Chigee AIO-5 Play for BMW Smart Digital Display Review

Another marvel of Chinese ingenuity and technology has arrived on our doorstep, and the advancements it provides add to my enjoyment of tech for motorbikes. Chigee has burst on the scene with a lineup of exclusively moto electronics. Naturally, the Ultimate Motorcycling BMW R 1250 RS Project Bike heavily influenced my decision to test its Chigee AIO-5 Play for BMW model, as it’s plug-and-play on the RS.

This new gadget is the AIO-5 Play for BMW Smart Digital Display ($519 MSRP). This directly mounts on BMWs with Nav Prep (GPS mount) and Multi-Controller, colloquially known as the Wonder Wheel (WW hereafter). This amounts to snapping in the unit and locking the mount. It is powered right through the BMW Nav Prep mount and has direct access to all of BMW’s native data. Plus, it can be operated via touchscreen or the WW. The AIO-5 features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (ACP/AA) and combines data input from the smartphone and the bike’s data stream.

Setup could not have been easier. To start, I locked the Chigee AIO-5 into the BMW cradle. The fit is tight, so be sure the red warning marker on the cradle mechanism disappears; a hard squeeze should do it.

When the ignition was turned on for the first time, I was asked for my preferred language, the UTC time offset, and a Wi-Fi connection to check for a firmware update. I was at home and used my home Wi-Fi. However, it will also work with a smartphone. There was an update, and its installation was automatic. I did little other than power up the BMW R 1250 RS—the rest was automated. In about two minutes, the unit rebooted and was up and running.

If you have used ACP/AA in another vehicle, I need not explain it. If you have not, it’s an extension of your smartphone that allows using approved apps for moving vehicles. You can play music, see various map apps, have messages read to you and reply, see incoming callers and answer (or not), see your calendar, observe your signal strength, and monitor the smartphone’s battery charge. It will even tell you what time it is. The AIO-5 for BMW goes further, displaying data it harvests from the bike.

One long press up on the Menu button under your left thumb switches WW control from the TFT dashboard to the navigation device—in this case, the AIO-5. Existing GPS users already know this operation replicates OEM function. Now, the WW can change screens, music, values, and more. Also, voice commands are available at any time.

All features worked by touch until I pressed UP on the bike’s menu switch. Suddenly, the indicator on the bike dash moved from TFT to NAV (BMW to NAV on the AIO-5). Now, the WW is working and doing what my finger touch was doing before. The touchscreen allows presses with any kind of gloves, including those without conductive fingertip pads.

At first, I thought WW control would be fanciful and something I didn’t really need, as touch is so easy. However, keeping your hands on the grips is important. I like to listen to music, and often want to skip ahead. Like its competitors, the screen on the Chigee AIO-5 occasionally does not respond to the first touch. Also, the icons are a bit small for my gloves. So, even if touching the screen is easy, it’s not the best solution.

If I rotate the WW to leave the cursor on the Skip Ahead button, I can press the turn signal cancel button—it acts like an Enter key—and never be required to reach for the screen. This applies to all functions and makes WW control more than just a cute feature. I have ended up using it frequently and like it.

Aside from the ACP/AA screen, there are other data-driven screens. The Home screen shows settings, speed, compass bearing, and tire pressure if your bike has the BMW TPMS. If your motorcycle is not equipped with OEM TPMS, you can buy optional TPMS sensors from Chigee. The AIO-5 helpfully has high- and low-pressure warning thresholds you can set, something BMW doesn’t offer.

Two other dashboards show speedometer, rev count, compass direction, odometer, throttle position, time, tire pressures, trip log for ride distance, today’s distance, elevation change, ride time, top speed, average speed, range, gear selected, fuel range, engine temperature, ambient temperature, lean angle, battery voltage, and the time to next service.

All screens have slightly different page layouts. Choose the one you like or change them up. The touchscreen or WW can take you from one to the next and back.

Chigee tells of a faster processor than most others and a 60 Hz refresh rate. The screen is sharp and bright in action—I use the auto brightness setting. It is also fast to respond to inputs. This AIO-5 has a five-inch diagonal capacitive touchscreen display with 1000 nit brightness, 1280 x 720 pixel HD resolution, a wide viewing angle, and scratch-resistant glass.

Out of the box, the Chigee AIO-5 impresses. It is solidly built on a magnesium and aluminum chassis, with a nice-looking LG PC+fiber outer case. It exudes the design and quality of the best smartphones. It is IP68-rated water resistant and rated to operate from 140 degrees to four below zero. Past that, the temperatures are out of my riding range.

On the unit’s top edge are four button switches—Home (return to the home screen), Switch (change pages), Screen on/off, and Lock/unlock touch. In practice, I rarely use them, as I don’t need the function, and the WW handles the screen changes.

Chigee has two other non-BMW-specific AIO-5 models on offer—the Play model tested here ($400) without the BMW features, and the flagship Lite Motorcycle Smart Riding System ($598).

The Lite has the same five-inch-diagonal capacitive touchscreen display with a removable one-inch ball mount. This allows owners to utilize various mounting choices through the supplied mounting arm or any RAM-mount-type setup with power obtained through the battery and a switched lead. The AIO-5 Lite offers ACP/AA operation, front and rear 1080p cameras, sentry mode, blind spot detection, parking monitoring, optional WW control, and optional TPM. Optional on-board diagnostics to access engine vitals are due out in September.

The Chigee AIO-5 Play for BMW Smart Digital Display is an impressive unit, especially for BMW owners. Its integration into the BMW ecosystem is flawless, exceptional, and absolutely useful.

SOURCE: Chigee AIO-5 Play for BMW Smart Digital Display Review