Xiaomi is not new to the production of sports gadgets. Everyone knows megapopular bracelets Mi Band, sold millions of copies. The Amazfit Verge sports watch, released by the Xiaomi-Huami sub-brand, belongs to a different, more advanced class of devices. They have a wide range of functions, but they are much more expensive.
In this review, we will tell you whether it is worth overpaying for smartwatches or better to limit yourself to a regular fitness bracelet.
Specifications
Complete set and appearance
Watches are shipped in a composite box. The inner part is made of thick white cardboard. The outer shell is black, the clock itself is depicted on it and the technical characteristics are indicated.
The watch case is made of reinforced plastic. The dial is protected by Corning Gorilla 3 glass. Its surface has a good oleophobic coating, due to which almost no prints remain on the glass. And even if some traces of touch appeared, they are very easy to remove.
Compared to the previous version, the case has become a little smaller and thinner. Yes, it is still a smart watch with a pronounced sporty design, but now it looks quite appropriate not only on a strong male hand, but also on a thin female wrist.
The Amazfit Verge case contains just one button, which is highlighted in red. Just below it is a conversational microphone. On the opposite side is the speaker slot. On the back of the device, we see a heartbeat sensor and four contacts needed for charging and data transfer.
Soft silicone strap adapts to the arm of almost any thickness. Mounts are removable, so if you want, you can change it to another. There are already plenty of straps for this watch on AliExpress.
Screen
The screen is one of the main advantages of Amazfit Verge. It is made by AMOLED technology, so it has excellent contrast and clarity of lines. The picture is characterized by rich colors and wide viewing angles. The available stock of brightness is enough for comfortable use even when exposed to direct sunlight.
At rest, the screen is usually turned off to save energy. However, you can activate the Always On Display mode, in which the monochrome hands of the clock will be visible on the dial. However, as a rule, there is no need for it: the watch automatically wakes up each time you raise your hand to look at the time. This system works almost perfectly.
Localization
Chinese stores now have a local and international version of Amazfit Verge. From the hardware point of view, they are no different, but the firmware, of course, is different. In the clock, designed for the domestic market, only Chinese, but there are several additional functions, such as managing a smart home and paying for travel in transport.
Main functions
The main function of the gadget is to display the time. With this, Amazfit Verge is great. With the help of removable covers, the device can be turned into a beautiful analogue watch, a retroversion of an electronic watch from the 90s or even a gadget from a fantastic future. It all depends on your tastes. In any case, the accuracy remains high, as the time is constantly synchronized with the smartphone.
In addition, the clock can show the weather, serve as an alarm clock, timer, stopwatch and compass. Music lovers will enjoy the ability to control music played on a smartphone. Amazfit Verge copes with the display of notifications from any application, you only need to activate this feature in the mobile client. You can read messages in messengers and chats, but writing answers to them will not work, alas.
Sports features
Amazfit Verge can track 12 types of physical activity: running, walking, cycling, treadmill, exercise bike and orbiter, as well as hiking, trail, ski, tennis, football and jump rope. Compared to Amazfit Stratos, water sports have disappeared. This is due to the lack of complete protection from immersion, although you can take a shower in the clock. In any case, with my copy after the light water procedures, nothing terrible happened.
When you select outdoor activity, GPS is turned on, which allows you to accurately determine the distance traveled, speed and trajectory of movement. All these data are recorded, and then based on them, the calories burned, the intensity of the workout and the recovery time are calculated. If you exercise indoors, only the pulse and total exercise time are measured. If necessary, you can connect external sensors via Bluetooth to the clock.
Mobile app
The Amazfit Watch application is used to set the clock, synchronize and view data. There are versions for Android and iOS, the functionality of which is almost the same.
The main program window is divided into three tabs. The first displays general data about your physical activity: the number of steps taken, the last measurement of the pulse and information about sleep. The second tab is devoted to sports activities. And the latter contains all the available settings Amazfit Verge.
In principle, the program displays almost the same data as the clock. But studying them on the big screen is more convenient. In addition, only here you will be able to select applications, notifications from which will be displayed on the clock, change the order of the widgets and make several other specific settings. The Amazfit Watch program is perfectly localized and is updated quite often.
Autonomy
The manufacturer claims that the battery life of Amazfit Verge reaches five days. Such an indicator for a sports watch is an achievement in itself, and if you take into account the bright AMOLED display, it generally becomes like a fairy tale. Therefore, I treated him with a great deal of skepticism.
However, the test results showed that the manufacturer was right. Of course, of great importance is the mode of use, the duration of the training, setting hours, the number of calls and messages. But with my usual routine with daily morning runs and constant synchronization of notifications, the gadget quietly withstands the stated five days.
Full charging time is about one and a half hours. As a drawback, I want to note the absolutely inconvenient design of the charging cradle. Bulging from the back of the wiring looks unreliable and probably will break sooner or later.
Results
Amazfit Verge - a great sports watch, which in terms of price and quality are among the best on the market.
Compared to the previous version, they offer a cool bright screen and the ability to answer the phone. At the same time, the autonomy of the watch remained at the level of Amazfit Stratos, which is good news.
If you compare the gadget with Mi Band, then this is a completely different class of devices both in terms of functionality and in terms of usability. Wearing Amazfit Verge on your hand, you get the opportunity to answer calls, view notifications, listen to music, check the weather, track sports workouts and perform other activities that a simple fitness bracelet is simply not capable of. So, in my opinion, these watches are worth their money.
