IDW28 Smartwatch Review: A Generic Watch That Punches Above Its Price (Sometimes)
The IDW28 Smartwatch is a low-cost, white-labeled fitness wearable sold under dozens of brand names on Amazon and Alibaba. Priced around $77.99, it promises a wide range of features: heart rate and SpO₂ tracking, sleep monitoring, Bluetooth calling, notification previews, and over 100 sport modes. But as with many generic smartwatches in this segment, the spec sheet tells only part of the story.
With a 1.85-inch TFT display and IP68 water resistance, it checks off a lot of boxes that might catch the eye of casual shoppers. But once you start digging into accuracy, companion app experience, and long-term reliability, trade-offs begin to emerge. Sensors tend to favor responsiveness over precision, and software polish is lacking across both the watch UI and its companion app (typically “GloryFit” or “FitCloudPro”).
That said, for the price, the IDW28 Smartwatch does more than many branded competitors—especially if your expectations are modest. It handles phone calls surprisingly well via Bluetooth, supports basic notification previews, and offers a solid battery life in the 5–7 day range.
If you're looking for a stylish fitness tracker that can double as a basic smartwatch for Android, the IDW28 can be a compelling budget option. Just be ready to accept its inconsistencies—and avoid it if deep health tracking or app integration is a priority.
MSRP (when available or best estimate): $77.99
Price: Check Price on Amazon
✅ IDW28 Smartwatch Pros
✅ Affordable price for wide feature set
At around $77.99, the IDW28 Smartwatch offers Bluetooth calling, SpO₂ tracking, and a customizable UI—features not always found at this price point.
✅ 1.85-inch full-touch display
Large, bright TFT screen makes notifications and workout stats easy to read, even though resolution is mid-range.
✅ Bluetooth calling works better than expected
Mic and speaker quality are solid for quiet indoor use, making hands-free calls practical.
✅ IP68 water resistance
Safe for hand washing and light rain, though swimming isn’t recommended despite some listings suggesting it.
✅ Over 100 workout modes
Includes everything from running and yoga to dance and cycling—though data depth varies widely between modes.
✅ Decent battery life
Most users report 5–7 days on a full charge with average usage, which includes calling, health tracking, and notifications.
✅ Multiple watch face options
You can customize the home screen through the companion app, with some animated or modular layouts.
✅ Widely compatible
Works with both Android and iOS devices, and pairing is relatively easy through apps like FitCloudPro or GloryFit.
❌ IDW28 Smartwatch Cons
❌ Generic software and branding
Sold under many names, with no clear manufacturer support or update roadmap.
❌ No third-party app support
Can’t install Spotify, Google Maps, or even lightweight tools like calendar apps.
❌ Limited notification interaction
You can read alerts but not respond to them—no quick replies, typing, or voice input.
❌ Inconsistent sensor accuracy
Step counts, heart rate, and SpO₂ readings can be erratic—especially during workouts or with loose fits.
❌ No built-in GPS
Location tracking depends on a paired phone, which limits use for runners or cyclists.
❌ Companion apps are clunky
GloryFit and FitCloudPro both feel dated and often suffer from syncing delays or spotty data exports.
❌ No voice assistant support
Despite having a mic, there’s no Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant functionality.
❌ Build quality varies
Some users report buttons wearing out or straps detaching after a few months of daily use.
Smart Features & Core Tech
IDW28 Smartwatch
Health & Wellness Sensors
The IDW28 Smartwatch supports continuous heart rate monitoring, manual SpO₂ readings, sleep tracking, and step counting. However, sensor accuracy is best described as inconsistent. Heart rate readings are often delayed during dynamic workouts, and can run 10–15 BPM too high compared to chest straps or premium trackers. SpO₂ measurements, while functional, are easily thrown off by motion or loose fit. Sleep tracking captures duration and general patterns (e.g., deep vs. light sleep) but often misses brief wake periods or overestimates total sleep time.
There's no support for skin temperature, HRV, or menstrual cycle tracking—features that are becoming standard even in budget wearables from Amazfit and Huawei. The stress monitoring function, where included, appears to be a blend of HR variability and user movement but lacks transparency or actionable recommendations.
Smart Health Insights
If you're looking for data-backed coaching or wellness feedback, this isn't the watch for you. The GloryFit, FitCloudPro and similar apps present data in a linear, graph-based format—fine for a quick check-in, but shallow in insight. There’s no VO₂ max estimation, no sleep coaching, and no integration with external services like MyFitnessPal or Google Fit. What you see is what you get: numbers, charts, and the occasional motivational badge.
Voice Assistant & Productivity Features
The product imagery often shows icons like Alexa, Siri, and a microphone, but this is purely marketing shorthand. There is no voice assistant built into the watch. However, when paired via Bluetooth, a long-press on the watch can act as a shortcut to open your phone’s voice assistant (Siri/Google Assistant). The mic and speaker are only used for calls, and you cannot speak commands directly to the watch itself.
Productivity tools are light but present. You can receive calendar and app notifications (read-only), control phone music playback, set timers or alarms, and trigger the camera shutter remotely. There’s also a basic “breathe” app for short relaxation sessions, though it’s not customizable.
Display & UX Enhancements
The 1.85-inch TFT screen is larger than most sub-$100 competitors and looks respectable indoors. While contrast and color depth can’t match AMOLED panels, it holds up in daily use. Brightness is adjustable, but there’s no ambient light sensor—so you’ll need to tweak it manually based on your environment.
The user interface is clean but rudimentary. Navigation is via taps and swipes, with a side button for back or screen wake. Some screens take an extra second to load (like call history or weather), and occasional frame drops are noticeable when scrolling quickly. Still, for the price, it’s usable and intuitive.
Additional Tools & Bonuses
You get the basics: stopwatch, alarm, sedentary alerts, weather, music control, and a flashlight mode. Some builds also include a hydration reminder and menstrual cycle tracker, but availability varies. Custom watch faces are available in the app—some animated, some modular—though quality is mixed.
What’s missing: third-party app support, downloadable widgets, smart replies, NFC, onboard music storage, and Wi-Fi. For a truly “smart” watch, the IDW28 is more of a feature-rich fitness band with a watch form factor.
Performance & User Experience
IDW28 Smartwatch
Health & Fitness Accuracy
For a sub-$80 smartwatch, the IDW28 Smartwatch performs reasonably well on the surface—but as with many generic fitness trackers, consistency is a concern. Basic wellness features like heart rate monitoring and step counting work well enough for casual use, but they struggle under scrutiny.
Heart rate readings tend to be accurate at rest or during light activity, typically within 5 BPM of more expensive devices. However, once you move into moderate-to-intense workouts, accuracy drops. Readings can lag behind real-time exertion, or occasionally spike well above what’s realistic—especially during exercises involving upper body movement or wrist flexion.
SpO₂ tracking is manual rather than continuous, and while the watch delivers a result in about 15 seconds, readings are often static or clustered near 99–100%. This suggests it’s more of a cosmetic feature than a reliable biometric tool. For users with real medical or wellness monitoring needs, it should be treated as a basic reference at best.
Step counting is inflated in typical desk-bound or gestural scenarios—like typing, folding laundry, or even brushing teeth. While it's acceptable for rough daily tracking, it won’t satisfy accuracy-minded users. Sleep tracking is hit-or-miss: it captures basic sleep/wake cycles and total duration reasonably well, but it struggles to detect short interruptions and lacks meaningful sleep stage insights or coaching.
The IDW28 Smartwatch includes over 100 sport modes, but most simply label your activity rather than change how the watch behaves. Only a few modes—like running or cycling—offer real-time metrics, and even these rely on connected GPS from your phone. There’s no auto workout detection or adaptive training feedback.
Ultimately, the IDW28 Smartwatch is a solid step counter with some heart rate and sleep perks, but it doesn’t hold up as a serious fitness tool. Think of it as a motivational nudge rather than a data-driven coach.
Notifications & App Integration
The IDW28 Smartwatch offers basic notification handling, but with clear limitations—especially if you're coming from a more polished ecosystem like Fitbit, Apple, or Samsung.
Once paired via Bluetooth and a companion, the watch can receive notifications for calls, texts, and supported apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and more. Messages are displayed on-screen in near real time, and the large 1.85-inch screen does a decent job showing text clearly. However, the notifications are read-only-you can’t reply, dismiss them from your phone, or interact with them beyond viewing.
Android users get slightly more control, with options for app-by-app toggles and vibration customizations, but iOS users face reduced functionality. You can still view incoming alerts, but response options and syncing are more limited. This is a common shortfall in lower-end third-party smartwatches, which lack deep iOS integration.
The watch does support call previews and lets you answer or decline calls directly from the wrist when connected to your phone via Bluetooth. The built-in speaker and mic work adequately for short indoor calls, although background noise easily overwhelms them.
App integration, however, is where the IDW28 Smartwatch shows its white-label roots. There’s no way to sync with Google Fit, Apple Health, Strava, or other popular platforms. You’re locked into the manufacturer’s own ecosystem—and both FitCloudPro and GloryFit feel a generation behind competitors in design and stability. Syncing is slow at times, and users frequently report having to reopen the app or manually reconnect the watch to update stats.
For casual use—checking messages, seeing who’s calling, or controlling music playback—it’s perfectly functional. But if you rely on rich notifications, actionable alerts, or connected ecosystem syncing, the IDW28 will likely fall short.
Smart Assistant & Voice Control
Despite advertising that references "AI Voice Assistants" and imagery suggesting Alexa or Siri integration, the IDW28 Smartwatch does not include a built-in smart assistant. There’s no wake word detection, no voice input for replies, and no local voice recognition on the watch itself.
What it does offer is a Bluetooth shortcut to trigger your phone’s voice assistant, assuming your phone is nearby and unlocked. A long-press on the watch (typically a shortcut icon or button) can wake Siri or Google Assistant on your phone—but all processing, listening, and voice playback happens through the phone, not the watch. The watch itself is merely acting as a remote control for your phone's assistant.
Even though the IDW28 includes a microphone and speaker (primarily for Bluetooth calls), it can’t process voice commands, dictate messages, or execute voice-triggered tasks independently. There’s also no offline voice control for basic actions like starting a workout or setting a timer—features that are increasingly common even in midrange fitness trackers.
For users expecting Alexa-style interactions or voice-to-text convenience, this will be a disappointment. The experience feels more like a shortcut button than a true voice assistant.
If hands-free smart functionality is important to you, this watch won’t deliver on that front.
Battery Life
Battery performance is one of the IDW28 Smartwatch’s more pleasant surprises. Despite its budget status, the watch consistently delivers 5 to 7 days of battery life on a single charge under typical usage. That includes heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, some Bluetooth calling, and frequent notifications.
This longevity is helped by the TFT display, which is less power-hungry than AMOLED screens, and by the relatively simple OS that avoids background multitasking. If you reduce the screen-on time, limit call functionality, or turn off continuous heart rate tracking, it’s not uncommon to stretch battery life past the 7-day mark.
Charging is handled through a proprietary magnetic USB cable. A full charge from zero typically takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, and the magnetic connection is decently secure, though it can detach easily if bumped.
There’s no wireless charging or fast-charging tech here, but for a watch in this price range, the overall battery experience is solid. Unlike many wearables that require near-daily top-ups, the IDW28 feels more like a traditional fitness band in terms of how often you need to think about charging.
For most users, the battery performance will be more than sufficient—especially considering the range of features it powers.
Comfort & Design
For a sub-$80 wearable, the IDW28 Smartwatch is surprisingly sleek. Its rectangular 1.85-inch display sits in a lightweight polycarbonate frame that weighs just under 40g with the strap, making it very comfortable for all-day wear, including sleep.
The display itself is framed by slim bezels (though not edge-to-edge), and the overall design is clean and modern—clearly modeled after Apple’s rounded-square aesthetic. While the materials don’t feel premium, the matte finish and soft silicone strap give it a polished look. Most models include standard 22mm quick-release bands, so it’s easy to swap out for third-party options.
Fit is snug without being restrictive, and the strap includes enough notches to accommodate a wide range of wrist sizes. There’s no crown or rotating bezel; navigation is handled entirely through the touchscreen and a single side button for wake/sleep or back.
Available colors vary by reseller, but common options include black, rose gold, and silver. Most versions also come with multiple digital watch faces and allow you to upload custom photos through the companion app, offering some visual personalization.
While it lacks the aluminum, stainless steel, or sapphire materials of higher-end smartwatches, the IDW28 manages to look more expensive than it is. It's a good fit for users who want a clean aesthetic without the bulk or weight of sportier models.
That said, some users have reported long-term durability concerns. The side button can become less responsive over time, and the silicone strap may show wear after a few months of use. These issues aren’t universal, but they’re worth noting for daily wearers.
Companion App & Ecosystem
The IDW28 Smartwatch typically pairs with either the GloryFit, VeryFit or FitCloudPro app, depending on the brand it’s sold under. Both apps are free on iOS and Android, and both share a similar design language: clean on the surface, but limited in depth.
Initial pairing is straightforward, and most users can get up and running within minutes. The app home screen presents basic daily metrics—steps, heart rate, sleep, and calories burned—using charts and summary cards. You can also access more detailed logs by day, week, or month. While the visuals are easy to navigate, the apps lack the polish, interactivity, and contextual insights of platforms like Fitbit, Zepp, or Huawei Health.
Customization options include choosing watch faces (some animated), setting call/message/app alert preferences, and enabling reminders for hydration, movement, or medication. You can also adjust heart rate monitoring frequency and sync weather data. However, many features are single-toggle only—there’s little room for personalization beyond on/off settings.
The biggest drawback is ecosystem isolation. There is no support for*Google Fit, Apple Health, Strava, or Samsung Health, and there’s no way to export your data for use elsewhere. This is a dealbreaker for users who want to centralize their fitness records or connect with third-party fitness platforms.
Syncing reliability also varies. Some users report seamless daily updates, while others experience connection drops or data lags—often requiring the app to be reopened or the watch to be re-paired.
In short, the companion apps are serviceable but lack long-term value. They get the job done for basic tracking, but don’t provide enough incentive to keep users engaged or invested.
Final Verdict
IDW28 Smartwatch
The IDW28 Smartwatch is a classic example of “you get what you pay for”—but in this case, you might actually get a bit more than expected. For under $80, it delivers a surprisingly generous set of features: a large, bright screen, Bluetooth calling, decent battery life, and a modern, lightweight design. For users looking to track basic health metrics, check notifications, and take the occasional call from the wrist, it does the job.
However, limitations start stacking up quickly. The health sensors are inconsistent. The companion app is clunky and limited in scope. There's no third-party integration, and the promise of voice assistant functionality turns out to be little more than a Bluetooth shortcut. If you're used to polished ecosystems like Fitbit, Garmin, or even budget-tier Amazfit devices, the IDW28 will feel hollow by comparison.
That said, for casual users or smartwatch newcomers who want something functional without spending much, it’s a decent starting point. Just manage your expectations—and maybe don’t believe everything the product listing claims.
FAQ
IDW28 Smartwatch
Q: Does the IDW28 Smartwatch support voice assistants like Alexa or Siri?
A: No, the watch does not include a native voice assistant. You can trigger your phone’s assistant via Bluetooth shortcut, but there’s no on-watch voice command functionality.
Q: Can I reply to messages or texts from the IDW28 Smartwatch?
A: No, notifications are read-only. You can see who messaged you and read the content, but you can't respond or interact with notifications.
Q: Is GPS built in?
A: No. GPS tracking requires a connection to your smartphone. There’s no standalone GPS module in the watch.
Q: Can I install third-party apps?
A: No. The watch uses a proprietary OS with no app store or support for apps like Spotify, WhatsApp, or Strava.
Q: Is the IDW28 Smartwatch waterproof?
A: It carries an IP68 water resistance rating, which means it's safe for rain, hand washing, and occasional splashes, but not suitable for swimming or showering.
Q: Does the IDW28 Smartwatch work with iPhones?
A: Yes, but with limited functionality. You’ll receive basic notifications, but advanced features like message previews or syncing may be restricted compared to Android.
Q: How long does the battery last?
A: Most users report 5–7 days of usage on a single charge with regular activity and notifications.
Additional Information
This review is based on research, expert analysis, and user feedback. AI Reviews HQ does not conduct hands-on product testing. We may earn a commission from the links in this review. We do our best to provide accurate product details, however AI is not perfect and may make some mistakes in research. Please double-check with the manufacturer or retailer before purchasing.