Huami Amazfit Verge has been a big hit globally, with its sub-£100 pricing it is one of the most affordable smartwatches on the market.
This has now been followed up by the just announced Huami Amazfit Verge 2. Currently, it will only be available in China officially but you should be able to import it from sites like GearBest etc.
So how does it stack up against the older model?
Design
Amazfit Verge 2 comes with a premium designed round dial and skin texture. It is crafted with Microcrystalline zirconium ceramic body with extremely high hardness.
Unlike the polycarbonate chassis build on the predecessor, Amazfit Verge 2 carries premium material making the smartwatch more durable.
Both the watches have an IP68 rating for a splash and dust-proof experience. A silicone strap is available with the Verge 2 smartwatch, whereas the Silicone+ leather hybrid strap is added on the ECG version.
There is also a limited edition Avengers version of the watch, with just 5000 units available.
Software & Hardware
It is worth noting that Amazfit Verge does not use WearOS which is what allows the original wath to last 5 days between charges.
The old watch had an undisclosed chipset (at least I can't find what it is) which was based on a dual-core 1.2 GHz. The new model uses Snapdragon Wear 2500 1.1GHz which is an interesting choice, this is what Qualcomm is classing as a platform for kids. It is almost identical to the Snapdragon Wear 2100 which was launch in 2016 and based on tech that is even older. However, it is a big upgrade from the previous watch and the proprietary OS should run very well on it.
Additional Features
The Verge 2 has several new features included and supports PPG & ECG monitoring and built-in Alipay offline payment support using NFC. Unfortunately, as this is not WearOS it is unlikely to work with NFC payments methods in the UK and elsewhere.
There is also an eSim for mobile data. The e-SIM function isn’t tied to any particular carrier network but supports all the carriers in China.
Huami is also in partnership with Tencent to bring Tencent music streaming, live translation and QQ chat features on the watch. The feature will be added via an OTA update in the near future.
Display
The watch keeps the same 1.39-inch but the resolution has been upgraded to 454 x 454pixels.
Battery
Amazfit Verge 2’s 420 mAh battery can sustain up to 28 hours while using the 4G services. The backup will considerably improve if you turn off the e-SIM services. It can remain on standby for 20 days upon full charge.
Due to the more powerful processor, the battery won't last quite as long on this processor.
Price
The official pricing is 999 RMB which works out as £113 while the ECG version is 1299 RMB (roughly £147).
Full Comparison Table
| Huami Amazfit Verge | Huami Amazfit Verge 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 46 grams | 46 grams |
| Display | 1.3 inches, 360 x 360p, AMOLED | 1.39-inch AMOLED, 454 x 454pixels |
| Processor | dual-core 1.2 GHz | Snapdragon Wear 2500 1.1GHz |
| Memory | 512 MB RAM, 4 GB ROM | 512 MB RAM, 4GB ROM |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, GPS, GLONASS | NFC, Bluetooth 4.2+BLE, WiFi, GPS, GLONASS, |
| Additional Sensors | Heart rate sensor, air pressure sensor, geomagnetic sensor | Heart rate sensor,Ambient light sensor, air pressure sensor, PPG sensor, geomagnetic sensor, (ECG Edition only) |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 5 days of battery life with regular use | 420mAh, 28 hours of battery life on 4G |
| Other Features | Gorilla Glass 3, sports tracking, intelligent voice assistant, mobile payments | ECG Monitor (ECG Edition only), Custom Watch Faces, e-SIM, Alipay NFC Payments, Tencent Features, |