Amazfit Helio Ring initial tests: Finally, a ring that nails exercise heart rate
I’ve tested my fair share of smart rings over the years, and one consistent disappointment has been their inaccurate heart rate tracking during exercise. Even the popular Oura ring falls short in this department. So, when I got my hands on the new Amazfit Helio Ring, I didn’t have high hopes for its exercise capabilities.
Color me surprised.
To remind, this is the first smart ring from a major smartwatch brand. The next one will be the Samsung Galaxy ring, slated for launch sometime in July or early August.
Putting the Helio Ring to the test
My first test was a 5K run, with the Helio Ring on one hand and my trusty Garmin Forerunner 955 on the other wrist. The Helio ring’s exercise tracking is initiated through its smartphone app, which also handles GPS.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The GPS data between the Garmin and Amazfit were very similar: 5.1km on the Garmin versus 5.0km on the Amazfit. But that’s interely dependent on your smartphone’s GPS.
What really impressed me was the heart rate data. The Helio ring measured my average heart rate at 138 bpm and max at 152 bpm. The Garmin was nearly identical, clocking in at 137 bpm and 152 bpm. Also worth noting – apart from one instance where the Amazfit missed a beat, the data was remarkably consistent.
Here is the Helio Ring data.
This is the Garmin data.
It could be a fluke, right? As any good wearable tech reviewer would do, later on in the day I went for another run. This time for a 10K run.
Again, the GPS data was comparable (10.13km on the Garmin vs. 10km on the Amazfit). As far as the heart rate data, it did not dissapoint. The Garmin measured my average heart rate at 139 bpm and max at 154 bpm. The Amazfit came in at 141 bpm and 160 bpm.
Not bad at all. The first image is Helio Ring, the second Garmin.
As an added bonus, the Helio ring’s battery life proved impressive. After both runs, the battery level had only fallen to 85% from a full charge.
Could this be the first accurate smart ring for exercise?
My initial tests with the Amazfit Helio ring have been overwhelmingly positive. It seems we may finally have a smart ring that accurately tracks heart rate during exercise. Other devices are good at tracking recovery-type stats but are not up to scratch when it comes to high intensity exercise such as running.
Stay tuned for my full review, probably in about a week or so. In the meantime you can check out the Helio ring on the Amazfit website.
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