Redmi Watch Review: Is The Bare Minimum Enough?

The new Redmi Watch is available for Rs. 3,999 in India, making it an attractive purchase. The smartwatch flaunts a classy, premium design and packs several features under the hood. You'll find the usual ones like a heart rate sensor, sleep tracker, step tracker, and several more. This detailed review talks about its pros and cons, helping you decides if you should buy the Redmi Watch.

Redmi Watch Classy, Lightweight Design

One look at the Redmi Watch and you'll love the premium look and feel. It features a 1.4-inch TFT touch screen display with 323ppi. The watch has a 2.5D curved tempered glass protection, which should protect the Redmi Smart Watch from scratches and scuffs. Plus, it offers 5ATM water resistance, making it ideal for several underwater activities.

Moreover, the Redmi Watch weighs just 35 grams, which makes it comfortable to wear all day and night. You'll find a single multi-purpose button on the right side of the display that helps navigate through the options. There are several sensors under the display, part of the typical smartwatch design. Redmi is also offering over 200 watch faces to suit your taste.

Redmi has released the smartwatch in multiple strap color choices. The one reviewed here is a light, white color smartwatch, which I felt gets dirty easily. Smartwatches are worn 24/7, which makes them easily prone to dust and dirt. Here, the light colors can highlight this and so a dark color strap could be a good choice to get. Or you could use the option to change straps when needed.

Redmi Watch Performance Scorecard

One of the key highlights of the Redmi Watch is its sports options. Users get to explore eleven broad sports like outdoor running, treadmill, outdoor and indoor cycling, freestyle, hiking, trail run, walking, cricket, pool swimming, and open water swimming. The sensors help to better understand your health statistics during your workout.

The Redmi Watch features GPS/GLONASS, which helps automatically track and map your runs/walks. This feature is especially helpful when you go on treks or hiking. Plus, when switched on to outdoor running or walking, the GPS automatically switches on to map your workout.

That said, the number of sports options on the Redmi Watch is still limited. Compared to devices from Amazfit or Noise that offer over 30 sports modes, the Redmi Watch lacks a bit here. It covers the most basic of the sports like walking and running, but it would have been better if it could have more options like yoga, strength training, or even badminton.

The Redmi Watch packs several sensors that keep track of your health data regularly. These include a heart rate sensor, sleep monitor, steps tracker, accelerometer, gyroscope, and so on. Plus, some features show you the weather, access the notifications, set the alarm, control the music, and even flash.

I found most of these features quite handy. For instance, the breath monitor on the Redmi Watch helps moderate your breathing during panic attacks or simply to cool down after an intense workout.

One of the prominent drawbacks of the Redmi Watch is the lack of a SpO2 sensor, one of the reasons for reducing its rating. Most fitness trackers these days offer a SpO2 sensor that helps determine the oxygen level in your blood. Surprisingly, the Redmi Watch has completely skipped this, especially because many smartwatches and fitness banks in a similar price segment offer it.

Redmi Watch: Excellent Battery

The battery on a smartwatch is one of the most important factors for its overall performance. In this department, the Redmi Watch surely excels. The smartwatch packs a 230 mAh battery that Redmi claims to last 10 days without GPS usage. During my time with the Redmi Watch, it lasted longer as I had also turned off notifications.

The Redmi Watch comes with a unique magnetic connector to fuel the device. The average time to fully charge the smartwatch takes about two to two-and-a-half hours. Comparatively, the Redmi Watch's battery life seems longer than its counterparts in this segment.

Redmi Watch With Xiaomi Wear Lite App

The Xiaomi Wear Lite app syncs seamlessly with the Redmi Watch. It acts as a data center for all your health data. Be it changing the watch face or the regular software updates, the app is the go-to place for this. Plus, you can set your goals and monitor your progress for a more personalized experience with the Redmi Watch.

Are There Better Options In The Market?

Redmi Watch comes as an attractive choice in the crowded wearable market in India. Brands like Amazfit, Noise, Realme, and several others have released smartwatches for a similar price of under Rs. 4K. The latest market trend requires you to get a smartwatch or a tracker with a SpO2 monitor, which the Redmi Watch skips.

In this scenario, there are plenty of other options like the Amazfit Bip U series, Noise Colorfit, or even Mi Bands. If you're looking for more health features or sports options, then the Redmi Watch might not be a good choice for you to get.