OnePlus Band — A Satisfactory Performance
Last year was successful for OnePlus in the blooming accessories market. The brand launched the OnePlus Buds, which received a positive response from the public and destroyed its competition. OnePlus is known as the ‘flagship killer’ because they tend to release quality products that undercut the premium products in terms of price. And that’s what they did with OnePlus Buds. Riding high on its success, they have finally entered the smart wearables market with the OnePlus Band.
Fitness Features:
The OnePlus Band isn’t small on the feature side too. It comes with a host of fitness features like Step and Sleep Tracking, SPO2 sensor and a Heart Rate Sensor.
The step tracking isn’t the most accurate due to the lack of an in-built GPS but does the job fine. There are 13 exercise modes preloaded in the OnePlus Band namely — Indoor Run, Outdoor Run, Indoor Cycling, Outdoor Cycling, Fat Burn Run, Outdoor Walk, Free Training, Rowing Machine, Elliptical Trainer, Badminton, Cricket, Yoga and Pool Swimming.
Sleep Tracking tracks your sleeping pattern to give you a general overview of your sleep. It detects your sleeping time, quality of sleep and number of times you woke up in the night among other things.
The OnePlus Band bears the in-demand SPO2 sensor, which its primary competitor, Mi Band 5 lacks. Though not medically certified, the readings from the SPO2 sensor are mostly accurate.
The Heart Rate sensor given here is customizable via the OnePlus Health App. You can set it to activate at three-time intervals — 6 minutes, 2 minutes or every second. You can also view your resting heart rate in the app. The band also notifies you of any irregularities in your heart rate.
Other Features:
The OnePlus band has a host of mobile connectivity features as well. You can view your notifications, though they are not actionable. You also get notified of any calls which can be muted or cut directly from the band.
Additionally, it provides you with an option to search your phone, which works seamlessly. You also get the music controls and a remote camera shutter button.
There are various watch faces to choose from the OnePlus Health app, with the option of using a personalized watch face as well.
Apart from the default black strap that you get in the box, the company will offer straps in Tangerine Gray and Navy for Rs. 399 each.
The OnePlus Band is compatible with phones running Android 6.0 or higher. However, iPhone support is in the works and will arrive at a later stage.
Product Specifications:
The OnePlus Band comes with a light (22.6 g) silicone strap which is comfortable to wear. The strap measures 40.4×17.6×11.95mm and has a lined texture which makes it easier to grip while wearing.
The band comes with an IP68 water and dust resistance. It also comes with 5 ATM rating for water, so swimming with it shouldn’t be a problem.
The company promises a 14-day battery life with the provided 100 mAh battery. To charge the Oneplus band, you need to pull out the main unit and plug it in it the given charger. However, it is a hassle, and a magnetic charger would have been a much better option.
The display provided here is a crisp and sharp 1.1 inch AMOLED, with adequate brightness. The colours are punchy, just what you’d expect from an AMOLED.
The OnePlus Band has a simple UI, which is easy to use and highly responsive. There is no cluttering in the options, and the text is large and easily readable.
Verdict:
Priced at Rs. 2,499, the Oneplus Band is a tough competitor for the Mi Band 5. It gets all the basics down but lacks the standout factor that OnePlus devices usually have.
The display is good, the UI is clean, and you get all the fitness features that one needs. But they could have done a better job on the battery and the charging mechanism. Also, the OnePlus Health App does not look well optimized.
All in all, the OnePlus Band is a smart band which will meet your expectations.
OnePlus band will be available on Amazon, OnePlus.in, OnePlus Store app, OnePlus exclusive offline store, Flipkart, and partner outlets from January 13.
Frequently Asked Questions ??
What is the compatibility of OnePlus band ?
It’s compatible with Android 6.0 or higher & iPhone version is coming soon.
Is it water resistant ?
Yes. You can even swim wearing it.
What is the battery life of One plus Band ?
It’s battery can last up-to 14 days.
