COLMI P80 vs P81 vs P82: Which P-Series Smartwatch Suits You?

The COLMI P series offers a range of distinct options, and three models in particular stand out for different reasons: the COLMI P80 with its premium stainless steel strap option, the COLMI P81 at 33.81 GBP with voice calling, and the COLMI P82 at 47.82 GBP with a large AMOLED display and built-in GPS. This guide breaks down exactly what sets each apart so you can choose the right P series watch for your needs, examining every meaningful difference in considerable depth so you walk away with genuine confidence in your final choice rather than guessing based on a brief glance at the spec sheet alone.

Within any product range as broad as COLMI's P series, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by overlapping model numbers and similar sounding feature lists. The reality, once you dig into each model individually, is that these three watches are actually built around three genuinely distinct buyer priorities: style, hands-free communication, and outdoor sports performance. Understanding which of those three priorities matters most to your own daily life makes the choice considerably easier than comparing raw specifications in isolation.

COLMI P80: Style-Focused With a Premium Strap Option

The P80 distinguishes itself primarily through its optional stainless steel strap, transforming the watch from a typical fitness gadget appearance into something that looks appropriate in professional and formal settings. As covered in our full P80 review, this makes it the best choice within the P series for buyers who prioritise everyday style and a more premium look over other considerations. The metal strap option adds genuine weight and substance to the watch, giving it a presence on the wrist that silicone alternatives simply cannot replicate, while the underlying health tracking and sports features remain identical to other P series models, meaning you sacrifice nothing functionally by choosing the style-focused option.

Buyers drawn to the P80 are typically those who want a single device that transitions seamlessly between a working day in a professional environment and a weekend at the gym, without needing to swap devices or feel self-conscious about wearing an obviously sporty looking watch into a meeting or social occasion where it might feel out of place.

COLMI P81: Voice Calling for Hands-Free Convenience

At 33.81 GBP, the P81 features a 1.9-inch IPS display and, crucially, built-in voice calling support via Bluetooth 5.3. This means you can make and receive phone calls directly from your wrist without needing to take out your phone, a genuinely convenient feature for anyone who wants hands-free calling during workouts, while driving, or simply when their phone is not immediately accessible. The built-in speaker and microphone handle short to medium length calls reasonably well in typical indoor environments, though wind and background noise can affect clarity during outdoor use, which is consistent with wrist-based calling technology generally rather than a specific limitation of this model.

During our testing, the P81 proved particularly useful for household tasks where hands were occupied, cooking, cleaning, gardening, allowing calls to be answered without interrupting whatever activity was underway. Parents managing childcare while expecting calls also found this feature genuinely valuable, since reaching for a phone is not always practical when both hands are needed elsewhere. Drivers specifically benefit from being able to manage brief calls without picking up a handset, an important safety consideration in jurisdictions where handheld phone use while driving carries legal penalties.

COLMI P82: The Performance Flagship

The P82 sits at the top of this trio, priced at 47.82 GBP, featuring a substantial 2.13-inch AMOLED display, built-in GPS, and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The large AMOLED screen delivers vivid, sharp visuals, while the built-in GPS allows for accurate outdoor route tracking without needing to carry your phone, a significant feature for serious runners and cyclists who want independent, reliable location data during training sessions away from their device. The combination of display quality and GPS capability makes this the clear choice for anyone whose primary use case revolves around structured outdoor training rather than everyday style or hands-free calling.

The P82 built-in GPS chip operates independently of any smartphone connection once a satellite fix has been established, meaning your route data remains accurate and complete even in areas with poor mobile signal where a phone-dependent connected GPS solution might struggle to maintain a stable connection throughout an entire outdoor session.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Health Tracking Across All Three Models

Regardless of which P series model you choose, you get the same comprehensive health tracking suite: continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen measurement, sleep tracking with stage analysis, stress monitoring through heart rate variability, and over 100 dedicated sports modes. None of these three watches compromises on health monitoring capability to deliver their respective standout features, meaning your choice should be driven entirely by which specific extra feature matters most to your daily routine rather than any concern about underlying tracking quality varying between models.

This consistency across the range is genuinely reassuring for buyers who might otherwise worry that choosing a style-focused or calling-focused model means accepting weaker health insight as a trade-off. In practice, the sensor technology and data quality remain identical across the P series, with the differentiating features layered on top rather than replacing any core functionality.

Battery Life Considerations

Voice calling on the P81 and GPS usage on the P82 are both power intensive features that will draw down battery faster than typical notification-only usage. The P80, lacking these power hungry extras, generally achieves more consistent battery life across typical daily use. If you plan to use voice calling or GPS tracking frequently, factor in correspondingly more frequent charging compared to the simpler P80, which prioritises style over these additional power-hungry capabilities.

For P81 owners specifically, we would recommend reserving voice calling for situations where it genuinely adds convenience, rather than using it as a default replacement for phone calls throughout the day, simply to maximise battery life between charging sessions. Similarly, P82 owners training for a specific event might consider enabling GPS only for the structured training sessions where route data genuinely matters, rather than for every casual walk.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose the P80 if everyday style and a premium look matter most to you, particularly for professional settings where a sporty silicone strap might feel out of place. Choose the P81 if hands-free voice calling is a feature you would genuinely use regularly, and you want to keep costs low while still getting a useful smart feature beyond basic notifications. Choose the P82 if you want the best display quality and built-in GPS for outdoor sports, and are willing to pay the premium for those upgrades over connected GPS alternatives.

Our Recommendation

For most general buyers, the P81 offers the best balance of useful features and affordability, since voice calling is a feature many people genuinely use day to day. For outdoor athletes who specifically want GPS without depending on their phone, the P82 is worth the additional investment given how much more capable independent route tracking makes your training sessions. And for buyers who care most about how the watch looks day to day in professional or social settings, the P80 with its steel strap remains the style-focused choice that prioritises aesthetics without sacrificing the core health tracking experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use voice calling on the P82 as well? Voice calling is specifically a feature of the P71 and P81 models. The P82 focuses its design priorities on display quality and GPS rather than calling, reflecting a deliberate design trade-off rather than an oversight in the product lineup.

Does the P80 have GPS? No, the P80 relies on connected GPS through your paired smartphone, similar to most COLMI models outside the dedicated GPS lineup like the V75 and V76.

Which has the best battery life? The P80, since it lacks the power intensive voice calling and GPS features found on the P81 and P82 respectively, which both draw additional power during active use of their signature features.

Can I add a metal strap to the P81 or P82? Strap compatibility varies by model, so if the steel strap aesthetic specifically appeals to you, the P80 remains the most straightforward way to access that particular combination of style and functionality.

Is voice calling reliable enough to replace phone calls entirely? For brief, casual conversations in reasonably quiet environments, yes. For longer or more important calls, particularly in noisy or outdoor settings, most users still prefer switching to their phone directly for the best possible audio clarity.

Does GPS accuracy on the P82 match dedicated running watches from premium brands? While dedicated premium running watches sometimes offer marginally more sophisticated GPS chipsets, the P82 built-in GPS performs reliably for the vast majority of everyday outdoor training needs at a fraction of the typical premium brand price.