Redmi Watch 4
In the just-concluded Redmi 10th anniversary, not just releasing the much-anticipated K70 series, Redmi also launched a series of new products. Among all these supporting accessories, the most interesting to me is the Redmi Watch 4, because this is the first time for the budget series, truly wearing “metal armor”.
So we couldn’t wait to call somebody and buy one during the launch. so let’s see if it’s the best affordable smartwatch to buy this year.
Design & Metal Frame
This is the Redmi Watch 4. Although the design with the metal shield used makes it feel much more premium, during the boxing, I still can’t help to have some sort of Apple Watch illusion. So while I quite like the new watch’s design so far, I still have to say that this is the most Apple-Watch-like model of 2023 so far.
If you guys remember its predecessor, the Redmi Watch 3, you may recall that it tried very hard to masquerade as being metallic. But with the plastic frame, the watch 3 still reaped a lot of complaints about its cheap feel and look. The watch 4 seems to have learned from its mistakes and is serious about bringing an aluminum frame to this more popular line, which is great.
And the new watch is still lightweight, though it comes with a metal built outside, adding 10g compared to the Watch 3. The watch body without straps here is about 32g, well, which just feels like the typical weight of a smart band.
The metal surface with a matt finish can keep fingerprints away, and another good detail is that the new crown here is even made of stainless steel with a subtle texture. So when it meets the fine processing of the frame, everything here just makes it correct.
The front face is completely flat with sharp edges. But I have concerns here: as a watch that can’t be worn without bumps and bruises. It’s unavoidable that such sharp edges are likely to be scarred and scratched a lot. So, a little reminder here, just be careful.
There’s another little problem. I’m used to wearing my watch on my left wrist. Sometimes I tie it too tightly, then when I lift my wrist, the protruding crown would be touched by mistake. So when you have the same confusion, the easiest solution is to relax it on your wrist. Or if you just like to use this wrist-lifting gesture as a wake-up trigger, it may be a hidden egg feature for you. But, not for me right now.
About the straps, the good news here is that the Redmi Watch 4 has also been upgraded to fit with Xiaomi’s quick-release straps, which are much easier to remove and replace. It’s compatible with straps of other Xiaomi wearables, such as the straps of the Xiaomi Band 8 Pro. So it means that you have and will have more straps to choose from.
Flat Front & 1.97″ AMOLED Display
Let’s take a look at the front. The front side still features a square dial design close to Apple’s and one that they’ve been sticking to with Redmi’s lineups. Compared to the predecessor, the 1.97-inch AMOLED display and 74.8% screen-to-body ratio here, carry a more complete info display, and also a bit improve the operating experience.
The display quality is still great with a decent resolution and vivid colors. The auto-adjustable brightness can boost the display up to 600nit for outdoor uses, which is quite clear in the bright daytime. Another good feature here is the variable refresh rate. While operating, the display could run at 60Hz for a smooth experience. And the refresh rate can also be reduced to 5Hz while display-off. So in the AOD mode, the new watch could even be more power-saving.
Software – HyperOS
The changes at the software level are also a big reason why I’m looking forward to this watch, the Redmi Watch 4 has the latest Xiaomi HyperOS built-in, making it the second Xiaomi line of wearables to come with HyperOS.
Its dial market offers a very large selection of personalized displays, and I’m sure you’ll always be able to pick the style that suits you best there.
The User interface is still neat and clear. There’s not much difference from predecessors, swiping in different directions on the dial page to check notifications and check widgets you preset in the phone app called Mi Fitness. But there’s only one crown for tapping into the app menu. So you have no shortcut button for actions like starting sports.
Health Tracking & Sport Tracking
There’s not much to say on health tracking features. It’s still good, with an upgraded heart rate monitoring sensor for more accurate heart rate records. The blood oxygen monitoring also supports 24/7 auto-tracking, now you can check your blood oxygen records throughout the day. In addition, sleep tracking, stress tracking, female cycle reminders, and breathing training are also available.
As for sports tracking, the new watch supports more than 150 sports modes, covering almost all the sports I know, such as 17 water sports, 40 outdoors, 26 ball sports, and so on. Even you can find some card or board games there! But there are quite a few exercises that I don’t recommend you wear it for. Like basketball and football, the sharp edges could hurt the others.
Other Features
It comes with a built-in independent GNSS chip, supporting the main 5 satellite positioning systems on the planet. Without a phone, it still can record the track of outdoor running. And thanks to the 5ATM waterproofing, you can also wear it while doing water sports, such as swimming.
And I know some of you also care about the bonus feature like NFC. Yes, it has, but if you live in China, this feature can bring you more convenience, such as secure offline mobile payments and full transportation card simulation.
Battery Life
As claimed, the new watch got improved by 50% to 80% on battery life performance. It can last up to 10 days in typical AOD mode, and 20 days in typical mode with default factory settings. We weren’t able to test and verify the battery life, since we tried to talk to you about the watch as soon as possible. I would let you guys know if I was disappointed in the follow-up use. But based on the whole-day use with most auto-tracking and AOD on, the 11% battery drop is quite impressive.
Verdict
So that’s my most-anticipated smartwatch in the second half of 2023. The Redmi Watch is still the top contender for best affordable smartwatch. But for now, it still fails to fully utilize Xiaomi’s multi-device connectivity. From the Watch 4, we only get a switch for the smart home’s auto-scenarios.
Our Redmi K70 series review is coming soon. Please keep subscribing to our channel and stay tuned.
