Xiaomi launched the Redmi Watch 5 in November 2024, however initially, it was solely out there in China. Following the worldwide launch in January 2025 we obtained a unit for evaluate and here is what we discovered.
Desk of Contents:
The quick story is that this: we had been genuinely impressed by this easy €110 watch.
Design
Opening the Watch 5 launched us to a lovely aluminum alloy watch paired with a Lavender Purple TPU strap. Regardless of its €110 price ticket, it conveys the impression of a extra premium machine.
Xiaomi additionally offered us with two extra Fast Launch straps suitable with different units in the identical ecosystem: a Cream White strap comprised of cowhide leather-based and a Rose Purple strap that includes a velcro textile design. Each complement the Watch 5 fantastically, however we discovered the Purple model to be extra versatile and seemingly extra sturdy.
Xiaomi has embraced the similarities with the Apple Watch. On the one hand, the Redmi Watch collection could also be confused with its far pricier rival, which is an achievement of its personal, however on the opposite the dearth of originality is considerably disappointing.
Show
The Redmi Watch 5 incorporates a 2.07″ AMOLED display screen, the biggest show but in a Xiaomi wearable. It boasts skinny bezels at simply 2 mm – leading to an 82% screen-to-body ratio, which helps to make the case extra manageable.
The two.5D curved display screen enhances the dimensions and value, making it nice and straightforward to the touch.
The display screen reaches spectacular peak brightness of 1,500 nits and refreshes at 60 Hz. This degree of show high quality is typical of premium smartphones, and actually provides the Redmi Watch 5 an edge towards its direct rivals.
The LTPS panel permits some watch faces to dial down to five Hz refresh price, which extends battery life.
Colours seem vibrant, and it is necessary to notice that the watch face displayed within the Mi Health app in your smartphone seems simply as gorgeous on the wearable machine. Moreover, there’s an At all times-On Show characteristic with two modes: At all times-On Show and Foremost Show.
They differ of their conduct if you elevate your wrist. The primary possibility merely brightens the display screen to show the always-on show (AOD), whereas the second takes you straight to the principle display screen that includes extra visuals.
The Elevate to Wake gesture works completely – it detects the movement, understands when the wrist is lowered, and activates and off the show accordingly.
Software program & {Hardware}
The Redmi Watch 5 pairs with the Mi Health app, which may be discovered on any app retailer. That is the principle Xiaomi app required for all health-related units, offering important options comparable to notification and name administration, health and well being monitoring metrics and alarms.
The watch’s consumer interface is simple and user-friendly, which we respect. Every app icon options its personal design, which could seem chaotic at first look; nevertheless, finding an app is sort of straightforward. By urgent the rotating crown button, you’ll be able to entry the app grid – this could show both with or with out the app names, and there is additionally an possibility for a listing view. We discovered the default setting to be the more practical although.
Notifications seem immediately, however sadly, solely a restricted choice of emojis perform, so the symbols will not show on the watch in case your communication contains something apart from letters and numbers.
Xiaomi launched a brand new AFE chip (analog front-end), which reportedly affords a 5.2% enchancment in coronary heart price measurement accuracy and a ten% enhancement in sleep accuracy. Nevertheless, the sleep monitoring continues to be fairly inconsistent because the Redmi Watch 5 responds to even slight actions. In distinction, units just like the Huawei Watch actively monitor coronary heart price throughout sleep. Thus, for those who have a tendency to maneuver round ceaselessly at evening, the Redmi Watch 5 could ship inaccurate readings.
Exercise & Well being monitoring
Moreover, the machine contains blood oxygen saturation and stress monitoring options; nevertheless, these should not be considered as medical-grade readings. With over 150 sports activities modes, Xiaomi claims it is a wonderful alternative for out of doors monitoring because of the built-in GNSS help.
The corporate has not disclosed which particular satellite tv for pc pairs with the wearable. It is clear that it’s not the American GPS or the European Galileo, because the Watch 5 reveals slight inaccuracies throughout working. Which means the Chinese language Beidou, positioned primarily for communications in China and never Europe, is the seemingly candidate.
When it comes to further options, there are numerous working programs tailor-made for passion runners, in addition to respiration workout routines designed for the common particular person. These options are well-designed and helpful for each coaching and restoration.
The Mi Health app permits for a simple analysis of all information, together with coronary heart price and sleep monitoring, offered in a visually interesting and comprehensible manner.
Battery life & Charging
We stay in a world more and more stuffed with units that includes USB-C ports, but Xiaomi has chosen to depend on an outdated proprietary pogo pin charging resolution. So the charger will grow to be out of date when the machine ultimately fails or is changed.
Thankfully, the cable is not typically wanted as a result of the Redmi Watch 5 hardly ever requires charging. This wearable options an distinctive battery life, and the cable is required solely each two to a few weeks.
Xiaomi asserted that the wearable can obtain a battery lifetime of 24 days, however that estimate is sort of beneficiant, assuming that the majority well being monitoring options are disabled. Throughout our testing, we actively engaged with the machine by going for runs, constantly monitoring coronary heart price and stress ranges, receiving notifications, and making calls. This typical utilization nonetheless resulted in a formidable battery lifetime of 15 days – over two weeks!
On the subject of charging, the 550 mAh battery reaches full capability in roughly 60 minutes. Only one hour of downtime for greater than two weeks of use is basically nice. Even once we examined the Watch 5 with At all times-On Show (AOD), and the battery life was minimize virtually in half, at 9 days, which is greater than nearly all of wearables on the market.
Nevertheless, as we established there may be no need for AOD, as a result of the raise-to-wake gesture works simply positive and affords a look on the further information on the watch face.
Verdict
Xiaomi sells the Redmi Watch 5 for €110 in some European markets, which feels like a steal. It’s a sexy, reasonably priced, and long-lasting wearable that whereas lacking a correct OS and superior apps covers the fundamental smartwatch performance solidly.
A unique take can be to say it’s totally near the Xiaomi Sensible Band 9 Professional (particularly because the straps work on each units, making them much more comparable). But it surely’s by no means unhealthy to have extra choices even when they’re simply concerning the design.
So all in all of the Redmi Watch 5 is a superb machine for notifications and primary well being metrics monitoring that brings an excellent battery life. Sure, it isn’t perfect for health and sleep monitoring, however at that worth it should definitely discover its clients.
Professionals
- Feel and look that punches above the load.
- Show is shiny and sharp and straightforward to work with.
- Battery life is incomparable.
- Nice battery life.
- Engaging price ticket.
Cons
- GNSS just isn’t dependable sufficient.
- Sleep and well being monitoring might be higher.
- “HyperOS 2” means nothing – the UI is simple to navigate however very primary.
