Xiaomi introduced the Mi Watch smartwatch with a very suitable design and pricing that attracted much attention.
In this article, we intend to describe all the features and specifications of the new Xiaomi smartwatch, or the Mi Watch, and subject it to a specialized review.
This Xiaomi Watch has a simple and borderless design. Sometimes when exercising with an Apple Watch, we feel concerned about damaging it due to its high-end nature. But this is different with the Mi Watch, as its case is made of soft, comfortable, and lightweight plastic. There are two pushers on the right side of the Xiaomi Mi Watch, one to bring up all the apps and the other for exercise functions.
The presence of pushers on the Mi Watch is satisfying because using touch screens during exercise is not ideal. The Mi Smartwatch is suitable for medium-sized wrists. Those with smaller wrists may find it too big. The AMOLED display is clear and very bright, and you won’t have any trouble viewing it in direct sunlight or outdoors. This product also includes an ambient light sensor that adjusts automatically according to lighting conditions.
This Xiaomi smartwatch has a simpler software interface than its competitors, as it has no third-party apps. This feature has resulted in a longer battery life, lasting up to two weeks on a single charge. The product is similar to the Huawei GT2 smartwatch in this regard. However, its accuracy in monitoring heart rate could be higher, which is also a significant weakness in some of its main features.
The performance of the watch can be improved with software updates.
Design and Display of Mi Watch
- Weight of 32 grams
- Water resistance rating of 5ATM
- 2.5D glass display
The Xiaomi Mi Watch smartwatch is another product from this Chinese company that exceeds its true value. This smartwatch has a 1.39-inch AMOLED display, similar to the Huawei Watch GT2e. The colors on this display are vivid and transparent, and the screen brightness is sufficient under sunlight and adjusted automatically based on ambient light due to the presence of an automatic sensor.
However, how attractive is Xiaomi’s design compared to its rival smartwatch made by Huawei? The Xiaomi watch has a more minimalist and beautiful appearance. It also has only two keys that are easy to use. The top key takes you to the “home” screen and the next places you on the “exercise” page. Therefore, it seems unnecessary to write the function of each key next to it.
It should be noted that the Xiaomi Mi Watch is available in three colors: black, cream, and blue. The design of this watch is acceptable, and its curved glass screen, matte plastic frame, and silicone strap give it an appealing look.
The Xiaomi watch has a display that performs satisfactorily regarding image clarity and transparency. However, the default settings of the display, which are set to “always on” mode, require you to shake your wrist with a relatively high intensity to turn on the screen, which can be annoying after a while. This is a way to conserve battery life. Fortunately, you can adjust the sensitivity of the motion detection in the watch’s settings, which we recommend doing so that you do not have to go through the hassle of turning on the screen every time.
There is also an “always on” mode, which allows you to choose from eight different watch faces when the watch is not in use. By selecting this mode, the battery life will be significantly reduced, but it will be easier to operate the watch. Some of these watch faces also can count your steps.
Customizing the watch face that is noticeable during use is possible. It should be noted that all these watch faces are available for free.
Functionality and Features of the Xiaomi Smartwatch
This Xiaomi product is not a complete smartwatch because it needs an app store or Wi-Fi connectivity. Additionally, if it had a powerful processor, its battery life would not have lasted up to 16 days.
Nevertheless, one of the main functions of smartwatches is present, which is the ability to receive notifications from your smartphone. In addition, it supports Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa, which is one of its interesting features. For example, you can talk to your smartphone’s Alexa via Bluetooth with Mi Watch’s microphone. Although accessing this voice assistant in this way may be slower compared to an embedded voice assistant, it is still efficient. You can use voice commands to access the stopwatch or ask various questions and see their answers on the watch’s display.
To access Alexa, you only need to press and hold the Mi Watch’s top button for a few seconds.
The user interface of Xiaomi’s watch has many similarities with its competitor, Huawei. For instance, from the left and right corners of the watch screen, you can access the widgets section and easily access primary profiles such as activity status, sleep quality score, heart rate monitoring, and music playback control.
By pressing the “Home” button, you will enter the app menu, a collection of various icons. This menu lets you add widgets to the home screen and access other profiles, such as stopwatch and blood pressure monitoring.
Here is the full list of profiles available in the app menu of the Xiaomi Mi Watch:
- Calendar
- Alarm
- Timer
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
- Calculator
- Food tracking
- Music playback
- Bone density
- Sports profile
- Step counter
- Sleep monitoring
- Cycling tracking
- Swimming tracking
- Widgets
- Installed applications (such as Google Fit, Google Play Music, Google Maps, etc.)
- Settings
Note that this list may vary depending on the software version and the user’s customized settings.
Many of these micro apps display information in graphical forms and make the best use of the large OLED screen of the watch. Huawei’s smartwatches also have this feature.
Fitness and Health Tracking Feature on Mi Watch
The Xiaomi Mi Watch smartwatch includes many fitness and health tracking features. The Mi Watch has an internal GPS for accurate activity tracking outside the home and an optical heart rate sensor for continuous daily data.
Xiaomi uses Firstbeat, an analytical company now owned by Garmin, to provide post-workout analysis. After a workout, you can view total time, calories burned, active and total, steps taken, average pace, speed, heart rate, heart rate zones, training effect, maximum VO2, recovery time, and energy consumption.
The main issue with the Xiaomi Mi Watch smartwatch is the inaccurate heart rate monitoring system, which often overestimates heart rate during exercise. This problem is also seen in the stress level display and may extend to the “energy” index that measures your activity level relative to sleep quality using an algorithm.
However, the watch’s GPS performs acceptably, accurately tracking distance and route on a map during walks or runs.
The Xiaomi Mi Watch can also accurately measure your blood oxygen levels.
Blood Oxygen Measurement Features in Mi Watch
SpO2 sensors, or blood oxygen sensors, are very popular. Taking SpO2 on the Xiaomi Mi Watch is easy. Open the SpO2 app, tap “Measure,” and hold steady for about 20 seconds. After that, you’ll receive the percentage of blood oxygen (likely from 90 to 100 percent) and heart rate during that time. Tapping on the “?” will show a detailed explanation of what SpO2 is.
What do you do when the SpO2 level is below normal? Go to a doctor? Wait and see if your level eventually increases. No indication in the Xiaomi Wear app or on the watch shows how individuals should use this information after reading it. Sadly, this is the drawback of cheap SpO2 sensors. Nevertheless, Xiaomi claims that its SpO2 sensor is not a medical device.
Battery Life of Mi Watch
- 16 days with normal use.
- Up to 50 hours of uninterrupted GPS usage.
- Up to one week with continuous use and additional features enabled
According to Xiaomi’s claim, this device will last up to 16 days with normal usage without recharging. After 5 hours of continuous use and 55 minutes of GPS usage, the watch’s charge level will reach 98%, which is a very satisfying performance. However, it should be noted that battery life may vary based on usage habits and settings.
However, changing default settings may reduce battery life. We previously recommended adjusting the sensitivity settings of the watch’s wrist gesture to turn on the screen. This will impact battery life, making using the watch more convenient.
With continuous use and various active features enabled, you can expect up to one week of usage without recharging. Continuous GPS usage is possible for up to 50 hours. The battery performance of the Xiaomi Mi Watch is significantly better than its competitor Huawei’s product.
Conclusion
Overall, the Xiaomi Mi Watch is a decent smartwatch that offers several features at an affordable price point. The battery life of up to 16 days with normal usage is impressive, especially at this price range. The GPS system performs well tracking distance and route during walks or runs.
However, the inaccurate heart rate monitoring system and stress level display are significant issues that may impact its usefulness as a fitness tracker. Furthermore, while the SpO2 sensor can measure blood oxygen levels, there needs to be clear guidance on interpreting and using this data.
Despite these drawbacks, the Xiaomi Mi Watch is still a good option for those looking for a budget-friendly smartwatch in UAE with basic fitness tracking features.
Xiaomi Mi Watch is a suitable choice for you if…
You are looking for a smartwatch with a good design and affordable price: Xiaomi Mi Watch is a great option compared to its competitors like Samsung or Apple, as it has a more affordable price range. This watch’s curved glass and high-quality OLED display make it visually appealing.
Battery life is important to you: if you want to take advantage of the maximum battery life of up to 16 days, it is necessary to turn off some additional features. However, even with continuous use, the battery performance of this watch receives a much higher score than its rival products.
Where to Buy Mi Watch with Good Price in UAE?
Looking for the best deals on electronics in Dubai, UAE? Look no further than Buytronics! We offer top-quality products at unbeatable prices, including the popular Mi smartwatch. Take advantage of our amazing deals – check out the Mi smartwatch price in UAE and other great electronics products today!