Xiaomi Mi Watch – First impression

Xiaomi Mi Watch – First impression – Xiaomi has just expanded its offer in Poland by two watches. So far, you could buy one of several sports bands in Poland. Tested by us before Mi Watch Lite This is a proposal for PLN 249 with built-in GPS and strongly resembles the Apple Watch. The second option is Mi Watch for PLN 549, which was cheaper in advance – for PLN 449. Xiaomi has put on its own closed system. On the one hand, this limits the functionality to factory-installed components, but also lowers the price and optimizes operation. Here are our first impressions after 2 days with the watch Mi Watch.

The main advantages and disadvantages Xiaomi Mi Watch

How do we rate design? 

The first thing that immediately caught my attention after taking it out Mi Watch out of the box how light this watch is. The producer boasts that Mi Watch weighs only 32 grams without the strap and is one of the lightest on the market. Just being the lightest does not automatically mean there will be a difference for you, but it does Mi Watch I have no doubts about it. Even with the strap, the entire device weighs 49 grams, while another watch of the same size with the strap weighs 70 grams. In the case of a smartwatch that we have on our wrists all the time, also during training and sleeping, the difference is clearly noticeable in favor Mi Watch.

It’s easy to see where the difference in weight comes from. Many smart watches have a case made of metal, a Mi Watch It is made entirely of TPU, i.e. thermoplastic polyurethane.

Mi Watch it is available in three colors – dark blue, beige and black. In my opinion, the matte strap-colored case looks attractive and looks good. It won’t replace metal, but it’s just a different set of benefits. The open question for now remains how well the watch will withstand the hardships of everyday life and how quickly the signs of wear, e.g. abrasions, appear on the case.

The length of the factory strap is adjustable in the range of 130 – 220 mm. The strap width is standard 22mm and it is attached to a traditional telescope. The strap can be replaced with any other available from the watchmaker.

Mi Watch has two buttons on the right edge. The top one displays a list of all applications and acts as a back button. By default, the lower button displays a list of all available workouts, and during training, it switches between screens with statistics, so you can see all the information, even when training with gloves. You can assign a different function to the lower button, more precisely a specific type of training that we perform most often. However, I did not find the possibility of assigning other functions of the watch, such as e.g. weather or stopwatch.

To charge the watch, you need to use the included docking station, which is magnetically attached and uses two contacts. Mi Watch it is waterproof up to 50 meters immersion in water, i.e. up to 5 atmospheres.

What do we think about the display?

Screen Mi Watch it is round, has a diagonal of 1.39 inches and a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels. It was made in AMOLED technology. These parameters are the same as for devices Huawei and Honor. At the same time, it is one of the key advantages over the cheaper model Mi Watch Litewhich instead of AMOLED has a TFT screen and a lower resolution of 320 x 320 pixels.

Display Mi Watch guarantees good viewing angles, high maximum brightness, deep blacks and the always-on display function that displays a simplified, energy-saving watch face. You can adjust the time until the screen goes blank from 5 to 20 seconds, and you can turn on the backlight permanently. You can set the brightness to one of 5 levels, or choose automatic adjustment. The information presented on the display is always legible.

Specification and Operating System 

Mi Watch works on proprietary software Xiaomi. This means that the specification of the watch goes to the background, because it is limited to the factory functions. You can’t Mi Watch install any applications and widgets. The only possibility of new functions is updating the software by the manufacturer. Xiaomi it does not inform about the built-in memory, nor does it allow you to upload any files. The only thing that can be downloaded using the application Xiaomi Ware, used to operate the smartwatch, are additional watch faces.

The advantage of this solution is the optimization fully controlled by the manufacturer. There is no situation where something works worse because the equipment is too weak. By the way, such a watch can be cheaper, because the components are tailor-made, without the necessary stock in other cases. Mi Watch it is responsive, I did not notice any stuttering, long waiting or missing animation frames. The watch just works.

The list of widgets that are available by moving the screen sideways are: heart rate, energy, sleep, weather, stress, blood oxygen, music and activity. The order of the widgets can be changed, and if we do not use a given function, we can hide it. No additional information can be displayed from the widget level. If we want to know the details about sleep, weather or stress, we have to display the list of all “programs” on the watch and find the appropriate functions there. Then the information screen can be scrolled by touch and see additional items.

Mi Watch allows you to control the music on the phone, but it will not allow you to play music yourself without a phone connected. It also informs you about notifications and incoming calls. However, there is no option to respond to notifications. E-mail notifications contain the subject of the message itself.

In short, functionality Mi Watch resembles sports bands such as Mi Band 5and the most important difference is the built-in GPS and barometer that allows you to track your training without using your phone. The watch larger than the band is also a larger screen and a longer battery. The most important features of such devices as Mi Watch There is a continuous pulse measurement, sleep monitoring, a pulse oximeter, which is undoubtedly a useful function nowadays, and for some also a stress measurement. All of these things are in Mi Watch. The watch also supports automatic detection of training start, automatic detection of training end and estimates the recovery time.

Set of sensors Mi Watch are: 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyro, barometer, and heart rate sensor. The watch connects only via the Bluetooth module.

The list of supported workouts is, quoting the manufacturer’s website:

Outdoor sports: Rock climbing, Skateboard, Roller skates, Parkour, ATVs, Paragliding

Leisure Sports: Archery, Darts, Horse riding, Tug of war, Hula-hoop, Kite flying, Fishing, Frisbee

Martial Arts: Boxing, Wrestling, Mixed Martial Arts, Tai Chi, Muay Thai, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing, Kendo, Fencing

Water Sports: Sailing, Paddleboarding, Water polo, Water Skiing, Kayaking, Rafting, Rowing, Motorboat, Finning, Diving, Artistic Swimming, Snorkeling, Kitesurfing, Other Water Sports

Ball Sports: Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, Softball, American Football, Hockey, Table Tennis, Badminton, Tennis, Cricket, Handball, Bowling, Squash, Billiards, Shuttlecock, Beach Soccer, Beach Volleyball, Sepak takraw

Winter Sports: Ice Skating, Curling, Other Winter Sports, Snowmobile, Ice Hockey, Bobsleigh, Luge

Gym: Steps, Climbing, Stepper, Core, Flexibility, Pilates, Gymnastics, Stretching, Strength, Cross, Aerobics, Physical, Wall Ball, Dumbbells, Barbells, Weights, Deadlift, Burpee, Abdomen, General Development, Upper, Lower, Belly, Back

Dance: Four pairs, Belly, Ballet, Street, Zumba, Folk, Jazz, Latin

Other sports: Equestrian sports, Athletics, Auto racing

How long does the battery last?

Mi watch it has a 420 mAh battery. It’s a lot for a wristwatch – at the forefront of this type of device. First impressions do not allow you to judge the battery life yet. The manufacturer informs about the following operating times in various scenarios:

• up to 50 hours in maximum load mode
• up to 16 days in normal mode
• up to 22 days in battery saver mode

So our first impression is:

What distinguishes Mi Watch compared to the competition, it is a reasonable price, great screen, a huge list of disciplines and extremely light weight. In relation to the wristbands Mi Band the watch offers a more classic and universal design, longer battery life, built-in GPS and a larger display. However, the core of the functionality remained the same. If we are looking for a watch with full notification support, offline music and navigation, we have to look for another device from a slightly higher shelf.

Who is it for Xiaomi Mi Watch:

• For people who want to use GPS during training
• For those who want to monitor heart rate, sleep and blood oxygenation
• For people for whom wristbands have too small displays
• For the thrifty

For whom it is not Xiaomi Mi Watch:

• Not for people looking for a watch with Wear OS by Google
• Not for those who appreciate the quality of premium materials

Advantages Xiaomi Mi Watch:

• It is super light
• AMOLED screen 454 x 454 pixels
• Waterproof
• Monitor heart rate, sleep, blood oxygenation and stress
• Built-in GPS and barometer
• Hassle-free operation
• According to the manufacturer’s assurances, long battery life

Disadvantages Xiaomi Mi Watch:

• A plastic envelope may be more susceptible to wear than a steel one
• The lower button can only be assigned to sports workouts
• You cannot listen to music directly from the watch, answer calls and answer notifications