The new Microsoft Band is sleeker and more capable than the original

The second-generation Microsoft Band promises to be both more fashionable and more useful than the original model. Priced at $249, Microsoft has redesigned its fitness-focused wearable with a curved display (protected by Gorilla Glass 3) and stainless steel fasteners. It now tracks more information — like elevation when you're climbing stairs and advanced health metrics the first Band wasn't capable of. Microsoft is also putting a big focus on tracking your golf game.

Read next: The Microsoft Band 2 review.

Putting it on, the new Band still feels slightly bulky. I always had trouble putting on a jacket with the first version and I'm not totally confident that's been resolved here. But it looks far better, and Microsoft says it's also made improvements to the heart rate sensor; both the sensor itself and algorithms used to detect your heart rate are said to be more accurate. There's a loyal base of people who loved the first Microsoft Band, and there's certainly nothing worse about the successor. It'll be available on October 30th starting at $249.