It goes without saying that Xiaomi’s Redmi line is a haven for tech fans who want to get their hands on pretty good hardware without necessarily spending too much, and this includes everything from smartphones, audio gear, tablets, and even wearable devices. Speaking of the latter, Xiaomi recently announced the launch of the Redmi Watch 5 Lite, the latest member of its Redmi-branded smart wearable and fitness tracker lineup.
With that said, folks looking to save up some cash with a new smartwatch might want to take a look at this one, as the Redmi Watch 5 Lite does pack a ton of essential wearable features. Pirced at just 40 EUR, it’s one of the more affordable smart devices on the market, but does the low price mean compromises along the way? Let’s take a look.
Design and Display
In terms of design, there’s a lot about the Redmi Watch 5 Lite that resembles other smart wearables on the market. It does come with a square design which is somewhat reminiscent of the Apple Watch series of devices, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Unlike the Apple Watch models, the Redmi Watch 5 Lite features flat sides which house a single action button, sans rotating crown. While it does feature a metallic finish, Xiaomi isn’t too specific if it uses metal or plastic, the latter of which shouldn’t be too surprising on a device of this price.
This 5ATM water-resistant chassis houses a 1.96-inch AMOLED touch screen, which serves as your main point of interaction with the device. It’s decently bright at 600 nits of maximum brightness, and even features an always-on display, something uncommon in this price range. Users can customize this display with over 200 different watch faces. Powering the device is a 470 mAh battery which can last for up to 18 hours on a single charge, one of the advantages of the system platform onboard.
Software Features
Speaking of which, the device comes preinstalled with Hyper OS, which runs the show on the Redmi Watch 5 Lite. It’s a custom wearable platform which is a bit different (and simpler) than the more versatile smartwatch systems out there like Wear OS for example, although that’s not to say that it lacks a lot of features. You of course get a myriad of Xiaomi-exclusive apps and software, and there’s even built-in compatibility with Alexa so users have a voice assistant to use on the wearable.
In addition to Hyper OS, there’s of course some added health and fitness features – Xiaomi has included 150+ sports modes for indoor and outdoor workouts, heart rate monitoring, as well as sleep tracking. Users can pair the Redmi Watch 5 Lite with either Android or iOS, and it supports platform versions of Android 6 and newer, as well as iOS 12 and newer.
Overall, the Redmi Watch 5 Lite does seem like a very attractive option for users who don’t want to spend a lot of cash on a fitness tracker or smartwatch, and if they know exactly what they’re getting then there’s little room for disappointment – just don’t go expecting Galaxy Watch or Pixel Watch levels of versatility from the device.
