A touch of metal. That’s all it takes to differentiate a fitness band in the cluttered, budget end of the market where price is usually the key consideration. OPPO’s new Band Style doesn’t just stand out with its metal trimming but also a key wellness USP, the band’s headline feature – Continuous SpO2 monitoring. Fitness bands are dime a dozen, almost every brand makes them. It certainly doesn’t make it easy for customers who have to choose from an array of options. OPPO is hoping that a mix of style and fitness features will help this band break the clutter.
Aside from the OnePlus band there aren’t too many bands (in the sub Rs 3,000-4,000 price band) that we checked out in the recent past that stand out in terms of their design aesthetic. That’s the first thing that we like about the OPPO Band Style that does live up to it’s ‘Style’ moniker. The standout design element is the gold metal buckle that encircles the display. This buckle is complemented by an elegant beige band (OPPO calls this Vanilla). You can swap this for an all-black band and case that’s bundled in the box if you’d like accessorise the band to suit your outfit or your mood for the day; a great feature at this price point.
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The 1.1-inch AMOLED display (126 x 294 pixels) is very vibrant. You can tweak the brightness in the settings. OPPO offers a choice of over 40 watch faces, that’s plenty for a small display. Setting up this tracker is a breeze with the Hey Tap Health App. I tried it out with an OPPO device as well as a Samsung device and it works quite seamlessly. There’s only support for Android devices though; you can’t pair it with an iPhone just yet. In terms of ‘connected’ functionality, you get the same options like most other bands – watch faces, text and call notifications, weather and flipping tracks or controlling the cam from your wrist. No real surprises here.
The vaccine rollout might have already begun, but SpO2 (or blood oxygen monitoring) – that became a trend post-COVID, is likely to stay. Most bands and smartwatches offer ‘on demand’ SpO2 monitoring that usually requires you to place your wrist on a flat surface while you try to capture these readings. It’s why OPPO’s Continuous SpO2 monitoring feature is quite handy, especially for a fitness tracker at this price tag.
The band constantly keeps a tab on your blood oxygen levels (the recommended range is between 95 and 100%) and you can view these numbers on the Hey Tap Health App. OPPO claims that the band runs non-stop SpO2 monitoring (28,800 times) during an eight-hour sleep cycle. You do have the option of ‘on demand’ readings too. Aside from SpO2, the band offers other wellness regulars like sleep monitoring and continuous heart rate monitoring.
The Oppo Band Style is a great addition to the fitness band segment. While the continuous SpO2 feature is its USP, you also get 12 workout modes, 5ATM water resistance, all the wellness options that we’ve come to expect from bands at this price band and 12-days of battery life. But it’s the style quotient that sets this apart. It’s one of those rare budget bands that might elicit a second look; that’s no mean feat.
The OPPO Band Style costs Rs 2,999/-
ALso Read: OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G Review: Slinky yet Power Packed
