This is the most unique Bluetooth tracker I've tested by far - and it outlasts the AirTag

pros and cons

Pros

• Half the price of an AirTag.
• Good for five to seven years.
• The non-replaceable battery makes it much harder to disable.

Cons

• iOS only.
• Bulky.
• The inserts aren't glow-in-the-dark.
• Masses of documentation for something so small.

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I've written a lot about my love of Apple AirTags. They were the first finder tags I've used and it was love at first sight. But love hasn't blinded me to the fact that AirTags aren't perfect. I know, it's heresy for an iPhone user to say an Apple product isn't perfect, but after years of using AirTags, I know their limitations.

Also: I hid 4 Bluetooth trackers (including AirTags) to test their reliability - here's how Android rivals compared

First, there's price: the second-gen AirTags are $29 each. I know that's nothing compared to losing your keys, but it's a steep investment for such a tiny device.

Next up is the fact that the AirTag is just so distinctive. Anyone who sees that little white, plastic UFO knows what it is, and if it's on a bag or suitcase, it screams "there are valuables in here." As with most Apple products, there's nothing discreet about the AirTag. 

Also: I carried this Bluetooth tracker card in my backpack for a week, and it withstood my clumsiness

Then there's the buzzer. The second-gen AirTags might have a speaker that's 50% louder, but it's still only in the 85-to-100 decibel range. Also, for a company that prides itself on putting a lot of thought into its products, the sound that AirTags emit, which goes from soft to loud to soft, isn't, at least to my ears, easy to hear, especially if it's trying to cut through ambient noise. 

Enter the Ugreen FineTrack 2, a finder tag that breaks the mold and brings some fresh ideas to a market that feels somewhat stagnant.  

What sets the FineTrack 2 apart? 

Let's start with the cost. Amazon Prime members can pick one up for only $15 ($20 for everyone else). That's pretty much half the price of an AirTag. You don't get precision finding (only AirTags have this feature), and the hardcore Apple fans might turn their back on you, but don't let that issue make you overlook this tag. 

While precision finding is great for small things like keys that might have hidden themselves away in your couch or long grass, I've never needed the feature for bigger things like rucksacks or suitcases. 

Yes, the FineTrack 2 looks unusual. It's a ball that measures about 1.4 inches in diameter and even has a soccer ball pattern. There's a hole for a lanyard (two are supplied), one button (built in to one of the pentagons), an LED indicator, and two reflective glints to make the tag easier to find in low-light conditions.

To be honest, though -- the dark color is still hard to see. While the glints do look neat, they're not glow-in-the-dark, despite what the sales literature I've seen says. 

Also: I found an AirTag alternative that's twice as durable and works with Android phones

But difference is no bad thing. I like the fact that the device doesn't scream 'AirTag!' to everyone around me. In fact, the FineTrack 2 looks like a little charm or toy when attached to something. I like that subtle, low-key look.

Then there's the buzzer. At 110 dB, it's buzzer is a lot louder than an AirTag. In fact, the FineTrack 2 sounds twice as loud as a 100 dB AirTag because of the way decibels and human hearing work. When the tag is buried in the couch or in the detritus under a car seat, that extra noise makes a huge difference. 

The FineTrack 2 is IP68-rated, which means that it is totally dustproof and can withstand continuous submersion in water. This beats the AirTags' IP67 rating, which only manages immersion down to three feet for 30 minutes. 

Also: I cracked open a '1,000W' portable charger after it failed me in minutes - and wished I hadn't

This rating might seem like a small difference, but if you've lost something outdoors, perhaps in the rain or in a puddle, that extra waterproofing is the difference between finding your stuff or losing it forever. I have had a couple of AirTags fail because of water ingress, and they weren't even submerged. They're great when they're new, but once I've opened them to replace the battery, that's when the problems start.   

Submersion is no problem for the FineTrack 2.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The one-piece design also makes the FineTrack 2 pretty tough, and harder for a would-be bad guy to disable the tag so they can do a runner with your stuff. AirTags, unless they are in a secure mount -- like the ones that Elevation Lab makes -- can be rendered useless in a matter of seconds by removing the battery. 

Non-replaceable battery

To combat this issue, the FineTrack 2 doesn't have a replaceable battery. 

I know, that sounds crazy in this day and age, and to be honest, I thought that was an issue too when I first heard about it. However, there is some sense to this approach. Rather than compromise the design, Ugreen has kitted the FineTrack 2 with a battery that's good for five to seven years. That capability means less waste from replaceable batteries, reduced risk of serious injury from kids and pets ingesting a battery, and the removal of a big ingress point for dirt, water, and other schmoo. 

Also: The only lithium button battery brand I recommend now, for serious safety reasons

Is this approach an environmental disaster? Ugreen says no, suggesting the design is carbon neutral. In my mind, if I get five years or more out of a tag, it's done well, especially if it cost me $15 to buy and I didn't have to buy any replacement batteries along the way (a handful of decent CR2032 batteries will add about $5 to the overall cost of an AirTag). 

Nothing's perfect

Nobody's perfect, and neither are tech gadgets. Two negatives stand out about this one. First, it's iOS-only, so Android owners have to look elsewhere (which is odd since there are so many other tags that work on both platforms). 

The other issue is how much documentation this tag comes with. Inside the box is a big roll of paper that's an instruction booklet, which is full of regulatory waffle, and a battery safety booklet. That's a big handful of paper for something so small and simple.

That's a lot of paperwork.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

ZDNET's buying advice

Despite these wiggly negatives, I rate the Ugreen FineTrack 2 highly. Along with everything you'd expect from a modern finder tag -- good Bluetooth range, excellent accuracy, great reliability -- you get a tag with fresh, innovative, low-key design, long battery life, and a strong buzzer. 

For the price, I can't think of a tag that comes close to this. Ugreen makes great accessories, and the tags that I've tested previously have been great, but this one is on a whole different level.