I tried the Amazfit Bip 6 and it proves you don’t need to spend a fortune for big smartwatch features

Affordable fitness trackers are getting more and more sophisticated, with many models boasting sleek designs and features that you’d find on more premium models – and the Amazfit Bip 6 is one of them. Priced under £100/$100, it offers features typically reserved for more expensive models, all wrapped in a sleek, modern design.

Over the past two months of testing, I’ve been genuinely impressed by the Bip 6’s performance at this price point. It supports tracking for over 140 workouts, provides in-depth sleep analysis, boasts a two-week battery life, includes built-in GPS, and even offers call functionality. For a budget smartwatch, that’s a pretty impressive feature set.

Of course, it’s not without its drawbacks. Bluetooth calling can be hit-or-miss but, overall, the Bip 6 punches well above its weight. If you're looking for a capable, affordable fitness tracker, this one’s hard to beat.

Amazfit Bip 6 review: price and availability

Amazfit Bip 6 review: specifications

The Bip 6 is available to buy from Amazfit UK and Amazfit US for the recommended retail price of £79.70/$79.99, which is an absolute steal for such a feature-rich smartwatch, not to mention a fraction of the price of a Garmin, Samsung or Apple watch.

It comes in five colours: black, red, blush, stone and charcoal. When you purchase the watch it will come with a standard silicone strap, however, you can also purchase leather, nylon, and woven straps too.

• Dimensions: 46.3 x 40.2 x 10.45mm
• Case size: 44mm
• Strap wristband width: 22mm
• Display: 1.97" AMOLED touchscreen
• Materials: Frame: Aluminum alloy Case: Fiber-reinforced polymer
• Battery life: up to 14 days (typical use) up to 6 days (heavy use) up to 26 days (saver mode)
• Water rating: 5 ATM

Amazfit Bip 6 review: design and materials

Despite its affordable price tag, the Bip 6 looks far from a budget smartwatch, and could easily be mistaken for the Apple Watch 10.

It boasts a vibrant 1.97 inch AMOLED display, with a full brightness of 2,000 nits. Again, this is similar to what you’d find on high-end smartwatches, like the new Garmin Forerunner 970. This sits within a fiber-reinforced case and aluminum frame with matte edges, giving it a durable and premium feel, despite the watch only weighing 44 grams (with the strap).

The watch is touch-screen, but on the side are two side buttons that you can use as shortcuts to take you to different menus or apps. At first, I didn’t find the watch that easy to use, but more on that below. It also has a built-in mic and speaker so that you can make and receive calls.

I found the silicone strap to be very comfortable and soft against my skin, in comparison to TPU straps that I’ve previously tried and have given me that dreaded itchy sensation during workouts. If things do become a little restrictive though, the strap has 16 holes, so that you can adjust it to your perfect size.

It also has a 5 ATM water rating, meaning it can withstand water pressure equivalent to a depth of 50 meters, so you won’t have to worry about removing it in the shower.

Amazfit Bip 6 review: features

The Bip 6 has an excellent blend of fitness and smartwatch features, many of which you’d find on more high-end wearables.

On the fitness front, it offers over 140 sport modes, including a dedicated mode for Hyrox, making it easy to track nearly any type of workout. Built-in GPS lets you accurately track outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking, while the Readiness Score gives you insight into whether your body is in a suitable state to train or needs rest.

For those with specific goals or new to training, the Zepp Coach feature is particularly handy. Its Amazfit’s AI digital fitness coach that can create customised workout plans and adjust your training by analysing your workout data. The Bip 6 also syncs with a range of third-party fitness platforms, including Apple Health, Strava, Adidas Running, Relive, TrainingPeaks, and Komoot, making it easy to integrate with your existing fitness routine.

Another feature that's rarely found on cheap smartwatches is offline maps and turn-by-turn navigation. I didn't test this myself, as you have to make sure you download the map first before using it for navigation (something I always forgot to do). However, it's a great addition for outdoor enthusiasts.

In terms of health tracking, it covers all the essentials: sleep, stress, all-day heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and breathing rate. The One-Tap Measuring feature bundles all of this into a quick 45-second scan, and a daily Morning Report gives you a snapshot of your health stats along with the weather forecast. There’s also menstrual cycle tracking, although unlike some competitors, the Bip 6 doesn’t monitor skin temperature.

What I found most impressive about the Bip 6 is that you can make and receive calls on both Android and iOS devices. My only gripe is that the Bluetooth range for this is limited; if I moved too far from my phone, such as going upstairs, calls would cut out. You can also respond to text messages, either via the on-screen keyboard or voice note; however, both of these are only compatible for Android users.

While the watch doesn’t support contactless payments, you can still store barcode-based membership cards like Nectar or Tesco Clubcard. You can also control your Spotify music directly from the watch via Bluetooth, adding a nice touch of convenience during workouts or commutes.

Amazfit Bip 6 review: performance

I didn’t find the Bip 6 as intuitive to use as some other budget smartwatches I’ve tried—like the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 and 9 Pro. However, it offers far more advanced features than both, and once I got used to where everything was, it became easier to navigate. You’ll just need a little patience and I think switching to a simpler watch face helps, as the default one displays a lot of data at once.

I mainly use a smartwatch for the basics, such as keeping track of my steps, monitoring my runs, tracking sleep, music control, and making and taking calls – and the Bip 6 performed very well across the board.

Sleep tracking felt accurate. The watch gives you a breakdown of light, deep, and REM sleep, plus how many times you wake up during the night. I wake up a lot, and the Bip 6 consistently picked this up. Sadly, the watch didn’t show heart rate data during sleep, which I missed, but this isn’t a deal-breaker and can be found in the Zepp app.

Speaking of the Zepp app, this provides a lot of extra data like respiratory rate and even hypopnea detection. If you like lots of stats, you’ll have a field day exploring it. That said, the app isn’t great at explaining what all the numbers mean. However, you can upgrade to a Zepp Aura membership for more personalized insights if you're keen to dive a little deeper.

I took the Bip 6 out with me on both short and long runs, and it usually locked onto GPS within 10 seconds. I appreciated that real-time stats like heart rate, pace, and distance stayed visible on the screen, and you can pause workouts easily (ideal if you have to leap to the side to dodge cyclists). The Zepp app also logs detailed training metrics like heart rate zones, cadence, and stride length. Controlling music straight from the watch was a big plus too.

Halfway through testing, I switched from a Samsung to an iPhone, so I got to try the Bip 6 on both Android and iOS. It works well on both, but you get a few extra features on Android, like replying to texts via the on-screen keyboard or voice notes. I found voice replies during workouts particularly handy, especially when my phone was buried at the bottom of my gym bag. You can make and receive calls on both platforms, and although I found the Bluetooth range rather limited, the call quality itself was clear and reliable.

I found the battery life brilliant too. Amazfit says the standard battery life is up to 14 days, up to 26 in saver mode and heavy use up to 6 days. I never used the watch in saver mode, so I can’t vouch for its bold claim of 26 days. However, I’d typically find myself reaching for the charger anywhere between 12-14 days, and I think that’s pretty good going.

Amazfit Bip 6 review: Verdict

Every time I test a budget smartwatch I find myself saying ‘this one’s my favourite’, but I think the Bip 6 now officially holds that title. For those who don’t want to spend a fortune on a smartwatch, yet are looking for something reliable, well-built, and feature-rich, you really cannot go wrong with the Bip 6. With its dazzling AMOLED display, sleek design, smartphone compatibility, offline maps and music control, it’s a shining example that you don’t need to spend a fortune for big smartwatch features.