The Redmi Watch 5 Lite is the second of two new Watch 5 variants from Redmi. Built with the same design philosophy as the Watch 5 Active, the Lite has much of the same construction, look, and feel as its counterpart, with a couple of notable differences. While its overall look and feel are similar, there are a few refinements to the Redmi Watch 5 Lite that make it the superior smartwatch to its Active counterpart.
For example, the Watch 5 Lite’s form factor is slightly smaller than the Active. Measuring about 1mm smaller in width (48.1mm), length (39.2mm) and thickness (10.6mm) than the Active, the Watch 5 Lite weighs a gram less as well. Constructed of non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM) plastic, the Watch 5 Lite’s finish presents metallic both in look and texture despite being constructed of NCVM plastic. It’s durable and looks sharp and thanks to its construction affords it a 29.2g weight, making it quite comfortable to wear.
Like the Watch 5 Active, the Lite comes standard with a TPU strap material though the design is much more in line with a traditional strap, making it much easier to put on than the 5 Active. The light gold version received for review looks quite classy as well, much closer to a dress watch than the black (also an option).
“While its overall look and feel are similar, there are a few refinements to the Redmi Watch 5 Lite that make it the superior watch to its Active counterpart.”
One area where the Lite’s design deviates from that of the Active is in screen size and resolution. The Watch 5 Lite features a 1.96” square AMOLED display, a step up from the LCD of the Active. As a result, the resolution has been bumped up to 410 x 502 pixels with a 332PPI. The result is a nicer, brighter finish on the display that looks more premium than the 5 Active. The Watch 5 Lite features the same touchscreen interface and is quick and responsive.
One feature that helps the Watch 5 Lite stand out from the Active is the inclusion of an always-on-display (AOD) mode. In this mode, the smartwatch will constantly display a minimalist face with important data such as time and date and then switch to the full face mode when raised or tapped. It works great but is worth noting that it does impact battery life.
The Watch 5 Lite also includes the same heart rate sensor and Accelerometer as the 5 Active. As with its counterpart, the Watch 5 Lite does a solid job of monitoring and reporting heart rate, blood pressure and even sleep tracking along with a host of other important fitness tracking information. The 5 Lite differs from the 5 Active in that it also includes a Gyroscope which helps provide more detailed information during exercise.
On that note, the 5 Lite offers the same 140 workout modes as the Watch 5 Active, but thanks to the aforementioned Gyroscope can accommodate an additional 10 modes not found on the Active. Of the 10 additional, the most notable one is the swimming mode, something missing on the 5 Active (despite both being 5 ATM water rated).
“…the Watch 5 Lite does a solid job of monitoring and reporting heart rate, blood pressure and even sleep tracking along with a host of other important fitness tracking information.”
Perhaps the most standout feature on the Redmi Watch 5 Lite that isn’t included on the Watch 5 Active is the inclusion of the built-in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This built-in satellite positioning system allows for onboard tracking during workouts without needing to have your phone nearby. Running, cycling or hiking can all be tracked accurately without the extra bulk of your smartphone in tow. It comes at no additional monthly cost to use either, making it a deal for those looking for a GPS-like solution without any additional subscriptions. In testing, it worked quite well, easily and accurately tracking my walks throughout testing.
Back is the same Bluetooth phone support allowing you to receive phone calls on your phone as well as make outgoing phone calls either via the saved 10 favourite contacts or by manually dialing the number. Like the 5 Active, there is no way to access your entire contacts list, which is a bit of a letdown. In testing though, the watch worked quite well for both receiving and making calls with the other person easily being able to hear as a talked into the watch.
Also, a letdown is the lack of voice assistance or texting support. While the latter does at least allow you to read any text notifications sent to your phone on your watch, there is no option to respond via the watch. As for the former, there is simply no support for voice assistance at all on the Watch 5 Lite.
The Redmi Watch 5 Lite features the same 470mAh battery as the 5 Active and still averages just slightly less time on charge than the Active at 9–10 days (AOD off, 5–6 days with AOD on). This could be attributed to the inclusion of the GNSS system which draws additional power off the battery to operate. While it is a bit off the 12–18 days of charge cited on the official site, the fast charging brings you back to full charge in less than two hours with a five-minute charge giving you an additional couple of days of life.
While there is a slight price increase of around $10 ($75.96 USD) for the Watch 5 Lite over its counterpart, the inclusion of the gyroscope, GNSS system and AOD mode make it a superior watch. While it still lacks voice assistant support and texting, these other features help elevate the Redmi Watch 5 Lite above the Watch 5 Active. Solid battery life and its lightweight form factor, not to mention its more premium look and feel make the Redmi Watch 5 Lite a solid option that still manages to fall in the cost-conscious price point while offering some robust and welcome features.
- Compatibility: only supports smartphones with Android 8.0 and above, iOS 12.0 and above
- 1.96″ AMOLED ultra-clear large display with rich, natural colours. Boasts a 75.80% screen-to-body ratio with a larger interface on a similar watch size. Also supports AOD to provide a comprehensive and elevated user experience.
