Samsung Galaxy Fit-e review: Affordable fitness band for health enthusiasts

South Korean electronics maker Samsung recently launched in India a set of its new wearable devices, including its first budget-centric Galaxy Fit-e. At Rs 2,590, the Galaxy Fit-e is a smartwatch-cum-fitness tracker that aims to take on other affordable fitness bands flooding the markets, especially the Xiaomi Mi Band and the Honor Band.

Here’s how the Galaxy Fit-e fares as a fitness band:

Aesthetics

The band's minimalist look is a plus. Even with a heart rate monitor and multiple other sensors, it weighs just 15 grammes. On most occasions, it is easy to forget you have the band strapped on to your wrist. The silicon strap is neat and feels soft. You have three colour choices — black, white and yellow. The band is waterproof up to 5ATM/50 metres, so you can take a shower or even go swimming with it.

It has a 0.74-inch monochrome 64x218 resolution PMOLED screen, which you can wake up by either lifting your wrist or with a double-tap on the screen, or both. You get your notifications on the panel, though you will need your phone to answer them. The panel is rather small but good enough to follow time and stats. However, it is a little hard to see the display in broad daylight for lack of brightness. Another issue is that the band comes in one standard size, which might fit some but not all. 

Features and performance

Samsung Galaxy Fit-e fulfils all the bare necessities of a fitness band, and some more. You can track steps, sleep, heart rate, calories burnt, and get phone’s notifications, too. The band is compatible with Android and iOS, so it works with most smartphones. However, for it to work, you need to download two separate apps — Galaxy Wearable and Samsung Health.

The band has a 70 mAh battery, which keeps it going for at least four days. This is when you use the band with heart rate sensor set to monitor your heart beat continuously. While the on-battery time is good, the charging leaves you desiring more. The band does away with wireless charging feature that is there in its elder sibling Samsung Galaxy Fit. However, like with other bands in the segment, you get charging cable without an adapter; it charges the band in around 90 minutes.

The Galaxy Fit-e lacks GPS and tracks distance using your phone, which you need to carry while you run. That might be inconvenient to some. While the whole non-GPS thing may impact the accuracy of stats, the discrepancy should be minimal — I found rather accurate readings for my walks. Don't rely too much on the heart rate reading, though. The band's over-dependence on apps for customisation and in-depth stats is irksome.

The sleep analysis is a simple one, so don't expect too much on that front. At best, you get the actual time you spent sleeping. At worst, you get the total hours of nap.

There is a string of widgets, including steps, calories, heart rate, weather, and calendar. You can customise the ones you want on your band and in what order. I really liked the 'find my band' feature which lights up the band's screen and makes it vibrate so you can easily locate your band. 

Verdict

At 2,590, the Samsung Galaxy Fit-e is a no-frills fitness band perfect for beginners, and those who just want a basic overview of their health and exercises.