Wyze Watch Open the Box, First Use, and Wyze Band Comparison

by Steven B. Combs, Ph.D.
tags: smartwatch - heartrate - o2 sensor - health - wyze watch review

I think I have a smartwatch and fitness tracker problem. I’ve worn a WearOS watch for the past three years. It’s been and up and down relationship. Battery life on WearOS devices are horrible and a daily charge is required. I’ve owned a pocket FitBit so supplement the times when I forgot to charge my WearOS, but it’s days were numbered years ago.

I love my current WearOS device, the TicWatch C2+; however, it too requires a daily charge. A daily charge means I don’t wear it to bed and track my sleep and admittedly, I’m not sure I want to wear it to bed or even on a run. That’s “wear” the $24 Wyze Band comes into play.

I wear my TicWatch with work clothes and then throw on my Wyze Band for afternoon runs and sleeping. The Wyze Band only needs charging once per week. While I like the Wyze Band, it is limited in function. Then came along the Wyze Watch; A $20 device. Let me get this straight. The Wyze Watch is cheaper than the Wyze Band and has more features? Can it replace the Wyze Band? Let’s find out.

YouTube Video: Will the Wyze Watch replace my Wyze Band? Let’s open the box and find out.

In the video below, I open the box, setup, and use the Wyze Watch for the first time. Watch the video below and then read my final thoughts below.

Video Errata

None as of 2021-03-28.

Recommended Links:

Below are the links I mention in the video. All Amazon links are affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the blog and the YouTube channel!

1. Wyze Band
2. Wyze Watch
3. Solob 22mm Stainless Steel Magnetic Mesh Band - See Final Thoughts #13 below.
4. TicWatch C2+
5. My Wyze Videos
6. Wyze Cam V3
7. Wyze Cam Outdoor Bundle
8. Wyze Scale
9. Wyze Vacuum

Final Thoughts

1. The Wyze Watch comes in two sizes, 47 and 44 mm. The 47 was the first out of the chute for Wyze and the smaller 44 is on its way.
2. Unfortunately, the Wyze Watch is currently sold out.
3. A variety of color bands are available; $15.00 for leather and $6.00 for silicon.
4. I don’t see longevity for the Wyze Band. I’ve not seen a firmware updates in months and why anyone would select that more expensive device over this much improved fitness tracker is beyond me.
5. At this price point, I see Wyze selling a whole bunch of these watches. You might think the watch would be great for kids (you would be correct); however, they are great for folks who want a simple, modern, and connected watch without having to over think the things.
6. I thought I would miss the ability to reply to text messages; however, on my TicWatch, while it is possible, I rarely use it. Occasionally I’ll fire up the Google Assistant and voice in a response, but the keyboard is painful.
7. Have I mentioned the battery life? It is awesome. After four days of 24/7 wear, the battery sits at 57% charge.
8. I’m not glad Wyze stole the rectangular look of the Apple Watch. I much prefer a more traditional round watch. I think I might be warming up to it more as I enjoy the Wyze Watch.
9. The watch feels well-made and like premium materials. I’m flabbergasted. How do they sell this thing for $20 with this build quality?
10. I look forward to future firmware updates. If there’s leftover memory in the watch, I’d like to see them add a few more applications. A fun and simple game would be interesting.
11. I don’t see Wyze creating an SDK for third-party apps. I think we will get what Wyze wants us to get. That’s so Apple of them!
12. [UPDATE: 2021-04-25] Notifications from apps other than text and phone on my Pixel 4XL are not appearing on the watch. I’m hopeful a firmware (current version is 0.12.37) update will correct this issues.
13. [UPDATE: 2021-04-25] Sports tracking does not work for outdoor running. It appears this tracking is for indoor treadmill use. When I use outside, tracking is a good ½ to ¾ of a mile off. Again, a firmware version could correct this if they provided the ability to input the measurement of your run stride.
14. [UPDATE: 2021-04-25] I purchased a new band for my Watch and love it. It’s a Solob 22mm Stainless Steel Magnetic Mesh Band that is much easier to remove than the stock band. At around $10 it make the watch look more expensive, is more comfortable, and is easier to remove. Band replacement is simple since the Wyze Watch comes with a quick release. I’m going to grab one for my TicWatch C2+ which is my goto WearOS watch.
15. [UPDATE: 2021-04-25] Speaking of the TicWatch C2+, I should provide my wear schedule for both devices. On a normal workday (meaning I go into the office), I wear the TicWatch for it’s more robust notification and app support. These additional features enhance my productivity. On days where I work from my virtual office, on the weekends, or in the evenings, I wear the Wyze Watch. During those times, the Wyze Watch is a pure fitness tracker and I love the sleep tracking. The TicWatch will not make it through an entire evening on a battery charge. It sits on the charger at night ready for the next day at work.

That’s it for now. I’ll update this page as I have more time with the watch and as firmware updates roll in.

Join the Fun

Don’t miss the fun, SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.

Help make this content better! Leave your comments and thoughts below or in the comments under the YouTube video.

Thanks for reading and watching and if you are so inclined, please let others know about the blog using the hashtag #retroCombs.

🕹️ retroCombs, OUT!