Garmin Lily 2 Review: Elegant, Everyday Activity Tracking

Worth When Reviewed

From $249.99 | Mannequin reviewed $299.99

Finest Costs At this time: Garmin Lily 2

$199.99

Again in 2021, Garmin shocked everybody with the Lily, a smartwatch designed particularly for ladies. It stood out for providing a extra trendy and compact construct in comparison with the same old unisex choices, lots of which tend to easily supply a smaller display on a chunky and unforgiving physique.

Practically three years on from that female-focused exercise tracker, Garmin has launched the Lily 2 from £249/$249. It retains the magnificence and core options of its predecessor, however the upgrades are considerably modest.

Does a barely refined design, a few additional exercise choices and the addition of a Sleep Rating make it a very good purchase? That relies on what you’re after and whereas this exercise tracker isn’t for everybody, there are some who will profit from its providing.

Design & Construct

• Anodised aluminium
• 5ATM waterproof score
• Monochrome LCD show

Coming from years of sporting Apple Watches, each the 45mm and 41mm variants, the Garmin Lily 2 initially felt like an enormous departure in measurement, and never in a great way. However regardless of not having significantly dainty wrists, a number of weeks of testing noticed its small and chic design develop on me.

The Lily 2 is extremely light-weight and discreet, a welcome change from bulkier smartwatches and trackers and significantly, the remainder of Garmin’s portfolio. The anodised aluminium casing feels premium and well-built, and whereas the underside is plastic with a barely raised coronary heart price sensor, it contours properly into the wrist for a really snug put on.

Even whereas monitoring my (usually elusive) 8 hours of sleep, the Lily 2 went just about unnoticed. And you’ll put on it nearly anyplace with its 5ATM waterproof score which implies it may go as deep as 50 meters.

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

The color of the Mulberry Leather-based Band on my evaluate unit isn’t my favorite and it hasn’t grown on me over time, however it’s a reasonably fast repair with a easy swap of the now commonplace 14mm strap – the unique Lily used proprietary straps making it extra restrictive to alter its look. 

What’s much less of a easy repair is the patterned Gorilla Glass 3 lens that the watch face sits beneath. The lens is an attention-grabbing contact, providing a extra visible attraction than plain glass however I’m unsure it’s solely essential, particularly because it’s not customisable just like the watch faces. A plain lens possibility alongside the patterned ones within the six-strong line-up would have been good to attraction to these of us who like issues slightly extra easy.

The LCD show itself provides a 16-level grayscale and a 240 x 201 pixel decision. The dearth of color could be forgiven given the Lily 2’s concentrate on minimalism, however it does really feel a bit flat. It doesn’t provide the similar vibrant and punchy expertise you’ll get from the AMOLED screens on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 or the Apple Watch Collection 9, for instance, however for some, this can be one of many essential interesting options of the Lily 2. 

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

The patterned lens contributes to the flatness, preserving the display barely recessed and away from the floor and that ends in a brightness problem too, with the Lily 2’s display typically struggling to chop by means of the sample. The responsiveness of the touchscreen additionally leaves one thing to be desired – it really works effectively sufficient however lacks the graceful, fluid really feel of different smartwatches.

Health & Monitoring 

• Linked GPS
• 18 actions
• Physique Battery, stress monitoring and Sleep Rating 

The Garmin Lily 2 prioritises wellbeing over hardcore coaching and if that’s what you’re searching for, it does a very good job of delivering.

The center price sensor gives correct metrics, on par and typically bettering the Apple Watch Collection 9 by a fraction of a second. That accuracy applies throughout HIIT exercises too, the place some health trackers wrestle to maintain tempo with the peaks and troughs of quickly altering coronary heart charges, the Lily 2 retains up with out a problem. 

Computerized train detection labored effectively for walks, together with leisurely strolls, and there are many options on board past primary step counting with health age, blood oxygen saturation and respiration monitoring providing respectable insights into your general wellness.

Adapting hydration targets primarily based on the exercises you’ve executed is a specific spotlight as that is one thing that’s genuinely helpful quite than a function for function’s sake.

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

The place the Lily 2 shines brightest is its execution of Garmin’s Physique Battery function. As its title suggests, this metric displays your physique’s power ranges, or its prediction of them primarily based in your stress ranges, exertion and the way effectively you’ve slept. It encourages relaxation when your ranges dip and celebrates wholesome sleep habits with a recharge.

It’s a priceless instrument for understanding your physique’s wants, and whereas Fitbit provides the same Each day Readiness Rating, Garmin’s model is sensible now having improved through the years. It picked up on a number of events after I wanted to relaxation – some as a result of late nights and others as a result of a few surprising colds – and on every of these events the information within the Garmin Join app knew earlier than I did.

Stress monitoring can also be nice on the Lily 2, with it highlighting days it’s possible you’ll not even have thought-about anxious. The information is offered in an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand format within the app, and whereas it may enhance by figuring out patterns and triggers and becoming a member of the dots for you, the information is there so that you can try this your self.

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

It isn’t all rosy although. The absence of built-in GPS necessitates carrying your telephone for distance and map knowledge when strolling, working or biking and the shortage of a devoted indoor biking possibility is a curious omission, particularly contemplating the recognition of spin lessons. Actions like dance and stair climbing are included, however these of us who like an indoor cycle – and the Peloton customers on the market – are left with the generic “cardio” possibility.

Girls’s well being monitoring could possibly be higher too, particularly given it is a female-focused machine. The Lily 2 caters to girls’s well being with interval monitoring, however it’s primary in comparison with rivals. Lacking a temperature sensor, the interval predictions rely solely on consumer enter throughout setup and when you can log signs and interval particulars, it lacks sophistication. You might simply use an app in your telephone as an alternative.

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Sleep monitoring additionally has room for enchancment, regardless of the introduction of Sleep Rating over the unique Lily. The rating is predicated on sleep period and varied metrics, offering a common image of sleep high quality and it’s a pleasant function to have.

In my testing, nonetheless, sleep period usually appeared inaccurate when in comparison with the Apple Watch Collection 9 worn concurrently, lacking off no less than half-hour in some situations and leading to a decrease rating. That then impacts different metrics like Physique Battery so it’s irritating. The Lily 2’s sleep graphs are additionally much less user-friendly in comparison with rivals like Fitbit and Apple Watch.

Total, the Lily 2 gathers a wealth of information and whereas enhancements could be made and it lacks the superior options of Garmin’s Forerunner sequence or the Vivoactive line, akin to restoration time estimates, it provides a compelling package deal for many who get pleasure from staying energetic without having in-depth metrics.

Software program & Options 

• Smartphone notifications
• Discover my Telephone
• Garmin Pay (Lily 2 Traditional solely)

There are two variants of the Lily 2 – the usual mannequin and the Lily 2 Traditional. The latter not solely provides posher straps as commonplace, together with leather-based, however maybe extra importantly, boasts Garmin Pay. Don’t get too excited although. At the moment, help within the UK is scarce – main banks like Barclays, Natwest, Lloyds, and HSBC are lacking so verify your financial institution earlier than you select the Lily 2 Traditional solely to pay in your wrist.

Fortunately, different options are much less restrictive. The Lily 2 provides climate forecasts, a Morning Report (a function discovered on higher-end Garmin units), and a “Discover my Telephone” operate. The Morning Report gives a handy, digestible abstract of climate and sleep knowledge, whereas the Discover my Telephone operate is nice in case your telephone has a behavior of disappearing between couch cushions, although it’s loud when it goes off unexpectedly. 

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

The Lily 2 additionally shows smartphone notifications, however they mirror your telephone settings. You’ll be able to’t customise which apps set off notifications on the watch itself like you may with Fitbit or Apple Watch – it’s important to disable them in your telephone solely. The Do Not Disturb mode silences them, however you might be restricted to controlling notifications particular to Garmin, akin to new connections, which implies the Lily 2 buzzes greater than I’d like.

When paired with Android units the Lily 2 can reply to texts and reject calls with pre-written messages, however these options are unavailable on iPhone. It makes notifications considerably pointless – and even annoying on iPhone – you see an alert in your wrist, know your telephone is ringing, however nonetheless want your telephone to take any motion.

Battery Life & Charging 

• As much as 5 days
• Rechargeable, built-in lithium-ion battery
• 30% cost in half-hour

The Garmin Lily 2 holds up effectively to its five-day battery life declare. It’s not the most effective available on the market, with a few of Garmin’s personal units greater than doubling that providing, however it’s removed from the worst, particularly in the case of smartwatches. 

I wore the Lily 2 day and evening for over a month, monitoring each day actions and sleep, with fixed notifications from my telephone and even music controls in use. I additionally activated Pulse OX throughout sleep, which even Garmin highlights as being a battery drain.

Regardless of this, the Lily 2 constantly hit the 5-day mark, sometimes going barely over, and different weeks maybe half a day below.

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

As with many smartwatches and trackers, it depends on a proprietary cable with charging pins on the again of the Lily 2’s casing. This implies remembering the particular cable when you journey, particularly for journeys longer than these 5 days. This isn’t a particular Lily 2 flaw – it’s industry-wide – however it’s one thing to contemplate.

Charging time can also be one thing that must be thought-about. It’s not only a case of not shedding that cable, however there’s no fast charging on board right here both. Not like the Apple Watch Collection 9’s speedy charging that gives you round 70% in half-hour, the Lily 2 manages simply 30%. It means it’s good to think about charging time when you plan on 24/7 put on – which, to completely utilise the options, I extremely advocate. 

It’s a trade-off: each day charging for units just like the Apple Watch or planning forward for the Lily 2’s multi-day battery life. I sometimes cost the Apple Watch earlier than mattress throughout some night TV time, however the Lily 2 requires an additional half-hour for a full cost, which requires slightly extra thought. Then once more, that additional half-hour buys you just about every week of use, making it extra of a planning level than a significant downside.

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

Britta O’Boyle / Foundry

You do want to recollect to place it again on when charging is completed nonetheless, which I sometimes forgot to do and that then messes up your Physique Battery and stress monitoring stats so it actually would profit from sooner charging so that you don’t have time to overlook about it.

Worth & Availability

The Garmin Lily 2 begins at £249.99/$249.99. For the Garmin Lily 2 Traditional, you’re a beginning value of £269.99/$269.99, which tops out at £299.99/$299.99 (and the mannequin on this evaluate).

Each the Lily 2 and Lily 2 Traditional are that can be purchased instantly by means of Garmin, in addition to Amazon. As talked about on this evaluate, the most important distinction between the usual Lily 2 and the Lily 2 Traditional is the Traditional mannequin provides help for Garmin Pay alongside a extra premium strap choice.

The Lily 2 doesn’t have a direct competitor when it comes to design however it relies on what your priorities are as to which different units available in the market may make for higher choices. Some Garmin units just like the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 165 supply extra options for a similar value, together with richer AMOLED shows, however they’ve bulkier builds so that you sacrifice the Lily 2’s smooth and cozy design. 

In the meantime, the Lily 2 is extra inexpensive than the likes of the Apple Watch Collection 9 and Garmin Venu vary by a substantial margin, however not as totally fledged as both, particularly in the case of the smartphone function facet of issues. 

Lastly, the Lily 2 is costlier than Fitbit’s top-end Sense 2 and trackers just like the Cost 6, each of which have some nice options on board, like built-in GPS and good sleep monitoring, however neither look nearly as good because the Lily 2 on the wrist.

The Garmin Lily 2 is an efficient possibility for many who are searching for a snug, trendy and chic health tracker with an honest set of dependable core options, delivering on all of these components in abundance.

Try our choose of the most effective smartwatches to see extra choices.

Do you have to purchase the Garmin Lily 2?

It seems nice on – particularly with smarter clothes, exercise monitoring is correct and the Physique Battery and stress monitoring options are a delight to make use of, giving a very good perception into general wellness.

Sleep monitoring could possibly be higher, as may girls’s well being monitoring, and it doesn’t cater to hardcore athletes with an absence of built-in GPS and another options like restoration time, each of that are provided by the similar-priced Vivoactive vary. 

The Garmin Lily 2 excels for informal exercisers in search of a discreet and cozy companion for his or her on a regular basis wellness journey, nonetheless. For these with bigger wrists or a robust concentrate on coaching metrics, the Vivoactive can be a greater match, however when you prioritise consolation, model, and dependable health monitoring in a compact package deal, the Garmin Lily 2 is a superb possibility to contemplate.

Specs 

• 1-inch, 240 x 201pixels, 16-level greyscale Liquid Crystal touchscreen show, 
• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi
• NFC (Garmin Lily 2 Traditional solely)
• Assist for 18 actions
• Sleep monitoring
• LiveTrack
• Music Controls
• As much as 5-day battery life
• Linked GPS
• 5ATM
• 35.4 x 35.4 x 10.1mm
• Suits wrists with a circumference of 110-175 mm
• 20.6g (Material), 21.4g (Leather-based)
• Colors: Metallic Lilac with Lilac Silicone Band, Cream Gold with Coconut Silicone Band, Cream Gold with Espresso Material Band, Silver with Sage Gray Material Band, Cream Gold with Tan Leather-based Band, Darkish Bronze with Mulberry Leather-based Band
• Appropriate with Android and iOS