Amazfit is quite a reliable name when it comes to smartwatches and fitness trackers. In November, the company unveiled the Amazfit Pop 2 as a low-priced smartwatch with a Bluetooth calling feature in India. It has been selling for Rs 3,999 (~$48) on Flipkart. However, at the time of writing this review, it was listed on Flipkart for Rs 3,699 (~$45). It comes in two colors, such as black and pink. Amazfit sent us the black variant for review. Continue reading ahead to know whether it’s worth purchasing.
Amazfit Pop 2: What’s in the box?
The Amazfit Pop 2 watch comes in a small square-shaped retail package. It packs the following items:
- Amazfit Pop 2 smartwatch
- Charging cable
- User manual
Design and Display
The Amazfit Pop 2 looks premium, as its display glass has curved edges on all four sides. The silicone strap, which can be easily swapped, feels soft, is skin-friendly and comes equipped with a buckle. The aluminium frame has a glossy appeal, while the rear shell of the device has a polycarbonate shell. The top side of the watch has a microphone, its right edge has a physical button made from stainless-steel, its bottom edge is barren, and towards the underside on the left is the speaker.
The chin of the device is slightly thick as compared to other bezels. It features a 1.78-inch AMOLED display, which is bright enough to be used outside. It supports a 368 x 448 pixels resolution and 326 ppi pixel density. Because of the large display, the device may appear a bit large for people with thin wrists. The device lacks auto-brightness, which could be an important feature for some users.
So, how does it feel using the Amazfit Pop 2? It looks premium thanks to the curved-edge display and sturdy build quality. Since it weighs around 59 grams, it feels slightly heavy. I have used the Pop 2 for longer durations and even while sleeping to monitor my sleep. I did not feel any discomfort while using it for prolonged hours.
Software
The companion app for the Amazfit Pop 2 is not the usual Zepp app, but Zepp Active by LinWear Smartwatch. To those who don’t know, LinWear is an ODM that makes watches for other brands, including Dizo. The Pop 2 looks quite similar to the LinWear LA21 watch. However, it does not seem to be a rebranded version.
The Zepp Active requires users to create an account to login and then pair the Pop 2 with the phone via a QR code. The app has three tabs, such as “Home,” “Exercise,” and “Me.” The Home interface of the app shows the sync data on heart rate, sleep, and SpO2. I used the watch for nearly a month, and during this time I found that the Zepp Active app did not show any SpO2 reading even when the watch had no issue monitoring it. The Exercise tab relies on the phone’s GPS for location-based tracking, and the Me tab can be used to customize the watch. Speaking of customization, it is preloaded with four watch faces. The Zepp Active app provides users with numerous watch face options. In addition, users can also use any desired photo from the phone as a watch face. The Pop 2 is compatible with Android and iOS devices.
The physical button available on the right edge of the Pop 2 can be used to access all its features, such as health sensors, workout mode, miscellaneous features, and settings. Swiping down on the main screen gives access to quick settings, and swiping up allows users to check notifications, like messages, but there is no option to respond to them. By keeping on swiping right / left, users can access main features, such as a step counter, heart rate tracker, sleep monitor, SpO2 tracker, weather app, music control, and voice ball (voice assistant). The UI does not feel very smooth. I hope the company releases a fix for it through a software update.
The voice ball only works when paired with a smartphone. Once paired, the voice ball can be used to access Google Assistant on Android or Siri on iOS. It works fine in less noisy environments.
In Settings, users can change menu style, change watch face, adjust screen brightness, set AOD time (up to 20 minutes), set digital or analogue AOD clock, access a QR code for pairing it with a device, alter vibration intensity, change language (English or Hindi), access system info, shutdown, reset, and restart.
The Zepp Active app can be used to add more sports modes. To the Amazfit Pop 2. According to the company, it supports more than 100 work modes. While it is an IP68-rated device, there is no swimming mode on the device. It can also be used to sync new watch faces to Pop 2 and enable / disable notifications for different apps. The raise-to-wake feature, which allows users to see the data and time, without touching the watch or using the AOD feature, works fine. It can be activated through Quick Settings on the watch.
Health and Fitness
The step counter, heart rate monitor, SpO2, and sleep tracking features of the Amazfit Pop 2 work fine. The readings from these sensors are almost accurate. There is no option to sync health data to Google Fit or Strava. There is no GPS on Pop 2. Hence, it relies on the paired phone’s GPS for location-based tracking while walking, outdoor running, and outdoor cycling.
It can track deep sleep, light sleep and awake time, but it does not record REM (rapid eye movement) data. Other health and fitness features include tracking 100+ sports activities, female health, and breathing exercises for reducing stress.
Bluetooth Calling and Battery Life
The Bluetooth calling feature allows users to make and receive calls once paired with a smartwatch. However, there is no way to control call volume through the watch. When I tested the feature, the recipients didn’t notice a difference whether I was using the watch or the phone to talk. The sound output through Pop 2’s built-in speaker is good, but it becomes inaudible in noisy surroundings, which is understandable.
On a side note, I am generally not a fan of the Bluetooth calling feature. There is no option on the watch to disable the Bluetooth calling feature. However, on my Samsung phone, I was able to disable the function through the Bluetooth settings for Pop 2. There is a Media Audio feature on Pop 2, which when activated can be used to transmit the phone’s audio through the watch’s speaker.
The Amazfit Pop 2 has a 270mAh battery, which can be charged by connecting a magnetic charging connector on its back. It took around 1.5 hours to achieve a full charge. With AOD activated, full brightness, and all-day heart tracking enabled, the Pop 2 lasts for around 4-5 days. Otherwise, the smartwatch can last for up to 10 days, as the company claims. Whether the Pop 2 is kept for charging or is generally used, it does not show the exact battery percentage. Instead, the battery percentage just increases or decreases by 10 percent.
Verdict
The Amazfit Pop 2 offers a similar experience as other smartwatches in the same price range. There is nothing significantly different about it. However, what swings in its favour are a large AMOLED screen, the Bluetooth calling feature, build quality, water resistance, and long battery life Also, it offers nearly accurate readings. Having used a few other, costlier Amazfit smartwatches, I was expecting a similar experience on the Pop 2. Nevertheless, the UI experience is not bad. All in all, it is worth recommending and is certainly something to consider in the Rs 3000 (~$437) to Rs 4,000 (~$583) price bracket.