realme Watch 2 series became official a year after the original Watch landed in the Philippines. The series' standard realme watch 2 offers a lot of improvements from the original model. These include better battery life, more vivid display, and improved overall functionality.
realme Watch 2 Review
The smartwatch poses as a solid contender in its segment. It also appeals to the users of realme devices who wanted to expand their realme ecosystem. Is the realme Watch 2 worth your second look? Let's find out in this review.
Design
realme veered away from the squarish form factor for the realme Watch 2. We are having a rectangular footprint with a glossy plastic body. Is it a fingerprint magnet? Yes. The sides could pick up fingerprints but it could be easily wiped off. The underside, which houses most of the sensors, is a polycarbonate plastic with a silky matte texture.
There's a side button on the right which is designated as a multi-function button. It could also serve as a power button, sleep/wake button, and a back button. The Watch 2's case measures 35.7mm. It's also slightly thicker than the original realme Watch at 12.2mm. This 38-gram wearable also gained some weight but we think these are good trade offs for the added features this wrist computer brings on the table.
We still have the same IP68 rating which allows you to wash hands while wearing it. The watch could tolerate light rain splashes too, but not so much if you wanted to swim in the pool.
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The straps are also wider at 22mm which can easily be swapped using the lock mechanism attached to the ends of the case. However, there are still no available strap options aside from the black one that comes out of the box. There's also a subtle "Dare to Leap" embellishment on the strap; you might miss it if you don't have a keen eye.
Display
The realme Watch 2 frames a 1.4-inch TFT display with 320x320p resolution. It's a colour touchscreen display which feels like the same as the original realme Watch. However, I think the quality has improved a lot. The screen now offers more details and contrast. Colors are also more saturated and vibrant. The brightness can now be adjusted into five levels which is quite convenient if you're using the watch on a sunny day.
I also find the current model to be more responsive compared to the original realme Watch. It's fast to pick up taps and is also great in rejecting unintentional touches. The realme Watch 2 does not have an Always-On function but you can set the screen time up to 15 seconds, I just hope we have longer options than that. You can also activate the Raise to Wake feature but it usually took a couple of seconds to detect the gesture.
The bezels are still thick, especially the top and bottom. It's also worth-noting that the realme branding found on the bottom bezel in last year's model was left in the cutting room.
Software
The realme Watch 2 boots with the same familiar software. With the current version, it supports iOS. This means that you can use your iPhone in tracking your activities using the realme Link app. The realme Watch 2 is significantly faster and easy to navigate even when you're a first time user.
From the homescreen, you can access your quick toggles for Do Not Disturb, Brightness, Power Saving, Raise to Wake, and Settings by swiping to the right. Notifications can be accessed and deleted by swiping down. Moreover, you can access your Activity records, Heart Rate, Weather, and Music Player by swiping continuously to the left. On top of that, swiping up will pull up your apps. By default, your apps is laid out in List View but you can opt to use the Grid View in settings.
You can also track your sleep, use the stopwatch, set timer, control your camera, and trigger Find Your Phone using the smartwatch. The realme Watch 2 also features an interesting Breathe app which will guide you through your breathing exercises.
Personally, the realme Watch 2's software is very easy to use. It's simple and clean without having to scramble around to get something done. I also love the choice of icons. You can choose your desired watch face by pressing and holding the screen while in the homescreen. My personal choice is the "realmeow" watch face.
Of course, you'll need to have the realme Link app in your smartphone to activate the watch. The companion app also gives you a more comprehensive statistics. You can change your settings and toggles with the smartphone app. It's also worth-noting that the watch is only linked to one realme Link app. If you have multiple smartphones, you need to disconnect the watch on the other phone in order for you to link it to a new phone.
Fitness and Activity Tracking
The realme Watch 2 can track 90 sports modes, it's a big leap from last year's 14 workout modes. It also excels in basic tracking features like steps counter, calories burned, active hours during the day, and more. You can also opt for monumental alerts like Sedentary notifications, hydration alerts, breathing exercises, and heart rate alert.
You can set your continuous heart rate tracking from five-minute up to 30-minute intervals. On top of that, the watch 2 can automatically detect when you're going to sleep. It gives you a good set of information about your sleep by providing you data on the several stages of your sleep. It also gives you heart rate info while you were sleeping.
The realme Watch 2 is also capable of tracking your SpO2 levels. However, unlike the continuous HR sensor, you can only get your SpO2 level using the system app. I found that the level I got on the Watch 2 is also the exact reading I got with my Apple Watch Series 6 when I simultaneously tested both watches' blood oxygen sensors.
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| SpO2 Reading: realme Watch 2 vs Apple Watch Series 6 |
There is a good number of straightforward modes that you can pull-up in the Workout app like Outdoor Run, Outdoor Walk, and Outdoor Cycle. Though the Watch 2 excels in these activities, we still think that this could be improved with a built-in GPS tracker. Sadly, the Watch 2 doesn't have one. But you can always take advantage of your phone's GPS to make better tracking. There's also no altimeter here, thus you can't count the flight of stairs or altitude workout course.
The automatic detection for workouts come in handy when you forgot to set your tracking apps. In our experience, it detected running and walking modes. All in all, the tracker capability improved a lot since the original Watch; and for its price, the Watch 2 does a lot for users who wanted to keep tabs on their activities and health.
Battery Life
The realme Watch 2 packs 315 mAh of battery. It's an improvement from last year's 160 mAh rating. This makes the Watch 2 last up to 12 days. In my real-time use, I got about 10 to 11 days of use which is quite acceptable since I have set my continuous HR tracking to every 5 minutes.
Verdict: Should You Buy The realme Watch 2?
The realme Watch 2 offers more than enough features in terms of activity tracking and in keeping tabs of your heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen, and more. As an extension of your smartphone, the Watch 2 handles notifications very well.
For its price, the realme Watch 2 sticks out among its peers. It's also something you would consider if you're buying a tracking device for the first time. Of course, if you've already gotten your feet wet in the realme ecosystem, this device is worth considering.
Pros and Cons
- Improved screen quality
- Solid 12-day battery life
- Expanded support for Android and iOS
- Precise SpO2 tracker
- Good value for the price
- Lightweight design
realme Watch 2 Specs
35.7 x 25.8 x 12.2 mm, at 38 grams
1.4-inch TFT LCD display
320 x 320 pixels, 1:1 ratio (~323 ppi density)
IP68 dust and water resistant
Bluetooth v5.0, A2DP, LE
Accelerometer
Heart Rate Sensor
SpO2
Proprietary OS
315mah battery
Black
₱2,990 Official Price
₱1,990 Promo Price
