I think everybody needs a smart bracelet, no matter how active or inactive you are they help motivate you and get you moving more. But not all smart bracelets are the same, and depending on what you want to get out of them you don’t want to be spending a small fortune on something you’re either not going to be able to operate confidently or have features that you don’t really need.
I’ve tried and tested two inexpensive, easy-to-use smart bracelets with slightly different features depending on your needs.
Lenovo HX06 Smart Bracelet: Price: $18.06 Colour options: Black, Blue Jay Main Features:
- Latest bezel-less display, 0.87 inches
- Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 4.2
- IP67 waterproof
- Battery Capacity: 60mAh
- Lenovo Healthy App: supports third-party login for Facebook, Twitter, QQ, WeChat where users can share their fitness data.
From the start the HX06 is easy to set up via the app and the design of the band is very sleek. There are no cables needed to charge it, as it plugs straight into USB a hub on your laptop- you’ve got to love that! But be aware you can only charge it on your laptop otherwise you may short-circuit the band if a stronger current is introduced.
The Lenovo HX06 is comfortable to wear and has a slimline design so it’s not clunky and can be worn all day every day. Its features include a calorie counter, pedometer, distance recording, sleep monitor and alarm. The app is a valuable feature, providing you with a sleep report as well recording your movement and weight goals. It will vibrate to advise you once you’ve hit your movement goal for the day as well- which gives you an accomplished feeling and motivates you to keep it up! A bit of motivation goes a long way, especially in winter. The fitness tracker is really helpful if you want to record the distance you’ve walked or run as well as your steps for the day, week and month.
The sleep monitor is a good feature as you can see the levels of deep and light sleep during the night, throughout the week and month. Sleep times can be adjusted to suit your times via the app, and you do get a general understanding of your sleeping pattern. In most cases, you can then identify where you’re burning the candle on both ends!
I found the sedentary reminder really helpful, it buzzes when you’re sitting down for too long between certain hours such as 9 am to 6 pm (you can modify these hours to suit your work day). So, it’s great when you have a desk job and need a reminder to move around- like I do.
Unfortunately, the HX06’s downfall is that there is no heart rate monitor. And whilst it notifies you that you’ve got a message, call, Instagram, Facebook and email notification, it doesn’t give you a preview of the messages like the Elephone Band 5 does (see below for more details). Although, you can see who’s calling you on the smart bracelets screen.
You can also change the screen from horizontal to vertical, so it adjusts to your preference. It’s a great, well-priced smart bracelet if all you need is the basics of a pedometer and watch with a few extra features.
Elephone ELE Band 5 Smart Bracelet: Price: $26.40 Colour options: Black Main Features:
- Nordic 52832 Bluetooth 4.0 chip, low consumption and fast-paced
- IP67 waterproof
- Battery Capacity: 90mAh
- 0.96 inch TFT colour screen, shoes high-resolution images
- App notifications, Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, Line, QQ, Skype, Twitter
- WearFit 2.0 app, check your health data on your phone
Like the Lenovo HX06, the ELE Band 5 Smart Bracelet plugs straight into your USB hub. No wires to worry about and it can be recharged virtually anywhere there is a USB hub. It also has a 10-day battery life when fully charged.
By far the more superior of the two smart bands the Elephone ELE Band 5 has several functions including heart rate monitor, pedometer, calorie counter, sleep monitor, a colour screen and camera control.
The great thing is that the Band 5 is water resistant, corrosion resistant and has dust resistance. There’s really no excuse to take it off -well unless you’re going for a swim.
The Elephone ELE Band 5 not only notifies you when you have a message but also gives you a preview of that message- so if it’s urgent you know you need to get on to it ASAP. It also does the same for Facebook messenger, We Chat and shows the phone number that’s calling. Handy when you’re screening messages and calls especially in meetings or at work.
When it comes to the aesthetic aspect of the bracelet you have a few options to play around with, you can change the background of the screen with the choices provided, and clock face too.
If your day (like mine) consists of sitting at a desk this bracelet like the HX06 encourages you to get up and move as much as possible, it notifies that you’ve been sitting for too long by vibrating. However, here’s where the bracelets differ, while they both display distance and calories, the Band 5 has a stopwatch function, a sports function and a heart rate monitor. Your heart rate is tracked whether you’re resting, working out or sleeping and if your heart rate is getting too high the fitness tracker will alert you, so you can slow down. If all those gizmos don’t encourage you to move then I’m not sure what will!
The Band 5 is a great product no matter how fit (or unfit) you are and the price is really reasonable for a product with this much on offer. My only pet peeve with it was that the bracelet was not as slim and fashionable as the HX06 in that it has a buckle, not a clasp.
What’s the verdict?
Both bracelets are useful for different situations, if you’re a gym junkie or looking for a smart bracelet that’s a bit more technical and can do a lot more then the Elephone Band 5 is for you. If you want a smart bracelet for the kids or for a less techy person then go for the Lenovo Hx06. It’s perfect for those who just want to monitor their calories and steps.
For me personally, the Band 5 was my preference as it allowed me to check messages and notifications when I couldn’t get to my phone and also the heart rate monitor was a must so I know what my rate is while I work out.
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