COLMI i28 Ultra Smart Watch Review: AMOLED Display, 6 Colour Options, and Real Value
The COLMI i28 Ultra is one of the most versatile and visually appealing smartwatches in the COLMI lineup. Priced at 42.28 GBP for the standard version and 44.28 GBP with a magnetic strap, it delivers a crisp AMOLED display, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, an IP68 waterproof rating, and crucially, comes in six different colour and strap configurations. In a market where most budget smartwatches come in black or nothing, that level of choice is refreshing and genuinely useful for buyers who want their wearable to match their personal style.
First Look: Colour, Style, and Build Quality
The i28 Ultra immediately stands out in the COLMI range because of its extensive colour and configuration options. Most budget smartwatches are offered in one or two colour variants at best, the i28 Ultra gives you six: Rose Gold, standard silicone strap, Silver, standard silicone strap, Black, standard silicone strap, Rose Gold, magnetic strap, Silver, magnetic strap, and Black, magnetic strap.
The standard silicone straps are soft, skin-friendly, and available in complementary colours that match the watch case. The magnetic strap versions are particularly interesting. The snap-close magnetic clasp makes putting on and taking off the watch significantly faster and simpler than a traditional pin-and-buckle system. If you are someone who removes your watch frequently, before workouts, during meetings, for sleep, the magnetic strap pays for its 2 GBP premium very quickly.
Build quality throughout feels solid. The watch case has good heft without being heavy, the screen glass sits flush with the bezel, and the strap connectors feel secure. Nothing flexes or creaks, this feels like a watch that will hold up to daily wear without issue regardless of which configuration you select.
Key Specifications
- CPU: JL7013A6S
- Screen: AMOLED 1.43 inches, 466x466 resolution
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- Battery: 260mAh
- Waterproof: IP68
- Flash: RAM 640KB, ROM 256Mb
- Compatible with: Android and iOS
- Price: From 42.28 GBP
The AMOLED Display: A Genuine Highlight
The 1.43-inch AMOLED panel at 466x466 resolution is the i28 Ultra's most impressive feature, and it earns that distinction. AMOLED technology works differently from the IPS screens found in budget smartwatches, instead of a backlight illuminating the entire screen, each individual pixel generates its own light. This means true blacks, when a pixel is off, it emits no light at all, giving you perfect contrast; vivid colours, the colour gamut is significantly wider than IPS, making watch faces look vibrant and rich; better outdoor visibility, AMOLED screens are generally easier to read in direct sunlight than IPS alternatives; and lower power consumption at lower brightness, contributing to the i28 Ultra's solid battery efficiency.
In practice, the display looks genuinely excellent. Watch faces with colourful designs look vivid and sharp. Text is crisp and legible even in a small font size. The touchscreen response is smooth and accurate, taps, swipes, and pinches all register immediately without any lag or missed inputs. After using the i28 Ultra's display, going back to an IPS screen at a similar price feels like a visible step down.
Watch Faces and Customisation
The i28 Ultra comes pre-loaded with a solid selection of watch faces, ranging from traditional analogue designs to modern digital displays with health metrics shown directly on the home screen. Through the companion app, additional watch faces can be downloaded, giving you ongoing customisation options that keep the watch feeling fresh well beyond the initial setup.
On the Rose Gold variant particularly, a watch face with warm metallic tones creates a genuinely premium appearance, the kind of look you would expect from a watch costing significantly more. The Black version with a dark watch face achieves an elegant, understated aesthetic that suits professional settings particularly well.
Health and Fitness Monitoring
The i28 Ultra does not cut corners on health features. The full monitoring suite includes continuous 24/7 heart rate tracking, on-demand blood oxygen measurements using the watch's optical sensor, comprehensive sleep tracking with light sleep, deep sleep, and awake stage analysis, stress monitoring using heart rate variability, automatic step counting, distance, and calorie tracking, and menstrual cycle tracking and prediction through the companion app.
Sports and Activity Tracking
The i28 Ultra includes over 100 sports modes, covering a comprehensive range of activities. Whether you are running, cycling, swimming, doing yoga, playing football, or trying a specific gym exercise, there is almost certainly a dedicated mode for it. Each workout mode tracks the relevant metrics, heart rate, duration, calories burned, and pace where applicable.
The IP68 waterproof rating means you can wear the i28 Ultra swimming without concern. This is a meaningful feature at this price point, not all budget smartwatches can genuinely handle immersion despite often claiming similar specifications.
One note: the i28 Ultra does not have built-in GPS. For outdoor route tracking, it uses your phone GPS via a connected mode. If standalone GPS is a priority, look at the COLMI V75 GPS instead.
Battery Life: What to Expect
The 260mAh battery is on the smaller side, as is necessary to maintain the watch slim and elegant profile. In real-world use with the AMOLED display, continuous heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking active, you can expect 7 to 10 days per charge, which is solid performance for an AMOLED watch at this price.
Push the brightness up, use GPS-connected workouts frequently, or enable more aggressive notification checking, and that figure may drop toward the 5 to 6 day range. Conversely, setting the display brightness lower and using periodic rather than continuous heart rate monitoring can extend it toward 12 days.
Bluetooth 5.3: Connection Quality That Matters
The i28 Ultra uses Bluetooth 5.3, the latest version of the standard, which offers several practical improvements over older versions. Connection stability is better in environments with lots of wireless interference, pairing is faster, and power consumption during data sync is lower. In practice, this means your health data syncs quickly and reliably to the companion app, and the watch stays connected to your phone consistently throughout the day.
Comparing the i28 Ultra to Similar COLMI Models
Versus COLMI V72, 32.72 GBP, the V72 is more affordable but has a slightly smaller display and older Bluetooth 5.0. The i28 Ultra offers Bluetooth 5.3, more colour options, and the magnetic strap choice. Versus COLMI V73, 34.73 GBP, both use similar AMOLED specs. The i28 Ultra wins on colour variety and the optional magnetic strap; the V73 has a slightly different form factor. Versus COLMI M42, 47.42 GBP, the M42 offers a larger battery, 410mAh vs 260mAh, and a slimmer form factor, but the i28 Ultra has more colour choices and the magnetic strap option at a lower price.
Who Is the COLMI i28 Ultra Best For?
- Style-conscious buyers who want multiple colour options
- Anyone who values a premium AMOLED screen without a premium price tag
- People who want the convenience of a magnetic strap for quick on and off
- Daily users who want comprehensive health monitoring in a stylish package
- People who want the latest Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity
Our Verdict
The COLMI i28 Ultra is a well-rounded, visually appealing smartwatch that genuinely delivers on its promises. The AMOLED display looks great, the six colour options give it broader appeal than almost anything at this price point, and the optional magnetic strap is a practical quality-of-life improvement that many users will appreciate daily. For 42 to 44 GBP, the value proposition is strong.
If you want a smartwatch that looks good, performs reliably, and gives you genuine choice about how it looks on your wrist, the i28 Ultra deserves serious consideration.