When shopping for a new smartwatch, you generally have a clear idea of how much you need to spend to get a good quality device. Whether you’re considering one of the best smartwatches from Google, Samsung, OnePlus, Garmin, or another major brand, a price range of $250 to $400 is typical.
On the higher end of the spectrum, Samsung demonstrated what can happen when it creates a rugged, feature-rich watch with the Galaxy Watch Ultra. While it is an exceptionally capable device, its $650 price tag can be quite prohibitive. On the other end, however, we find watches like the Amazfit Bip 6.
On paper, the Bip 6 appears almost too good to be true. Featuring an aluminum design, an AMOLED display, a multitude of health features, and up to 14 days of battery life—all for just $80—it raises the question of whether there might be a catch. I wore the Amazfit Bip 6 for about two weeks to uncover this potential catch, and surprisingly, there really isn’t one.
The Amazfit Bip 6 impressed me right out of the box. I expected an $80 smartwatch to feel cheap and poorly constructed, but the Bip 6 is anything but that. Its aluminum casing is robust, the side buttons are satisfying to press, and the glass covering the screen is slightly curved. The Apple Watch-like design may not be the most original, but it works well, providing a stylish and comfortable experience. The included watch band is also quite nice.
Even more impressive than the hardware is the display. At $80, I fully expected the Bip 6 to have a low-quality, low-resolution screen that would be hard to see outdoors. Again, Amazfit surprised me.
While it may not be the best smartwatch display I’ve ever encountered, it is still remarkably good. The AMOLED panel delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The 390 x 450 resolution is sharp and easy to read, and the 2,000 nits of peak brightness make the screen easily visible even during sunny spring days in Michigan. A good display is essential for any smartwatch, and Amazfit has exceeded expectations at this price point.
Equally surprising to me has been the software. The Bip 6 operates on Amazfit’s Zepp OS, which shares many similarities with Wear OS. From the clock face, you can swipe down to access quick settings, swipe up for notifications, and swipe left and right to view widgets for weather, heart rate, daily activity progress, and more.