Smart health tracker with out show and with out subscription

Amazfit Helio Strap evaluation: Fitness monitoring with out a show, with out month-to-month prices and for lower than 100 euros: does that sound too good to be true? Alongside smartwatches and sensible rings, an entire new class is rising on the wearable market: health wristbands with no show in any respect. The best-known consultant of this class is Whoop. However, its subscription mannequin prices a number of hundred euros a yr. The Amazfit Helio Strap positions itself as an reasonably priced however convincing different: for a one-off payment of 99.90 euros, you get complete well being evaluation with none hidden subscription prices. The compact wearable intentionally focuses on the important capabilities and provides exact monitoring of well being, exercise and sleep. But in our take a look at, we discover out whether or not it’s actually value shopping for.

Technical information of the Amazfit Helio Strap

€ 99.90

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Amazfit Helio Strap Review: design and workmanship

The first impression of the Amazfit Helio Strap is easy and useful. No show, no buttons. Just a useful design. The coronary heart of the Helio Strap is a small plastic puck with none metallic parts, which homes the sensors. However, it’s exactly this idea that’s the foremost cause for the exceptionally low weight of simply 20 grams together with the strap. A worth that makes a substantial distinction in on a regular basis use.

The wristband itself is manufactured from nylon with a easy plastic buckle and a Velcro fastener. It is hooked up by way of an ordinary 22 mm connection, which theoretically makes many third-party straps suitable and allows particular person customization.

The Helio Strap is surprisingly comfy to put on each day. I typically forgot to put on it on my wrist as a result of it’s simply so gentle and hardly noticeable. That’s an actual praise for a wearable. However, there’s one vital caveat: though the strap is so gentle, it builds up comparatively excessive on the wrist. So should you put on the strap far ahead, the angular design would possibly make it a little bit uncomfortable. But that’s no completely different with Whoop and the like.

The PPG biometric sensor and two pogo pins for charging are positioned on the underside. As there is no such thing as a show, the system communicates solely by way of a vibration motor. And that is answerable for alarms, reminders and notifications, for instance.

However, the motor is reasonably weak, so if you’re a heavy sleeper, you shouldn’t depend on it alone. The water resistance of 5 ATM (as much as 50 meters deep) is enough for showering, swimming and snow. However, it is best to keep away from saunas or scorching showers, as steam can injury the interior seals in the long run.

Strong options within the Amazfit Helio Strap

The Amazfit Helio Strap lives as much as its title “fitness tracker” by way of performance: the sensor setup is fairly spectacular for this value and leaves little to be desired. Inside, there’s a PPG sensor with 5 photodiodes and two LEDs, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope and a temperature sensor. The multi-photodiode system improves measurement accuracy and permits extra versatile well being measurements.

However, you gained’t discover an built-in GPS chip, so that you all the time must have your smartphone with you for monitoring. In on a regular basis coaching, you’ve gotten the choice of beginning an exercise manually by way of the Zepp app in your smartphone, though the Helio Strap may also acknowledge and monitor actions routinely.

At least when you’ve got beforehand activated this perform within the app… which I sadly needed to painfully uncover after a 90-minute exercise. The Helio Strap then transmits real-time coronary heart charge information to suitable gadgets by way of Bluetooth.

Automatic exercise detection is on the market, however sadly solely reasonably dependable: it acknowledges that motion is going down, however typically solely names the exercise as a generic exercise as an alternative of figuring out the particular exercise. According to the Amazfit, 25 power coaching workout routines are alleged to be acknowledged routinely (together with squats, dumbbell flyes and pull-ups), however sadly this was not the case in my health club take a look at.

The coronary heart of the wearable is in fact the Zepp app, which supplies a stable foundation for well being and sleep monitoring. The sleep tab supplies a transparent overview of evening information together with HRV, deep sleep proportion and pores and skin temperature

Everything is supplied with a clearly comprehensible visitors gentle system that exhibits at a look what’s OK and the place motion is required. I actually just like the tidy app. It is intuitive to make use of and clearly laid out. The BioCharge idea, which exhibits the each day power stability, is a central function that I discover very attention-grabbing. Based in your restoration and exertion, it exhibits how match you’re for the day and whether or not you’ll be able to go full throttle or ought to take it straightforward.

An optionally available Aura subscription (approx. 70 US {dollars} per yr) expands the vary of capabilities to incorporate AI-based wellness recommendation and audio leisure content material, however I couldn’t discover any actual added worth within the subscription. On the plus aspect, in contrast to WHOOP, fundamental use is totally free.

10 days battery life

The battery life is likely one of the strongest arguments in favor of the Helio Strap and the Amazfit’s promise truly holds true in apply. According to the producer, the built-in 232 mAh battery ought to last as long as 10 days. After per week of steady use, with each day monitoring, three intensive coaching classes and all energetic measurements, the battery was nonetheless 35 p.c charged. This is a formidable efficiency for a tool that weighs simply 20 grams.

By comparability, even GPS sports activities watches with a a lot bigger battery and display typically final lower than two weeks. According to the Amazfit, a full cost takes lower than two hours. As the system is just plugged in each ten days, this worth is hardly important.

One actual level of criticism is the charging accent equipped. The Amazfit Helio Strap is charged with a small magnetic charging puck that connects by way of two metallic contacts on the again. The puck itself is tiny, proprietary and doesn’t include a USB-C cable. If you lose it, you need to purchase a alternative.

Performance and accuracy of the Helio Strap

The Amazfit Helio Strap performs remarkably effectively in its core competence, dependable biometric measurement. The PPG sensor with 5 photodiodes delivers very secure coronary heart charge values in on a regular basis use with out the wild outliers that usually happen with cheaper trackers. Measured values and coaching information are at a really exact degree. The latter specifically corresponds virtually 1:1 with the info offered by the gadgets in my health club. Chapeau, Amazfit.

On the opposite hand, irregularities and inaccuracies could be seen throughout high-intensity actions so far as coronary heart charge measurement is anxious. Here, the Amazfit Helio Strap generally overestimates the center charge by round 10 bpm, which in fact has a noticeable impact on the energy burned.

This is completely ample for figuring out coronary heart charge zones, however it isn’t your best option for precision athletes who depend on each pulse beat. Step counting, then again, may be very correct, though the health tracker takes some time to report actions within the first place. However, it rapidly catches up after which supplies an correct measurement of steps.

Sleep monitoring is likely one of the most spectacular options of the Helio Strap. The complete sleep rating is dependable and is an efficient subjective reflection of how rested you are feeling within the morning. However, there’s nonetheless room for enchancment on the subject of detailed metrics reminiscent of sleep phases or sleep onset latency. Short waking phases of lower than 5 minutes are sometimes not acknowledged, however a change in sleep stage and a change in coronary heart charge are not less than registered.

Amazfit Helio Strap Review: Conclusion

The Amazfit Helio Strap is a convincing and reasonably priced health tracker that performs effectively above its value vary of round 100 euros within the core areas of coronary heart charge monitoring, sleep monitoring and battery life. Anyone in search of a screenless on a regular basis companion that’s light-weight, waterproof and can be utilized with out ongoing subscription prices will discover a convincing general package deal right here.

However, anybody dreaming of an actual WHOOP alternative can be upset: The Zepp app does lack depth and the precision that athletes anticipate can not all the time be achieved. Particularly annoying is the automated exercise detection, which doesn’t all the time dwell as much as its title and generally doesn’t even acknowledge whenever you’re energetic.

For whom is the Helio Strap worthwhile? For health freshmen, budget-conscious tracker followers and anybody in search of a dependable, light-weight and subscription-free companion for on a regular basis life and sport, it’s value its 100 euros. However, those that prepare at an expert degree and anticipate exact coaching management will solely be glad to a restricted extent.

PRO

• No subscription obligation
• Attractive value
• Many well being insights
• Good sleep monitoring
• Accurate coronary heart charge
• Long battery life

CONTRA

• Limited app options
• Inaccurate computerized detection
• No GPS

Design & Workmanship

Features

Sensors & accuracy

Value For Money

84/100

Convincing health tracker with correct sensors, engaging value and lengthy battery life. However, the automated detection could possibly be higher.

€ 99.90

Gewöhnlich versandfertig in 1 bis 2 Monaten