There are tons of smartwatch options in the market that offers a handful of health and activity-tracking features in an affordable price. And Xiaomi has been one of the manufacturers that produces popular entry-level wearables. Its new release, the Redmi Watch 3 Active is currently hot in the eyes of potential buyers, especially those who are just trying to get their feet wet in the smartwatch world.
Redmi Watch 3 Active Review
Review Summary:
Pros
- Good overall health and activity tracking feature
- Solid and lightweight design
- Efficient app support
- Long battery life
- Very affordable price for a smartwatch
Cons
- Limited interactive capability for users
- No GPS support
The Redmi Watch 3 Active comes at a very affordable price of PhP 1,999, and you can buy this online via Shopee. This price is quite affordable for a smartwatch; but where did the company cut corners to achieve this feat? And what are the essential features that this smartwatch possesses that will make users buy it? Let's delve deeper in this review to find out!
Design and Build
The Redmi Watch 3 Active has a sleek and stylish design, with a focus on simplicity and functionality. The watch resembles a squarish design with rounded corners; it definitely mimics the design of an Apple Watch, even with the implementation of its strap too. The watch's body is constructed mainly with plastic materials; although it looks solid, you could tell that it can easily be scratched.
The watch's rear has a matte finish where you can find the sensor and contact points for charging. The frame is also made of plastic but it differentiates itself with a glossy finish which is very smooth to touch. It's a fingerprint magnet but you can easily wipe it clean. The frame houses the power/home button at the right side; it's very clickable with good tactile mechanism. Below it, there's a tiny hole provision for the microphone.
We have an LCD panel on the Redmi Watch 3 Active's display that features a 2.5D curved high strength glass, giving it an elegant appearance with better wear resistance. The side bezels are quite thick, but you can make this less obvious by using a watch face with a black background. Speaking of watch face, there are three default local watch faces that you can instantly use by long-pressing from homescreen. These include the Heartbeat, Glow stick, and Classic data. Additionally, there are more watch faces to discover via this smartwatch's companion app.
The watch comes with TPU straps that are designed to be flexible, durable, and smooth to touch. They're also interchangeable; which means that you can change the appearance of your straps according to your liking. I'm sure there will be lots of third-party vendors to offer you this option.
The wearable is also certified to 5ATM standards which means that it's water resistant for up to 50 meters in depth for 10 minutes. So, there's no need to worry about getting wet. You can use this watch for shallow water activities in the pool without problem.
Display
The Redmi Watch 3 Active sports a large 1.83-inch LCD display. This is something I genuinely appreciate on this budget smartwatch as it provides clear visuals and easy navigation. In my time reviewing the Watch 3 Active, I find it easier to view pushed notifications and workout status on the big screen. Viewing angles are also fine, so it's easier to glance my current workout activities without looking at it on eye level.
The colors are okay but it lacks contrast and saturation. Also, pixels are evident when you try to look closely, but this is just me being nitpicky especially given that this smartwatch belongs in the entry-level segment. Additionally, the screen comes with 450 nits of peak brightness. At full brightness, the screen is bright enough for outdoor use.
Health and Fitness Features
For a budget smartwatch, the Redmi Watch 3 Active offers a wide range of health and fitness features to cater to users' active lifestyles. These include all-day heart rate and SpO2 monitoring, advanced sleep tracking, stress measure, step counting, calorie tracking, and various workout modes.
What sets this budget smartwatch apart is its dedication to ensuring that users can engage in diverse physical activities with its 100+ sports and workout modes. With the plethora of modes available, you can effortlessly monitor and optimize your performance during Outdoor running, Walking, Hiking, Outdoor cycling, and Treadmill. Likewise, you can track Outdoor activities like trekking, skateboarding, as well as activities that include Training, Dance, Combat sports, Ball sports, Winter sports, and Recreational sports which you can find in the "More" section of the Workouts tracker.
I tried two workout modes - HIIT and Treadmill. With the latter, I could say that the watch can precisely track the number of calories burned, distance travelled, time of workout, and more. It also gives you distance prompts, like when you reach 1 km, 2km, and so on. I compared my stats to the actual counter on the treadmill, and I am quite surprised that the figures (calories burned and distance) are very close. Additionally, the watch also notifies you when you reached certain daily milestone like hitting your Move Goal, Exercise Goal, and more.
Moreover, to get a brief overview of your daily statistics, just head to the main menu and click on "Stats." There, you'll find a summary of your daily step count, active calories burned, time spent being active, and the number of hours you've spent standing. For a more detailed analysis of your overall health and fitness, you can access the comprehensive data through the Mi Fitness App.
It's worth noting that this watch does not have a built-in GPS for accurate tracking of your outdoor exercises, which basically enables you to map your routes and accurately measure distances covered, or even do trekking or running activities without bringing your phone. Should you prefer a Redmi watch with built-in GPS, you can go for the Redmi Watch 3 instead. Below is a comparison of the two watches.
Redmi Watch 3 Active vs Redmi Watch 3 comparison
| Watch 3 Active | Redmi Watch 3 |
|---|---|
| 1.83-inch, 240×280p | 1.75 inch, 390×450p |
| LCD, 60Hz | AMOLED, 60Hz |
| up to 450 nits | up to 600 nits |
| Built-in GPS | |
| Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| 5ATM | 5ATM |
| Heart rate, SpO2 | Heart rate, SpO2 |
| Accelerometer | Accelerometer |
| Gyroscope | |
| Geomagnetic | |
| 289mAh battery | 289mAh battery |
| 12 days (normal) | 12 days (normal) |
| Supported speaker, mic | Supported speaker, mic |
| Android 6.0, iOS 12 or higher | Android 6.0, iOS 12 or higher |
| 46.94 x 38.88 x 10.94mm | 42.58 x 36.56 x 9.99mm |
| 41.67 grams (w/ straps) | 37 grams (w/ straps) |
| PHP 1,999 | PHP 4,999 |
Overall, I'm quite impressed by the smartwatch's remarkable ability to provide an extensive array of health and fitness features, especially considering its highly accessible and budget-friendly price. The watch goes above and beyond the expectations one might have for its cost, making it an excellent value for money, and it truly caters to individuals seeking to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.
Battery Life
One of the things I love about the Redmi Watch 3 Active is its ultra long battery life. It's equipped with a LiPo 289mAh battery. Based on actual usage, it lasted several days on a single charge. In fact, as stated by Xiaomi, the Redmi Watch 3 Active can last up to 12 days with normal daily use. It also takes about two hours to fully charge this wearable device using its proprietary magnetic charger.
This impressive battery life makes it exceptionally convenient for users who don't want to worry about charging their smartwatch daily.
Connectivity, Compatibility, App Support
The Redmi Watch 3 Active supports Bluetooth v5.3 connectivity to pair with your smartphone, allowing you to receive notifications directly on your wrist. Likewise, it supports Bluetooth calling so you can answer calls by just simply raising your hand. It's compatible with both Android and iOS devices which makes it accessible to a broad range of users.
The Redmi Watch 3 Active also comes with a companion app, Mi Fitness, that expands your watch's functionalities. You can download it in Google Play or Apple's App Store. With this app, you can keep track of your health and fitness in an easy and complete way. You can view more details about your daily activities and look at detailed info and trends so you can make smart choices for a healthier and more active lifestyle. It comes with 200+ watch faces, and you could also customize using your own photo to display on your watch.
User Interface
The Redmi Watch 3 Active is designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Its user interface has been thoughtfully organized so users can access various features and settings with ease. Apart from the well-designed layout, navigating through the watch's functions and menu is a breeze, thanks to the watch's responsive touch screen.
The menu comes in two styles: the list style and grid style. I personally like the grid style which displays the watch menu in cool icons. You can access your notifications by swiping down from the top of the screen, but please note that you can only do this much. This means that while you can view your notifications on the watch, you can't interact with it but you can trigger using your watch to open up your notifications on your phone. Needless to say, you cannot reply to messages using your watch, and the smartwatch also lacks automatic reply and handwriting features.
The Redmi Watch 3 Active supports handy gestures like Raise to wake, as well as Cover to sleep and Double tap to wake that you can toggle via display settings. This budget smartwatch lacks an Always-on display feature. You can keep the screen awake for a maximum of twenty (20) minutes, but bear in mind that this will also affect battery life.
You can't download third-party apps like Spotify or Strava. However, the watch allows you to manage your music tracks via the remote control function.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Before we wrap up, here are some frequently asked questions:
Can Redmi Watch 3 Active answer calls?
- Yes, the device is equipped with both a speaker and a microphone, enabling you to respond to phone calls (from your smartphone) on your watch via Bluetooth Calling Feature. It's important to note that voice calls from third-party applications are not currently supported.
Is Redmi Watch 3 Active waterproof?
- Yes, the smartwatch comes with excellent 5ATM water resistance. You can wear the Redmi Watch 3 Active while swimming. Whether you're enjoying cool splashes in shallow water or snorkeling, you can wear the watch all the time.
Can I play music on Redmi Watch 3 Active?
- No. You're only able to control your music played on your phone using the watch, where you can pause, play, go to the next song, and even control the volume. Needless to say, you can't download apps like Spotify as this watch does not come with an app store.
Can you send messages on Redmi Watch 3 Active?
- No, this is not supported, even quick reply.
Does Redmi Watch 3 Active come with inbuilt storage so that we could store music?
- Unspecified storage. You can't store and play music independently of your phone with the Redmi Watch 3 Active.
Verdict: Should You Buy The Xiaomi Redmi Watch 3 Active?
The Redmi Watch 3 Active emerges as a strong contender for the best budget smartwatch of 2023. With its unbeatable price point and the array of features that it offers, it truly stands out as an exceptional value-for-money smartwatch.
Indeed, while the Redmi Watch 3 Active may lack an AMOLED display and built-in GPS to keep its price affordable, it still demonstrates that essential smartwatch features can remain accessible to everyone without compromising on quality and functionality. Whether you're an active individual aiming to enhance your fitness journey, a student or young professional seeking a smart companion, the Redmi Watch 3 Active has something to offer to everyone.
