AMAZFIT Band 5

Expect to pay: £30

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MAZFIT SPECIALISE IN high-spec devices at bargain-bin prices. The Band 5 easily rivals the functionality of the better-known names in this test, with a full suite of services including heart rate sensor, blood oxygen reading, sleep tracking and Amazon Alexa control, and it connects to a straightforward monitoring app called Zepp. It’s simple enough to start an activity tracking session, but there’s no GPS so the breakdown will only show the stats, not where you went. There are some flaws: the long, lean face sits flat over the wrist and feels bulky (slicker rivals curve slightly for comfort and stability), and more irritatingly, there is no ‘always on’ option and the raise-to-wake and tapto-wake functions are very hit and miss. Sometimes I end up stabbing the face repeatedly trying to get it to wake up. Also the touchscreen becomes sluggish in cold, wet weather and there’s no button for backup, like you get on the Garmin. But battery life is very good; it claims to last 15 days between charges (a lot more than the Fitbit) although that does drop if you track activities every day. And it’ll recharge fully in about an hour. So although it has some rough edges, for £30 or thereabouts, you get an awful lot for your money with this.

INFO: Weight: 23g Battery life: 15 days Waterproof: Yes (mostly) App compatibility: Zepp, Strava, Relive Website: amazfit.com/uk

+ Accurate, easy interface, good app, high-spec features, great value

– No GPS, touchscreen and wake-up are hit and miss, not ergonomic

ACCURACY: ★★★★ TOUGHNESS: ★★★ EASE OF USE: ★★★ APP: ★★★★

BUY IT IF: You want most of the functions of a premium wristband tracker at a bargain price.