We only recently wrote about the Amazfit Bip Lite and how it’s such a good, affordable smartwatch. It sells for just under Rs. 3,499 and it has a lot going for it, except it does not include a built-in GPS. What does this mean for you? You need to carry your phone around when you go for a run. This should not bother many but there was already an Amazfit smartwatch called the Bip, which had the GPS functionality. There is now an update to the Bip, and it’s called the Amazfit Bip S. It’s almost the same price and they look quite identical. So, what makes the Bip S any different from the Bip?
The new Bip S still uses a 1.28-inch screen and it’s identical to the Bip, at least on paper. It still runs a resolution of 176 by 176 pixels too. The difference is in its contrast ratio and how bright the screen gets while maintaining the deep blacks. We won’t be using these watches for watching content, but there is visible difference when you hold the watches side by side. The contrast also helps the colours pop. The screen stays active all the time and it can be powered on by pressing the button on the right side. The interface has seen some updates too, so the artwork looks different and the menu layouts are tweaked to show more settings at once.
There are improvements on the connectivity front too. The new Bip S supports Bluetooth 5.0 / BLE which means better power efficiency, which helps the watch achieve its long battery life feat, like we have seen on the Bip and Bip Lite.
The new Bip S now supports 5 ATM water resistance and it still uses a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 surface, so you don’t have to worry about scratches and dents. All these improvements have not made the watch heavier, so it’s weighs roughly the same as the other two models. The Bip S has a slightly larger battery compared to the rest although that may not be noticeable. Amazfit claims the battery should last 40 days with basic use and 15 days with thorough use. The standby time has been rated for 90 days which is a lot. Charging doesn’t take much time either. It still takes about two and a half hours to reach full charge, which is nothing when you compare it to the time the watch is active.
In terms of other features and recording data, it still includes an impressive heart rate monitor, so it watches your sleep and all the other activities. All the information is available on the watch itself as well as accessible using the Amazfit app on the phone. There are 10 different exercise modes to choose from, and having the 5 ATM water resistance means you can go swimming and track your activity under water as well, The built-in GPS and GLONASS support is great, so you jog and run without the phone on you.
The official Amazfit app supports for more than 40 watch faces. We have seen a lot of custom watch faces available on third-party sites for the other two devices, and it’s very likely those will also end up on the Bip S. One of the nice features is being able to control your music straight from the watch itself. The controls are simple, and you will like it more having to pull your phone from your pocket to switch tracks. Incoming calls can be accepted, but not taken on the smartwatch.
Unlike other premium smart watches, the Bip S supports Android devices as well as iPhones. The phone can send notifications to the watch without any issues. Most popular apps are enabled by default, but third-party ones can be added as well on both, the Android and iOS platform.
Style is no issue either. The Bip S looks nearly identical to the previous models and that’s a good thing. It looks and feels robust. It looks modern and it’s also available now in four different colors – Red Orange, Carbon Black, White Rock and Warm Pink. The two-tone design adds an accented edge to the watch which makes the watch stand out, giving it a young, bold identity.
Whether you are a Bip Lite user or someone looking for a first smartwatch, the Bip S is one of the finest models for the price today. A lot of the other features are exactly like the Bip Lite, and you can read more about it here. The Bip S is now available to order from RelianceDigital.in and you can also walk down to your nearest Reliance Digital store to check it out for yourself.
