Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active Review: Big Screen, Long Battery Life
SmartwatchesPerformance Scorecard
4.0
Who the Redmi Watch 5 Active Is Really For
Budget smartwatches tend to fall into one of two camps: they either sacrifice so much that they become glorified notification mirrors, or they load up on features that barely work. The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active takes a more deliberate approach — it is a large-screened, long-lasting fitness companion aimed squarely at everyday users who want meaningful health tracking without the price tag of a premium device.
If you are stepping into smartwatch ownership for the first time, or if you want a capable secondary watch for workouts and daily life, this device deserves your attention. If you are a serious athlete who relies on standalone GPS routes or advanced cardiac monitoring, you will know within this review whether to look elsewhere.
Design and Build: Big Screen Energy in a Lightweight Shell
The first thing you notice about the Redmi Watch 5 Active is its screen. At two full inches diagonally, it is one of the larger displays in the budget smartwatch segment — commanding enough to feel genuinely useful rather than just decorative. The case measures just over 49mm tall and about 40mm wide, which gives it a presence on the wrist that sits closer to the sporty end of the spectrum than the discreet end. People with smaller wrists should try it on before committing.
Despite that screen size, Xiaomi has kept the weight impressively low. At just over 42 grams, the watch barely registers after the first hour of wear. The case comes in at under 11.5mm thick, which means it slides under a shirt cuff without creating an uncomfortable ridge. For an all-day wearable, these proportions matter more than most buyers realize until they have actually worn a heavier competitor for a week.
The display technology is IPS LCD — not AMOLED. Colors are more muted compared to the deeper blacks and punchier contrast that OLED-based rivals can offer. However, IPS panels come with a meaningful advantage: visibility in direct sunlight tends to hold up better, and the always-on display mode drains the battery far less aggressively than it would on an OLED screen. The always-on feature is present here, and on an LCD panel it is genuinely practical to keep enabled day-to-day.
Pixel density lands at 250 pixels per inch, rendering text and icons cleanly without obvious jaggedness. The resolution of 320 by 385 pixels is adequate for the screen size — nothing that will impress a spec enthusiast, but perfectly functional for glancing at workout data, notifications, and watch faces.
Glass, Durability, and Water Resistance
The watch does not use Gorilla Glass or sapphire crystal over the display. For a device at this price point, that is expected, but worth noting if you frequently scrape your watch against hard surfaces. A screen protector is an inexpensive precaution worth considering.
5 ATM + IPX8 — Rated to 50 Metres
This covers swimming pools, open water, heavy rain, and shower use without hesitation. The watch actively tracks swim stroke count during pool sessions, making it a genuine swim companion rather than one that merely survives getting wet.
The 22mm band width is a standard sizing, keeping aftermarket strap options plentiful and inexpensive. The band is officially replaceable, giving you the flexibility to swap in something more formal, colorful, or comfortable whenever you like.
Display Performance: What the Screen Actually Delivers
The IPS LCD panel runs a touch-sensitive interface, and the experience of navigating menus, swiping through stats, and adjusting settings is responsive enough for daily interaction. At a price tier where sluggish UI is a common complaint, the touch performance on this display holds its own.
The always-on display mode deserves particular mention. Many budget watches advertise this feature but make it impractical because enabling it tanks battery life. Because this is an LCD panel with a relatively low-drain always-on configuration, keeping the time and basic stats perpetually visible is a realistic everyday choice rather than a novelty.
2 Inches
Among the largest displays in the budget segment
250 PPI
Sharp text and clean icons at typical wrist-viewing distance
Included
Practical daily use — low battery impact on IPS LCD
Fitness and Health Tracking: Where It Earns Its Keep
Heart Rate and Blood Oxygen Monitoring
The watch continuously monitors heart rate through an optical sensor on the underside of the case. It also measures resting heart rate as a baseline metric — useful for tracking fitness improvements over weeks and months. Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring is included, giving a snapshot of how efficiently your blood carries oxygen. This is particularly useful during high-altitude activities or for users who want to monitor their overall wellness baseline.
Motion Sensing and Activity Detection
Inside the case sit an accelerometer and a gyroscope — the two sensors responsible for capturing how you move. Together they power automatic activity detection, meaning the watch can recognize when you have started a workout without you manually logging it. A cadence sensor rounds out the motion-tracking suite, making it genuinely useful for running analysis where stride rhythm is an important efficiency metric.
What It Tracks and What It Does Not
- Steps throughout the day
- Pace during runs and walks
- Swim stroke count (pool sessions)
- Sleep duration and quality with reports
- Food intake and calorie tracking
- Water consumption
- Menstrual cycle and ovulation
- Continuous heart rate
- Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)
- Elevation or altitude changes
- Standalone GPS routes (no built-in chip)
- Skin temperature
- VO2 max
- Perspiration / sweat monitoring
- Irregular heart rate alerts
- ECG / electrocardiogram
The absence of built-in GPS is the single biggest functional trade-off on this watch. Route tracking is a supported feature, but it relies on your paired smartphone's GPS signal — a connected GPS setup. This works reasonably well if you always carry your phone on runs, but it is unreliable for swimming, cycling without a phone, or any activity where your phone stays behind.
Battery Life: The Watch's Most Compelling Argument
Xiaomi claims up to eighteen days of battery life in standard smartwatch use, backed by a 470 mAh cell — larger than what most comparably priced competitors carry. Eighteen days is an ambitious figure, and real-world performance typically lands somewhat lower depending on how many features you keep active.
Even at a conservative real-world estimate of ten to twelve days with continuous heart rate monitoring and always-on display enabled, this watch asks to be charged roughly twice a month. For context, most mainstream smartwatches in the mid-range category need charging every one to three days. The difference is easy to underestimate until you have lived with it: no reaching for a charger every night, no dead watch on Monday morning because you forgot Sunday, no charging brick to pack for weekend trips.
The training mode figure of 288 hours represents a theoretical ceiling for GPS-off workout tracking and should be understood as a maximum rather than a typical figure. When the battery does need topping up, a full charge takes approximately two hours via the included cable. There is no wireless charging, which keeps costs down but may be a mild inconvenience for users who have moved entirely away from cable-based charging.
Smart Features and Connectivity
Phone Integration and Notifications
The Redmi Watch 5 Active connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3 — a recent standard offering better connection stability and lower power draw than older versions. The watch is compatible with both Android and iOS, meaning it is not locked into any single phone ecosystem. Notification delivery works as expected: incoming alerts appear on the wrist with vibrating feedback so you can check messages, emails, and app notifications without pulling your phone out. The watch also includes a find-my-phone function that triggers an alert on your paired device when needed.
Call Handling and Voice Features
One of the more useful features at this price tier is the ability to answer calls directly from the watch. A built-in microphone allows you to speak and listen without touching your phone — particularly useful during workouts, while cooking, or when your phone is across the room. Voice command support is also present, allowing hands-free interaction with certain watch functions. This adds a practical quality-of-life element not always found in budget devices.
Camera Remote and Music Control
Acts as a remote trigger for your smartphone camera — useful for group shots or solo photos without needing a countdown timer.
Skip tracks, adjust volume, and play or pause from the wrist. There is no onboard storage — this is remote control of whatever is playing on your phone.
What Is Missing from the Connected Feature Set
The App Experience
The companion app is free to download and does not require a paid subscription for core features — a meaningful advantage over some competitors who gate health data behind paywalls. The app is available for both Android and iOS, though account creation is required. There is no anonymous use option, which is worth knowing for privacy-conscious buyers.
- Detailed activity reports and exercise diary
- Sleep analysis with nightly breakdown reports
- Coaching prompts and personal goal setting
- Inactivity alerts throughout the day
- Food diary and water intake logging
- Weight tracking over time
- Menstrual cycle, ovulation, and fertility tracking
- Achievement milestones and progress tracking
- Widget support for quick stats
- Voice feedback during workouts
- Route support via connected phone GPS
- No calendar sync or email data export
Compatibility with platforms like Apple Health or Google Fit should be confirmed before purchasing if cross-app data sharing is important to your workflow, as the app does not export data via email and does not sync with third-party calendars.
Who Should Buy the Redmi Watch 5 Active
- You want a large, readable screen at an accessible price
- Battery endurance matters to you above almost everything else
- You swim regularly and want a watch that keeps pace
- You are a casual to moderate runner who carries your phone during workouts
- You are new to smartwatches and want comprehensive health tracking without complexity
- You want menstrual cycle and fertility tracking built into your wrist experience
- You need call-answering capability without spending on a premium device
- You run, cycle, or hike without your phone and rely on GPS route tracking
- You need irregular heart rhythm alerts or ECG readings for health monitoring
- You want to pay by tapping your watch at checkout via NFC
- You prefer the rich color rendering of an AMOLED display
- You expect your watch to function fully independently of a paired phone
How It Compares to the Obvious Alternatives
| Feature | Redmi Watch 5 Active | Budget Rival A | Budget Rival B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 2.0 inches | 1.7 – 1.8 inches | 1.9 inches |
| Battery Life (claimed) | 18 days | 7 – 10 days | 10 – 14 days |
| Built-in GPS | Sometimes | Sometimes | |
| Swim Tracking | With Stroke Count | Basic | Basic |
| Blood Oxygen (SpO2) | |||
| NFC Payments | Sometimes | Rarely | |
| Call Answer on Watch | Sometimes | Rarely | |
| Water Resistance | 50m / IPX8 | 30m / IP68 | 50m / 5 ATM |
| Always-On Display | Sometimes | Sometimes |
The pattern is clear: the Redmi Watch 5 Active trades built-in GPS and NFC for a notably larger screen, stronger battery endurance, and more capable water resistance than most rivals at the same price point. Whether that is the right trade depends entirely on whether GPS independence matters to your specific training routine.
Strengths and Honest Weaknesses
Where It Genuinely Impresses
The strongest argument for this watch is the combination of screen size and battery endurance. A two-inch display that lasts close to two weeks is rare at any price, and genuinely rare at this one. The build is lighter than it looks, the fifty-metre water resistance is serious rather than nominal, and the swim stroke tracking adds real sporting credibility beyond basic step counting.
The health tracking suite is broad — arguably broader than what most casual users will actively engage with — and the free companion app covers wellness, sleep, fitness, and women's health without demanding a subscription. The built-in microphone for call handling and the camera remote are features that feel above the device's price class.
Where It Falls Short
The missing GPS chip is a meaningful structural limitation. Connected GPS via phone is a workable solution for many, but it is a genuine downgrade from devices that have the satellite chip built in. Users who care about accurate outdoor route mapping without their phone will need to look at higher-tier options.
The LCD panel is the other honest trade-off. It does its job well, and the always-on mode is more practical here than it would be on a battery-draining OLED, but anyone moving from a flagship watch will notice the difference in display richness immediately. For first-time buyers, this contrast is unlikely to register at all.
The absence of branded damage-resistant glass over the screen is a minor but real vulnerability for users who work with their hands or exercise in environments where the watch face might contact hard surfaces.
Common Questions Buyers Ask
Final Verdict
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active is a carefully considered budget smartwatch that makes smart trade-offs rather than careless ones. The two-inch screen is genuinely useful, the battery endurance is one of the best arguments for the device, and the fifty-metre water resistance with active swim tracking gives it real sporting credibility.
The missing GPS chip will be a dealbreaker for a specific subset of buyers — those who train outdoors without their phones. For everyone else, particularly first-time smartwatch users, casual runners and swimmers, or people who want a comprehensive health dashboard on their wrist without spending aggressively, this watch delivers far more than its price suggests it should.
Recommended
Best suited for first-time smartwatch buyers, swimmers, casual runners who carry their phone, and anyone who puts battery endurance and screen size at the top of their priority list. If you carry your phone during workouts and want a durable, long-lasting, capable health companion with a screen large enough to actually read, the Redmi Watch 5 Active earns a clear recommendation.
