Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 review

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Watch 5 in November 2024, but initially, it was only available in China. Following the global release in January 2025 we got a unit for review and here's what we found out.

Table of Contents:

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Activity & Health
• Battery life
• Verdict

The short story is this: we were genuinely impressed by this straightforward €110 watch.

Design

Opening the Watch 5 introduced us to a beautiful aluminum alloy watch paired with a Lavender Purple TPU strap. Despite its €110 price tag, it conveys the impression of a more premium device.

Xiaomi also provided us with two additional Quick Release straps compatible with other devices in the same ecosystem: a Cream White strap made from cowhide leather and a Rose Purple strap featuring a velcro textile design. Both complement the Watch 5 beautifully, but we found the Purple version to be more versatile and seemingly more durable.

Xiaomi has embraced the similarities with the Apple Watch. On the one hand, the Redmi Watch series may be confused with its far pricier rival, which is an achievement of its own, but on the other the lack of originality is somewhat disappointing.

Display

The Redmi Watch 5 features a 2.07" AMOLED screen, the largest display yet in a Xiaomi wearable. It boasts thin bezels at just 2 mm - resulting in an 82% screen-to-body ratio, which helps to make the case more manageable.

The 2.5D curved screen enhances the size and usability, making it pleasant and easy to touch.

The screen reaches impressive peak brightness of 1,500 nits and refreshes at 60 Hz. This level of display quality is typical of premium smartphones, and really gives the Redmi Watch 5 an edge against its direct rivals.

The LTPS panel allows some watch faces to dial down to 5 Hz refresh rate, which extends battery life.

Colors appear vibrant, and it's important to note that the watch face displayed in the Mi Fitness app on your smartphone looks just as stunning on the wearable device. Additionally, there’s an Always-On Display feature with two modes: Always-On Display and Main Display.

They differ in their behavior when you raise your wrist. The first option simply brightens the screen to display the always-on display (AOD), while the second takes you straight to the main screen featuring additional visuals.

The Raise to Wake gesture works perfectly - it detects the motion, understands when the wrist is lowered, and turns on and off the display accordingly.

Software & Hardware

The Redmi Watch 5 pairs with the Mi Fitness app, which can be found on any app store. This is the main Xiaomi app required for all health-related devices, providing essential features such as notification and call management, fitness and health tracking metrics and alarms.

The watch's user interface is straightforward and user-friendly, which we appreciate. Each app icon features its own design, which might appear chaotic at first glance; however, locating an app is quite easy. By pressing the rotating crown button, you can access the app grid - this can display either with or without the app names, and there's also an option for a list view. We found the default setting to be the more effective though.

Notifications appear instantly, but unfortunately, only a limited selection of emojis function, so the symbols won't display on the watch if your communication includes anything other than letters and numbers.

Xiaomi introduced a new AFE chip (analog front-end), which reportedly offers a 5.2% improvement in heart rate measurement accuracy and a 10% enhancement in sleep accuracy. However, the sleep tracking is still quite inconsistent as the Redmi Watch 5 responds to even slight movements. In contrast, devices like the Huawei Watch actively monitor heart rate during sleep. Thus, if you tend to move around frequently at night, the Redmi Watch 5 may deliver inaccurate readings.

Activity & Health tracking

Additionally, the device includes blood oxygen saturation and stress monitoring features; however, these shouldn't be viewed as medical-grade readings. With over 150 sports modes, Xiaomi claims it's an excellent choice for outdoor tracking thanks to the built-in GNSS support.

The company has not disclosed which specific satellite pairs with the wearable. It's clear that it isn't the American GPS or the European Galileo, as the Watch 5 exhibits slight inaccuracies during running. This means that the Chinese Beidou, positioned primarily for communications in China and not Europe, is the likely candidate.

In terms of extra features, there are various running courses tailored for hobby runners, as well as breathing exercises designed for the average person. These features are well-designed and beneficial for both training and recovery.

The Mi Fitness app allows for an easy evaluation of all data, including heart rate and sleep tracking, presented in a visually appealing and understandable way.

Battery life & Charging

We live in a world increasingly filled with devices featuring USB-C ports, yet Xiaomi has chosen to rely on an outdated proprietary pogo pin charging solution. So the charger will become obsolete when the device eventually fails or is replaced.

Fortunately, the cable isn't often needed because the Redmi Watch 5 rarely requires charging. This wearable features an exceptional battery life, and the cable is needed only every two to three weeks.

Xiaomi asserted that the wearable can achieve a battery life of 24 days, but that estimate is quite generous, assuming that most health tracking features are disabled. During our testing, we actively engaged with the device by going for runs, continuously monitoring heart rate and stress levels, receiving notifications, and making calls. This typical usage still resulted in an impressive battery life of 15 days – over two weeks!

When it comes to charging, the 550 mAh battery reaches full capacity in roughly 60 minutes. Just one hour of downtime for more than two weeks of use is really great. Even when we tested the Watch 5 with Always-On Display (AOD), and the battery life was cut almost in half, at 9 days, which is more than the majority of wearables out there.

However, as we established there is little need for AOD, because the raise-to-wake gesture works just fine and offers a glance at the extra data on the watch face.

Verdict

Xiaomi sells the Redmi Watch 5 for €110 in some European markets, which sounds like a steal. It is an attractive, affordable, and long-lasting wearable that while missing a proper OS and advanced apps covers the basic smartwatch functionality solidly.

A different take would be to say it's very close to the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro (especially since the straps work on both devices, making them even more similar). But it's never bad to have more options even if they are just about the design.

So all in all the Redmi Watch 5 is a great device for notifications and basic health metrics tracking that brings an outstanding battery life. Yes, it's not ideal for fitness and sleep tracking, but at that price it will certainly find its customers.

Pros

• Look and feel that punches above the weight.
• Display is bright and sharp and easy to work with.
• Great battery life.
• Attractive price tag.

Cons

• GNSS is not reliable enough.
• Sleep and health tracking could be better.
• "HyperOS 2" means nothing - the UI is easy to navigate but very basic.