BlitzWolf is a great company and I’ve tested and owned several products of them. When I saw the smartwatch, the BlitzWolf BW-HL1, this was a no-brainer. I have to get this smartwatch and test it! Can BlitzWolf produce a good working, great quality smartwatch again?
Introduction & Specifications
There are different watches I’ve tested, like the Zeblaze Crystal 2, Amazfit Bip, No.F13. All are different, but they have the same functions that I think are the bare minimum of a smartwatch. The BlitzWolf BW-HL1 have those minimum requirements too. It is waterproof, the battery last longer than 3 to 5 days, you can track multiple sports, and there is a heart rate sensor. The design looks a lot like the Amazfit Bip or the Apple Watch. Here are the other specifications of the BlitzWolf BW-HL1:
Specifications | |
---|---|
Brand: | BlitzWolf |
Model: | BW-HL1 |
Color: | Black |
Sensor: | G-sensor, Heart Rate Sensor |
Screen Size: | 1.3 inch |
Screen Type: | IPS |
Screen Resolution: | 240x240 Pixels |
Battery Capacity: | 180mAh |
Standby Time: | +- 15 days |
Using Time: | +- 7 to 10 days |
Charging Time: | +- 2 hours |
Bluetooth Version: | BT4.0 |
Compatible OS: | Android 4.0+, iOS 8.0+ |
App Name: | DA Fit |
Waterproof: | IP68 deep waterproof |
Activities: | Walking, running, cycling, skipping, badminton, basketball, football, swimming |
Product Size: | 42*35*10.6mm |
Product Weight: | 49g |
Package Content: | 1*BlitzWolf BW-HL1 Smart Watch, 1*Charging Cable, 1*User Manual (English Version) |
Unboxing
Looking at the box, I know straight away that this is a BlitzWolf product. They keep using the same colors and design for the product boxes. Personally, I like it very much, but I can imagine that some people would like other designs or packages. On the front, we have the product name and on the back, we find the specifications.
Inside the box, we see the smartwatch itself first. Underneath the smartwatch, we find a box with the charger cable and the straps in there. Inside the box, we also find the manual, which is in English. The watch itself is packed really well and it is well protected against the though ride your package makes when you order something.
Hardware & Design
Looking like an Apple Watch, this is a safe design choice of BlitzWolf. People recognize it as a smartwatch due to the very popular Apple Watch. It is lightweight and that makes it pleasant to wear. The strap is made of the same materials as most sport straps so it is flexible and comfortable. You can wear this strap while taking a shower or working out without an issue.
On the back of the watch, we find the heart rate sensor and the charging port. Both are completely waterproof so don’t worry about that. Besides the copied look of the Apple Watch, the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 comes with 3 watch faces, which are showing all the information you need. The screen itself that shows information is pretty big, so a longer WhatsApp message, will be shown completely on your wrist, which is a good thing.
How to operate?
On the bottom of the screen, you see a little “button”. This is your touchpad. One single click and you will go to the next screen/menu and a long press will start a measurement or go the deeper menus, like in Other. From here, you can switch menus, activate a measurement, or pick your activity from the watch screen. Unfortunately, there is no “home” button. If you want to go back to the watch face, you have to click your way back to the home screen.
The way of operating is easy, but not really user-friendly. On the other hand, the interface of the watch OS is simple and you know where you are going. This makes it easy to click your way to the right menu and do the operation you want.
Battery Life
Inside the BlitzWolf BW-HL1, we have a 180mAh battery. Is this enough? Yes, but it is not great. You are able to use it for multiple days (5 to 10 days) when you are careful. Measure your heart rate only once or twice in that period and do not track activities and you should be able to make it. On the other hand, when you want to track activities and heart rate, you will likely get 1 to 4 days out of the battery. I’m testing the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 besides my other smartwatch so I will get around 5 to 7 days of battery life out of it.
Charging goes quickly. Within 2 hours you are charged to 100% and good to go for a few days. With the magnetic charger, you can not misplace it and it will always charge without an issue.
Start your new year with a new smart watch. Click Here to get your BlitzWolf BW-HL1!
Software
In order to use the BlitzWolf BW-HL1, you need the DA Fit app. This looks like a general app that you potentially can connect different brands to, but in this case, we use it to connect our BlitzWolf BW-HL1. Downloading the app goes through the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, so you know it is a safe app.
The app is pretty basic, but it gives you a clear overview of your health and activity. There are only three menus, Today, Device, and Profile. On the first tab, Today, you will see the stats of today. Here you find the taken steps, the slept hours and the heart rate measurements you did. On the Device tab, you can set an alarm, change the watch faces, or upgrade the BlitzWolf BW-HL1. The last tab, Profile, you can set your daily step goal, change your profile settings and read more about the software and possibly upgrade to be a beta tester. Here are some screenshots of the DA Fit app:
If you have an Android smartphone, you can download DA Fit via THIS LINK.
If you have an iOS smartphone, you can download DA Fit via THIS LINK.
There are different menus on the watch as well, here are photos of each menu:
How To Connect BlitzWolf BW-HL1?
Connecting your BlitzWolf BW-HL1 to the DA Fit software is super easy. When you download the app, fill in the profile (no need to leave an e-mail or create an account), you see “Add bracelet to get more health information” on top in the Today menu. Click on “To add” and the application will start searching for a smartwatch. Within a few seconds (30 seconds), it will find the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 and you just simply have to click on it and it is added! That’s all! Super easy, no account creation needed and connected within a minute. Loved it! Here are the steps on how to connect it with screenshots:
Watch Faces
Unfortunately, I’m disappointed in the available watch faces provided by DA Fit/BlitzWolf. There are only three to choose from. Those three are looking good and they are working, but I would like to see it more open like the Amazfit Bip, where you can choose from dozens of different watch faces.
Here is a picture of the three different watch faces:
Notifications
Within the DA Fit application, you can activate several different applications to show the notifications. You can pick the most common applications, like phone, WhatsApp, messages, facebook, Line, WeChat or Instagram. At the bottom, you can also select Others, which I think include all the other notifications you will get on your smartphone.
The notifications come in clear and you can easily read the content of it since the screen is pretty big. Unless you have bad eyes, you should have no problem at all reading the incoming WhatsApp messages.
Features
You can track a lot with the BlitzWolf BW-HL1, which means this is a feature-rich smartwatch. You are able to track multiple activities, measure your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels! All from your wrist. How do they work and how does it show? Here are the features of this first smartwatch released by BlitzWolf:
Activities
Track an outdoor walk, run, or bicycle ride, is a must if you ask me for a smartwatch. The BlitzWolf BW-HL1 can track several different activities, but it is limited. These are the ones you can track:
Walking, running, cycling, skipping, badminton, basketball, football, and swimming
You can do the basics (which is enough for most) but I like to see a bit more options for activities to track. If you are tracking an outdoor walk, you will see some statistics on the watch itself. Unfortunately, you are unable to review the walk after you end it.
Start your new year with a new smart watch. Click Here to get your BlitzWolf BW-HL1!
Sleep Tracking
A smartwatch without this feature is not a smartwatch for me. I want insights into my sleep and how well I slept. Luckily the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 offers this feature. Just wear the watch and the next morning, you get an overview of your night. You will see your light sleep, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, restful sleep (deep sleep), and awake time. That is detailed enough for me to see how my night went.
This is how the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 will show you your night sleep:
Heart Rate Sensor
Having your heart rate monitored is nice, but not a need for most people. It is handy and if you have it, I like to use it. On several watches I owned, you can set it to continually measure your heart rate. This will have a big impact on the battery life of your watch. With the not so great battery life of the BlitzWolf BW-HL1, you are not able to continuously measure your heart rate. This is a downside, but I understand why they did it. If this watch will continuously measure your heart rate, the battery will be dead in a day.
If you measure your heart rate, which can be done via the DA Fit app and the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 itself, this is how it shows:
Waterproof
With an IP rating of IP68, you can swim, dive, or shower with the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 without any concern. It does not matter what you are planning to do, but if there is rain or water, you should not worry. This smartwatch is perfectly able to handle some water.
I’ve tested the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 under the shower and in a bucket of water. Taking it out, shaking it a bit, and you can able to use it without any issue. This is a handy feature as some people (like me) sweat a lot when running or working out. This watch can handle it without an issue.
Just make sure to clean it with fresh water after being in contact with salt water (sea or sweat). This way you clean it and prevent it from smelling.
Start your new year with a new smart watch. Click Here to get your BlitzWolf BW-HL1!
Others
Besides your heart rate, you can also measure your oxygen levels via the BlitzWolf BW-HL1 and you can measure your blood pressure! I have my doubts about how accurate the reading is, but it might give you some idea of how your levels are. With just a simple press on the screen or via the DA Fit app, you are able to measure one of these. Within a minute, you should know your heart rate, blood pressure level, or oxygen levels in your blood.
Via the menu, you can also control your camera shutter so you can set up your smartphone and activate the shutter with a touch on your wrist. From your wrist, you can also control your music (pause, play or next/previous song). Handy sometimes and limits the time you take out your smartphone from your pocket.
On the “Other” menu, you can activate a timer, set the mute on/off, reset the watch, power it off, or adjust the brightness.
Conclusion
This being the first smartwatch produced by BlitzWolf, I did not expect too much from it. On the other hand, BlitzWolf is a great company that is most able to deliver a quality product. The BlitzWolf BW-HL1 is a simple smartwatch with limited functionality. There are a few activities you can track (these are the most used activities), the heart rate sensor is only manual, battery life is not great, and the user interface is simple. Navigating through the menu is very basic but it works.
On newer models, I would like to see a better user interface, better battery, and more supported activities. Also, continuously heart rate measurement would be very nice to have. For this price, it is an OK smartwatch. If you want to test if a smartwatch is something for you, this is a great option to test the basics. Overall, I hoped for a better experience, but the price made it an OK smartwatch to consider.
BlitzWolf BW-HL1
$45Pros
- Price is good/low
- Features (sleep tracking, activities, heart rate etc.)
- Basic features are working well
- Most used activities are supported
Cons
- User interface of the app and watch is simple
- Navigating through the menus takes a lot of clicks
- Battery life can be longer
- No way to have all-day heart rate measurements
- Supported activities are limited
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