Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active Review: Big Fitness Features in a Tiny Budget Package
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active lands in the ultra-budget smartwatch category with surprising ambition. Retailing at just $49.99, it squeezes in a full-color 1.83-inch display, built-in GPS, heart rate and SpO₂ sensors, 5ATM water resistance, and a suite of workout and health-tracking features that usually cost double—or even triple—that price. It’s clearly targeted at fitness-conscious users who want core tracking features without the premium price tag, and it’s hard not to admire Xiaomi’s value-first strategy here.
That said, expectations should be grounded. This is not a high-end sports tracker or an ecosystem-heavy wearable like Apple Watch or Garmin. The Redmi Watch 5 Active instead excels in providing the “basics-plus”: accurate enough sensors, reliable daily notifications, and a lightweight design ideal for all-day wear. It doesn’t support third-party apps or LTE calling, and Xiaomi’s Mi Fitness app still lags behind competitors like Fitbit and Samsung Health in polish and insights.
Still, if you’re a casual fitness user or someone shopping for a first smartwatch that won't burn a hole in your wallet, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active offers tremendous value. It punches well above its weight in several areas—especially battery life, GPS performance, and overall comfort. Just be ready for a few compromises.
MSRP (when available or best estimate): $49.99
Price: Check Price on Amazon
✅ Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active Pros
✅ Impressive value at $49.99
Offers features typically found in smartwatches twice its price, like GPS, SpO₂ monitoring, and a 1.83" AMOLED-like display.
✅ Built-in GPS
Rare in this price range, and works surprisingly well for basic running and walking without needing your phone.
✅ Solid fitness tracking suite
Supports over 100 workout modes and includes heart rate, SpO₂, and sleep tracking.
✅ Bluetooth calling support
Includes a built-in mic and speaker with dual-mic noise cancellation for making and receiving calls via your phone.
✅ Lightweight and comfortable
At just 26.4g (with strap), it’s extremely comfortable for all-day wear, including during sleep.
✅ Good battery life
Lasts up to 11–12 days on typical usage, with fast magnetic charging.
✅ Water resistance up to 5ATM
Makes it swim-friendly and durable for rainy workouts.
✅ Attractive, minimal design
The rectangular shape and slim bezels give it a clean, modern look that works on all wrist sizes.
❌ Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active Cons
❌ No third-party app support
You’re limited to what Xiaomi provides—no Spotify, Strava, or WhatsApp extensions here.
❌ Mi Fitness app lacks depth
Insights and analytics feel basic, and syncing issues have been reported by some Android users.
❌ No voice assistant integration
Despite the mic, there's no support for Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant at this time.
❌ Screen visibility in sunlight is average
The TFT display looks decent indoors but struggles under direct sun.
❌ No NFC or payments support
You can’t use it for contactless payments, which limits convenience.
❌ Step counting can overestimate
Some users reported inflated step counts, especially during commutes or light arm movements.
❌ Notification replies are limited
You can receive messages and calls, but there’s no support for typing or voice-replying to messages.
❌ Limited ecosystem integration
Doesn’t connect with other health platforms like Google Fit or Apple Health.
Smart Features & Core Tech
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active
Health & Wellness Sensors
For a sub-$50 fitness watch, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active impresses with a solid roster of health sensors. It includes 24/7 heart rate monitoring, SpO₂ (blood oxygen) tracking, sleep tracking (including REM cycles), and built-in GPS. There’s also accelerometer data used to support stress monitoring and step counting.
While Xiaomi doesn’t use a proprietary advanced biosensor like Fitbit’s PurePulse or Garmin’s Elevate series, user feedback suggests that the readings are relatively accurate—especially for casual fitness tracking. SpO₂ readings take around 10–15 seconds and are available on-demand. Continuous tracking is only partial, showing results during sleep and workouts.
The GPS is built into the watch itself—a huge win at this price—and supports walking, running, cycling, and outdoor training modes without needing your phone. Accuracy was rated by most users as “good enough” for recreational runs and hikes, though a few noted minor inconsistencies in route mapping when compared side-by-side with phones or higher-end devices.
There is no ECG, skin temperature, or advanced heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, which isn’t a surprise at this budget. But for 90% of casual users, the core health tracking will check every important box.
Smart Health Insights
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active Active goes beyond passive sensing with its integrated health software, including:
- Sleep score summaries based on duration and sleep stages - Basic stress monitoring (derived from HR + movement patterns) - Breathing exercises (manual prompts) - Workout recognition for 6 core activities - Step goals and calorie burn tracking
Sleep tracking is automatic and reviews indicate it’s reasonably accurate. It recognizes sleep and wake periods without major drift. However, its insights remain surface-level: there’s no readiness score, recovery index, or deeper analysis like Garmin’s Body Battery or Fitbit’s Daily Readiness.
Still, the watch provides simple progress metrics, heart rate zone breakdowns during workouts, and colorful data visualizations via the Mi Fitness app. Beginners will find these tools intuitive, but data nerds may be left wanting more.
Voice Assistant & Productivity Features
This is one area where Xiaomi falls short—there’s no built-in voice assistant support. Even though the watch includes a microphone and speaker for Bluetooth calling, it doesn’t tie into Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. You can’t dictate a reminder, ask for weather, or control smart home devices.
That said, you *can* use the mic and speaker for hands-free calling once your phone is paired over Bluetooth. Call quality is rated as decent, and Xiaomi advertises dual-mic noise cancellation with a directional pickup range of 80cm. Several users on Amazon confirmed they were able to answer and place calls directly from the wrist, as long as the watch was near the phone.
Notifications also appear in real time from your smartphone, including SMS, WhatsApp, and app alerts. But you can’t reply via voice or quick-reply templates—just read them.
Display & UX Enhancements
Xiaomi equips the Redmi Watch 5 Active with a 1.83-inch rectangular TFT display running at 240x280 resolution. While it’s not AMOLED, it’s surprisingly vibrant and colorful for the price. Brightness is manually adjustable but lacks adaptive brightness or ambient light sensing, which could be missed during night use or outdoor runs.
The UI is a mix of swipe gestures, tap interactions, and long-presses. It’s snappy and well-optimized for the hardware, with only minor lags reported when switching watch faces or swiping rapidly through notifications. Watch face customization is available through the Mi Fitness app, which includes dozens of options, some animated.
There’s no always-on display feature, but raise-to-wake works consistently according to users. A minor nitpick is the thick chin bezel on the bottom, which slightly cheapens the otherwise sleek appearance.
Additional Tools & Bonuses
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active includes a few convenience extras, though it skips some more premium ones:
- **Music controls**: Lets you pause, skip, and adjust volume on your phone’s audio.
- **Bluetooth calling**: As mentioned above, supports in-wrist calling via dual-mic setup.
- **Weather forecast and alarms**
- **Timer, stopwatch, and flashlight mode**
- **Find My Phone**
- **Sedentary reminders**
For a watch at this price, the feature set is shockingly complete—and even a little ambitious.
Performance & User Experience
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active
Health & Fitness Accuracy
For a fitness-focused wearable under $50, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active delivers performance that’s better than expected—but not flawless. It covers the most critical tracking needs: heart rate monitoring, sleep analysis, blood oxygen (SpO₂) tracking, and GPS-backed outdoor workouts.
Let’s start with heart rate tracking. The watch uses an optical PPG sensor to provide 24/7 monitoring and zone-based tracking during workouts. In casual use, heart rate data was reported as accurate by most users, with only minor lags or spikes during high-intensity interval training. However, more serious athletes noticed some delay in heart rate responsiveness compared to chest straps or mid-tier Garmin models.
Sleep tracking is automatic and reasonably reliable. It breaks down light, deep, and REM sleep, with added heart rate and SpO₂ insights. That said, it doesn’t offer advanced metrics like respiratory rate or sleep consistency over time. Some users mentioned it misclassified nap times or failed to detect wake periods precisely.
GPS accuracy is surprisingly competent. On walks and runs, route maps are usually within 95% of smartphone GPS apps like Strava or Google Fit. Elevation data isn’t supported, and satellite lock-on time can take 5–10 seconds. But once connected, distance and pace tracking are generally reliable. The inclusion of built-in GPS at this price point is rare and arguably the biggest win here.
Step counting is more hit-or-miss. Daily tallies sometimes overestimate movement—especially during commutes or gesturing. This is a common trade-off in budget trackers without advanced movement filtering.
Calorie tracking and stress measurements are also available but should be seen as directional rather than clinically accurate. They’re based on basic HR + motion algorithms rather than deeper bioanalysis.
In short: the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active nails the essentials for general fitness users. If you're looking to log walks, monitor heart rate zones, track sleep, and follow outdoor runs with GPS, it gets the job done. Just don’t expect pinpoint accuracy or athlete-level feedback.
Notifications & App Integration
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active offers a basic but mostly reliable notification experience that gets the job done for casual users. You can receive alerts from SMS, calls, calendar events, and third-party apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook—provided they’re enabled through the Mi Fitness app.
Notifications come through quickly and display well on the 1.83-inch screen, though the lack of AMOLED means text isn’t as crisp as on higher-end models. You can view message previews, app names, and contact info—but you can’t reply directly. There are no canned responses or voice input options for messaging apps, which may be a drawback for users hoping for interactive features.
One upside: call notifications are fully functional. The Redmi Watch 5 Active includes Bluetooth calling support, so you can answer or decline calls, and even talk through the built-in mic and speaker. Users report call quality as “surprisingly clear” for this price range, though audio volume is best used indoors or in quiet environments.
The watch syncs with the Mi Fitness app (formerly Xiaomi Wear), which acts as the control center for notifications, health data, watch face settings, and firmware updates. While the app is serviceable, it lags behind more polished ecosystems like Fitbit or Samsung Health. It lacks advanced integrations—there’s no Google Fit sync or Apple Health support—and user feedback points to occasional sync delays on both Android and iOS devices.
In short, you’ll be able to stay in the loop for messages and calls, but don’t expect a productivity powerhouse. Notifications are read-only, and app integration is limited to Xiaomi’s own platform.
Smart Assistant & Voice Control
Here’s where the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active feels its most limited. Despite having a built-in microphone and speaker for Bluetooth calling, it does **not** include any smart assistant functionality—no Alexa, no Google Assistant, no Xiaomi voice command system.
That’s worth highlighting because many budget smartwatches (especially from Amazfit and Noise) are starting to integrate voice assistant features—even if basic. The lack here means you can’t ask for the weather, set a timer with your voice, or control smart home devices. For some users, this may not be a dealbreaker, but it does reduce the productivity potential of the watch.
What the mic is used for, however, is **Bluetooth calling**. Once paired to your phone, you can take calls directly from your wrist. You’ll hear the caller through the watch speaker and talk through the onboard mic. Xiaomi touts dual-mic noise reduction, and while it’s no replacement for your smartphone, user reviews frequently praise the clarity for casual use.
So, while it has the hardware for voice features, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active falls short on software. There's no speech recognition layer built in, and you can’t issue commands or dictate messages. You can only accept/reject calls and use the mic for audio during those calls.
If voice control is essential for your daily flow, this may be a weak spot. But if you’re okay with using your phone for smart assistant tasks, the Redmi Watch 5 Active still delivers surprising utility for the price.
Battery Life
Battery life is one of the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active’s standout features. Officially rated for up to 11 days of “typical usage” and up to 20 days in battery saver mode, it comfortably beats most smartwatches in this price range—and even some that cost twice as much.
In real-world use, user reports align fairly well with Xiaomi’s claims. With continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, a few GPS workouts per week, and moderate notifications, most users reported getting between 9–12 days per charge. That number drops to around 4–5 days if you push daily GPS use or frequent Bluetooth calls, but even then, it’s above average for budget wearables.
Charging is handled via a proprietary magnetic dock, and a full charge takes about 1.5–2 hours. The magnets are decently strong and align quickly, though a few users noted it can be sensitive to placement—so make sure it’s seated correctly or the charge might not start.
There’s no wireless charging, and no quick charge mode, but honestly, at this price, that’s forgivable.
Battery-saving settings let you toggle off continuous SpO₂ tracking or reduce screen brightness to stretch longevity further. There’s also a dedicated Power Saving Mode, which disables most smart functions but keeps basic time and step tracking running for extended wear.
Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active earns serious points here. It’s a low-maintenance watch that won’t have you reaching for the charger every other day—a key selling point for casual users who want hassle-free health tracking.
Comfort & Design
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active may be a budget device, but it doesn’t look or feel like one on the wrist. Weighing just 26.4 grams with the strap, it's exceptionally lightweight—even compared to some fitness bands—and almost disappears during daily wear. This makes it a great option for sleep tracking, long workouts, or simply for users who prefer minimal bulk.
The watch features a 1.83-inch rectangular display housed in a matte-finish plastic case. While the materials are clearly plastic, the finish is clean and doesn’t look overly cheap. The bezels are slim on the sides and top, though there’s a noticeable chin at the bottom that reminds you this is a value-focused product. There’s a single side button that’s tactile and responsive, used for back/confirm functions.
Straps are made of soft TPU and are available in multiple colors. They’re comfortable and non-irritating, even during sweat-heavy workouts. The band uses a traditional watch clasp, not a loop-style, which many users found more secure. The strap is also detachable using a simple pin mechanism, though third-party compatibility may be limited due to Xiaomi’s custom lug design.
One design highlight is the watch face customization. While there’s no always-on display, the raise-to-wake gesture works well, and Xiaomi includes a variety of downloadable watch faces—some animated—for added personality. The display itself is a TFT LCD, which won’t rival AMOLED models in color depth or black levels, but it’s colorful enough for daily use. Outdoor visibility is average; some users said it’s difficult to see under bright sunlight, even at full brightness.
In summary, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active gets the comfort part absolutely right and scores solidly on design. It’s not luxurious, but it’s functional, clean, and wearable all day and night.
Companion App & Ecosystem
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active pairs with the Mi Fitness app (formerly known as Xiaomi Wear), which serves as the main hub for syncing health data, customizing watch settings, viewing workout history, and installing firmware updates. The app is available for both Android and iOS, and pairing the watch is relatively quick and stable for most users.
Let’s start with the good. The app provides a clean layout with tiles for heart rate, sleep, SpO₂, stress levels, and workout summaries. It also includes watch face management, firmware updates, app notification controls, and device settings—all easily accessible from the home screen. The sync process is mostly seamless, though a few users have reported occasional hiccups where data lags behind or fails to upload unless the app is reopened manually.
Now for the caveats. Compared to more established ecosystems like Fitbit, Garmin, or Samsung Health, the Mi Fitness app still feels basic. While it shows your stats, it doesn’t offer much in the way of insights or analysis. You won’t find recovery scores, training load trends, or weekly health summaries here. The graphs are static, and there’s no ability to export data or connect with third-party platforms like Google Fit, Apple Health, or Strava.
Third-party app integration is also nonexistent. You can’t install Spotify controls, navigation apps, or any kind of plugin. This makes the Redmi Watch 5 Active more of a standalone fitness tool than an ecosystem-connected smartwatch.
That said, for casual users who want simple visualizations and basic health monitoring, the Mi Fitness app gets the job done. It's functional and accessible—even if it lacks the bells and whistles of more mature platforms.
Final Verdict
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active
The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active is one of those rare devices that genuinely overdelivers at its price point. For just $49.99, you’re getting a smartwatch with built-in GPS, SpO₂ and heart rate sensors, Bluetooth calling, and multi-day battery life — features often reserved for devices costing twice or even three times more.
This isn’t the right choice for power users or serious athletes who demand granular data, smart assistant integration, or deep app ecosystems. It also won’t win awards for display quality or voice interaction — those are the watch’s biggest gaps. But for someone who just wants to track walks, sleep, workouts, and stay on top of calls and messages from their wrist, it’s more than sufficient.
The ideal user for the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active is someone who’s new to smartwatches, or who wants a fitness tracker that looks more like a modern smartwatch — and doesn’t cost a fortune. It’s also perfect for kids, older adults, or anyone who wants a dependable daily wearable without worrying about fragile materials or constant charging.
Bottom line: it’s not flashy, but it’s functional. And at under $50, it’s easily one of the best budget fitness smartwatches of 2025.
FAQ
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active
Does the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active support voice assistants like Alexa or Google?
No, it does not include any smart assistant functionality, even though it has a built-in microphone for calls.
Can I make or receive calls directly on the watch?
Yes. It supports Bluetooth calling through a built-in mic and speaker once paired with your smartphone.
Is this watch compatible with iPhones?
Yes, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active works with both Android and iOS devices via the Mi Fitness app, though features may be slightly more limited on iOS.
Does the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active track sleep automatically?
Yes. It provides automatic sleep tracking, including REM detection and heart rate trends during sleep.
Additional Information
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