My favorite watch is the Pixel Watch 2. In my opinion, it has the best combination of form and function. All the features I need are offered in a user interface that is both elegant and efficient.
But I encounter a problem with the Google connected watch: autonomy! To be honest, battery life is a problem for most smartwatches. I can last 24 hours on a charge, but that’s about it. And on days when I run for a long time, this autonomy is reduced even more.
The main takeaways from the Oukitel BT20 watch
- The Oukitel BT20 costs €46
- Battery life is very long and the various data measurements are as accurate as those taken by much more expensive watches
- It’s bulky, the automatic display is a bit wobbly and the screen isn’t as interactive as with other watches
Since this is the norm with these types of watches, we put up with it… until we come across a model with surprisingly high battery life. And when we know that it costs €46…
For the test, I wore the BT20 on my right wrist and the Pixel Watch 2 on my left wrist. I wanted to compare the heart rate monitors and step counters on the respective devices.
Surprisingly, after a week of using the watch, the battery level is still around 75%! You read correctly: 75% after a week of use… Oukitel claims that the watch can last 15 days (on standby), 10 days (daily use) and 7 days (intensive use) between two charges. I am convinced that these figures are accurate.
Before we move on to my full experience with the watch, here are its features.
Technical specifications of the Oukitel BT20 watch
- USMIL-STD certified resistance (set of military resistance standards), 1 ATM and IP69K (immersion and splash resistance at high water pressure)
- 1.96” explosion-proof and drop-resistant AMOLED display with 410×502 resolution
- AI voice assistant
- 24-hour health monitoring
- Hundreds of sports modes
- Magnetic charging with 2 pins and 350 mAh pure cobalt battery
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Dimensions 2.3mm x 50mm x 265mm
My field experience with the Oukitel BT20 watch
My first impression of the Oukitel BT20 watch: it’s big! Don’t get me wrong, I’m small, so it looks monstrous on my wrist. It’s also considerably heavier than my Pixel Watch 2.
So much so that at certain times I even felt uncomfortable when I looked at it hanging on my wrist. This is certainly a very personal question. I don’t like wearing anything on my wrist. Considering how often I type texts each day, if a watch takes up too much space, it can tend to become irritating.
This may not bother everyone. If you are used to wearing heavier watches or bulky jewelry, this watch will not be a problem for you.
This Oukitel BT20 watch is monstrous on my little wrist. Jack Wallen/ZDNET
The other problem I encountered was with the main dial of the BT20. It’s not as interactive as I’m used to. With my Pixel Watch 2, I can tap the heart rate bubble and it automatically takes me to the heart rate app. With the BT20, the screen does not allow this level of interaction.
To access the different apps, you have to go through the swipes on the screen:
- Right to access favorite applications.
- Left to view health data.
- Down to bring up the notification table (similar to Android).
- Scroll up to view messages.
Once you get used to these maneuvers, you’re fine, but I prefer the Google method of interacting with the watch.
The final point I’ll make is that the wake-up functionality of the arm-wiggle display doesn’t seem to be working as it should.
Even with the feature turned on (and set to the maximum duration), what it takes to wake by motion seems to be a bit hit or miss. Sometimes the display wakes up again with the slightest movement and other times it feels like it would take an earthquake for the screen to light up with a movement of the arm.
Good points too, and even several good points
Once again, the autonomy of the Oukitel BT20 is more than impressive. One of the reasons they managed to achieve such long battery life is the default setting, which limits the screen time.
With the watch out of the box, the display time limit is set to 5 seconds by default, which is probably enough for most users. But if you want to see the display for longer, know that the autonomy will not be as exceptional.
As for the screens, via the FitCloudPro app, it is possible to choose from hundreds of watch faces. I tried to do without this app (because I don’t really like installing an app for every thing I use), but I finally gave in.
The FitCloudPro app is very nice. I’d even go so far as to say that Google could learn a thing or two about how to make a watch app.
From the app, you can customize settings (some of which aren’t available through the watch settings) and use the watch’s various sensors to check blood pressure and blood oxygen levels, as well as to set activity/drink reminders, set health tracking and much more.
Consider the FitCloudPro app a must-have if you want to get the most out of the BT20 watch.
As for accuracy, I wore both the BT20 and my Pixel Watch 2 and found them to present almost identical information. Pulse, steps and various training data are valid. The only thing I didn’t test was the sleep tracking, as the Oukitel BT20 was too bulky to wear while I slept.
I tried but had to take the watch off because wearing it on my wrist wasn’t really conducive to sleep.
Purchasing advice for the Oukitel BT20 watch
In the end, I am quite surprised by the quality of this watch for less than 50 euros.
If you are on a tight budget and still want to enjoy the benefits of a smartwatch, this watch is definitely a good deal. Other than my Pixel Watch (1 and 2), no smartwatch has impressed me this much.