Not everyone can afford to spend more to have a real smart watch. This is due to the selling price which can usually exceed RM1,000. Thus, offering basic smart watches and health trackers indirectly opens up opportunities for this group to take care of their health.
Oppo Band 2
Commenting further, the Oppo Band 2 was announced during the day as an updated variant for the watch segment with Oppo's health tracker. This is an update for the previous Oppo Band with various significant differences that can be seen with the naked eye, especially from the design aspect. To see more about it, here's our full review of Oppo's new wearable.
Brief Specifications
Oppo Band 2 specifications
Types of Watches with health trackers
1.57-inch (26.3 mm) AMOLED display
256 x 402 pixels, 500nits
Apollo 3.5 processor
Internal Load 8MB PSRAM + 128MB NAND
200mAh battery
Standard mode: 14 days
Smart mode : 10 days
Heavy mode : 5 days
SIM/Telephony No
Sensor Heart rate sensor | Blood oxygen sensor | Acceleration | Gyroscope | Light
NFC No
Infrared No
Resistance Level 5 ATM
Diameter 42 x 42 x 11.6 mm
Color Black & Baby Blue
Selling Price RM249
Usage Experience
The significant design difference makes the Oppo Band 2 look more attractive than the previous generation. It cannot be denied that there will be those who think that there is nothing interesting with such a design. It can be considered a cliché, even Oppo Watch Free also uses the same elements. But if you want to compare it to the Oppo Band, this new variation can still be considered interesting because it looks more like a watch strap. The use of an elongated rectangular frame allows more information and data to be seen easily through it.
One of the Clock Faces Provided
This is in line with what Oppo advertises through the official website which says the Band 2's screen is 74% larger despite being supplied with a small size of 1.57-inches. The panel is an AMOLED type with a resolution of 256 X 402 pixels and a peak brightness of 500nits. It is bright enough when used without dazzling the eyes. We ourselves can also see various contents on the Oppo Band 2 screen comfortably and clearly.
It doesn't matter whether it is used inside or outside the building. But if you think the screen displays content with too bright light, it can still be modified through the settings. There are six brightness levels available, adjust according to the current situation. However, there is no Always-On-Display capability found at the same time making it a little behind compared to equivalent competitors such as the Redmi Smart Band 7 Pro.
Shortcut Access
The main display will display the desired features and functions depending on the type of watch face selected. This includes time, date, heart rate reading, step count, battery percentage and more. By default, the Oppo Band 2 provides up to six watch face options for daily use and the rest can be downloaded through the Hey Health Tap application.
The interface switching process takes about 5 – 10 seconds. There is also the ability to upload your own photo to be used as the clock background image which may be interesting for some users. Also included is the AI Smart Watch Face feature which allows you to customize the watch face to match the current look.
No physical buttons are included giving a clear indication that it supports full touch control. The scrolling experience is good for a basic smartwatch. It gets better due to the use of an elongated type screen that gives enough space for fingers to scroll through each available function. But what we noticed is that the notification received is a few seconds slower than the connected device.
AI Smart Watch Face
Next, it is also very basic which can only see the text without any ability to reply. It is however felt not to be a big problem because we ourselves know that the Oppo Band 2 is just a basic smart watch. This is clearly unfair for us to expect it to be able to present the same thing as a real smart watch. The ability of Haptic feedback or vibration is also not as good as it is but it is still able to make you aware of every notification received even while sleeping.
Sleep Pattern Monitoring
Also included are built-in health and fitness tracking sensors such as pulse tracking, steps, distance walked, sleep patterns and calories burned. It is considered attractive because it allows you to easily track a number of key fitness activities. Making it a companion when exercising is a good move because it can also be used for outdoor activities such as running, walking, cycling, swimming and more.
Tracking capabilities are also good with detailed and easy-to-understand data collection methods. All data displays also look good and are easy to understand with additional graphs and charts that are quite interactive. For example, the pulse detection function will display current and resting pulses, as well as providing the ability to detect high and low readings.
Built-in Sports Mode
Meanwhile, the stress detection feature records the average daily stress by dividing it into three parts, either calm, balanced or extreme stress. Similarly, the sleep time monitoring function displays detailed data on the duration of sleep and wakefulness. Recommendations are also given to improve current sleep quality. More interestingly, there is also the ability to detect snoring that can identify problems that occur during sleep. However, a comprehensive user experience can only be experienced through Android devices.
Watch Strap With Standard Hook
Next, the silicone strap is matched with a standard hook that is not only easy, but also comfortable to use, regardless of whether it is during sports or carried to bed. This is enhanced by the ample hole space on the strap while allowing it to be used by a wide range of users, regardless of wrist size. Not only that, it also works well for ventilation purposes.
There are two color options offered which are Black and Baby Blue. However, our recommendation is to choose a dark color to avoid the problem of the watch strap getting dirty easily. This is what happened to the Oppo Band 2 Baby Blue we received, where the dirt marks were clearly visible after several uses. Please note that only one watch strap is included with each purchase. The strap can also be replaced but the process is more difficult than usual and requires the use of a special strap.
Controls & Connections
For specifications, the Oppo Band 2 uses an Apollo 3.5 chip paired with an internal load of 8MB PSRAM + 128MB NAND. As a basic smartwatch with built-in health tracking functionality, its capabilities may be limited, but it's sufficient for everyday use. A number of other additional features and functions can also be found through the HeyTap Health application which is ready to be downloaded on Android and iOS devices. For Huawei users, it is not yet offered in the App Gallery but can only be downloaded through Petal Search.
Connection is via bluetooth 5.0 which requires a number of manual steps to be made for smartphones other than Oppo models. The process is also quite tedious because of the various data that will be taken to log in for the first time. All the features and functions provided work well on Android devices. However, it's a different story with iOS devices that cannot access some features such as Find My Phone, audio control and the ability to record snoring sounds.
In terms of controls, scrolling the screen to the right will give access to a number of built-in health and fitness functions. This includes daily activities, sleep time monitoring, heart rate readings and readings of the amount of oxygen in the blood. Next, scrolling down the screen leads to quick access to a number of simple settings such as flashlight, waterproof function and do not disturb mode. Scrolling up the screen allows notifications to be viewed, while scrolling to the left leads to a number of built-in health, fitness and sports mode functions.
Battery Endurance
With a 200mAh battery, Oppo advertises that this health tracker can last up to two weeks depending on usage. On average, it can last up to 10 days for moderate use, then reduces to 5 days for heavy use. Our use can be said to be at a moderate level with the battery remaining at about 20% with the ability to last up to 7 days of use.
Charger With Dedicated Dock
It's simple to use with bluetooth connectivity and built-in periodic mode activation especially the sleep time tracking feature. The battery life of Oppo Band 2 can be considered good enough for those who are lazy to charge every day. The recharging process can be done using a charging port of its own type. Nicely, it is of the magnetic type that grips the watch firmly but should be placed in the correct direction.
What's In The Box
1 x Oppo Band 2
1 x dedicated dock cable
1 x user manual
Conclusion
Should you buy it? This depends on each individual's needs. The Oppo Band 2 is indeed a watch with a basic and simple health tracker. It's also not very fit with a possibly limited fitness mode. However, it is still interesting to use and very useful for new users who want to dabble in a healthy lifestyle. Since it's also just a watch with a health tracker, it's not fair to expect it to offer the experience of a true premium smartwatch.
Also included are some more useful features such as the ability to detect snoring while sleeping, while giving it an attractive glow. The built-in sensors also work quite well with fairly accurate data, in addition to the simple application interface making it user-friendly. The closest competition is the Xiaomi Smart 7 Pro and the Huawei Band 7 with a selling price that is not much different and has some additional features such as the Always-On-Display feature on the Smart Band 7.
Pro
AMOLED screen with clear content display.
Smooth performance for daily use.
Battery life is adequate.
Built-in snore detection feature.
Cons
Charger with dedicated dock.
No GPS support.
Non-universal watch straps.