Unlike most people I pre-orderd a large Microsoft band 2. My band 1 was a medium that only fitted me on the highest setting and actually was a tiny bit tight. I used the measurer from Microsoft and I was like 2 cm from medium size recommendation. My wrist size was like 182 with paper tight on my wrist. I was afraid it would be too big because a lot of people exchanged it for a medium, but in the end it just fitted. I even wear it one click away from the tightest setting when not exercising. When I exercise my arm swells up a bit just like feet of people meaning I can loosen it up. I bet the medium would have fit me to but since I do not live in US trying is not a option.
When I bought the Microsoft band 1 the main reason was to go jogging and playing soccer with it. I was in need of a tracker not requiring me to take my bulky phone with me and give my information while I am running or playing soccer. The alternatives looked ugly and big and the band also offered smartphone capability. I was surprised how much I used the smartphone capability. By standard I put my phone on vibrate and used my watch as the ringer and showing me messages to know if I need to get my phone out of my pocket or not. I would never miss a important phone call and always new I there was need of looking on my phone saving my the trouble in multiple situations. In meetings a can quickly glance what I receive without giving the idea I am not interested in what people are talking about. I ended up wearing my watch every single day. Only moment I did not wear it was when I was sleeping because it was plainly uncomfortable and the bright green light lighted up in my face. I did not care much about sleep tracking but it would make my data inconsistent.
Unlike lot of people I wear the band on the outside of my wrist. This because it look like a watch instead of showing a bulky metal clasp. Most important reason it fits tighter and more comfortable on top of my wrist. Disadvantage though the heart rate is on top and the metal clap will most likely get scratched, my heartrate might not be perfect match and the sun detector will be on bottom making it harder to detect sun. I compared my heartrate numbers with band 1 numbers and did not notice much difference with the heart rate but of course I just started using it.
I use the band when I am jogging and playing soccer. My band 1 clasp broke while playing soccer. One of the metal pieces sticking out broke. Unlike the band 1 the band 2 seems to have 2 metal pieces on the sides protecting the clasp point. I hope this will help and the clasp is more sturdy. Take a look at the pictures for difference.
What is good about Microsoft Band 2:
- it fits way better with curved screen
- The flexible rubber band
- Gorilla Glass 3 protecting me from scratching screen
- Metal clasp and protection within the clasp hoping it will provide better protection
- No battery on the sides
- Plastic battery cover instead of pieces pealing of the battery leaving metal rubbing on my arm
- Plastic heartrate surroundings instead of metal like on band 1
- Secure charging clasp. Band 1 would always connect, disconnect or fall off
- Better screen with great black color
- Watch mode rotate on. Basically shows you time when you make a gesture that you use normally on a watch to look at time. However I did notice a BUG. While doing running I can't seem to turn of the watch mode unlike with watchmode always on or off. Why? Perhaps they were afraid it might go on and of while running because of the gesture. But if there is a moment I want to save battery it is while I am running.
- Sun monitor is nice but pointless if I can't go to the beach with it. Since I live on a tropical island I would be a good candidate too use this function. But up and until now I think it is useless unless I am running in the sun.
- Barometer showing amount of stairs I walked
- Automatic sleep detection
- Build in gps not having to use phone
- Begin able to receive practically every smart phone message on watch
What do I think can be improved
- My number 1 annoyance that bothered me the most on band 1 is still there and now got even worse. I live on a tropical island, being very warm I sweat like a uhum "pig". Making it almost impossible for me to use the touch screen just like on band 1. Wet fingers or wet screen combined with touch screen is horrible. You might wonder what got worse then. After ending a exercise I will need to slide to the left in order to see the options "Resume" and "End Session". The band 1 I would immediately see the 2 options. I think they should have done the slide thing for seeing the stats and the resume end should be immediately available. The band often result into twitching left and right because my fingers are wet and it does not know if I am sliding left or right. Imagine my battle trying to sliding to the right trying to press that tiny back button to go back to menu's while exercising. Frustration all over the place
- Its bigger, meaning also warmer. During normal use in my tropical climate I get sweat point under the plastic heartrate monitor
- The plastic heartrate monitor leaves a mark on my wrist because it just sticks out
- Sadly I do thing the responsiveness went down, but perhaps I got to get used to the smaller curved screen when sliding left right or up and down or switching trough menu's goes slow
- Smaller screens horizontally but of course compensating this with bigger screen vertically
- Can tell yet if this is bad but the microphone seems to be on the top but also on bottom leaving me wonder how much sweat rain will go into that microphone whole damaging the watch.
- Bulky clasp
- Animation like other said its a feature, I don't like waiting to see a number because of a animation that is pointless and unpractical. Perhaps they should have shown a number and animate the color on the background.
- Should have included usb charger indeed. However I have too many of these thing in my house already even though that would be not a excuse.
Wishes
- Whish I could run against myself and watch telling me to speed up
- Because I wear it on top I wish the icons would be able to turn, of course when showing text it should switch back
- This is personal I like wearing it like a watch not as a machine. Meaning the design with sun monitor on bottom and heart rate monitor on bottom would be a bad design choice for me.
- Wish I could remove the last session because I started something bad or any other reason. Like I said no GPS and then I decided still to do GPS leaving me with a 2 second training.
- Being able to respond on a watsapp message just like the text messages (any band software builders here?)
- When timer is done counting down it should return to the value I set it up. Highly annoying have to set it up everytime it is finished
- Being able to swim with it
- Better battery life, who would not ofcourse. But right now I can live with the battery live compared to other smart watches and sport watches.
Can't tell anything about golf app because I do not play golf.
Some of the mentioned points in band 2 fixed the bad points of band 1 but also created new bad points. Being perfect is not easy but Microsoft is getting there. I am still very happy with my band 2 and will continue to use it every single day. If there are more things (i bet) I will update this review.
Feel free to ask questions.
UPDATE 03-05-2016
After using my watch since november it suddenly stopped charging. I was playing soccer running 5 kilometers and suddenly boom it turned of. I assumed battery must have run out what was very strange because I always manage the keep it running for a day at least. More-over I also charged it before playing soccer. I did not worry about it and connected my watch to charge and put my watch on my wrist the next morning assuming it was charged. Suddenly I noticed during the day not getting notifications. Meaning the watch was dead. The fool I am assuming the product must be ok and I probably did not connect it properly to charge I did not worry again.
After a whole day without watch missing al kinds of important messages en phone calls, which was terrible since I was used getting notifications and leaving my phone behind I went home and immediately connected the watch to charge. Watch told me battery died, and I had to set up date and time. I immediately noticed my power button would not function trying to turn the watch on or off. Watch mode turning my wrist still seemed to be working. I left it charging for 2 hours but it kept being stuck at 0% battery and power button would still not work. I disconnected from power source and poof watch went dead again. Connected it again and got message again battery was dead. I tried in the few seconds I had to look at settings in watch to turn watch of in settings mode. It refused to turn off, just asked me if I am sure and after saying yes it returned to settings. I als noticed action button was ignored.
This is the point I started worrying. I tried other USB chargers to no avail at all. After connecting and disconnecting it multiple times I thought maybe software glitch. Let me reset watch, which was not possible using the power and action button but luckily I could do it using the settings. It turned to down and started it reset process. However it got stuck at setting up with a blue dot blinking in bottom left corner. I got angry at this point and gave up and decide to leave it like this going to play soccer without my watch. Leaving with heavy frustration.
On return the watch was still stuck in the same blinking mode as described. I thought I would probably be completely dead now. I took it off the charger and it went dead. I connected it again and to my surprise it booted up and did the reset process. This time the watch started with 100%. It vibrated again and power/action button suddenly started to work again. In my happiness I started to try syncing my watch to phone but it did not work. After unbanding the watch and rebanding it connected again but multple icons where missing like email, phone etc. Keep in mind all this time the watch was connected to power source. I decided to remove health app and reset watch again with succes leaving my to setup everything properly again. I assumed everything was working again and I was tired trying until late at night to get the watch working again.
Next morning I disconnected the watch and it kept working to my happiness, until I got at work and noticed it died again "i need a very angry icon here". I went to search if I was only one with problem but it seemed there are many other people and Microsoft seems to know about the problem. But I am %4#d if you know what I mean since I live on a island and ordered mine on amazon.
Thank you Microsoft for selling a defect product. I still gonna try to return it when I am in the US again. But of course i did not buy insurance package since I don't live in states. Last time I came with a surface rt where the kickstand was bend I got to hear no insurance though luck, you can't order parts either. After buying surface pro, surface rt, surface 2, Microsoft band 1 and now 2 you might think to would see the value in giving some kind of factory insurance. I think it is ridiculous to be sold a broken watch not being able to return it. It is not like I broke it.
Perhaps there are more people here with this issue and suggest what I should do not living in US.
UPDATE 03-07-2016
I found forum mos suggesting the charging pins toughing the metal when you put band on would cause a surge. The metal plate where the clasp connects do was no longer there with me. If you see the screws you know it's gone. Luckily i saved that part. Putting it back on fixed it for me. Now i want to permanently crazy glue it or put something else as suggested. Microsoft obviously thought a piece of tape would hold it with all the sweat and heat. They put tape of course in order to remove the clasp top connector part where the screws are. Also creating big problem the charging pins touching the metal causing a short out if it is no longer there or moved. I almost gave up. It seems a horrible design choice with bad quality build. Now it is Microsoft turn to admit mistake (like they will ever do that). In these times Microsoft should embrace their customers. They can loose a lot more the just a watch user. I love the band and surface but support is terrible as always.. Most of these people are early adaptors and you should cherish them.
Still loving my band this much a tried basically everything to to get it working again. I love the updates where GPS usage can be lowered saving a lot of battery since it can predict more or less where you are running. Also being able to control music from my phone are the biggest gains. All the other options are more like gimmicks like get up and move lazy bum function. I am still missing things like mark as read function so i dont' have to do that on my phone again. Still would love to run against myself or others. there are so many things possible they are not getting the most out of it I think.
Cmon Microsoft make the next step. I am even using windows phone 10 insiders on my lumia 925 and it works great.
Update 27 november
About a month later the watch dead and i could not recharge it anymore.
Customers also viewed these products
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Climate Pledge FriendlyProducts with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn moreProduct Certification (1)
Climate neutral by ClimatePartner certifies the carbon footprint of a product was calculated and all associated emissions were offset.
From the manufacturer
Find your right size:
- Size Small fits wrists 5.7"-6.5"
- Size Medium fits wrists 6.3"-7.5"
- Size Large fits wrists 7.3"-8.5"
Live healthier and achieve more
Microsoft Band helps you track your heart rate, exercise, calorie burn, and sleep quality, and keeps you connected with email, text, and calendar alerts. It features eleven sensors, including a GPS, UV monitor, barometer, and more. They monitor your data so you can reach your goals with insights from Microsoft Health.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Live healthierHealthier living is easier with Microsoft Band. With a continuous optical heart rate monitor, your band tracks your heart rate, steps, stairs climbed, calorie burn, exercise, and sleep quality. Track your weight and compare it with your band data over time, and get actionable insights and useful fitness information in the Microsoft Health phone app and web dashboard. |
Get fitReach your fitness goals with custom tracking whether running, biking, golfing, or working out. Microsoft Band has you covered with GPS mapping and the data you want to track most for popular exercises. Guided Workouts designed by pros like Gold's Gym, Shape, and Men's Fitness provide more variety with exercise prompts right on your band. |
Be ProductiveStay connected at a glance with notifications that matter most to you right on your wrist. You can see email previews, calendar alerts, and easily check calls, text messages, and social updates. Stay organized with personal reminders you can set with your voice using Cortana. |
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Advanced TechnologyAchieve your health goals with Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health. The curved screen on your band makes it comfortable to wear while its eleven advanced sensors track your exercise, sleep, and daily activity. The bright color display is easy to see in sunlight. Technology from Microsoft Health gives you actionable insights based on your data. |
Microsoft HealthSet wellness goals and get actionable insights to help you live healthier. Microsoft Health combines your fitness data with the power of the cloud giving you actionable, personalized insights, empowering you to live healthier and achieve more. Analyze your data in full-color, easily- understandable charts and graphs in the convenient phone app or the robust web dashboard. |
Go outside and explore with the Explore TileTrack your heart rate, calorie burn, elevation change, and more during your hikes. GPS enables you to drop points of interest along your route, which you can see on your band’s display. Afterwards, see a map of your route in the Microsoft Health app. |
Connect with premier partners and popular apps
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Golf tracking with TaylorMadeFocus on your golf game with automatic shot tracking from Microsoft Band and TaylorMade. The built-in GPS detects which hole you’re playing and provides distance to the front, center and back of the green. |
Partners and appsPartnerships with premier fitness, sports, and lifestyle brands give you more ways to manage your health, meet your fitness goals, and be productive. |
Gold’s GymYou can download workouts designed by Gold’s Gym to your Microsoft Band. Find intermediate and advanced workouts that focus on full-body strength training and popular muscle groups like abs, shoulders, and biceps. |
Cross-platform compatibility
Have a Windows Phone, Android, or iPhone? No sweat. Microsoft Band is designed to be awesome no matter what phone you own.
Reviews with images
Submit a report
A few common reasons customers report reviews:
- Harassment, profanity
- Spam, advertisement, promotions
- Given in exchange for cash, discounts
When we get your report, we'll check if the review meets our Community guidelines. If it doesn't, we'll remove it.
Sorry, there was an error
Please try again later.Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2016
Top reviews from other countries
Anubhav
Extremely good. Some noteworthy features 1
Reviewed in India on February 10, 2017Size: LargeVerified Purchase
The walker
Don't buy this product. It lasted 3 months
Reviewed in India on September 27, 2016Size: MediumVerified Purchase
