It’s been exactly a year since we put the spotlight on Amazfit’s BIP Lite, a smartwatch that delivered serious bang for your buck. It was essentially a smartwatch at a price point of a budget fitness tracker. One year later the focus shifts to the BIP S Lite that’s marginally cheaper, yet packs the same punch. Is this all the smartwatch you need if you’re seeking a wearable on a budget?

Just like the BIP Lite, the S Lite also seeks design ‘inspiration’ the Apple Watch. It’s the same squarish rectangle shape, with a tiny crown in the centre of the right spine. The all-plastic build certainly doesn’t look cheap. At 30gm it’s almost weightless and comfortable to wear for long durations; the silicon strap (it’s swappable) felt comfortable even as I sweated through an intense workout. Amazfit retains the same 1.28-inch colour display (176 x 176 pixels) as the BIP Lite. I had to crank up the display to the maximum brightness for clear visibility. It’s certainly acceptable for this price point but not super vibrant.

We’ve checked out quite a few Amazfit devices over the past 12 months for Man’s World and the process of setting up the device is always seamless. Just like the T-REX, the last Amazfit device I reviewed, I set up the BIP S Lite with an iPhone and it was quite effortless. It’s the same with Android devices. The companion App is both comprehensive and easy on the eye. One of the features that will keep first-time smartwatch users engaged is the plethora of customisable watch faces. There are about 50 options that you can currently choose from but Amazfit has confirmed that this number will soon hit 150. That’s more than you probably need.

Aside from heaps of watch faces, the BIP S Lite offers other smartwatch functionality such as  text and call alerts and the ability to control music on your phone from the watch. You can’t reply to texts or answer calls with the watch though. The navigation is quite simple with the crown functioning as a back key and simple swipe gestures allowing you to find your way around the multiple functions. You get standard features like weather updates, calorie and step counts. The detailed sports tracking feature is handy and includes modes like treadmill, outdoor running, outdoor cycling, yoga and elliptical trainer. It’s also 5ATM Proof (up to 50 metres), you’re covered for those runs in the rain or a swim.

The Amazfit BIP S Lite doesn’t disappoint at its sub Rs 4,000 price point. We dig the always-on display option that eliminates the need to keep tilting or shaking your wrist to catch the time. Battery life is another big win. Amazfit claims a 30-day battery life on a single charge and it seems a fair claim based on our usage pattern for a few days. If you’re looking for a no-frills smartwatch at an affordable sticker price, the BIP S Lite is a great option.

The Amazfit BIP S Lite is priced at Rs 3,799 and is available in three colours – Oxford blue, Sakura pink, and Charcoal black