The Amazfit Bip Lite is one of the most popular smartwatches in a vast market that is full of models with a wide variety of designs, functions and budgets.
Its strengths are twofold: its great autonomy of a month and a half (according to the manufacturer) and its low price. It is this experience with the cheapest smartwatch in the Xiaomi ecosystem that I want to share with you below.
And, if you prefer, you can also watch our video review:
Technical sheet
What will you find in this guide?
The oldest but also the most popular
The Amazfit Bip Lite was launched three years ago and, despite its age, it remains the most popular. one of the most popular watches on the market.
As the name suggests, this is the simplified version of the Amazfit Bip, a family of smartwatches from the Xiaomi ecosystem. What are the differences ? The difference between the Lite and the Bip essentially lies in the fact that the latter incorporates GPS.
The latest addition to the family is the Bip S, a model that is based on the Bip and which brings slight aesthetic improvements, a better screen and a faster chip.
On the other hand, the fact that the Bip and the Bip S have GPS leads to a slightly lower autonomy, but in all three cases we find very high autonomies that are uncommon in this type of device. We will come back later.
Design and screen
The Bip Lite S is a watch that arrives in a simple packaging but very pleasing to the eye.
After removing the packaging, you will find:
- The watch
- The charger (adapter not included)
- The instruction manual in several languages, including Spanish.
This pleasant sensation is maintained when we remove the bracelet and the screen protectors and touch it for the first time.
You can tell it’s a watch at low pricemainly thanks to the polycarbonate housinga solid and light material but, forgive me the impression, stubborn. Despite this, the finish is good.
Another detail that shows the affordability of the proposal is the simplicity of its buckle.
As for the bracelet, it is made of soft and comfortable silicone, and the size is suitable for most people. In addition, it is interchangeable, which allows you to put another one that matches your style.
At first glance, it’s hard to tell this is a cheap watch, and its rectangular dial design is very reminiscent of the Apple Watch.
That’s right, that feeling fades as soon as we swipe the screen..
Overall, the experience offered is acceptable, especially considering the price range the watch falls into, but it’s important to be clear about what you can expect from it.
Its quality is rather low, lower than that of activity bracelets such as the Samsung Galaxy Fit (although it’s fair to say that this bracelet costs twice as much).
So, although the display is correct on screens such as the main screen or the navigation menu, when we look at the training interface or the notifications we will suffer from its limited resolution.
Another aspect to improve is the tactility of the screen.
It is true that it has a physical button on the outside which helps to speed up the experience in certain operations, but the low tactile sensitivity of the panel is noticeable… especially if you have thick fingers and/ or if you are not comfortable with technology.
he is also The use of clock dimensions could be improved.. Although the case measures 3.2 x 3.5 cm, it has significant edges, which means that the usable area is considerably smaller.
In its favor there is the resistance of the screen to drops, shocks, impacts and fingerprints.thanks to Gorilla Glass 3 with anti-fingerprint coating.
We also liked that the brightness can be adjusted.
The screen is easy to read outdoors, even in bright environments, and the brightness can be adjusted. However, it will have to be done manually because there is no room sensor.
Initial setting
THE The explanation of its configuration in the manual is rather meagerbut fortunately the process is one of the simplest we have done in this regard.
Before you begin, we recommend that you to fully charge the clock with the charger supplied in the box.
To do this, you just need to install the Amazfit application, which is available for both mobile phones and laptops. iOS as for androideither by searching for it in your respective app store or by scanning the QR code printed on the manual.
Although the manual talks about this app, the Xiaomi Mi Fit app will also work for you.
In any case, you will have to choose between one or the other. We tested it with both and we will give you our impressions of both later.
Once downloaded and installed, we will be asked to create an account by introducing our data, password and email, as is customary in these processes.
Follow the instructions and when the software is ready, open it.
In this initial phase, you will be asked for data such as age, gender, weight and height. Although you are free to “cheat” with the application, if you want to take full advantage of all that it offers you to improve your fitness, it is better to enter your real data.
Synchronization
With the app open on the phone and the watch turned on by pressing the side button, we leave them close together to sync. We recommend that the watch be fully charged so that a lack of battery does not interrupt this process.
From the watch, press “+” to add, choose “Clock” and “Beep/Bip Lite” and the watch will start searching. And it will find it quickly (at least it did 100% of the times we tested it).
A message appears on the screen of the smartwatch to accept the pairing and, in seconds, they will be connected and ready to exchange information..
Sporting activities
With the Bip Lite we will be able to see an estimate of:
- The steps we take every day
- The covered distance
- Cardiac frequency
- Calories Consumed
But in addition to monitoring the basic activities of our day, we can also monitor the following sports training such as outdoor running, treadmill, cycling and walking..
For indoor sports, it uses the accelerometer to record movement and provide time, distance, pace, heart rate, and calories.
For outdoor activities (walking, running or cycling), will complete this sensor with the GPS of our phone. and will additionally record the location and the route followed in order to view them from the application.
The watch itself offers training options that can be very useful, such as the possibility of stopping automatically if it detects stops, warning us if our heart rate increases or if we take too many steps or if we go too far.
At the end of the training session, we can access the application to see a more detailed log reportwith both numerical and graphical history of parameter changes, including comparisons with other sessions.
In practice, the tracking may be sufficient for a user who does little sport, but in my case I missed being able to record my tennis and crossfit training. And the fact is four sports is too few.
The fact that it uses the cell phone’s GPS to record motion also impacts results, as it is slower to start recording and may have connection issues.
Not having precision instruments to analyze the quality of the measurements, such as a chest strap, we compared it with the recording of our personal Apple Watch Series 5, observing that in some training sessions it differed slightly depending on the distanceand therefore rhythm.
In this sense, the Beep Lite aims to basic users who want a simple device to record their daily activity. and to know in general the data of their walks (although it lacks metrics and sensors if you practice other disciplines and/or if you are a demanding athlete).
Autonomy
If the figure of 200 mAh is not very telling, the 45 days of autonomy in “normal” use and up to 120 days in standby, according to the manufacturer, place the device in a leading position. Bip Lite by its autonomy well above other smartwatches. regardless of price.
To give you an idea, reference models like the Huawei Watch GT2 have a battery life of less than two weeks and, much lower, flagship models like the Apple Watch Series 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 have a battery life of less than two days.
It’s worth bearing in mind that these company-provided numbers are generally optimistic since they’re set under the most optimal conditions to extend battery life, but we’ve found it to last really long.
In this sense, being a person who does (and follows) a lot of workouts, or who spends the day receiving messages, is not the same as someone who has a more sedentary life and a social life 2.0 calmer.
Likewise, we won’t get the same results if we opt for the highest brightness or if we stick to the standard brightness.
In our case, we have not skimped on the means: we receive a lot of messages and calls and we are athletic. As the weather is nice, we chose to activate the highest brightness to see the screen even under the midday sun.
A week of heavy use later, the battery was at 74%, which allowed us to use the watch continuously for a month without unplugging it. We have been attentive and even on the busiest days, the battery never dropped below 5%..
Of course, the difference is noticeable compared to other models which, although more ambitious in terms of functions or screen, which obviously has a price, are not particularly lighter than the Bip Lite.
Also, when we run out of battery, we can. recharge it in about three hoursa fairly common time for this type of device, so the relationship between charge and autonomy is very good.
Interface and app
Devoid of GPS, the Bip Lite is totally dependent on the mobile phone for this option. The advantage is that since you will have to carry your phone, you will also receive certain notifications from it. However, in general, the interface you will use the most will be that of the watch itself.
The Bip Lite’s navigation and menu experience is good.mainly because of its simplicity.
We are faced with an interface that is very reminiscent of that of bracelets. This is a main screen with:
- The time and some data (by default comes the pulse and the steps taken).
- Side scroll to move through the six submenus.
- Vertical scrolling inside these
We liked the side button and its functionality in the interface.
It serves to “wake up” the screen, which is very useful to avoid accidental contacts. This button is also used to return to the menu and return to the main screen.
It is also convenient to be able to stop the recording of physical activities by a long press on this button. With the acceleration of sports and sweat, having to stop by touching a small touch screen is not the best thing to do.
Finally, we can customize the action to be performed with a long press on the main menu, which seemed to us to be well solved.
Let’s return to the main screen, the one we will see most often on a daily basis.
If you swipe up you can activate do not disturb mode and if you swipe down you can see pending notifications from cell phone.
Both are great shortcuts, but I’d probably replace the notifications one with a brightness settings shortcut.
The main functions that can be performed directly from the watch are:
- Check the status of our daily activity
- Start tracking a workout and see your data when it’s over.
- Check the weather in your area (from your mobile phone).
- Set alarms
- Start the stopwatch
- Change the look of the watch face
- Configure the side button
- Adjust the brightness between six options,
- Find cell phone (if nearby)
- Access bracelet data such as firmware or model.
- turn it off
- Factory reset
What does the app look like
If you are users of other Xiaomi ecosystem products, the design and colors will be familiar to you.
The interface is pleasing to the eye and easy to use, although the excess of options and their duplicity mean that navigating through them isn’t the fastest thing in the world.
We would appreciate if the unavailable options were not available and if there was a full translation (there are still words in English).
Another aspect that could be improved is the synchronization speed: normally the process of sharing data or moving activities takes a few seconds.
What is the most interesting thing that we can manage and see from this system?
In the the main screen displays a summary of the day’s progress.steps, hours slept and heart rate.
In the upper right corner, you see two basic icons:
- The “+” to add a device
- A kind of four-leaf clover that allows us to access all the data. For example, if we want to access the history of our steps, we must go there to see the statistics for today, for the whole week or for the whole month.
If you are users of other Xiaomi ecosystem products, the design and colors will be familiar to you.
The interface is pleasing to the eye and easy to use, although the excess of options and their duplicity mean that navigating through them isn’t the fastest thing in the world.
We would appreciate if the unavailable options were not available and if there was a full translation (there are still words in English).
Another aspect that could be improved is the synchronization speed: normally the process of sharing data or moving activities takes a few seconds.
What is the most interesting thing that we can manage and see from this system?
In the the main screen displays a summary of the day’s progress.steps, hours slept and heart rate.
In the upper right corner, you see two basic icons:
- The “+” to add a device
- A kind of four-leaf clover that allows us to access all the data. For example, if we want to access the history of our steps, we must go there to see the statistics for today, for the whole week or for the whole month.
Conclusions and prices
Although it is not difficult to find it at a reduced price without resorting to importing, we are faced with what is probably the lowest price on the market. the most affordable smartwatch from a known brand money can buy.
For a bit more you can get the version with GPS, the Amazfit Bip.
In any case, these are figures far removed from the reference model on the market, the popular Apple Watch Series 5. Although it’s fair to say that Apple’s proposal is considerably more ambitious in terms of materials, finishes, functions and ecosystem, we are talking about an eight times higher price.
And the fact is The Amazfit Bip Lite is closer to the world of activity trackers thanks to its features.with the “premium” Xiaomi Mi Band 4 is the most popular model.
The similarities between the two devices are significant in terms of materials, interface, application and screen quality. The smartwatch has the advantage of having a larger screen which allows for more comfortable interaction and the display of information.
Anyway, we are dealing with a smartwatch that has a very good value for money for those looking for a simple and easy to use smartwatch. to simply monitor their activity and, from time to time, record the sports they play.
Conclusions of our review of the Amazfit Bip Lite.
It seems important to us to clarify the approach of this watch within the Xiaomi ecosystem to avoid any disappointment with respect to expectations: we are dealing with a smartwatch that is practically an activity bracelet in terms of functions, but which has the advantage of integrating a larger screen.
So we can view common data such as steps, distance, calories, sleep or pulse..
We will also be able to check the progress of our walks and, even if from time to time we dare to run or take the bike, we will be able to check our pace per kilometer or even the difference in altitude.
Of course, it’s best to have your cell phone handy as the Bip Lite uses GPS to improve tracking of your activity.
Additionally, if you have your cell phone nearby, you may also receive the following information and even read WhatsApp and other messaging apps or our social networks.. If we are called, we will not be able to answer because there is no microphone or speaker, but we will be able to pick up the phone in time to answer the call.
This simple set of functions and measures is packed into a device with a simple and robust design which, although it is easy to see at first glance that it is affordable, is more than sufficient for everyday use.
The interface and screen are of good quality and navigation is comfortable, even for the less tech-savvy or in broad daylight.
Let’s not forget the enormous battery life: a month of intensive use is very interesting.
In summary, the Bip Lite is a round proposal with a very high price-performance ratio. for beginners, those who are satisfied with the basic data or those who want to invest little money.
Advantages and disadvantages
For
- Attractive and robust design
- Surprisingly long battery life, over a month of heavy use
- Easy-to-read screen, even in very bright outdoor conditions
- An affordable model with a high price-performance ratio
Cons
- Lack of GPS leads to heavy reliance on cell phone and less accurate data.
- The panel does not exploit the dimensions of the case, which leaves thick edges.
- Little variety in recording sports and sparse metrics.
- Screen resolution and sensitivity could be improved.
Comparison with other smartwatches
Note : if you are using your mobile phone, scroll the table with your finger to see all the columns.
Did you find this useful?
(Votes: 12 Mean : 4.7)
