The recent arrival of the Microsoft Band caught many by surprise; not because it’s the latest tech company entering the incredibly popular fitness-tracker space but because so little was leaked about it ahead of time.

But the unexpected launch made the product’s debut even more exciting and reminded us that the health- and fitness-tracking space is growing, even as experts believe the category will be replaced by smartwatches like the Apple Watch in the near future.

The Microsoft Band retails for $199, about $30 more than the Fitbit Charge HR and $20 more than the Jawbone UP3 (both products will hit the market later this month). But can the Microsoft Band run with these wearable leaders, despite the bigger price tag? Let’s take a look.

Getting started

Although the device runs Windows software, it works with both iOS and Android in addition to Windows Phones. This is strategic; the company doesn’t want to alienate people using other platforms, especially when there are so many more people using iOS and Android compared to its homegrown Windows options.

For the sake of the review, I paired it with an iPhone 6, which was very easy to do. You flip on Bluetooth, download the Microsoft Health app, sync it to the device and you’re good to go. Seeing the app’s Windows interface with its very purple, tile-like design run on iOS is a funny thing.

Design

The Microsoft Band is noticeably bigger and heavier than others on the market. Earlier this week, Jawbone revealed a new sleek device that looks more like jewelry than a mini-computer, mostly because it doesn’t come with a display (or have smartwatch-like alerts and features). There’s give and take here: bigger device, richer experience. Sleeker model, niche functionality.

The weight and size of the Microsoft Band is also attributable to the casing around the heart-rate sensor. Unlike others, it offers continuous heart-rate monitoring not only during workouts but also when resting (resting heart rate is a key indicator of how healthy your heart is, so this is a pretty solid feature for those looking to get the most out of a fitness tracker). The device takes your heart rate every nine minutes (the battery would drain too quickly if “continuous” heart-rate tracking was actually non-stop continuous). It also has ten sensors built into the device, when many others just have one (or few).

Now, the fit. The Microsoft Band’s display is horizontal — not vertical, like how you’d read a traditional watch on your wrist — so usability in this sense is awkward. You have to twist your hand a bit. Although the Samsung Gear has a vertical display too, it has a slight curve to it, which makes it feel at least a little more natural. Of course, for both devices, flipping the display to the inside of your wrist can help.

The clasp is far more sturdy than others we’ve seen — it locks snugly onto your wrist, which is important for rigorous workouts, and you can adjust the size. I’ve previously had fitness wristband trackers fly off my wrists and if you’re going to spend good money on one, you want it to stay.

The clasp also has a subtle Microsoft logo printed on the surface; branding is present but minimal. That is, of course, until you get to the software.

Software

As soon as you touch the surface of the display, it’s obvious you’re using a Windows device: the software looks just like the Windows tiles you’d see on a PC. The user experience is sleek — swiping my finger across the screen is satisfying and there’s no lag.

The homescreen comes pre-loaded with fitness-focused apps that help you track runs, bike rides, lifting and so on. While some users complained it wasn’t properly tracking their fitness and heart rate, I had no issue with this during my testing. But I did notice days that said I lost nearly 800 calories when I skipped a daily workout.

Personalization is one of the best components. You can switch the colors, add or remove features (like the weather or stock updates), sync up apps like RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, Facebook and Twitter and add them all to the homescreen. It’s possible to add your Starbucks card to the app, too (and then sync it to the device’s homescreen), so when you’re in a store buying your mocha cappuccino, your Starbucks account’s bar code will display and you can pay directly with your Microsoft Band.

There are some devices like the June Bracelet that monitor your daily UV intake, and the Microsoft Band’s sensors do this, too — it lets you know when you’ve had too much exposure to the sun. The downside, however, is that you can only add a certain amount of tiles on the homescreen, so you have to be choosy with what you keep a tap away.

The Microsoft Band also includes some key smartwatch features, allowing you see incoming calls and messages on your wrist. Readability on the 320 x 106 display is pretty good, and the alerts disappear each time you turn off Bluetooth (if you don’t want them saved on your device otherwise).

Of course, it’s not a smartwatch, so you can’t respond to these messages or calls. And unfortunately, emojis don’t display on screen. During a recent workout on the elliptical, I was pleased to receive incoming texts on my device until I started to get ones with emojis — that’s when I had to reach for the phone.

Although fitness logging is a big part of what the Microsoft Band does, the app is limited right now when it comes to feedback and suggestions. Eventually, however, Microsoft says it will incorporate system learning and algorithms to make it even smarter.

For example, if it knows that your heart rate jumps when you have meetings with your boss, it will look ahead at your calendar, see another meeting is coming up and make suggestions like consuming less caffeine beforehand, getting an hour of additional sleep or going for a walk.

Because the Microsoft Band is working a lot in the background, battery life isn’t the best. I got about two days out of it before it needed a boost and lost a good amount of data when it shut off while I was sleeping. However, it’s possible to keep tabs on the battery by swiping to the left side of the screen.

While it’d be nice to see battery life displayed on the homescreen, having it tucked away makes everything look cleaner and more streamlined. Organized is certainly a word to describe the software, and that’s a good thing.

While there are obvious cons — especially with weight, battery life and style (it’s not something I’d want to wear to a dinner) — Microsoft makes the experience pretty fun to use.

It might be pricier than competitors, but at just $30 more — and less than most smartwatches — it’s a solid blend of both worlds. Overall, we’re getting closer, but we still haven’t found the perfect fitness tracker just yet.

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