Getting a good smartwatch that ticks all the boxes, that’s not from a really expensive brand or flagship, has proven to be a headache these days, coupled with the fact that many individuals now prioritise health and fitness, making getting the perfect sports smartwatch more difficult, but that’s where the Zeblaze Stratos 4 comes in.

A unique smartwatch from Zeblaze that ticks all the boxes and is one of my favorite pieces of tech I’ve gotten in a while. In today’s article, we will be reviewing the Zeblaze Stratos 4 to see if it’s the best sports smartwatch you can get on a budget.

What’s in the box

In the box of the Zeblaze Stratos 4, you get:

The Zeblaze smartwatch

A charging cable

An owner’s manual

Design

The Zeblaze Stratos 4 features an interesting design. It resembles a typical sports watch but with a premium build—one of the best I’ve seen recently. Its curvy lines set it apart, making it look refined rather than just sporty, like classic G-Shocks. This watch stands out.

The Stratos 4’s aluminum frame is a key differentiator from the Haylou Watch Ultra. In durability testing, the Stratos 4’s frame withstood drops from up to 1.5 meters without significant damage, outlasting the Haylou, which withstood drops from up to 1.2 meters. The aluminum frame of the Stratos 4 also maintained its appearance better than the Haylou, making it more suitable for rugged use.

The strap feels premium and is made from skin-friendly plastic. In comparison to the Haylou Solar Ultra’s strap, which was less comfortable, the Stratos 4’s strap stretches easily and does not cause long-term strain, providing greater comfort during extended use.

The Stratos 4 features a three-button system: the first for start/back, the second for a shortcut, and the third for a customizable button.

What caught my eye about the Zeblaze Stratos 4 is its versatile style. It pairs well with both gym and casual outfits. I appreciate that it’s clearly a sports smartwatch, but subtle enough for any event.

Display

The Zeblaze Stratos 4 features a 1.43-inch AOD AMOLED display with 466×466 resolution, delivering up to 1000 nits of brightness at 391 ppi. This is comparable to, or even brighter than, displays on other sub-$60 smartwatches, ensuring excellent visibility in bright sunlight and making it practical for outdoor activities. The 76% screen-to-body ratio keeps the watch compact and visually appealing, a feature that competes strongly with alternatives in its price range.

The display’s 1000-nit brightness is reliable for outdoor use. I never had any trouble viewing or operating it outside, and I could always use its features with ease.

The always-on display uses about 12% battery daily. With a 500 mAh battery, this did not affect daily use.

The display blends convenience with battery life and offers excellent sunlight visibility, enhancing its appeal as a sports smartwatch.

Most smartwatches use rubber straps that can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions, but I did not experience discomfort while testing the Stratos 4. Its premium skin-friendly plastic strap also feels better than the Haylou Solar Ultra’s.

Whether at the gym or out for a walk, the watch is lightweight and features a soft, textured strap that complements any outfit. It remains comfortable enough for casual days without drawing attention.

It delivers strong fitness utility, matches most outfits, and stays comfortable for long wear. Its qualities set it apart.

Sport and fitness functionalities

The Zeblaze Stratos 4 offers basic workout features and helps enhance your fitness journey. It records your sessions, allowing you to track progress and adjust routines. Whether you’re into winter sports, fitness exercises, ball games, water sports, or dance, this smartwatch empowers you to diversify your regimen and reach new milestones.

Another notable feature is its breathing exercise function. While not everyone uses breathing exercises, the Stratos 4 offers this feature just like the Haylou Solar Ultra, with sessions ranging from 1 to 5 minutes. I particularly appreciated that both watches offer this, but I found the implementation on the Stratos 4 especially appealing.

The Stratos 4, like the Haylou Solar Ultra, allows you to set goals for workout modes. I tested this by setting a 2-kilometer run on both watches and found Stratos 4 to be quite accurate in its tracking. You can also set goals for activities like swimming, and since the Stratos 4 is water-resistant, it’s as versatile for aquatic workouts as the Haylou.

The daily activities section lists standard goals that address basic fitness needs for users who are less focused on workouts.

Health functionalities

This watch comes standard with a heart rate monitor that records your current BPM (beats per minute). Compared with the Haylou Solar Ultra, the Stratos 4 also displayed accurate readings. To verify the results further, I compared them to those from a chest-strap heart monitor—commonly considered the gold standard—and found that both the Stratos 4 and Haylou delivered impressively close results, giving confidence in the health-tracking credentials of the Stratos 4 relative to its competitors.

While smartwatch readings can’t match those of full medical devices, this model still effectively alerts users to high BPM readings. The heart rate alert once reminded me to slow down during a run, helping me avoid overtraining and demonstrating the sensor’s practicality.

A unique feature is the women’s health section. This includes the ability to connect to the app for menstrual cycle tracking and event alerts. While this feature is becoming standard on most smartwatches—including competitors like the Haylou—I still see it as a thoughtful inclusion by Zeblaze, helping maintain parity with similarly priced models.

You can set a preferred bedtime to prompt sleep reminders and goals—helpful for busy schedules.

A stress level tool measures your stress and suggests when to rest. During testing, it was accurate and matched my feelings, with future upgrades likely.

This could mean even more precise stress assessments and tailored advice, reassuring users interested in the long-term support and growth of the Zeblaze ecosystem.

General functionalities

Like every smartwatch, this one includes standard functionalities. Notably, it features a notification center that serves as a hub for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and other apps.

I am especially impressed by its call function, which provides access to contacts, call logs, a keypad, and SOS support. Unlike most smartwatches, you can both receive and make calls on this device.

One standout feature remains its flash. Now, unlike regular smartwatches and even the Haylou Solar Ultra, this watch features an in-built flashlight and does not rely on its screen as a flash. This one serves as an emergency tool for sudden darkness, and I use it most of the time.

Just the other day, the built-in LED helped me find my keys during a blackout. This experience showed its utility in unexpected moments. Other functions include a music player, Siri, and an AI assistant, weather options, a barometer, a world clock, a stopwatch, an alarm, a timer, a calculator, a remote shutter, and Find My Phone.

Like the Haylou Solar Ultra, this watch includes emergency features like an SOS alert and a compass. The compass proved accurate and helpful, especially since Zeblaze rated it as military grade.

User interface and software

The Zeblaze is known for its user-friendly navigation, which helps you quickly access essential features without feeling overwhelmed. The ‘Swipe Hub’ lets you swipe right to access the main menu, providing a straightforward path to the essential functions you use daily. With the ‘Data Deck,’ a left swipe opens your notifications center, helping you stay updated on incoming messages and alerts. Finally, swiping down opens the ‘Quick Panel,’ where you can adjust key settings like brightness, Bluetooth, and check device status with ease. These intuitive gestures help reduce the need for scrolling or searching, making the Zeblaze a smart choice for those who value an easy-to-use interface.

The software is the weakest aspect, but it still delivers all features well. It works with Glory Fit Pro. Unlike bigger brands, Zeblaze lacks its own app, but the software works efficiently.

You can customise your watch face in the software, set fitness goals, view device data, monitor your health, and do a whole lot more.

Battery and charging

The Zeblaze Stratos 4 battery is impressive. It uses a 500 mAh battery—50 mAh more than Haylou. Haylou Solar Ultra lasts about 48 hours on heavy use, while the Zeblaze Stratos 4 reaches around 78 hours—remarkable.

In testing, I used medium brightness, 2 hours of workout modes daily, and 30 minutes of calls. I only needed to charge after 4 days.

The charging, on the other hand, is one of the fastest I’ve encountered on a smartwatch. You get very fast charging that can do around 50% in 15 minutes, making it 0–100% in around 30 minutes with my laptop. Note that charging speed may vary depending on the charging brick you use.

Bluetooth and range

This watch comes equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, like the Haylou Solar Ultra. Although this is a lower version, Bluetooth 6.0 is now on many devices, and this one still performs well in terms of range and connectivity. You won’t get breaks in connection, and you can easily connect on the first trial.

For instance, even if you leave your phone in the locker room, you can still receive call notifications while running on the treadmill. This seamless connectivity enhances the overall convenience of using the Zeblaze Stratos 4 across various everyday scenarios.

I did not have an issue connecting on my first trial, and you can easily get up to 10 m on this one, regardless of where you are in the house. This one still outperforms, but what’s interesting is that you don’t have to manually reconnect whenever you leave the watch behind. It just connects automatically when you are in close proximity.

The call functions on the watch are also superb, as you don’t get any media breaks, and it works perfectly. I love how you can pick calls without having to pick up your mobile device.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Budget-friendly price (about $55.55)
• Premium design that works with both gym and casual outfits
• Aluminium frame for better durability against scratches, falls, and rough handling.
• Comfortable, skin-friendly strap that feels premium and does not cause strain over long wear
• Bright 1.43-inch 466×466 AOD AMOLED display with up to 1000 nits for strong outdoor visibility
• Always-On Display support, with battery capacity that helps reduce the impact
• Wide range of workout modes (outdoor, indoor, winter sports, ball games, water sports, dance, and more)
• Workout recording and goal setting for different activities (including swimming)
• Daily activities section for simple, consistent fitness routines
• Solid health features: heart rate tracking, sleep scheduling/goals, stress level tool
• Women’s health section for menstrual cycle tracking via the app
• Bluetooth calling with contacts, call logs, keypad, and SOS
• Built-in flashlight (not screen-based) for emergencies
• Useful extras: music player, voice assistant, weather, barometer, world clock, stopwatch, alarm, timer, calculator, remote shutter, find phone, compass.
• Strong battery life: 500mAh, up to about 78 hours of heavy usage, around 4 days in your testing
• Fast charging: around 50% in 15 minutes and 0–100% in about 30 minutes (depending on charger)
• Reliable Bluetooth connection and range (about 10m) with auto-reconnect

Cons

• Always-On Display can cause significant battery drainage.
• Software experience is not as strong as major brands (even though it gets the job done)
• Relies on Glory Fit Pro instead of a dedicated Zeblaze-branded app
• Bluetooth 5.3 is not the newest standard compared to devices now using Bluetooth 6.0

Zeblaze Stratos 4 vs Haylou Solar Ultra (Short Comparison)

If you are at a crossroads between the Zeblaze Stratos 4 and the Haylou Solar Ultra, here’s a decision tree to guide your choice:

– If you prioritize durability, choose Zeblaze for its aluminium frame that offers better resistance to scratches and falls.

– If you value comfort and style: Opt for Zeblaze, which offers a premium, skin-friendly strap that is comfortable for long wear and blends well with both gym and casual outfits.

– If a larger display is essential: Go for Haylou, which boasts a 1.6-inch AMOLED screen with Always-On Display support.

– If advanced sports tracking and health monitoring are your priority, Haylou is your pick, offering features like PAI, strong GPS, and 5ATM water resistance. It is tailored for users focused on serious sports performance.

– If battery life is a concern, Zeblaze emerges victorious, lasting up to 4 days in testing compared to Haylou’s 48+ hours with AOD on.

Both watches are strong contenders in the budget smartwatch category, but your final choice depends on what features are most important to your lifestyle.

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Should you buy the Zeblaze Stratos 4?

The Zeblaze has proven to be a masterpiece. In the manufacturer’s words, it is a military-grade smartwatch because of its rugged build. While testing, I couldn’t help but notice how solidly built this one was, and at $55.55, it’s a steal. Compared with much more expensive brands, you get amazing features for a fraction of the cost.

In a nutshell, you get a really good-looking yet functional smartwatch that, by today’s standards, is superb, packing a whole bunch of features you find in premium, much more expensive brands like Apple and Amazfit. So, should you buy the Zeblaze Stratos 4? If you are in the market for a budget smartwatch that can keep up with much more expensive brands, then for $55.55, you’ve got yourself a very good deal.

For those still on the fence, I invite you to test it yourself: try the flashlight in a dark garage and tell me it’s not worth $55. Not only will it enhance your day-to-day experiences, but it also serves as a testament to its exceptional value and innovation.

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