Halo View : An Affordable Fitbit Alternative

Amazon introduced its Halo fitness band in 2020 to mixed reviews. While many liked the simple design and abundance of wellness features, the voice tracking and fat scan features caused a stir. The company heard these comments and is back with its second version of the fitness tracker. The new Halo View takes the best features of the original Halo, removes the controversial ones, and adds an important feature that is missing from the Halo band. Does this new bracelet fulfill its promise to “build a healthier lifestyle from the wrist”? We tested it to find out.

Fitbit-like and packed with features

When I first saw Amazon’s new Halo View, my first thought was “this looks like a Fitbit.” Halo View has Fitbit’s traditional rectangular body, a soft elastomer band, and a bright, colorful AMOLED display. It’s a bit more boxy than the current-generation Fitbit Charge 5, but the resemblance is undeniable.

Halo View’s feature set is very competitive. It boasts a seven-day battery life and has lived up to that claim in my testing. It is also equipped with an optical heart rate sensor, a pulse oximeter capable of both background and on-demand measurements, and a skin temperature monitor. You can wear the Halo View in the shower and while swimming thanks to its 50 meter water resistance.

Light as a feather

The Halo View looks like a Fitbit but it doesn’t have the same feel as a Fitbit. Compared to most other fitness bands that weigh 30 grams, the 20.6 gram Halo View is incredibly light. The View is so light that I often forgot I was using it. It’s also extremely comfortable on the wrist with an easy-to-close band that doesn’t pinch or, at least for me, irritate my skin.

If you want a fitness band that doesn’t weigh you down, Halo View should be your first choice.

The Halo View also doesn’t have the same solid feel as a Fitbit. Although it may seem inexpensive, it does not work as an inexpensive device. The Halo View performed above expectations during testing. The battery life lasted up to a week and the sensor readings were accurate. Although the band adheres uncomfortably to the top of the sensor unit, it stayed firmly on my wrist and the screen remained scratch-free during testing.

Fitness tracking falls short in one area

Amazon is still new to the fitness tracking space, but you wouldn’t know it. The Halo app is surprisingly polished with an interface that makes it easy to find the information you need. And that information is abundant. Amazon’s Halo View collects all the common health metrics you need to track your fitness, like step count, heart rate, calories, and more. The view uses a weekly point system to measure your activity level, which is perfect for busy people. Instead of taking thousands of steps each day, you can take a day off, exercise when you have more time, and still meet your fitness goals. GPS is the only glaring omission. View does not have a built-in GPS and does not use your phone’s GPS. As a result, it does not display distance or pace during an outdoor activity. Most people probably won’t mind, but runners and cyclists will be disappointed.

Track temperature while you sleep

Halo View automatically tracks your sleep each night and does an excellent job of detecting when you fall asleep and wake up. It also calculates a sleep score, giving you a quick and easy way to assess the quality of your sleep without having to dive into a large number of metrics. If you want to explore the details, you can too. The Halo app divides sleep into deep, light REM sleep, as well as number of disturbances, waking time, and more.

Amazon Halo View not only tracks your heart rate and movement at night, it also measures your skin temperature at night. This adds another metric that you can use to help diagnose sleep problems or monitor your health. Do you wake up feeling tired but slept a full eight hours? You can check the temperature statistics to see if the temperature influenced your insomnia. Maybe you need to remove a layer or add a blanket to stay comfortable at night. Temperature can also be used to detect disease, track your menstrual cycle, and monitor other changes in your body or environment.

Halo Fitness brings the burning

Halo View integrates with Amazon’s Halo Fitness, which provides access to a growing library of on-demand workouts led by professional fitness trainers. You can choose from cardio, outdoor, strength, yoga, and mobility classes. And there are workouts for all fitness levels. Like Apple Fitness and iFit, the workouts are primarily bodyweight exercises, but that doesn’t mean they were easy. The classes I completed were vigorous enough to make me sweat and left me sore the next day. Most exercises last less than 25 minutes, making it easy to complete even on a busy day. Although I used Halo View to track my training, the tracker stats are not integrated with Halo Fitness in the Halo app. I had to look at my watch to check my heart rate instead of seeing it on my phone screen.

Creepy d-tone

Amazon raised a few eyebrows with its Tone voice analysis and photo-based body fat assessment it added to its original Halo fitness band. Although it removed Tone from Halo View, Amazon kept the body fat measurements that require you to take a photo in your boxer shorts. Measuring body fat using photos can be more accurate, but not everyone will accept this feature.

The same applies to Halo View’s new motion health, which uses the camera to assess its ability to perform five simple motions. The data collected from the camera is analyzed and used to improve your mobility, stability and posture. Fortunately, these features are optional and are disabled by default. I enabled them for testing, but didn’t use them much after the initial setup. Step count, activity score, and weekly goal were my main motivators to keep moving.

Nutrition adds a new dimension

Step count, heart rate, and sleep tracking are only half the story. Halo View is packed with loads of health and wellness features that complement fitness metrics gathered from the band’s built-in sensors. Nutrition is one of the latest additions and it shows promise. The nutrition section, found in the Halo app, includes individual recipes for a single meal, as well as long-term eating programs that will help you develop healthy eating habits over time. I signed up for the “Drink a Glass of Water Before Every Meal” program and appreciated the daily reminders encouraging me to improve my hydration day by day. In the future, Amazon plans to offer meal planning guides and shopping lists that will sync with Alexa.

Affordable monthly membership

Amazon nailed the membership options on Halo View. Some companies freeze their devices for non-subscribers, but Amazon provides you with the basic metrics like steps, heart rate, and hours of sleep for free. You do not need to purchase this additional subscription to use the device’s minimal fitness tracking features.

Those who want advanced metrics, like daily activity scores or personalized information, can sign up for a Halo membership. Amazon valued their membership at an affordable price of $ 3.99 per month. The View ships with a free 12-month subscription to Halo membership, so you don’t have to incur this fee right away.

Our take

Halo View is an excellent value for those who want an affordable alternative to the more expensive trackers from Fitbit and Garmin. It offers more than enough wellness features and metrics to appease most users. Halo View may not have enough detail to alienate people from Fitbit or Garmin, but it’s a great starting point for those new to fitness tracking.

Is there a better alternative?

The Halo is an excellent entry-level fitness attacker, but there are better alternatives. With sleek, rounded lines and a beautiful AMOLED display, the Charge 5 is a worthy competitor to the Halo View. With an MSRP of $ 129, the Charge 5 is more expensive, but offers distance and pace metrics that are not present in Halo View. Another option is Garmin’s Vivosmart 4, which has a polished design and plenty of smart features to keep you connected and healthy.

How long will it last?

Amazon Halo View is an inexpensive fitness tracker, so don’t expect it to last five years. Most people will enjoy a few years of use with Halo View under normal use conditions. Adventurous athletes or those who work with their hands, such as mechanics or carpenters, may find the View too delicate for their rough lifestyle.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. With fitness tracking, sleep tracking, nutrition, and access to coach-led workouts, Halo View is ideal for someone who wants an activity tracker but doesn’t want to spend a lot of money.

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