After the launch of the Redmi Watch 3 Active in 2023, Xiaomi revived its smartwatch lineup in 2024, with the launch of the Redmi Watch 5 Active recently. This device comes with many firsts, as it is the first wearable from the company, running on the company’s inbuilt UI Hyper OS. It also has a metallic frame and provides 3-MIC for clear Bluetooth calling and ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation Support).
The metal frame adds a nice touch of confidence when it comes to the overall quality and feel of the watch. The display in our initial three days of testing, the watch did not pick up any major scratches or scuffs. The touchscreen is also fairly responsive and is easily visible outdoors.
The bezels are uneven from all sides, but if you put an all-black wallpaper, it doesn’t irk that much. While using the Watch 5 Active for my brief swimming sessions, the display felt responsive, and till now we haven’t seen any damage to the body, thanks to its IPX8 rating. The smartwatch boasts built-in Alexa support which can assist the user with various health and fitness data.
The strap also feels similar to any modern Apple Watch and doesn’t add a rash mark or scuff after prolonged use. However, given that there is no official dust protection, you will need to be careful on your trail runs and in dusty environments, while using the Redmi Watch 5 Active.
On the underside of the body, you'll see the heart rate sensor along with charging pins. At the side, there is a single multi-functional button, which lights up the display and also opens the list of apps or options. The strap width is 22mm and these are user-replaceable.
In our three days of testing, the Redmi Watch 5 Active also provided consistent battery life, with less than 20% battery drop. In terms of software, the Redmi Watch runs Hyper OS and can be paired with any Android or iOS smartphone. With the Xiaomi Wear or Xiaomi Wear Lite apps respectively.
What we think
The Redmi Watch 5 Active seems to cover all the basics when it comes to fitness tracking and promises long battery life as well. If you have your eyes set on it, stay tuned for the full review.
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