Pebble 2 reviews are starting to pile up, dissecting the smartwatch's specs, features, capabilities and design so interested customers know what to expect.
There's no doubt that the Pebble 2 sports some neat improvements over its predecessor, but is it good enough to make it in the increasingly competitive wearable market?
The Pebble 2 has an ePaper LCD display with Gorilla Glass protection, it's water-resistant and has a heart rate monitor, among the highlights. It comes as the successor of the widely popular Pebble smartwatch launched back in 2013, but it may not live up to the hype.
We've browsed through several reviews to see what critics are saying about the new Pebble 2, so here goes.
"$130 may get you a HRM, but that doesn't mean it's a serious fitness device," writes Valentina Palladino of Ars Technica.
Nevertheless, while the heart rate monitor may not be very impressive, the Pebble 2's battery life is. Most smartwatches cram as many specs and functions as possible, but they disappoint in the battery department. Pebble is one of the few that doesn't compromise battery life and the Pebble 2 shines in this area.
Pebble said its new Pebble 2 should last for up to a week on a single charge, and Ars Technica's Palladino confirms the performance.
"[E]ven with recording at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, my Pebble 2's battery was only down to 40 percent on day six," she notes.
Another plus is that the Pebble 2 lets users respond to text messages and even compose texts straight from their wrist, albeit voice recognition is not highly accurate.
Palladino also points out that the Pebble 2 is sometimes off with certain stats, such as labeling running as "long walks" and miscalculating the distance. Pebble is reportedly looking into the matter.
CNET's Scott Stein echoes such mishaps, noting that fitness tracking is "uneven." The Pebble 2 wins brownie points for its impressive battery life, affordable price, built-in microphone and water resistance, as well as enhanced software and an always-on display.
However, heart rate and workout tracking may not always be accurate, the plastic design is not ideal and the screen is hard to read at times.
"The Pebble 2 doesn't win on fitness tracking, but it's still a solid pick for simple notifications and messages on a long-battery budget smartwatch," Stein concludes.
Engadget, meanwhile, has more positive things to say about the new Pebble 2.
"The black-and-white screen and plastic housing won't win any design awards, but a built-in heart rate monitor gives and water-resistant body lend it some serious health cred. Together with a revamped app, the new Pebble will help you track your steps, beats per minute and sleep habits for an affordable price," notes Engadget's Nicole Lee.
"As long as you can put up with its unsophisticated design, the Pebble 2 combines the benefits of a fitness tracker with the core functions of a basic smartwatch at a reasonable price."
Lastly, TechCrunch points out that the Pebble 2 does add some nice touches here and there, but it's not such a major upgrade over its predecessor.
"[I]t's hard to shake the feeling that, after all this time, the company that put smartwatches on the map really ought to be doing more to shake things up several years after it first hit the scene," writes Brian Heater for TechCrunch.
All in all, if you're looking for a basic smartwatch with fitness tracking functions, an affordable price tag and good battery life, the Pebble 2 could be a great fit. If you're looking for something more sophisticated, you might want to get either a fitness tracker or a smartwatch of a higher-end variety, not a cheap hybrid that tries to combine both.
