![]() No navigation or compass (available on GPS watches).Display can be a little hard to read mid-workout.Not waterproof, no swimming or showering with it.Not super comfortable, scrapes laptop when typing.Short battery life renders sleep tracker mostly unused, as most people charge at night.Asking Cortana (Microsoft’s Siri) simple questions.Syncing with other fitness apps such as MapMyFitness, Strava, Runkeeper.Participation in “guided workouts” designed by fitness pros.Accurate sensors (GPS, heart rate, time, splits, steps, barometer, etc.).Easy to use, seamless compatibility with impressive Microsoft Health app.ConsĪfter a month-long test, I’ve developed an affinity for the Band 2 and a list of pros and cons: Built-In Optical Heart Rate Sensor Pros Vs. A couple of mornings I used the new “Smart Alarm,” which gently buzzed me awake at my “optimal wakeup time.” Both features performed well and provided interesting and insightful results through the Health app. ![]() light sleep, overall efficiency, and more. On various occasions I used the sleep tracker, which monitors your sleep and reports on resting HR, duration of restful vs. It seemed like the dense forest and off-trail navigation were pushing the limits of the internal GPS, which is probably built primarily for more on-grid running/biking routes. After completing the mostly off-trail course in 50 or so minutes, I found that the GPS signal was lost during the race and therefore was unable to look at my route and splits. However, during an orienteering race, set in the middle of a forested regional park, the Band really let me down. Once home, I opened up the app and was able to trace my route across town and point out to my wife where I’d spent too much time looking for a checkpoint. During a nighttime alleycat bike race in downtown Minneapolis, I set the Band to track my ride as I dashed to and from different checkpoints, wearing a chest-strap heart rate monitor to compare the results.ĭespite my initial doubts, the heart rate monitor built into the Band 2 was on-point, comparing accurately to my chest strap. The GPS, barometer, and heart rate monitor are accurate. Its smartwatch capabilities include receiving emails, texts, calls, social media notifications, the weather, and more via a low energy Bluetooth 4.0 when you’re near your phone. It has just about any sensor you’d want in a fitness tracker and the post-workout statistics are easy to digest in the Microsoft Health app. Microsoft touts the Band as a fitness tracker with smartwatch capabilities. The Band 2 lasts about 48 hours between charges even when no GPS functions are being used. The battery life is less when the GPS is used, but the same goes for GPS watches, which have an average battery life of 50-100 hours when tracking is used.Ī big difference between the Band 2 and GPS watches is that watches work for a month or more between charges when not using GPS. The Band 2 is light, yet semi-bulky, with a very clear 320×128 pixel display, 48-hour battery life, and full charge time of 1.5 hours. ![]() Read the review below to help decide if the Microsoft Band 2 is for you or if you should take the plunge into a full-blown GPS watch. From all this, the user can view real-time data on the Band’s digital display.Īt $250, it hits a price cheaper than most GPS watches while including a built-in optical heart rate sensor that many such watches lack. But with budget online shops knocking mid-level GPS watches below $300, choosing this Band over a dedicated fitness watch will be a hard sell. In all there are 11 sensors in the Band (see complete list below) which is more than most. On the other hand, it has a deep feature set compared with many “activity tracker” bands including: GPS, elevation, heart rate, speed, time, pace, and UV exposure to name a few. But it has a much shorter battery life and mediocre display compared to the high-powered GPS watches on the market, which can run for a month or more in watch mode. Similar to GPS watches like the Suunto Ambit3, it works alone without being connected to a smartphone. The Microsoft Band 2 is something of a hybrid product. ![]() With dedicated fitness software and apps for every smartphone device, the Microsoft Band 2 is an easy-to-use, accurate activity tracker that’s looking to make waves in the crowded fitness watch market. Home » Technology » Gadgets » Microsoft ‘Band 2’ Blends GPS With Smartwatch
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