Tile (Gen 2) review

Reviewers loved the design of the fob, with PC Magazine calling it “sleek and well-designed.” GeekDad described it as, “thoughtfully styled to be modern, yet unobtrusive.”

The only remotely negative comment we could find on the looks and design of the Tile (Gen 2) was from Android and Me. They stated, “The Tile unit itself feels well made; it’s sleek and pretty. I wish there was a black Tile, because my white unit got dirty pretty fast.”

Fortunately, with its IP5 water-resistance rating, you could likely give it a quick wipe down with a damp cloth if the appearance bothered you.

Reviews on performance were equally positive. Everyone loved the app’s straight-forward interface and simple pairing. Most commented on the range being the best of many Bluetooth devices they had tried. PC Magazine praised how loud the speaker was on the fob, noting that it was surprising for such a small device. Android and Me said, “I wish more things could be as simple as Tile and work as well.”

One area of question in most reviews was the Tile’s Community Find feature. Typically, the Tile uses Bluetooth to find your Tile. However, if you’ve lost your item away from your home or office, the Community Find uses other people’s phones to help you find your device.

Many reviews were quick to point out that this feature will only work well if you live in an area with many Tile owners.

Finally, a lack of replaceable battery means you’ll need to completely replace your Tile after roughly one year of use. This was the trade-off for the water-resistant design. Fortunately, Tile offers special upgrade pricing if you send your old Tile in and most reviews agreed that prices were fair.

Overall, reviews of the new Tile are positive. Tech Advisor summed up opinions well, stating, “If you're the sort of person who's always losing their keys around the house, Tile is ideal. For keeping tabs on your child (if that's what you want to do), a GPS tracker makes more sense.”