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Just had to send my amazfit bip 3 back to amazon as it won't sync with strava and the touch screen is out of sync .
It did all I needed it to but software was a bit iffy at times and then not syncing at all.
What else is worth a look , android compatible
Cheers in advance
Good question, I’m following this one. I’ve been sat on the fence for a while. I’d like - at the very least - a heart rate monitor to sync with Strava, and for some reason fancy a smart watch rather than just a heart rate tracker.
But is there such a thing as a good, reliable and cheap smart watch? Or if the essential functionality is just hrm then is something like a wahoo tickr the better place to put your money?
Forerunner 55 is a good shout.
If hrm is all you want there are straps that go on your upper arm if you don't want a chest strap. Maybe worth a look.
Garmin Forerunner 55?
these Rrp at 180 vs £50 for an amazfit bip 3
But the garmin can be had at 150 at the moment direct from garmin, and there’s a singletrack member discount, think it’s 10%.
There’s also the forerunner 45 a bit cheaper.
This could be where the smart money needs to goes, maybe the amazfit is just too cheap.
get a renewed forerunner 45 - should be under £100 with warranty - or an instinct for an extra £30 if you want something tougher with better battery life/worse screen, not much to go wrong on them.
Don't know how features compare, but was Wahoo smart watch on HotUKDeals earlier for ~£100 direct from wahoo.
Some idea's to go on.
Mymemory have Samsung watch 4 refurb for £119
Cheapest electrical on eBay have some watches as well. Might be worth a look.
They have a Garmin fenix 6 pro for £350 and Samsung watches from £60
Polar have a 50% off sale at the moment making a Vantage M2 £129 which is a bargain.
HRM, Sleep, notifications, music controls etc
shame about your amazfit, i've had my amazfit t-rex since release.. prob years... more than good enough cost considered, the epic many weeks battery is still epic
Looking now and they are pretty big unit's. I've seen a few folk wearing some and they can be a bit of a statement. That's one thing I liked about the Amazfit is it size ,it slips nicely under my shirt cuffs .
Also after having my watch 10 months I don't really use many features now the novelty has worn off, tracking rides ,light up screen for reading the time at night , step count and heart rate are my main ones
What's the forerunner 45 like size wise ?
I got a 245 for £150 off Amazon a few months back
I have a Fitbit charge (2 I think)
does all the basics like steps , hr and sleep. Also shows notifications and messages from my phone.
Only downside is the screen is rubbish in bright sunshine, although think that was fixed from v4 or 5
Particularly like it as it’s slim and unobtrusive rather than most other smart watches which are quite big. <br />Anything other than latest version (6?) can be picked up relatively cheap on eBay.
Fitbit Versa 3 is a similar size to the Amazfit. More expensive at RRP but look on backmarket etc and they are around the £55 mark for VGC
The forerunner 55 is £129 at go outdoors but 42mm dia is a pretty big and not sure I can live with that .
I'll have a look at those fibits they seem easier to live with day to day
I have the FR55, bought off here. It does everything I need. It's not super smart, but I can record a bike ride or a run and have it upload to strava.
It also tells the time, which is a useful bonus if you're into that kind of thing.
I have the Forerunner 35. It does everything I need including HRM and GPS. It shows phone notifications, will record routes to link with Strava and has a 2 week battery life. The screen is only mono if that matters. It's not made anymore but is plentiful secondhand. Also it is really comfy to wear - the watch is very light and the strap has a slight stretch to it.
I've got an Instinct, it's about as "smart" as it needs to be and no more. But on the other hand the battery lasts a long time (weeks), and as a serial watch destroyer I'm amazed it's still on one piece (albeit I think I'm on my 3rd strap).
Just bought the Polar Grit X from Polar. Half price. Down from £370 to £185. Lots of other Polar watches discounted as well.
https://www.polar.com/uk-en/grit-x?sku=90081734