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First Impressions of the P1 GPS Smartwatch/Running Watch Are Very Good

Today I received the last of my batch of hand-picked budget fitness trackers to review for this spring. The P1 GPS Running Watch sold by Lankey on Amazon was the watch with the most features.

P1 GPS watch size on wrist — The P1 fits my wrist nicely. For reference, my wrist is about 6.5 inches.

Well, I’ll just cut to the chase and say that I’m impressed! After my first run with it compared against a chest heart rate strap (CHRM) I was blown away by its accuracy. Actually, it outperformed the CHRM that went haywire for a few minutes. Sometimes CHRMs screw up too.

Now I just have to test out the GPS accuracy, sleep tracking, Bluetooth connection, etc., and wear the watch for several days to make sure all the other features work well.

A list of my first impressions of the P1 Running Watch:

Bright screen for outdoor readability. Most budget fitness trackers suffer from poor readability in sunlight but not the P1 GPS smartwatch
It has a ECG sensor for detecting fatigue that you place your finger on. (See pic below) I’ve never seen this feature on any other watch at any price.
So far step tracking appears to be good
It is definitely geared towards runners with 7 running modes but it supports other activities
Although it’s a wider watch, it has a low profile and a nice look
The band is comfortable, highly adjustable, and should allow your skin to breathe but is non-replaceable
Menu selections can be selected using the three physical buttons or the touch screen (buttons are important for runners because trying to select something on a screen when you’re running isn’t ideal)
GPS connected in less than 45 seconds and was accurate on the first mini-test
Data can be synced to Google Fit and/or Strava
The HR sensor was very accurate in my first test

The squiggly line is the area where your finger goes for the fatigue test. You also need to be wearing the watch on your wrist because I think the watch uses both sensors for the analysis.

Well, now the real testing begins. I’ll be taking it out on the trails, on bike rides, and on the treadmill. I’ll also test it doing some resistance training workouts.

Anyway, so far I’m impressed right out of the gate. Check back for the full review. If you would like to be notified when new reviews are available, feel free to sign up for the newsletter.

Full review is now published!