The latest edition of Redmi Watch 3 is here. Looking at the specs, it truly feels like the best and could end up as the best budget smartwatch of 2023. This time the watch is looking very strong. I feel like it is the rebirth of the Redmi Watch, as there are some serious upgrades to the previous generation.
So, here is a comprehensive review of the smartwatch covering everything from basic unboxing to fitness tracking and performance testing.
Let’s Inspect
Summary
Pros
- Incredibly Affordable
- Alexa Support
- Beautiful Screen and Strong Plastic Body
- Precise fitness tracking
- Over 120 sports modes
- Ability to make phone calls
Cons
- Internal storage is inaccessible
- GPS is off by 10 to 15 meters
- No NFC
Redmi Watch 3 – Price
The watch’s price is incredible; in Europe, the smartwatch costs 119 EUR. Which is less than the Amazfit GTS4 Mini and GTS 3 and almost twice cheaper than Fitbit Versa and Apple Watch SE.
Redmi Watch 3 – Unboxing
Unboxing felt great; the box is lovely and has prominent features mentioned all around. I have got the Black variant. There is another color called Ivory.
The insides are very generic, and the smartwatch on top is very well and tightly wrapped with plastic. Removing the cover will reveal the accessories. Inside we have the user manual and charger.
Appearance and Build Quality
Out of the box, the Redmi Watch 3 looks excellent. It has a plastic frame with a genuine metal-like finish. On top, we have a glass screen with anti-fingerprint coating, while all the sensors are on the back to keep them in contact with the wrist.
Like the previous generation, the smartwatch has only one button on the right. The power button act as both a home and app button.
The strap is the same as we have seen in the Mi Band and previous generations of Redmi Watch. I am not a fan of button straps that feel annoying and have a high chance of getting unbuckled with just a little push. One way to resolve that is by getting a new one with a buckle mechanism.
Technical Specifications
- Chipset: Updated but Undisclosed
- Display: 1.75-inch AMOLED Display, 390×450 Resolution and 600nits of peak brightness
- Body: Plastic Frame, Glass Screen, and TPU Strap
- Weight: 37 grams with strap
- Sensors: Heart Rate Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Geomagnetic Sensor
- Battery: 289mAh
- NFC: No
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
- GPS: Beidou, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS
- Speaker and Microphone: Yes
- Waterproof: 5ATM
User Experience
Redmi Watch 3 is a well-capable fitness tracker and feature watch with excellent smart features. But let’s start with how to use the device and the overall user experience. As mentioned above, the power button is the home and app button, and the long press will launch Alexa. Swiping down will expand the notifications, which is excellent and well-organized. Some emojis are not visible, and we cannot respond to the messages. Swiping up will reveal the quick toggles. While left and right will take you through cards with four apps each. They are well-grouped, and the interface looks very colorful and stylish.
Overall, the screen is very snappy and responsive. You will not notice any difference between the performance of the Redmi Watch 3 and the twice-expensive Apple Watch SE 2.
Redmi Watch 3 – Features
The third generation has brought many new and positive changes to the system. First up, we have the speakers and microphones. It is a massive addition and gives us the power to make phone calls and listen to music during workouts.
Another nice feature is the Alexa. Now you can take complete benefit and use it to control your smartwatch. I think it is a massive feature for a budget smartwatch.
When we compare the watch to some Fitbits and Huawei fitness trackers, the watch faces on these products are paid for and cost quite a lot. On the contrary, Redmi provides a wide range of attractive and functional watch faces for free. It might not seem much, but it is pretty useful.
Moreover, the watch also has a complete Strava integration that works perfectly fine.
Some other minor features that I love in Redmi Watch 3. You can now integrate your smartphone’s calendar event in the Redmi Watch 3. Moreover, it has productivity tools as well. One thing that I really wanted to see is NFC integration. It would have been an excellent feature for the budget smartwatch.
Redmi Watch 3 – Fitness Tracking
Fitness tracking is one of the strengths of Redmi Watch 3. The heart rate tracking and blood oxygen saturation measurements are on point. Sleep tracking was also exceptional; it successfully detects deep sleep, REM, and awake time. Moreover, the stress and steps counter was also on point.
Talking about the sports mode, it has over 120, including 10 in-built running courses. They are fantastic and work fine as well. But when it comes to GPS tracking, things take a slight turn. The accuracy was off by 10 to 15 meters, even on a sunny day. Moreover, locking the signal was very time-consuming. Sometimes it even took over a minute to establish the connection and starts tracking.
The GPS with Xiaomi Smart Band 7 was also similar when it arrived, but with consistent updates and enhancement, Xiaomi was able to make it fairly better and more accurate. So, we can hope for better results in the future.
Watch some more detailed results on our YouTube video.
Redmi Watch 3 – Battery
The battery is another positive of the Redmi Watch 3. It has a good 289mAh battery that can last over a week with always on display and most fitness tracking for 24 hours.
Drawbacks
- No Ambient Light Sensor
- No Access to Internal Storage
- Lack of NFC
- Limited Settings and Configuration options
- Google Fit is not supported
- No Emoji Support
Conclusion
For 120 EUR Redmi Watch 3 is an exceptional watch with GPS, an amazing AMOLED screen, the ability to make phone calls, Alexa support, over 120 sports modes, and much more. So, I think the watch is a steal deal and provides incredible value for the money. I would love to see GPS getting better with updates because it is the only thing not working correctly.
