The Amazfit Bip 6 has just launched and is the latest iteration in the Bip smartwatch series. Like its predecessors, the new watch aims to deliver robust health tracking and fitness features without breaking the bank. And after 24 hours of testing the Bip 6, I’m left thinking that this $80 smartwatch is a steal.
Chinese company Amazfit, known for its affordable wearable devices compatible with iOS and Android, stands on its own when it comes to its watch’s software. The Bip 6 doesn’t run Wear OS but instead has its own operating system called Zepp OS, which, in my short time using it, was rough around the edges.
At a time when more people are using smartwatches and fitness trackers to keep tabs on their health, the Amazfit Bip 6 stands out on paper for its low price, universal compatibility with phone and its One Tap Measuring for recording your heart rate, stress, SpO2 and breath in one go.
Otherwise, the Bip 6 should deliver on all the categories that matter when looking for a smartwatch; it measures vitals, tracks every exercise imaginable, has personalized coaching and promises to last over a week on a charge. Plus, it’s one of the few smartwatch models that works on any phone without sacrificing features. If you’re coming from a higher-end model, like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, you’ll notice some design inconsistencies and navigation that doesn’t seem quite as smooth or responsive, but if this is your first smartwatch, it will more than fit the bill.
The Amazfit Bip 6 has a rectangular screen similar to the Apple Watch, rubber straps and two physical buttons that you can customize.
Amazfit Bip 6 design
The Amazfit Bip 6 has a 1.97-inch AMOLED screen (390×450) pixels, which looks bright and crisp indoors and out. The rectangular screen with rounded edges is reminiscent of the Apple Watch, minus the curved infinity edge. The display is roughly the size of the one on the larger 44- or 45-millimeter Apple Watch. The aluminum frame looks sleek, and while the watch itself feels light, the screen appears bulky on my medium-size wrist and doesn’t come in any other size. My review unit has the black sports band, but it’s also available in charcoal, stone and red — colors I’d have preferred more.
Amazfit Bip 6 battery life
According to Amazfit, the Bip 6 can last up to two weeks on a single charge, which, if true, could be record-breaking. And while the 340-mAh battery sounds promising, I’ve worn it for only 24 hours, so time will tell. Amazfit’s battery life claim is with the raise-to-wake feature enabled, as this watch doesn’t allow for an always-on display. The screen won’t even stay on during exercise unless you manually change the settings — something Amazfit warns could significantly reduce battery life.
Charging speed might be where it loses some points, as previous models have been criticized for being slow to charge. The Bip 5, for example, took about 2 hours to go from 0% to 100%. I’ll report back once I’ve fully drained it.
It’s also worth noting that the watch only comes with a charging puck (no USB-C cable or charging brick in the box), which is becoming the norm with most smartwatch models anyway.
Amazfit Bip 6 health and wellness tracking
The first iterations of the Bip were dinged for not being precise in their health and fitness metrics. While I haven’t put the Bip 6 through our usual tests, Amazfit says it has better sensors under the hood which will improve accuracy when it comes to measurements like heart rate variability and blood oxygen levels. The company also says you can access more details about sleep quality and advanced health insights in the Zepp app. Even with the sensor improvements, however, none of these features have received FDA approval and should be used only as a baseline and not a diagnostic tool.
The Amazfit Bip 6 has new sensors under the hood that improve precision for health and fitness tracking.
The watch also has a feature called One Tap Measuring that records four vitals (heart rate, stress levels, SpO2 and breathing rate) in one place. This may seem convenient, but my one complaint is that it provides no context aside from the actual readout at the end. You’re essentially left wondering whether they’re normal or concerning
While the Bip 6 doesn’t measure skin temperature like some of its higher-end rivals, it does include menstrual cycle tracking.
The Bip 6 tracks blood oxygen levels (SpO2) as seen in the picture, heart rate, and stress levels.
Amazfit Bip 6 fitness and exercise features
It has auto workout detection for seven activities, including walking, running, cycling, elliptical and rowing. You can customize which metrics appear on the screen and set up alerts for target pace or heart rate, but navigating the workout settings can be tedious since each activity has its own options. This includes enabling the “always-on display during workouts,” which I activated to keep my stats visible — battery life be damned.
The Bip 6 also has a Smart Strength Training feature, which automatically tracks reps, rest times, and muscle engagement. There’s also an offline navigation option, allowing outdoor enthusiasts to download routes to the watch without worrying about losing GPS signal. With 5 ATM water resistance, the Bip 6 is also suitable for swimming and other water-based activities.
Amazfit Bip 6 smartwatch features
The Bip 6 has standard smartwatch functions like call and text notifications, ping my phone, and a flashlight, but it lacks a mobile payment option. A camera remote feature is available through the Zepp app, but it only works with iPhones. The watch has a voice assistant called Zepp Flow that lets you control the watch hands-free, but it makes even Siri look like a speed demon as there’s a noticeable lag in response time.
The screen itself is fairly responsive, but the interface is clunky and not intuitive. Navigating through menus can feel like wandering through a maze thanks to questionable design choices. The most tedious, in my opinion, is the billboard-style animation used to reveal text that didn’t fit on the screen. Pressing to reveal the rest of the word will only make you select the option, so you’re left waiting for the rest of the word to crawl its way onto the screen.
Weird design choices on the Bip 6 interface vut off words that then crawl back onto the screen with an animation.
Amazfit Bip 6 software and Zepp app
The watch runs on Amazfit’s proprietary Zepp OS and syncs all your health and fitness data through the Zepp app. You can choose from additional free or paid watch faces and download apps through the Zepp app store, although the selection is sparse. According to Amazfit, the app will give detailed health insights and personalized coaching without having to pay extra for some sort of premium subscription. This includes weekly trend reports that aim to help customers track progress toward fitness or weight loss goals.
One of the many colorful watch face options of the Amazfit Bip 6.
Another bonus feature is an AI-powered food journal that automatically populates calorie and nutritional information from a photo or barcode of your meal.
The Amazfit Bip 6 is off to a great start…
There’s still plenty to explore with the Amazfit Bip 6, but based on first impressions, I’d say it’s earned a second date. It’s an affordable alternative to pricier smartwatches, and if you can look past a few UI hiccups and some rough edges, it might just be the perfect match.
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