What a pity that there are very few such comparative articles on the Internet. Then people would probably not have wasted so much time, effort, and, possibly, money on gadgets that do not meet their needs, desires and needs.
And now you have the opportunity to avoid these mistakes and use our experience in the question: “Which is better: a fitness bracelet or a smart watch.” With the help of our comparison and analysis, you will be able to understand this topic in detail and understand what you need in a particular case.
Let's tell it like it is.
Well, let's get started!)
Useful to read: Quartz watches - what they are and how they differ from mechanical watches. Research from A to Z
Fitness bracelet and smart watch: what are the purposes of use
So, the first thing we will start our comparison with is to look at their functionality and features.
Why do you need a fitness bracelet?
The fitness bracelet is designed for people leading an active and sporty lifestyle. It is capable of monitoring and recording a number of physiological indicators, thanks to built-in sensors.
Appearance of the Xiaomi mi band 4 fitness bracelet
What can a fitness bracelet do?
- Calculating the speed of a person's movement;
- Heart rate (number of heart beats per minute);
- Duration of physical activity;
- Training intensity;
- Number of calories burned;
- Quality and duration of sleep;
- Number of steps taken;
- “Smart” alarm clock - this function is responsible for waking up a person during the REM sleep phase, that is, at the moment of his easy awakening;
- Timer, stopwatch and alarm functions;
- Notification of calls and messages to your phone.
The fitness bracelet is connected to a suitable smartphone via Bluetooth, and it, in turn, transmits data on physical activity to a suitable application, for example, for Samsung models it is SHeath. And they, in turn, are displayed on the phone.
Also, almost all modern models of fitness bracelets have an increased level of protection against moisture, which will allow them to remain on you, even if your workouts take place in water or a pool.
Why do you need a smart watch?
Smartwatches or smartwatches are gadgets that have more functionality than fitness bracelets, as they are designed not only to track physical activity, but also to fully interact with a smartphone.
Appearance of smart watches
What can smart watches do?
- Quick access to information - notifications about calls, SMS messages, notifications in instant messengers and more are displayed on the screen. And all this is shown on the display;
- Full smartphone control: music, stopwatch, alarm clock, timer, time and calendar, weather forecast and more;
- Shows the complete physical activity of a person (functions of a fitness bracelet);
- Call another phone without a smartphone and send messages;
- Determine location using GPS;
- The “hands free” or “hands free” function, that is, with the help of a voice assistant, such as Siri in Apple smartphones, you can easily carry out commands without removing the phone from your pocket or bag.
Thus, you can see that smart watches have many more features and functions than fitness bands. Therefore, if you want to track your physical activity, then pay attention to fitness bracelets.
Next we will look at the design and appearance.
What to choose: a smart watch or a fitness bracelet?
Fitness bracelet
Even the simplest fitness bracelet can give an overall picture of your daily activity - count steps taken, calories burned and track sleep stages. More advanced models can help monitor a variety of sports, from running to swimming, offering a variety of training program types. All fitness bracelets allow you to receive notifications from your phone, and some even allow you to respond to them. And this is the benefit of a fitness bracelet, but not everything is so simple.
Pros:
Prices for the simplest models start from 1,500 rubles. Slightly more expensive options are already equipped with a large number of sensors. If you don’t really need smart functions, but activity tracking is important, then you can choose a bracelet specially tailored for the desired sport.
Minuses:
Not all models support working with notifications, smartphone control, or have convenient applications. The number of smart functions they have, as a rule, is limited to basic capabilities.
Smart watch
Smartwatches have a wide range of capabilities when it comes to controlling your smartphone. Using them, you can conveniently and quickly work with a wide variety of notifications, from SMS to Twitter. The most advanced of them allow you to reply to messages and dictate text. Many watches have a sufficient number of sensors to monitor health and physical activity. Therefore, smart watches are suitable for both athletes and those who would simply like to stay in touch.
Pros:
They allow you to conveniently and quickly work with notifications on a fairly large display. Models with a large number of sensors will make it possible to track physical activity and can provide very detailed analysis of training.
Minuses:
As a rule, smart watches are much more expensive than fitness bracelets. Due to the large display and energy-consuming sensors, their battery life is significantly less than that of bracelets, and some smartwatch models will have to be charged daily.
How does a fitness bracelet differ from a smartwatch in appearance?
So, let's compare these gadgets by appearance.
As for the screen, fitness bracelets have a small screen or no screen at all, unlike smart watches.
Appearance of the fitness bracelet
Appearance of smart watches
The next point is the type of control. Smart watches have all types of controls, such as touch, mechanical and electronic. Fitness bracelets have only touch controls, and this is only in some models.
Also, fitness bracelets usually only have black and white colors on the display, sometimes a couple of bright colors. Smart watches have high picture quality and are fully colored.
In addition to these differences, the appearance of these two gadgets differs in the material from which the strap is made: for a fitness bracelet, manufacturers usually use silicone, which can be changed at the request of the owner or due to wear and tear. Smartwatches have a huge selection: silicone, leather, metal or fabric.
The last difference is the size of the device. Like the screen, smart watches have more impressive dimensions in contrast to a fitness bracelet. Of course, this fact also affects the weight of the gadget.
Actually, we've sorted out the appearance, now let's move on to the software.
What is special about smart bracelets?
A fitness bracelet is a miniature gadget that provides the owner with many possibilities. It can be used as a watch and also for productive sports activities. The device monitors the body's performance during training, motivates for further exercise and warns about overload.
Key features of smart bracelets:
- Tracking the number of steps taken and calories burned;
- Heart rate measurement in real time and on an ongoing basis. Based on the data received, the tracker can warn about excessive stress on the body;
- Determining the user's location due to the presence of a GPS module;
- Timer, stopwatch, alarm functions;
- Notification of prolonged inactivity, which serves as motivation for active activity.
In addition to the listed functions, some models of fitness trackers are capable of tracking and analyzing the user’s sleep, including sleep stages, its duration and quality level. To implement this and many other features of the gadget, it must be synchronized with a smartphone via Bluetooth. After connecting the device, it can also display notifications from a mobile phone (calls, messages from instant messengers, SMS, from applications), control music playback, etc.
However, the main purpose of this type of device is its fitness capabilities. With the help of a bracelet, you can set yourself goals and achieve them, monitor your body’s indicators, and then analyze them. With the right approach, the tracker becomes an extremely useful tool for athletes.
Is there software in fitness bracelets?
As for software, fitness bracelets do not have it, so they will not be able to work autonomously, that is, without being tied to a smartphone. Inside this gadget there are special sensors that can collect information about various physical indicators, and then transfer this data to a smartphone application.
An example of displaying data on a fitness bracelet
Smart watches, on the contrary, have their own operating system adapted to the smart watch screen. Such watches can work independently without a smartphone, that is, autonomously.
Example of software on a smart watch
Next, we will look at the prices of these two devices.
What is a fitness bracelet
Fitness bracelets come in two types:
- activity trackers;
- smart bracelets.
Trackers are considered highly specialized devices. They allow you to determine activity indicators and have a number of functions, including measuring heart rate, blood pressure, identifying the type of activity, pedometer, and so on. The appearance of the tracker is not necessarily the same as that of the watch. The gadget can have any appearance. The most common are stickers on the forehead, clips or clips on clothes.
Smart bracelets are considered more universal devices that have the functions of a smart watch. They must be worn on the wrist. Most models are equipped with the following additional options:
- synchronization with smartphones on iOS and Android operating systems;
- the presence of a special application through which you can access the full functionality of the bracelet;
- the ability to find out the time;
- receiving notifications about messages and calls;
- alarm;
- notification of the need to train, and so on.
Fitness bracelets have a small screen. The device itself is usually black, and the straps can be painted in any other color. The most famous manufacturers today are Xiaomi, Samsung, Huawei, Polar and Fitbit. Although, there are models from other brands on the market too.
Cost of fitness bracelets and smart watches
So, now let's look at the cost of a fitness bracelet and smart watch on Yandex.Market.
The average price for fitness bracelets varies from 1,500 rubles to 4,000 rubles.
Example prices for some models of fitness bracelets on Yandex.Market
As for smart watches, their price is higher, and on average their cost is 5,000 rubles - 10,000 rubles.
Example prices for some smartwatch models on Yandex.Market
So, next we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of these two gadgets.
Why choose a fitness bracelet
Fitness bracelets work perfectly with all smartphones. This is a huge advantage over smart watches
If your goal is not to duplicate the functions of your smartphone and spend as much money as possible on it, then choose a fitness bracelet. The assortment is obscenely large. I have been using the fitness bracelet for over two years now and I can say that it is the perfect accessory. It is unpretentious, fast and absolutely non-distracting, perfectly complementing the smartphone. I use the Mi Band 4 fitness bracelet for training and fueling motivation: I like to track the number of steps I took per day, and after training I study the data obtained about my well-being (maximum heart rate during training) and the work done (for example, the number of calories burned ). I’m incredibly happy that the fitness bracelet does not require frequent recharging: with the correct settings (backlight level at night) and disabling some functions (notifications from social networks and vibration during an incoming call), the same Mi Band can work for a month without recharging ! With each update, new functions appear: alarm clock, timer, stopwatch and weather forecast.
A fitness bracelet is a great inexpensive gift for a loved one, even if he is not interested in working out. Rest assured: the gift will please even the most picky friends.
Fitness bracelet and smart watch: advantages and disadvantages
| Fitness bracelets | Smart watch | |
| Advantages |
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| Flaws |
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Next, we will compile a table where we will combine all the parameters by which a comparative comparison between smart watches and fitness bracelets was carried out today.
The main purposes of using a gadget: which is best?
A fitness bracelet is the optimal device for active people. Such a gadget has a number of built-in sensors that record certain physiological indicators of the owner. The bracelet is capable of:
- calculate movement speed;
- heartbeat;
- duration and nature of physical activity;
- calories burned;
- quality of sleep.
The tracker connects to a personal smartphone via a Bluetooth module. Thanks to active sleep analysis and recording of pulse measurements and involuntary movements, the bracelet can implement the function of a “smart” alarm clock. The main idea: the device will wake you up during REM sleep for easy awakening and well-being.
Thanks to moisture protection, 90% of modern bracelet models can withstand contact with water, and some can accompany the owner during swimming training.
Note! To fully swim with a bracelet, you need to choose a protection level of 20 ATM, and for regular running in the rain, gadgets with a moisture protection of 3 ATM are suitable.
Smart watches have much greater capabilities compared to a sports tracker. In addition to monitoring activity (as in the previous version), among the main purposes of using such a watch are the following:
- For quick access to information. To watch something on your smartphone, you need to take it out, unlock it, and launch the appropriate application. “Smart” watches greatly simplify the situation - thanks to widgets, on their screen you can quickly get the necessary information at one glance at the display.
- For equipment management and more. Such a gadget will help configure the operation of any device/program: from an audio player on a personal smartphone to a TV or an entire “smart” home. The creators of various cars also participated in the future synchronization of clocks and cars. At the moment, this feature is implemented in a number of Apple devices. Using the functionality of such a watch, you can lock doors, control the remaining fuel or battery, in the case of an electric car, adjust the temperature inside the cabin, etc., just by installing the desired application.
- To perform tasks “without hands” (hands free). Smart watches are literally created to make life easier for motorists or in other cases when you can’t pick up a smartphone and do what you need. Using the Siri system on Apple Watch, you can easily make calls, send SMS (voice and text), set reminders, and perform a large number of other tasks. Similar functionality is available on watches with the Android operating system: in addition to the above, the owner will be able to receive a translation from one language to another with a voice command, find out the exchange rate, or write to a friend even in a third-party messenger.
Be sure to check out:
The fitness bracelet does not count steps. The main reasons for breakdowns of the pedometer, heart rate monitor and calorie counter IWOWN I6 Pro - a budget, multifunctional and high-quality fitness bracelet for tracking sports activity Xiaomi Mi Band 2 fitness bracelet: water test How to remove the strap from a fitness bracelet: rules and nuances
General table comparing the functions of a fitness bracelet and a smart watch
| Function | Fitness bracelet | Smart watch |
| Notifications | Only receive notifications about calls, SMS messages and instant messengers You will not be able to receive a call, nor will you be able to respond to a message. All you can do is reject the call | Shows all calls, SMS messages and notifications in instant messengers The text of the message is available for reading, and you have the opportunity to answer the call Plus, you can see several notifications at the same time on the smartwatch screen |
| Physical activity | A pedometer, motion sensor, heart rate and other indicators can fully analyze a person’s physical condition. However, all data is sent only to the application. Only some functions are displayed on the screen | They have all the functions of a fitness bracelet, with one feature - the data can be seen directly on the watch display |
| "Smart alarm clock" | Available on fitness bracelets, however, you must install a special application | They have this function by default, however, the large dimensions of smart watches often disturb the owner when sleeping, so often a “smart” alarm clock is a useless function |
| Weather, time and other widgets | Available only on models with screen | Available in all models and displayed on the screen in full You can also customize what will be displayed on the screen |
| Location (GPS module) | Not equipped | Available |
| Battery life | On average 4 - 7 days without recharging | On average 1 - 3 days without recharging |
| Control type | Touch, mechanical and electronic | Touch |
| Software | Not available | Available |
| average price | 1,500 - 4,000 rubles | 5,000 - 10,000 rubles |
What is the difference between a smartwatch and a fitness bracelet?
The first difference is the design. A fitness bracelet is much more compact than a smartwatch. Smart watches are more similar in shape to traditional watches. The bracelet is usually much smaller - the main capsule does not require much space, making the strap more flexible and unpretentious. Most often, straps for fitness bracelets are made of rubber, but craftsmen are inventing leather and metal ones - read more about straps in our Yandex.Zen.
Smart watches captivate with their appearance - minimal differences from traditional watches
The range of functions in gadgets also differs. Smart watches can practically replace a smartphone: when synchronized, you can download music and podcasts to them to listen to without a smartphone. The ability to answer calls and pay for purchases using NFC is another advantage of smartwatches, although Xiaomi has recently been releasing its own fitness bracelets with NFC, which makes customers incredibly happy. It's a small thing, but nice.
Smartwatches are an excellent set of everyday gadgets, while fitness bracelets are more focused on exercising and tracking your well-being.
Colleagues write: 5 reasons not to buy a smart watch
Fitness bracelet - features and benefits
The device, which is used to measure and improve sports performance, has built-in sensors that track, depending on the model:
- Number of steps taken.
- Number of calories consumed.
- Pulse.
- Depth and frequency of breathing.
In addition, gadgets synchronize with a smartphone or tablet and display notifications from Android applications. There is often an alarm function that ensures gentle awakening.
When considering a smart watch or a fitness bracelet, keep in mind the advantages of the latter. These include a lower price, ease of setup and use, minimal weight and dimensions, and the presence of all the sensors necessary for monitoring health. In addition, devices of this type have a much longer operating life on a single charge. The fitness bracelet easily synchronizes with your phone - download the appropriate application from the official store, allow access to the gadget - and start training!
The disadvantages of the devices are a small, often non-touch, sometimes even black and white screen, as well as a limited set of functions compared to a smart watch.
The rating of the best fitness bracelets today includes the Xiaomi Mi Band line with a color touch display, waterproof, synchronized with Android and iOS; Honor Band, with a touch screen, capable of receiving notifications from social networks and SMS; Jet Sport FT, durable, fits well on the hand even during active activities.
