Pebble's Fitness Smartwatch Has Potential, Not Quite There

Hot on Apple’s heels, Pebble is updating its smartwatch lineup with a lot of same the fitness-tracking functionality you’ll find in the Apple Watch Series 2 or a dedicated fitness tracker.

- Tim Torres

The Pebble 2 + Heart Rate is the first out of the gate, with a lighter, slimmer design than the original Pebble Classic, along with an accelerometer and an optical heart rate monitor to track your workouts and sleep. But heart-rate and sleep results were inconsistent in testing, so you’re better off with a fitness tracker such as the Fitbit Charge 2. If the fitness features don’t hold much appeal, the Pebble Classic can be had for about half the price and remains an Editors’ Choice.

DESIGN AND DISPLAY

The Pebble 2 is available in five colors: black, white, aqua/white, charcoal/flame, and charcoal/lime (we received the charcoal/lime version, shown at right, for our review). The watch weighs 1.1 ounces including the band, and the face measures 1.5 by 1.2 inches (HW). That makes it both lighter and slimmer than the Pebble Classic (2.0 by 1.4 by 0.5 inches, 1.5 ounces) and the Pebble Time (1.6 by 1.5 by 0.4 inches, 1.5 ounces). Pebble is working on a new version of the Pebble Time, the Pebble Time 2 + Heart Rate, which should be available in January 2017.

The polycarbonate case looks very similar to those of previous Pebbles. It has four plastic buttons for navigating menu screens—three on the right side, one on the left—along with a microphone on the right for voice replies. A magnetic charging port on the back fits the included proprietary charging cable.

You need to install the included 22mm silicone strap when you first get the watch; it uses quick-release pins, so you can swap it out for any standard 22mm band. The strap is soft and smooth to the touch, similar to the Sport band on the Apple Watch Series 2. I kept the Pebble 2 on for several days and nights without it ever feeling uncomfortable or in the way.