your phone.
Features and capabilities of Amazfit Bip S Lite
This watch retains the basic functionality compared to the Amazfit Bip S. These are 40 watch faces that are already available on the device immediately after launch and more than 150 options will come later with updates. Two watch faces now have the ability to customize widgets. Important attention is paid to sports training - the watch has 13 different programs. They will allow the exercises to be more effective.
Huami's proprietary biotracker provides highly accurate heart rate monitoring, monitoring the rate of contractions, including at rest. If your heart rate is elevated, the watch will issue a warning. The Biotracker PPG sensor has a sensor area three times larger than the Amazfit Bip, 7 times more powerful LED, which allows almost doubling the accuracy of heart rate monitoring. At the same time, energy consumption has decreased by 5 times compared to the previous generation model.
For a device that monitors heart rate throughout the day, this is an important indicator. The Huami-PAI health assessment system helps you assess a person's physical condition at a glance.
The watch has a music control function, which allows you to switch tracks directly from the watch.
Standard functions for devices of this class: clock, timer, stopwatch, weather are of course present. When you receive a call on your phone, the watch will vibrate, and you can also read notifications received on your smartphone.
Amazfit Bip S Lite is controlled by touching the screen, swiping and the side button.
Horizontal swipes are responsible for scrolling through the main screens: dial, clock, heart rate monitor, pedometer, activity statistics, weather and player.
A vertical swipe from top to bottom allows you to open the Control Center, which contains four buttons: Flashlight, Adjust screen brightness, Screen lock and Do Not Disturb mode.
A vertical swipe from bottom to top opens the notification menu.
When you press the physical round button to the right of the screen, the main menu will appear with access to different functions:
Achievements . Here you can see information about the user’s activity: the number of steps taken, calories burned.
PAI . This acronym literally means “Personal Activity Analysis”. The watch evaluates a person’s physical activity by studying his heart rate and comparing this with the collected data: pulse, number of steps taken, age, weight.
Heartbeat . Here you can activate the heart rate sensor and study previously collected statistics.
Sports . Menu to choose from 13 workout modes, including: walking, outdoor running, treadmill running, walking, outdoor cycling, indoor cycling, elliptical, free (strength training), yoga, jump rope , table tennis, badminton, cricket, basketball.
Unfortunately, Amazfit Bip S Lite does not have swimming training modes (Amazfit Bip S does have them).
Timer . This menu contains two applications: Stopwatch and Countdown.
Weather. Weather forecast information obtained using a smartphone.
Music. A simple music player that allows you to control the playback of tracks.
Alarm . setting and changing existing alarm clocks.
Settings . In this section, you can customize the behavior and appearance of your watch: set the dials, screen brightness, button action when pressed for a long time, as well as the Find phone option and system options: Power off and Reset.
To return to a higher level in the menu, you need to swipe from left to right.
Functionality
Everything is fine with her here, although she is generally standard. Clocks, alarm clocks and stopwatches - I think this won’t surprise anyone anymore. The alarm clock, by the way, is an ordinary one, not “smart”; it will not wake you up at the desired stage of sleep. Additional nice features: managing music on your smartphone and weather forecast. But for this, which is logical, you need to maintain a connection with your smartphone via Bluetooth. The clock can also remind you that you have been sitting still for a long time and it would be nice to move around.
There is also a heart rate monitor, today you can’t go without it. The heart rate sensor has the option to work constantly, this is useful for monitoring sleep and daytime activity in general. If you disable this feature, continuous monitoring will only be active when you start a workout. The manufacturer claims that the sensor itself is much more accurate, even compared to their previous models, but here it must be compared with some kind of professional equipment. But it is worth noting that it monitors changes in heart rate more accurately than bracelets from other manufacturers. This can be seen in a more detailed graph and heart rate jumps depending on activity. On other devices the graphics were smoother. But the energy efficiency is really excellent, I turned on constant monitoring and started the workout several times, the charge of the watch lasted for 14 days.
The watch also has Huami-PAI, a smart activity tracking system. This is Huami's own development, which rewards your activity throughout the day with points. Running, walking, exercise equipment, everything is a plus. If you overdo it, the system will suggest you slow down. If such features stimulate you, then you will like it, everything is interesting here and there is a description of what the reward is for.
I was pleased with the interface during training. So, when riding a bicycle, it is convenient to use the watch as a speedometer (using the smartphone’s GPS), and based on the results, it even displays a track diagram and detailed information on the screen. Of course, it is convenient to look in more detail through the application.
There, on your smartphone, through the Zepp application (on the first day of the test it was also called Amazfit), you can view more detailed statistics on all parameters, study in detail heart rate graphs, and the track of trips or workouts. Additional functionality includes a choice of custom dials. There are not many of them and some of them are very strange, but it’s a matter of taste. There is plenty to choose from.
By the way, the two standard watch faces can be slightly customized by changing the parameters displayed on the main screen. I hope there will be more customizable watch faces in the future.
Autonomy of Amazfit Bip S Lite (how long does the battery last)
One of the important advantages of Amazfit Bip S Lite is the battery life of the device. This ensures intelligent selection of electronic components and optimized power consumption. The manufacturer guarantees up to 30 days (!!!) of device operation under a typical usage scenario: heart rate measurement every half hour, 100 notifications per day with backlight turned on, sleep monitoring and activity tracking, half-hour daily exercises. You can safely go on a trip for a couple of weeks and be confident that the watch will work without recharging.
Autonomy
The watch is charged on a special stand, which is connected via USB to a power source. The manufacturer promises up to 45 days of operation without recharging - considering that the watch's screen is always active, this is a very strong statement. In two weeks of testing, we spent 70% of the charge, without using the watch except at night.
Charging from zero to 100% takes approximately 2.5 hours, but after just 15 minutes at the outlet the battery will be replenished by 20%.
Amazfit Bip S Lite water resistance
The stated water resistance rating is 5 ATM. This allows the watch to maintain its functionality in unsalted water at a depth of up to 50 meters. Amazfit Bip S Lite is not afraid of splashes, rain or snow, you can safely take a shower in them. But you shouldn’t use the watch during active water activities (scuba diving, high-speed sports). Unfortunately, Amazfit Bip S Lite does not have swimming training modes (Amazfit Bip S does have them).
Functional
In terms of the number of functions, Amazfit Bip Lite, unfortunately, is inferior to even some of the cheapest Chinese fitness bracelets, but for not too demanding users the existing functionality will be sufficient.
The device can:
- Count steps, calories and distance.
- Notify about calls and messages from all popular instant messengers.
- Track your sleep.
- Wake up in the morning.
- Display weather forecast.
- Remind you to stretch.
- Notify when the connection with the smartphone is lost.
- Track multiple sports modes.
- Measure your heart rate.
- Timer, stopwatch.
This is all the standard functionality of this device, but if you wish and have “direct” hands, the capabilities of the watch can be slightly expanded. Firmware from folk craftsmen allows you to add functions such as a calendar, control of a smartphone’s music player, etc.
Unfortunately, questions arose regarding the operation of some functions during operation. If Bip Lite counts steps, distance and calories more or less correctly, then there are complaints about the quality of sleep assessment and sports tracking. The clock determines the time of falling asleep and waking up with a very large upward error. Walking and running monitoring is also not up to par. Even with a smartphone connected to GPS, the error is quite high, although the trajectory of movement is recorded correctly.
How Amazfit Bip S Lite differs from Amazfit Bip S
The Lite addition itself means a certain simplification of the older model, but visually both models are completely identical.
Amazfit Bip S Lite lost the GPS/GLONASS sensor, which made the watch an autonomous tracker with the ability to analyze the path traveled. Also, Bip S Lite did not have a geomagnetic sensor (which is why it lost the Compass application).
In addition, Amazfit Bip S Lite supports fewer sports modes than Bip S – 8 versus 10 respectively (there are no two swimming workouts).
This model received 3 color options instead of 4 from Amazfit Bip S. In addition, the new product has slightly worse battery life - up to 30 days, compared to 40 for its older brother; it is interesting that the battery capacity of both models is the same. With identical dimensions, the Amazfit Bip S watch is 1 gram heavier, but hardly anyone will notice it. It is quite natural that the absence of some functions predetermined the lower price of the Amazfit Bip S Lite model.
Appearance and kit
The Bip S Lite and Bip Lite watches are supplied in cardboard boxes. The new product is slightly larger, completely black with a list of key features on the front and additional information on the back. Bip Lite received a more modest box, it is translucent - you can immediately see the device, the list of parameters is located on the back.
In the Bip S Lite box you find another box, this time in white with a laconic model name. A kind of premium touch. In addition to the watch, the kit includes a charger and instructions. The latter provides technical parameters, warranty service conditions, talks about the level of moisture protection, setting the watch to charge and connecting it to a smartphone. There is also a QR code for downloading the application.
The Bip Lite has a similar kit, with the difference that here you immediately get access to the watch, the charging is different in shape, and the instructions provide almost the same information.
Left Bip Lite, right Bip S Lite
Left Bip Lite, right Bip S Lite
Visually, the watches are practically no different. At first glance, these are absolutely identical devices, but if you look carefully, there are nuances. The Bip S Lite is slightly thicker, the models have different placement and appearance of the sensors on the back, and there are also differences in the buttons.
Bip Lite Bip S Lite
In older watches it is convex and has a glossy finish. The new product is matte and has a concavity. By the way, she received special attention on the official website. According to the manufacturer, the Bip S Lite button is made of high-grade stainless steel and treated with a special compound, which makes it more wear-resistant. I haven't been able to test this after using it for a week, but it looks really nice and well thought out. This is the case when attention is paid to even such a small thing, and this says a lot.
Otherwise, the models are identical - the same screen sizes, the same straps and their attachment to the body, the same belt lock. There are many holes on the strap, the watch is suitable for any hand. At the same time, the belt does not stick out much on my thin arm and does not interfere in any way. The free end lock is interestingly implemented - it not only holds it so that the strap does not dangle, but also has its own tongue, which additionally holds it. This is a convenient and reliable solution, but you need to get used to it.
The most important thing you need to know about the Amazfit Bip S Lite watch
- The price of Amazfit Bip S Lite is 1,000 rubles cheaper than Amazfit Bip S;
- The main difference between Amazfit Bip S Lite and Amazfit Bip S is the absence of a pair of sensors;
- The watch has a fashionable design with rounded edges. You can choose from three color options.
- The actual average operating time of the watch on one charge is 12-13 days;
- The screen is activated by flicking your wrist or pressing the side button;
- The watch is waterproof, which allows you to swim and shower in it, but there is no swimming training;
- There is a ban on installing third-party applications and widgets. Almost all settings can be found in the Zepp app on your smartphone.
- The Amazfit Bip S Lite is accurate enough to measure your heart rate for most workouts.
- The device has a vibration motor and does not have a microphone or speaker.
Impressions of use
We showed the operation of the device, the available functionality and the proprietary application in our video review. Now we will try to concentrate the key points identified during our testing. Undoubtedly, the first key feature of this model is battery life. The Lite version demonstrates similar autonomy as the first version - 30-45 days of operation depending on the usage scenario - these are really real numbers. And in this regard, Amazfit Bip Lite simply has no competitors (if we talk about smart watches with a color display and similar functionality).
Functions
The watch is paired with iOS and Android devices and connects via Bluetooth 5.0, notifying you of new messages and calls. You can't talk on the watch, it doesn't have a microphone or speaker, but you can reject the call or send a message that you're busy, or another template response.
Amazfit Bip U is on the left, Amazfit Bip S is on the right. Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
The Amazfit Bip S has 10 workout modes and two customizable watch faces, and you can download over 40 ready-made watch skins through the phone app. The watch shows the weather forecast, and you can switch tracks on your phone. At the same time, the Amazfit Bip S watch has both a compass and GPS, which the Bip U does not have (but the Pro version does). But Amazfit Bip U already offers more than 60 types of workouts, and for productive work there is a built-in Pomodoro tracker.
Amazfit Bip U is on the left, Amazfit Bip S is on the right. Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
Both devices count steps, measure pulse, distance traveled and keep track of calorie consumption, displaying notifications if you sit for a long time without moving, and also show the weather and work as a remote control for controlling music.
Among the important additions of Amazfit Bip U, it is necessary to highlight the determination of stress levels and measurements of oxygen levels in the blood.
