If you're looking for a smartwatch that looks cool, has a solid AMOLED display, basic fitness tracking, and a nearly three-week battery life, then the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 is a serious contender. But if you want NFC payments, a voice assistant, and ultra-accurate GPS, you'll have to look higher up the price scale.
Not once, not twice, but at least ten times people asked me: "Did you buy Apple Watch?” Which is not surprising, since it has Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 almost identical square design with slightly rounded corners and an aluminum body that looks much more prestigious than the cheap plastic of the models Active and Light.
If fingerprints bother you, the good news is that the matte case hides them perfectly. Unlike shiny models that look nice for exactly ten minutes before becoming a magnet for grease stains, everything is under control here. The strap is typical Xiaomi - rubber and functional. If you don't like it, you can replace it, but only with Xiaomi's own solution, which means there won't be an endless selection of cheap straps from Shein.
Last updated 2025-01-30 / Affiliate links / Photo source: Amazon Product Advertising API
Size comparison with Apple Watch Ultra 2 – Redmi Watch 5 – is not a small watch. That's why I like it a lot!
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 water resistance: no problem in the water, but not in the sauna
The watch is water resistant up to 5 ATMs, which means you can jump in the pool without worry, but Xiaomi warns that you should avoid hot showers and saunas. Although, if this is your only escape from reality, just take it as a minor risk. It allows you to track as many as 18 water sports.
With a price tag of around 100 euros, this is the best budget smartwatch of 2025.
Display: AMOLED that amazes – Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5
One of the biggest advantages of this watch is its 2.07-inch AMOLED display, which is bright, colorful, and above all, readable in sunlight (1500 nits), which is often a luxury in cheaper watches. At the same time, the watch refreshes at 60 Hz. It also has automatic brightness adjustment, which means you don't have to manually adjust the brightness every time.
In addition, it has the function Always-On Display, where most digital watch faces offer their own version of AOD. The customization options aren't the pinnacle of personalization, as you can mostly only change the colors, but the selection of watch faces is wide - via the app You can get hundreds of them at Mi Fitness.
The smartwatch offers a lot for the money and is surprising.
User interface: simple and efficient HyperOS
Redmi Watch 5 It runs HyperOS, Xiaomi's own operating system, which is more transparent and easy to use compared to previous versions. You can access notifications by swiping up, quick settings by swiping down, and the side button takes you to the apps menu.
An attractive and fairly simple system that can be quickly connected to a smartphone and is sufficient for basic needs.
The watch also has a rotating crown, which makes navigating menus easier and is a more elegant solution than scrolling through a mini-screen with sweaty fingers. You can read notifications, but you can't reply to them. So if your partner asks you where you are, you'll still have to pull out your phone and find an excuse.
What's missing in the 100 euro smartwatch class?
Of course, with a low price, you had to save somewhere, so there is no NFC for contactless payments, a voice assistant (no Google Assistant, Alexa or anything like that) and support for advanced third-party apps, which means you won't be using Spotify, Google Maps or WhatsApp on your wrist. You can, however, make calls with it via a phone connection.
If that's not a problem for you, great. But if you were expecting a mini phone on your wrist, you'll have to look towards the Samsung Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch.
Fitness and Health: Good enough for the average user
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 offers basic but good enough features for monitoring fitness and health. The watch supports more than 150 sports activities, although most people only use walking, running and cycling. You can also listen to music stored on the watch. At the same time, you can also record with the watch, which is useful for meetings and smart AI notes.
Enables 24-hour heart rate monitoring, but also has SpO₂ sensor for measuring blood oxygen saturation and stress and sleep monitoring functions, although it is questionable how much you can trust these measurements. The built-in GPS works solidly - it won't measure your distance to the millimeter, but it will be more than enough for recreational runners.
Of course, it tracks all data via the Mi Fitness app, where you can also set other basic watch functions.
Battery: far ahead of the Apple Watch
The biggest advantage of the watch? The battery. With the capacity 550 mAh It lasts up to 24 days with basic use, and approximately 11 to 12 days with daily use with the Always-On display turned on and occasional sports activity tracking.
This is incomparably better than Apple Watch or Google Pixel Watch, which barely survive a day. So if you don't like filling your clock every day, you'll be very happy here.
Is the Redmi Watch 5 worth buying?
If you want a smartwatch with a good AMOLED screen, long battery life, and the looks of the Apple Watch for a fraction of its price, then this is a great choice for around 90 euros. But if you need NFC payments, advanced applications or ultra-precise GPS, you'll have to go for more expensive models. But honestly, for its price, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 is one of the best smartwatches on the market. And the price. Around 100 euros, depending on the provider.
Last updated 2025-01-30 / Affiliate links / Photo source: Amazon Product Advertising API
