Looking for a feature-packed smartwatch without breaking the bank? The Xiaomi Haylou Solar Plus RT3 might be your answer.

Released in 2023, this smartwatch boasts an attractive design, a vibrant AMOLED display, and a surprising range of functionalities, including making and receiving calls.

But with numerous options in the budget smartwatch market, can the Haylou Solar Plus RT3 truly stand out?

This review dives deep into the capabilities of the Haylou Solar Plus RT3, exploring its strengths like its extended battery life and unique features.

We'll also analyze its limitations, such as potential shortcomings in health tracking and app compatibility.

By the end, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of whether the Haylou Solar Plus RT3 lives up to its claim as a top budget smartwatch in 2024.

Related: Xiaomi Backed Haylou Solar Smartwatch Review

Xiaomi Haylou Watch Review

Xiaomi Haylou Solar Plus RT3 Review

The Haylou Solar Plus RT3 is available at a competitive price of $47.00 on AliExpress.com, making it an appealing choice for those seeking an affordable smartwatch without compromising on essential features.

In conclusion, the Haylou Solar Plus RT3 offers impressive value for its price range. With its sleek design, vibrant display, and a wide range of features including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and SpO2 monitoring, it competes favorably with higher-priced smartwatches.

While it may lack certain advanced functionalities like built-in GPS and NFC, it compensates with accurate health tracking and a user-friendly interface.

Whether you're a fitness enthusiast on a budget or simply looking for a reliable and stylish smartwatch, the Haylou Solar Plus RT3 proves to be a competent choice.

Its affordability, combined with its solid performance and attractive design, makes it an appealing option for those seeking a budget-friendly smartwatch without compromising on functionality.

Haylou Solar Plus RT3 Design and Build

Upon unboxing the Solar Plus RT3, I couldn't help but notice its striking resemblance to the elegant Polar Ignite 3. However, the RT3 stands out with an additional crown button.

Featuring a brushed metal frame and a comfortable interchangeable 22mm black silicon strap, this lightweight (49g) smartwatch offers a comfortable and stylish fit for prolonged wear.

Impressive Features of the Haylou Solar Plus RT3

The Solar Plus RT3 surprises with an extensive range of features that are uncommon at its price point.

You can enjoy a vibrant and colorful 1.43-inch circular AMOLED touchscreen display, along with 24-hour heart rate monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, sleep tracking, well being tests, support for 105 workouts, and a battery life of approximately two days based on my experience.

Haylou Solar Plus RT3 Display Quality and Build

The standout feature of the Solar Plus RT3 is undoubtedly its 466x466 resolution screen. With its excellent brightness, rich colors, and slim bezels, the display offers sharp and clear menus, notifications, and messages, ensuring easy readability.

Despite a few accidental knocks and falls during my weeks of use, both the screen and casing of the Solar Plus RT3 have remained scratch-free.

While it carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, it is important to note that swimming with this smartwatch is not recommended.

Compatibility and Connectivity

The Solar Plus RT3 is compatible with both Android and iPhone devices, providing users the convenience of making or taking Bluetooth calls directly from their wrists.

The watch incorporates Bluetooth 5.3 for the latest connectivity standards. The microphone is located on the right-hand side, between the two crowns, while the speaker is positioned on the left, delivering decent call quality.

Software and User Interface of the Haylou Solar Plus RT3

The watch operates on a proprietary OS, with health data stored and accessed through the Haylou Fun app. The app offers over 100 watch faces to choose from.

While navigating the watch interface is intuitive and swift enough, it must be noted that the app and UI software do not provide the same level of smoothness and polish as Fitbit, Garmin, Apple, or Samsung devices.

Users can choose between grid or list view for the apps menu, with additional features such as find my phone, music controls, theater mode, and alarms.

Battery Life and Charging

With the always-on display activated, the Solar Plus RT3 offers approximately two days of battery life. By disabling the always-on display, users can extend the endurance to over four days.

Additionally, enabling the battery saver mode, which focuses on step counting and timekeeping, allows for more than a fortnight of usage on a single charge.

The watch recharges using the provided proprietary cable and takes approximately two hours for a full refill.

Verdict

While the absence of built-in GPS and NFC for contactless payments is a downside, the Solar Plus RT3 impresses with its accurate 24-hour heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and SpO2 monitoring, especially considering its affordable price.

Although step counting and distance measurements were slightly inaccurate at times, they were still reasonably close. The always-on display staying active even when the watch is taken off might be a minor inconvenience.

Overall, the Haylou Solar Plus RT3 is a competent budget-priced smartwatch that caters to fitness enthusiasts.

Xiaomi Haylou LS02 Review

Inside the Box

Like all Haylou products, the Haylou LS02 smartwatch comes in a sturdy rectangular box. The box is white and blue in color which are the brand colors of Haylou. On the box, you'll find an image of the smartwatch, the Haylou logo in the upper left corner, and the name of the device ( Haylou Smartwatch 2) in the lower right corner. These details come in handy if you want to authenticate your purchase. Inside the box, you'll find:

• The Haylou LS02 smartwatch itself
• A back silicone strap
• Protective film on the screen of the smartwatch
• An instruction booklet
• And a magnetic charging cable.

Specifications

	Xiaomi Haylou LS02
Body Dimensions	45.3 x 11.4, 54g, 22mm.
Materials	Silicon strap, Metal frame, metal button, plastic back
Water Proof	IP68 Rated
Display	1.4" LCD, 240 x 240 pixels (no Always on Display)
OS	Proprietary
Compatibility	Support for Android 4.4 and above, iOS 8.0 and above
Battery	260mAh (20 days typical use, around 15 days with heart rate monitoring)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.0 + BLE
Sensors	Ultra-low dynamic optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer

Xiaomi Haylou Smart Watch - Design

To be honest I actually, quite enjoyed using this watch. It is much better than most of the entry-level smartwatches out there. Not just in design but also with respect to the improvement in quality and features. I say improvement because, it's the successor to one of my favorite watches of 2019, the Haylou LS01. The Xiaomi Haylou smartwatch 2 is extremely similar to its predecessor barring a few features here and there. And this feature makes it stand out.

• Like its predecessor, the LS02 is also similar in design to the Apple watch. It has a carefully designed frame that is delicate and glossy. However, the rounded corners and the curved edges make it look rather premium and high-end. Haylou has used the glossy look well. Unlike the LS01, this watch has a thinner frame and a larger screen, making it look amazing.

• When I wore both on the same wrist, I could see the evolution. The LS02 has a 1.4-inch screen while the Haylou Smartwatch 1 has a 1.3-inch screen. While this doesn't seem like much the Haylou LS02 looks much larger and cooler. This can primarily be attributed to the thin bezels of the LS02, which make it look extremely minimal and elegant.

• Most importantly, the quality of the display has drastically increased when compared to the previous generation. For example, while the LS01 has a wide-domain high brightness screen and good picture quality, it was still a little grainy.

• The Haylou Smartwatch 2 on the other hand, not only has improved brightness quality, color saturation, and contrast but the display is softer and cleaner making it more comfortable for the eyes.

• I could easily see the screen with sharp quality when the sun was directly above my head. This is because the LS02 has a resolution of 320 x 320p instead of the previous generation's 240 x 240p.

• The weight of this watch is a bit more than the predecessor, weighing 38 grams. However, it is still extremely light when compared to the other watches in its segment.

• The rest of it is pretty much the same as the LS01, including the placement of the button (One on the right-hand side). It's also worth noting that the build quality of the LS02 isn't that different, it's still on the higher side with the only difference being the matte black color as opposed to the white color of the LS01.

• I could easily wear it for an entire day without any issues or discomfort. Since it's pretty lightweight, you stop paying attention to it as soon as you start going about your day. I did wear it for a good 24 hours to check if there were any issues with the functions. However, I can confidently say that it's not going to be uncomfortable if you wear it while sleeping.

Of course, you can shower with it and swim with it, since, it's IP68 Waterproof and Dustproof. But bear in mind that it is not 5ATM certified so you absolutely can not dive with it. Like the first generation, this one comes with a comfortable and sweatproof silicone wrist band. It's completely removable and replaceable.

Haylou LS02 Review - Function

After using the Haylou LS02 for over a week, I can tell you with complete confidence that it's a decent investment. Especially since you're getting a top-tier smartwatch for around 20$. The design of the watch was top-notch. Now let's get to the functions and find out if it's truly worth it.

One of the first things I noticed when I set it up for the first time was that the whole QR code activation process has become the new standard. Almost every smartwatch in 2021 follows this sequence.

You will have to download the HaylouFit app on your phone and then scan the QR code that is shown on the screen of the watch. Follow all the prompts to set it up and only then will you be able to access all the functions and features.

• Once, I started using it I fell in love with it. It is quite similar to The LS01 when it comes to certain set display information like date, time, battery level, weather, steps, distance, calories, and other apps like the timer. However, while the applications are the same the quality of the interface and the display are vastly superior.

• It is meant to be seen as a new and improved LS01 rather than a completely new breed of smartwatches. While the majority of the features were disappointingly the same, there were a few differences between the two.

• For example, I could access 12 sports modes on the LS02 instead of the 9. And Haylou decided to finally incorporate a music player. It caused an of hate last year when they launched the LS01 without a music player. Fortunately, they didn't repeat the same blunder this year.

• The most annoying thing with this watch is the lack of watch faces. You might think that 5 is enough but you'll cycle through it within a week and start looking for hacks on Reddit. Unfortunately, I could find a way to install more without accessing the firmware files. Which I don't recommend touching. The five watch faces on the other hand are fairly decent with two being digital and three being analog.

• One of the coolest things that Haylou decided to do was incorporate Bluetooth 5.0. This eliminates any latency and creates a seamless connection with your phone, ensuring the accurate transmission of real-time data. Also, push notifications are faster.

When we come to the Haylou Fit App, all I can say is that it's not bad. The interface is quite fast. However, I feel more comfortable with the Amazfit app. So, I might be a tad too biased with regards to this app. The developers have done a fairly decent job. So, I can't hate either.

It can easily track the basics like steps, distance, and calories and of course, you can access other features like alarms, notifications, and much more.

As mentioned earlier this watch offers 12 sports modes, that can be further optimized using the Haylou Fit APP. These sports modes are:

• Jogging
• Climbing
• Spinning
• Fast Walking
• Biking
• Indoor Running
• Yoga
• Integrated Training
• Rowing
• Gymnastics
• Football
• Basketball

The Haylou Smartwatch 2 also has an unbelievably accurate heart rate and sleep sensor. The sleep sensor, for example, tracks minute details such as light sleep, and wakefulness and quantifies that data and helps you better understand your body and sleep cycle.

Usage

Using this watch is fairly simple, all you have to do is refer to the following instructions:

• To access the health stuff, specifically, the heart rate widget, the daily activity widget, and sleep and breathing widgets all you have to do is swipe right.

• Swipe left to access the shortcuts to the apps you use the most. Swipe down to access the status, notifications, battery life, and settings.

Xiaomi Haylou LS02 - Battery

The battery and the charging cable of the Haylou LS02 are vastly different compared to the previous generation. It's equipped with a 260 mAh battery as opposed to the LS01's 210 mAh battery. This not only offers longer battery life but it also offers a longer stand-by mode and most importantly, the longevity is drastically improved.

• Although I've just been using the device for a week the battery is still at 55%. Haylou claims that it'll last 20 days on a single charge. I estimate it to last around 15-16 days. However, I put it through a lot. So, let's just assume it can probably make it 18 days if you use it regularly.

• The charging process on the other hand is brilliant. Yes, it does get annoying cause it takes about 2 hours to charge. But that's honestly negligible compared to the two weeks that it offers. Haylou also included the magnetic charger that was introduced with the Haylou Solar.

• All of the latest Xiaomi Backed brands have moved towards this charging methodology and it's honestly brilliant. It's more convenient and saves you the hassle of removing the bands every time.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the Haylou LS02 is hands down one of the best in its price segment. Both real-time performance and long-term performance happen to be excellent. For example, when it comes to real-time performance, it has a smooth user interface that can transition between actions without any stutters or lags. Since it runs on Bluetooth 5.0, I haven't faced half the issues that usually come with low-budget smartwatches.

Furthermore, the sensors are extremely accurate. It can capture minute movements which is honestly a surprise from a smartwatch that's priced this low. It can capture resistance train without having to do HIIT. I bring this up because even the Mi Band 5 is incapable of capturing resistance training. There's nothing to complain about with regards to the battery life. It can last for 16 days with high usage.

As mentioned earlier long-term performance is pretty good. I've used it for about 6 months now and haven't run into any issues with the hardware. However, the firmware updates are a hit and miss. Although Haylou seems to be fixing bugs with each update. The notifications tend to get buggy now and then. Especially, if you're using it with the Haylou app.

Xiaomi Haylou Watch Review - Final Thoughts

Well, after extensively using it for an entire week, I can tell you that it's worth it. Man, I sometimes still can't believe this was 20$. It's insane that a watch that only costs that much can do so much. Not only are the functions and features cool but the design is downright stunning.

The watch has evolved when compared to its predecessor, from the amped-up display and the battery to the lightweight and comfortable silicone band, this Haylou smartwatch is off the charts in terms of experience. The major factors I appreciate were the increased screen size, resolution, and brightness. Check out our entire Xiaomi Haylou Watch Review for more details.

While the lack of water sports modes like swimming and diving was disappointing, I did love the 12 sports modes that it had to offer. Most importantly, the magnetic cable charger, amazing battery life, and Bluetooth 5.0 made this watch a brilliant investment.

Pros

• Comfortable design
• Long-lasting battery life
• Phone notifications on your wrist

Cons

• Heart rate tracking is inaccurate
• Watch faces and customisability is limited
• The phone companion app is basic

FAQs

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