Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Active review

Full review

The Redmi Watch 5 Active is about as little as you can spend and still get a proper watch. Xiaomi's spec page lists a 2.0 inch LCD at 320 x 385 with up to 500 nits, so it is large and clear indoors but dimmer than the AMOLED screens on the other watches here, and harder to read in strong sun.

Battery is its best feature: 18 days of typical use or 12 days of heavy use from a 470 mAh cell. It is rated 5 ATM, supports Bluetooth calling, offers more than 140 sports modes and weighs 42.2 g with its strap. The body measures 49.1 x 40.4 x 11.4 mm, which is bulky on a slim wrist.

What it lacks is anything that costs money. We could not confirm built-in GPS, ECG, payments or the software platform from the pages we read, so treat it as a step-counter, notification and basic workout tracker that uses your phone for location. Check the buttons for today's price.

For a child, a first smartwatch or a spare gym watch, that is hard to argue with. If you run or hike and want standalone GPS, spend a little more on the Amazfit Active 2 or CMF Watch 3 Pro.