Noise is currently the number-one wearable brand in India in terms of market share in the country and third globally. The company has a variety of products in its portfolio, but its budget smartwatch is one of them. I have the NoiseFit Halo which is currently available for Rs.3,999 on Amazon and Noise’s own website. Here’s what I make of the smartwatch after using it as my daily fitness companion for over a week.
low
- Talking about the build of the first device, there’s no mistaking the premium nature of the NoiseFit Halo. The metallic build and matte-black finish add to the physical appeal of the smartwatch. There are two buttons on the side for navigation controls such as opening workout routines and going back to the previous screen. Along with the watch, you also get a black leather strap that matches the color scheme of the device.
- The NoiseFit, without its strap, weighs around 56.8g, making it reasonably light on the wrist. IP68 rating has also been given to make the smartwatch water resistant up to 1.5 meters for 10 minutes. However, Noise recommends against swimming with the smartwatch. The Helo sports a circular AMOLED display measuring 1.43 inches and featuring 466 x 466 resolution.
- The AMOLED nature of the screen also enables an Always-on display mode which I kept on for the duration of my review. Plus, the screen itself might get bright enough for outdoor use, though Shore didn’t provide exact figures for its brightness. The wake-to-wake functionality works very well and you can even touch the screen to turn it on. There are about 150 watch faces to choose from in the NoiseFit app, but the watch can only store a few. A swipe from the bottom brings up quick settings while a swipe to the right or left brings up widgets.
- Pairing the watch with your iOS and Android devices is easy. The NoiseFit app available on both Play Store and App Store is essential for this. Once the app is downloaded, the QR code that appears on the NoiseFit Halo needs to be scanned and the smartwatch connects to your device within seconds. I noticed that Helo was largely disconnected from my smartphone and I had to go into the app and refresh the Home tab to connect to it.
- The UI of the app is user friendly as well as very informative. There are a lot of changes you can make to the watch interface as well as customizing the data you need to track the device. For competitive fitness enthusiasts, the NoiseFit app features a Challenges tab that allows you to participate in various workout routines and share results with your friends.
- In terms of features, you get exercise tracking and the usual set of sports modes. The watch has about 11 modes to choose from but you can add more through the app. I tested how good the device was at tracking my runs and compared it to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (Review). Surprisingly, this Rs 3,999 watch was able to deliver almost the same results as Samsung smartwatches costing around Rs 45,000.
- Apart from this, heart rate measurement and sleep tracking also proved to be acceptable enough considering the price of Helo. Of course, the analysis of each activity isn’t as detailed as some other premium smartwatches, but I think for the average consumer looking at the budget segment, the output is good enough. You can answer or dial calls through the watch’s in-built dialer, however, you’ll need to use your paired smartphone to talk.
- In terms of battery, there’s a 300mAh cell inside the watch and Noise rates it for up to seven days of regular use. I’ve had the NoiseFit Halo with AoD enabled for about a week and haven’t had any battery issues. Charging is via the pogo pin-based charger supplied with the box. The smartwatch also offers a standby time of 45 days. For me, the battery life is more than adequate and competitive with other products on the market.
final call
The Noisefit Helo smartwatch is one of the best offers in the market for under Rs 5,000. Its major selling point is definitely its AMOLED display and stylish design. It doesn’t lack any of the standard features found in competing products, and its fitness tracking is fair for its price. Even the battery life of the watch is very reliable and keeps the device going for days without charging. I mentioned in the review that the smartwatch can randomly disconnect from paired smartphones at times, which can be a bit annoying. However, it’s a very small niggle in an otherwise largely enjoyable smartwatch experience.
Editor’s rating: 4/5
pros
- sleek design
- reasonably accurate fitness tracking
- Decent AMOLED Panel
- Lots of watch faces to choose from
Shortcoming
- May experience some connectivity issues
