MEIZU H1 SmartBand test: perfection meets Chinese

The Xiaomi Mi Band 2 revolutionized the wearables market with its low price, simple design and focus on the essentials. In the meantime, other companies have also recognized the potential and jumped on the bandwagon - including the well-known manufacturer MEIZU from China. In this test report, you can find out more about the suitability for everyday use, product quality and the associated app. And then there are the pitfalls of a product that is only sold in China.

Love story

MEIZU Technology Ltd.

The Chinese electronics company MEIZU was founded in 2013 by Jack Wong. The headquarters are located in Zhuhai, China. The company became known for its high-quality MP3 players with excellent playback quality and stylish design. The company now has more than 3,000 employees and is well known for its wide range of products, particularly in China. Today, these include smartphones with the "Flyme OS" operating system - a heavily modified version of Android that places particular emphasis on user-friendliness and design.

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Loyalty to the brand

The MEIZU Band is currently only available in China. The reason why I bought it anyway (via a friend from China) is because of my previous experience with MEIZU: the company's first smartphone, the MEIZU M8, was also my first smartphone. Back then, it was not yet based on Android, but on Windows CE 6.0 with its own innovative interface. Its elements can still be found in the latest smartphones today. Back then, in 2009, I imported the smartphone from China via Hong Kong. I was impressed by the concept and didn't want to swim with the mainstream. Continuous updates, creative and new approaches and an intensive exchange between the company and customers really convinced me. MEIZU already had great ambitions with the M8 and was even briefly represented at CeBIT 2008 until the police closed the stand due to licensing problems with the MP3 format.

The Chinese company also realized that Windows CE was not the future for smartphones and released the MEIZU M9, which was already based on Android, almost two years later. Since then, most of MEIZU's smartphones have been based on Android. However, the fact that the company is still keen to experiment can be seen in a handful of smartphones that run a modified version of Ubuntu.

Over time, I also realized that Windows CE cannot be a good basis for a smartphone in the long term and then switched to Windows Phone 7 at the end of 2010. I stayed there for 7 years until I was driven towards Android and back to MEIZU due to undesirable developments. So in 2017 I bought the MEIZU MX6 - initially based on Android 6.0 and Flyme OS 5 Since my switch, which was easier than I expected, I have become more interested in the Chinese company again. That's why I bought the MEIZU band - probably as one of the first in Germany.

MEIZU Band

Description

The MEIZU tape (also known as the MEIZU H1 SmartBand to find) is a Fitness tracker. At just 20 grams, it is very light. It covers an arm circumference of 15 to 19.5 centimetres in eight different lengths. The maximum length is therefore 1.5 centimetres shorter than that of the Xiaomi Mi Band 2, but should still be sufficient for the vast majority of people without any problems.

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Scope of delivery

The following components are included in the scope of delivery:

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• MEIZU Band
• Instructions (Chinese)
• Charging cable (MEIZU Band + USB)

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Functions

On the front and below the display of the MEIZU Band there is a small elevation. By touching this point, it is possible to switch between five different modes:

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• Time
• Steps (per day after midnight)
• Calories burned (depending on midnight)
• Pulse
• Battery status

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Some self-experiments have shown that the Steps counted very precisely during the day be used. However, the product doesn't seem to work fully during sleep yet: When I look at my MEIZU band after waking up, it sometimes shows around 50 steps even though I haven't moved during the night.

Similar to the Xiaomi Mi Band 2, the heart rate monitor works quite reliably. However, as with all fitness trackers of this size, the results should only be used as a guide and are no substitute for the use of professional devices if necessary.

Battery life

According to the manufacturer, the battery life is 7 days when used with heart rate monitor activated. If this is switched off, this increases to 15 days. I can confirm these values.

In contrast to the Xiaomi Mi Band 2, charging the MEIZU Band is very simple: the fitness tracker can be charged in around an hour using the cable supplied. The proprietary connector on the device is equipped with a magnet, as is familiar from Surface or Mac devices. The other side of the cable was designed as a regular USB plug. This makes it possible to charge the MEIZU Band on a notebook while on the move.

Processing

I've already been using the MEIZU strap for a good two months at this point. On a positive note, I have so far No signs of wear and tear The photos in this article were also taken after two months. I wear the MEIZU strap during the day, at night and during sports and it still looks like new on the outside. The material is scratch-resistant and shows no signs of damage. Like the Xiaomi Mi Band 2, this product fulfills the IP67 standard - A waterproof and dustproof device is therefore guaranteed according to the manufacturer. However, as a precaution, I have not yet taken it into the shower or swimming pool, so I cannot make any verified statements on this point. So far, it has withstood splashing water well.

MEIZU Band App

App

To be able to use the full range of functions of the MEIZU Band, a App for iOS and Android must be installed. It is similar to the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 in terms of functionality. iOS must be at least version 8.0 and Android version 4.4. The included instructions contain a QR code that can be used to install the app. It is not listed in the Google Play Store or other app stores and is downloaded directly from a MEIZU server. Accordingly, updates are not distributed via the Google Play Store. You can check whether an update is available in the app settings. This can then be initiated directly from there if necessary.

Settings can only be made in the app if the MEIZU Band is connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth. Once this is the case, the App very reliablesynchronizes all data and transfers the current time from the smartphone to the fitness tracker. Unfortunately, the App only in Chinese (Mandarin) available.

Functions

The app has several core functions:

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• Pedometer with setpoint and history
• Records for sporting activities GPS tracking included
• Sleep quality with setpoint and history

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In order to use these functions or display current data, the fitness tracker must be connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth.

Settings

Further functions can be found in the app settings, such as the following:

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• Alarm clock function
• Information (vibration and display) in the event of a incoming call
• Display the time by Arm movement

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Displaying the time by moving your arm can be switched on or off. When switched on, there is an option to deactivate this functionality during the night (start and end can be freely selected) so that you are not unintentionally "dazzled" at night. Furthermore, three sensitivity levels can be set for when the display should light up. Of course, the display can always be switched on manually by touching it[/az_column_text][az_blank_divider][az_column_text]

Conclusion

Price and availability

The MEIZU tape is currently only available in China. Official MEIZU agencies in Hong Kong and other countries do not stock the fitness tracker either. Some retailers specializing in exports from China have the device on offer. The manufacturer's price is just 30 euros - a competitive price that is very similar to that of the Xiaomi Mi Band 2.

Summary

Overall, I really like the MEIZU strap. Even after two months of use, I still like wearing it. Even if I'm not dependent on an exact number of steps per day or my heart rate - it's still a nice "nice to have" somewhere. The low price combined with the range of functions and the very good build quality are convincing. Why do you still need a "classic" watch?

Favors have the following points:

• low price
• Processing
• Accuracy of the pedometer during the day
• Functionality of the app
• low weight

Do not like have the following points:

• Inaccuracies in the pedometer at night
• App only in Chinese (Mandarin)
• Difficult to read data outdoors due to low display brightness
• only available in China

If you can tolerate the Chinese interface of the app and import the MEIZU band, I'll give it a Clear recommendation for the product. Otherwise, I recommend taking a look at the often compared Xiaomi Mi Band 2, whose features are very similar to those of MEIZU.

Impressions