With features like a heart rate monitor, SpO2, and a sleep tracker, the Redmi Watch 3 is a respectable addition to your smartphone and costs Rs 2,999. Certain areas require development. Despite the continued growth of the Indian smart-wearable market, Xiaomi has remained relatively under the radar. This may be due to the smartphone manufacturer taking a more measured approach to smartwatches than Indian competitors Noise, boAt, Fire-Boltt, and Gizmore. However, Xiaomi is familiar with this market because its Mi Bands had a significant impact on the development of affordable wearables. The Redmi brand of smartwatches is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its market share. However, Xiaomi recently changed its slogan.
To give one example, Xiaomi’s new Redmi Watch 3 Active offers nearly everything we need (and want) from smartwatches in the sub-Rs 3K category. It offers practical health features like a sleep tracker, stress monitor, heart-rate monitor, and SpO2. Additionally, there are some useful extra features like Theatre mode, Bluetooth calling, and SoS alert.The Redmi Watch 3 Active’s ability to give users more control over the interface and settings sets it apart from other smartwatches. For instance, the Mi Fitness app allows users to easily customise widgets. In addition, you can sync your calendar and messages, which theoretically cuts down on the amount of time you spend staring at your phone screen. The smartwatch’s most important feature is its 12-day battery life, which could be very handy for someone who detests having to charge the same thing every day.In that case, should you consider the Rs 2,999 Redmi Watch 3 Active if you’re thinking about getting a new watch? You should be aware of the following.
Redmi Watch 3 Active design and display
With its rectangular frame and softly rounded corners, the Redmi Watch 3 Active initially resembles an Apple Watch. Although the frame is primarily made of plastic, a “non-conductive vacuum metallisation” coating gives it a more expensive appearance. Considering the smartwatch has a 1.83-inch display, it also keeps the weight low. I personally don’t mind the build quality, but I hope Xiaomi experiments with new looks given how much the Watch 3 Active resembles the Watch 2 Lite from the previous year. There is waterproofing of 5ATM.By no means does this imply that the Watch 3 Active looks or feels inferior. Its premium appearance is furthered by the glossy finish left by the metallic coating on the rims. The side button also makes a satisfying click. Customers have the option of platinum grey or charcoal black. I was given the black unit for the review, and I think it looks pretty good. I also got an olive-green strap that looks better than the black band I had before. The cost of just Rs 499 is also fair.
The silicone strap’s resemblance to the Sport band from Fitbit, complete with a quick-release pin, is my favourite feature of it. Compared to the traditional metal buckle used on vintage watches and even some budget smartwatches, I much prefer this. Unless you have a silicone material allergy, the Redmi Watch 3 Active’s band is cosy and simple to use. Even when wearing the watch to bed, I didn’t feel uncomfortable while reviewing it.Outside, the Redmi Watch 3 Active’s display is bright enough, and the touch sensitivity is respectable. The transition between apps and other features scrolls fairly smoothly, though occasionally there may be some stutters. Though I’ve seen better colours on smartwatches with AMOLED displays, the colours themselves are still good. The large 1.83-inch display is surprisingly useful and enjoyable to use, though.
Additionally, the Redmi Watch 3 Active allayed my general concerns about wearing a large display on your wrist. Additionally, Xiaomi has added some considerate display features, such as the theatre mode, which turns off notifications and lowers the brightness when you’re watching a movie. Although you can extend the auto lock for up to five minutes, there is no always-on mode. Extending auto lock is a clever way to prologue the battery backup, even though I still prefer an AOD mode. During one week-long review, other features like “raise to wake” and “cover display to enable sleep mode” also operated without a hitch.Xiaomi should make the bezels smaller on their upcoming Watch model, in my opinion. The Redmi Watch 3 Active’s thick bezels don’t significantly interfere with viewing, but slimmer bezels would give them some serious bragging rights.
Redmi Watch 3 Active performance
Readers should be aware that while I used the smartwatch with an Android phone, they can also use it with an iPhone before I continue. During my review, I had no connectivity problems.In summary, the Redmi Watch 3 Active offers nearly all of the features you’d want in a smartwatch under Rs 3,000. The Redmi Watch 3 Active is very simple to use, from setup to daily use. The popular Hindi proverb “ye dil maange more” (the heart desires more) describes how I feel somewhat.
The Redmi Watch 3 Active is no exception to the rule that smartwatches generally don’t provide the most precise measurements of your health metrics. These provide helpful starting points for tracking your healthy habits. Naturally, accuracy would be the main consideration.While running at the gym, I found inaccuracies in the Redmi Watch 3 Active’s reading of my step count. When I compared the results to Fitbit Versa 4, the Redmi Watch 3 Active occasionally counted two extra steps. The bottom line is that in order to achieve your desired result, you must walk an additional mile at the end of the day.
Sadly, there isn’t an altimeter to monitor elevation or altitude changes. Tracking when someone ascends or descends hills or stairs could be very helpful.At least the Redmi Watch consistently measured the SpO2 and resting heart rate. I compared the findings to an inexpensive oximeter. A stress calculator with a range of 1 to 100 is also available. Between 30 and 40 was where I mostly experienced mild stress (which I doubt). An auto-stress tracking feature and alerts to get reminders to take deep breaths when the levels are high would have been nice. In a similar vein, while not always accurate, the sleep tracker provides a useful baseline. Users can track their various sleep stages (REM, light)
The Redmi watch is more about the experience than the hardware, as I previously stated. You can get calendars, call logs, and notifications. The pre-set timers’ and the weather app’s user interfaces are appealing to me. You can click phones with the connected smartphone by using the Redmi Watch 3 Active as a Bluetooth remote. There is also Bluetooth calling, which in my testing surprisingly performed well. The large 1.83-inch display makes it much more convenient to type numbers. Users of the app can even set their preferred contacts.
Redmi Watch 3 Active power source
The Redmi Watch 3 Active’s battery life is arguably my favourite feature. The backup per charge is much better because there is no AOD. Since I received the watch almost nine days ago, to be completely honest, I haven’t even tried to charge it. The wake time was held constant at 2 minutes to achieve this. The backup per charge will decrease if five minutes are chosen.With the included magnetic charger, Xiaomi claims a 12-day battery life and a two-hour charging time.
Redmi Watch 3 Active verdict
The Redmi Watch 3 Active gets the fundamentals right overall, so users shouldn’t have many serious issues with the smartwatch. However, Xiaomi is up against fierce competition from domestic rivals, and for good reason. While the price of Rs 2,999 may not seem excessive in comparison to Apple Watches or Samsung Galaxy Watches, there are companies like Noise and boAt that sell smartwatches with comparable features for considerably less money.But rather than the features or the price, the Redmi Watch 3 Active is more about the overall experience. The smartwatch can sometimes give the impression of being a dependable extension of your smartphone. Large display, battery life, and an intuitive app experience are some of the Redmi Watch 3 Active’s advantages over competitors in the market.Lack of an always-on display, a generic design, and sporadic auto-trackers are some of its flaws. However, Xiaomi has a solid history of paying attention to its customers and supporters. The future will only become clear with time.