ZDNET's key takeaways The Amazfit Helio Strap is available now for $99.
As a smartwatch alternative, the strap offers virtually all the same health tracking features via the robust Zepp app, with over a week of battery life.
The fabric strap isn't made of exceedingly high quality materials, but luckily can be easily replaced. View now at Amazon
Amazfit, makers of such smartwatches as the Bip 5 and the new Balance 2, recently released its Helio Strap, a fitness tracker that has all the core functions of a smartwatch, but in an ultra-minimal form: no watch face, no decorative elements (and no subscription).
The strap is about as simple as you can get -- just a solid black band with the tracking component below it. Unlike other popular straps like the Whoop 4.0 (or new 5.0), there's no buckle, making the whole thing incredibly light at just 20 grams without the strap.
Also: I swapped my Apple Watch Ultra for this big-screen Garmin that's easier to read
This results in a device that's not only affordable at $99, but also extremely battery efficient -- lasting over 10 days on one charge for normal use and up to 25 days in battery saver mode.
I've been wearing the Helio strap for the past month now, and one of the main reasons why it works so well is because the app that Amazfit's smartwatches work with -- Zepp, for Android and iOS -- is good enough to carry, providing all the useful health and fitness metrics you could want, including workout tracking, heart health, and sleep stats.
Also: The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the premium smartwatch I prefer (especially at $150 off)
The lack of a watchface also eliminates the inherent distraction of looking at it in the middle of a workout -- something I find myself constantly doing any time I wear a smartwatch. By relegating everything to the app, you can put your phone away and not worry about checking it until afterwards.
... continue reading