Source
r/pebble•
Pyxzure

PT alternative recommendations?

I love my pebble time, but I feel it might need to go someday, so I’m kind of looking for an alternative just in case I needed to get something new. What’s your suggestion for a replacement watch with these functions, in order of importance?

  • Moderate battery life (5d+)
  • Notification with text (not just an icon)
  • Kind-of-a-business looks
  • Cheap (doesn’t have to be pebble-ly cheap, but not apple-ly expensive either)
  • Independent (doesn’t need your phone to configure every single thing)
  • Music control

I don’t really care about the fitness aspect of the watch, TBH, but would like it to have a working compass. (The one on my pebble is a bit finicky at times)

Edit:

Thanks for all the answers. Garmin’s lineup does seem really good to me, if they weren’t so expensive... Guess I’ll have to hold on to my pebble a little longer.

Posted Apr 23, 2019, 1:41 AM UTC · edited

812
IntimidatexL•

Honestly the closest we have to a pebble is the amazfit bip and the Garmin forerunners but the Garmin watchs are so much more expensive. but sadly you're probably never going to find a better or equivalent alternative to the pebble. I have tried so many other smart watches and still I go back to the my PT

2
alpain•

ive heard in brief passing that the amazefit bip's are horrible near any amount of water beyond washing your hands and getting splashed,

anyone know if this is true?

1
IntimidatexL•

When the amazfit bip first came out they were being shipped without the adhesive to hold the screen to the body but that was fixed. That not long after. Now it has good water resistance

2
alpain•

thats good to hear.

1
IntimidatexL•

But the real downsides is that there is no music control and it looks like an Apple watch

1
Mike73ekiM•

I´m wearing my bip 24/7. I only take it of for swimming and shower. Never had a problem with water from washing hands. I´ve been using it for about 3/4 of a year now and couldn´t be happier. I changed the font size though.

1
bb5x24•

A mobvoi ticwatch might work for you. They have a range of prices and features. A coworker of mine has one and likes it. Can't remember which model.

1
Dannykirk8•

I had the ticwatch e and I can tell you the watch barely lasts a day, can not see the screen in direct sunlight, can't swim with it and many more issues. I was so glad to find Pebble! Sold all my Wear O/S watches on ebay.

1
AlphaState17•

The only reason I leave my Pebble watches home (from time to time) is a good fitness tracker. I discovered that I love to monitor the metrics of my health. By good fitness tracker I mean a good OHR sensor and a good ecosystem (multi-devices platform, seeing the data online in the fitness cloud, analyses made by the software etc).

By your criteria, there are two possibilities (in my opinion):

  1. Versa with Fitbit ecosystem. Best HR and best ecosystem. Best for monitoring intensive workouts (when HR changes quickly in time), RHR and sleep. Versa has also Reply for messages (no voice though). Fitbit has few Android phones compatible with their devices. Somewhat fragile devices. No sophistication with specialized activities (no rowing support for example). Versa has up to 4 days battery.
  2. Vivoactive 3 with Garmin ecosystem. More expensive but good for activities that imply GPS. More activities that can be recorded (with their specific metrics). More solid watches. Good ecosystem. Good looking. Buttons like Pebble. Best for running and cycling (HR changes slow in time). Best for swimming. Best third-party apps (by Connect IQ - something like Pebble). Not so good with sleep. Not so good HR sensor. No reply to messages. 7 days battery.

I have Versa and I love it. My girlfriend loves it too.

You must define clearly your criteria and decide accordingly.

For me the ideal watch would be a Pebble smartwatch (with microphone/voice and e-ink screen), with HR sensor from Fitbit, with GPS and metrics from Garmin and an ecosystem like Fitbit (or maybe Garmin).

I have the feeling that Fitbit has this potential to make the best watch ever (by Pebble acquisition), but the company launch every new feature only in the newer trackers - to maximize their business.

1
Flapaflapapebble time black•

I've got a Fenix 3. All but cheap.

10 day battery if not using the gps Textual notifications Looks "business rugged" A but of configuration on the phone but lots is configurable on the watch Can control music answer and decline calls from the watch. And working compass.

As far as cheap...I get it. I'd have never gotten a pebble if it wasn't so inexpensive. But the build quality shows there. I've had my f3 for a couple years now and other than a few scratches on the bezel it looks as good as when I got it. Now that I've had it, the price makes sense in the it gets lots of use and has lots of utility.

1
Dannykirk8•

Most android wear watches will not last 5 days unless its made huge like the garmin. There is no replacement yet for the Pebble. Scroll down 4 posts and look at what is being sold on Ebay. I bought a Pebble time in great condition for $32 dollars on ebay or go buy a Amazfit for $199 and let's see how long you last with it.

1
PRStarDust•

Amazfit Bip, it has some months battery life (maybe you will forget to charge it ). It looks like apple watch but cheaper (In China, its price is only 399RMB). You can turn on or turn off alarms without phone. It also has many watcherfaces (https://amazfitwatchfaces.com/), but sadly, it didn't give customer enough freedom, you can't install app on watch. At last, its animation didn't smooth. Music control maybe has.

1