21.1.2022 | 6 MIN | 1x comment
The majority of smart bands is more or less the same. Both in the features and the design. But Honor Band 6 is different. In my opinion, it is something between a smartwatch and a smart band. I would even go as far as to say that it is more of a basic smartwatch.
Recently, we have welcomed our new family members Honor Band 5 and Honor Band 6 in our big family of Bands. They might have been on the market for a bit now, but they still have something to offer. I have spent a few days with the sixth generation, and I must admit, Honor Band 6 has taken my breath away.
One of the main deciding factors for me was the design. Among other positive points is Honor's interface, which is clear and very smooth. Well, no wonder, they did create the software themselves at Honor. This all is under the well-made captivating AMOLED display.
Unfortunately, Honor chose a not very typical way of attachment of strap to the case, so you will not be able to chance it as quickly. It's also a pity that the band does not have GPS, but that probably would be too much for this price range.
The design was a "wow" moment for me ever since I held the band in my hand for the first time. It looks like a narrow watch, and it looks very good on wrist. Thanks to a bigger display, the height of the watch is 43 mm (1.7 in) and the width 25.4 mm (1 in). They fit well on an average man's hand, and slimmer lady's hand, even on a child's hand (tested on our female colleague with wrist circumference of 14.5 cm [5.7 in]).
The case is made of durable plastic, the clear design is disrupted by a button on one side and the inscription 'Honor' on the other side. The unobtrusive design actually describes the band well.
A silicone band with plastic buckle and one loop is attached to the case. There are protective caps on the strap, which we need to take off to replace the strap. It is nothing too difficult, but you probably won't change your strap all the time because of it.
The weight of the band is 18 g, making it perfect for wearing the band all day and when sleeping.
In comparison with Honor Band 5, the size of the display has grown 148 %. That's good, it's a very interesting and rare case in the family of Band. It covers the whole face of the watch, and its size is 1.47". The resolution is 198 x 368 pixels, and pixel density is 282 ppi.
Looking away from these technicalities, I should say that there is a slight curve to the display, making it even more attractive. Unfortunately, the always-on mode, which shows the date and time when the display if off, is missing in this band,
It's knows that Chinese comrades simply know how to make displays. The readability in direct sunlight is amazing as well as the graphics. This all is protected by silicate glass, also known as Corning Gorilla Glass. The glass is not protected by anything, so I would recommend buying a protective glass or silicone cover for the case.
In most bands, we can find sensor basics like accelerometer and heart rate monitor. That's where the list ends, too. And if the band happens to have any other sensor, precision is usually not the right word to use to describe it.
But Honor Band 6 is different from other bands. Its sensors include oximeter and gyroscope. Both heart rate and oximeter measure perfectly. I do have to say, thanks to the lightness of the band, it measures better than my Garmin Enduro.
I also have to admit that I haven't reviewed a band in a while and this one makes me believe that bands have a great future ahead if they choose the path of bigger size and more features. Speaking of, if this band had GPS, this watch would be one of the ultimate bestsellers. At least in my opinion.
If you want to look at a similar model with GPS, take a look at this one:
One of the amazing things about this piece is without doubt the battery. When used as a smart watch, (pardon me, a smart band) the battery should last up to 14 days. That's great, but it is usually different when using the offered sport activities.
Even though I was using only the accelerometer, the 8-hour long physical activity didn't take much of the battery percentage. The band was charged to some 75 % and the activity was recorded on Thursday. I didn't wear the band since Friday, but the battery was at 48 % on Monday! That's a great success! At least my expectations were exceeded.
I can't believe I'm writing this. Well, never say never, right. 56 kilometres (34.8 miles) were a piece of cake for the band and, honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by the precision of the heart rate frequency. Since the activity was measured only using accelerometer, the band measured some 51.09 km (31.7 miles). That's definitely not the worst result. If you want to monitor any activity with GPS, you have to open the app on your phone, let the GPS load, and press start on your phone. Only after that will the activity start on your watch, too.
What a nice surprise seeing that the band hasn't shut down yet.
Apart from running, we can also choose form rower, cycling, pool swimming, and elliptical. For more specific activities, we can use the last activity button "Other". Thanks to the size of the display, you can see your data well while doing the activities that the band offers. It also automatically recognizes exercise, so the band can tell when you're running, walking, on the elliptical or on the rower.
Honor chose its own operating system for Honor Band 6, and it was a wise decision. Using it is intuitive, any averagely intelligent St. Bernard will have no problem with using it. And the system does not freeze at all. By swiping left and right, you can browse widgets showing sleep, steps, stress, etc. By swiping upwards, you can see notifications; by swiping down shortcuts. The button on the side takes you to back to the home screen. Pressing it while you're in home screen takes you to menu and sport activities, history of activities, settings, and so on.
Since we live in the Stress Age, pressure coming at us from every direction, many producers have been adding stress measuring to their smart wearables. Honor have taken it a step further, they added a personality test so that the band gets to know you better and measures your stress more precisely. In the test, you answer some questions, for example if you think that your life is meaningless or if your hands are shaking...
Apart from measuring stress levels, the band offers (of course) heart rate monitoring (you can also choose continuous monitoring), sleep monitoring, pedometer, calories counter and active hours. With your band, you can also manage music that plays from your phone, there is also a weather widget, also connected with your phone. The basic functions in this band are alarm clock, timer, stopwatch, and the find-my-phone function.
Honor is a subsidiary of Huawei, therefore, Honor watches use the Huawei Health app. This app is one of the best apps for smart watches. It's easy to use, and you find anything you need quickly.
Let's begin the summary by pondering this simple question. Where does a watch stand and a band end? You really can't tell with this model and the lines are becoming pretty blurred.
This watch + band, a wand if you will, have pleasantly surprised me with the smoothness of their software and their precise measurements of heart rate. I would sincerely recommend Honor Band 6 to everyone who is still deciding whether to buy a smart watch or a smart band because you can get all-in-one for a good price, great sensor collection, and a battery lasting up to 14 days.
An alternative to Honor Band 6 could be the well-known Xiaomi Mi Band 6 or maybe a bit pricier Huawei Band 6. The bands' features are almost the same, but in the Czech Republic, you can pay only with the latest Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 NFC out of these.
Samuel • ago 453 days, respond
