At a look
Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Execs
- Rotating crown is an efficient addition
- Software program has extra mature look
- Nonetheless delivers good battery life
- Interchangeable bezels
Cons
- Sensible house controller wants Xiaomi smartphone
- Some options lacking for iOS customers
- New gesture controls for Xiaomi units solely
Our Verdict
The Xiaomi Watch S4 stays a good-value smartwatch that provides an improved look and a very good all-round expertise for the value.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Finest Pricing At the moment
The Xiaomi Watch S4 sees Xiaomi replace the most cost effective of its trio of smartwatches the place its occasion piece as soon as once more is the flexibility to take away the bezel to vary its look.
Together with refining the best way that bezel-switching works, Xiaomi can also be including within the newest model of its HyperOS working system that brings a brand new consumer interface look, gesture options and in addition desires to make it simpler to take management of Xiaomi’s sensible house units.
Just like the Xiaomi Watch S3, the Watch S4 value stays very affordable at simply £129.99, making it an choice for each Android and iPhone customers that don’t need to spend huge on an Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch or Google Pixel Watch.
It received’t provide you with the entire options these smartwatches will, but it surely’s about doing what it could actually do effectively and it does actually try this in most departments.
The Watch S4 was introduced at MWC alongside loads of different new Xiaomi units.
Design & Construct
- Detachable bezel design has been upgraded
- Is available in black or silver case colors
- Waterproof as much as 50 metres
One of the simplest ways to explain the change in look on the Watch S4 from the S3 is that issues simply really feel a bit extra refined as Xiaomi takes that bezel-heavy design and goals to raise it.
Mike Sawh
It’s not simply in regards to the bezel both. It ditches the highest bodily button for a rotating crown one with the underside button remaining now assigned to offer you a shortcut to the short settings menu.
The aluminium alloy case is available in black or silver finishes and measures solely barely bigger at 47.3mm (up from 47mm) and stays the identical thickness at 12mm. Whereas the stature of the S4 feels just like the S3, its general look doesn’t.
We’ve been right here earlier than the place smartwatch makers need to create the phantasm that you just’re sporting a traditional timepiece and it jogs my memory of Samsung’s effort with the Watch Traditional on that entrance. It doesn’t look as low cost as the value suggests it is going to be.
Mike Sawh
These bezels now really feel increased high quality, with eight appears to be like to select from. That additionally consists of straps which are woven, constructed from flurorubber or leather-based. I had an extra carbon bezel and flurorubber strap with a sewing impact designed to make it really feel extra premium than it really is.
The bezel appeared so much nicer than the strap. The straps, just like the bezels, are straightforward to clip away from the watch case and as a package deal, stays waterproof as much as 5ATM making them appropriate for a swim as much as 50 metres depth.
Display & Audio
- Options brighter 1.43-inch AMOLED show
- Could make Bluetooth calls
- No LTE connectivity
Xiaomi sticks to the identical measurement and backbone AMOLED display used on the Watch S3. That’s a 1.43-inch, 466 x 466 decision one which does assist an always-on show mode. The change right here is now how vibrant that show can go now.
It guarantees a peak international brightness of 1,500 nits and peak brightness of two,200 nits. To place that into perspective, a similar-sized Apple Watch guarantees as much as 2,000 nits. Given the Watch S3 managed as much as 600 nits, that’s fairly a step up.
I can’t say I had huge struggles seeing the S3’s display outdoors, however having a show that’s able to going brighter can solely be a very good factor.
Mike Sawh
Brightness apart, it’s a lot of the identical with the display. It’s an excellent AMOLED panel, simply not one of the best you’ll discover on a smartwatch. If shows on the Apple Watch and smartwatches just like the Samsung Galaxy Watch and the Google Pixel Watch are the head, this one sits beneath these.
It’s vibrant and gives correct colors and whereas there’s some black bezel across the display to deal with, it’s slim sufficient to not really feel prefer it’s consuming into the obtainable display property.
Whereas Xiaomi has rolled out an LTE model of the Watch S4 in China, we’re not getting the identical on the worldwide model. So if you wish to use it to deal with calls, that’s performed over Bluetooth.
The decision high quality is aided by twin microphones to scale back exterior noise and wind, which means it’s appropriate for chatting in your watch as a substitute of your cellphone with sufficient readability and general loudness.
Software program & Options
- Runs on Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2
- Stronger integration with Xiaomi sensible house units
- Promised improved third occasion app assist
Xiaomi is sticking to its personal in-house smartwatch working system for the Watch S4, shifting from HyperOS to HyperOS 2. That is still an OS that does work with Android telephones and iPhones.
Just like the S3, there’s going to be some options restrictions relying on the cellphone you’re utilizing. Most notably iPhone customers miss out on entry to the onboard music participant.
Mike Sawh
Among the many adjustments, Xiaomi has tweaked the consumer interface, introduced the rotating crown into play to good impact to make scrolling by menu screens and longer notifications so much nicer to do.
I’d describe the consumer interface as feeling a bit extra grown up than it was on the S3. From watch faces to widgets and the way notifications are handled, it seems like a greater match for its extra elegant watch case exterior.
Mike Sawh
Together with doing issues like making calls over Bluetooth, taking part in music (should you’re an Android consumer), remotely taking smartphone photos or checking in your calendar a whole lot of the extra noteworthy new options depend on you proudly owning a Xiaomi smartphone, pill and even Xiaomi sensible house units.
These embody new gesture options to work together with Xiaomi’s tablets or controlling sensible house package out of your watch.
It does additionally in fact miss out on the third occasion app assist and suite of Google apps you’ll have entry to on the WearOS-powered Watch 2 Professional and Watch 2. What’s current works effectively sufficient to verify it does carry out solidly as a smartwatch.
Health & Monitoring
- Over 150 sports activities modes
- Twin-frequency GNSS
- Promised improved coronary heart fee monitoring
In order for you a smartwatch that may observe your exercises, each day steps or simply your basic wellbeing, the S4 is fairly effectively stocked on that entrance.
Mike Sawh
It doesn’t have any regulatory accredited well being monitoring options, although it does promise to conduct a 60-second studying to examine coronary heart fee, blood oxygen ranges, stress and sleep information. Xiaomi says it’s upgraded the algorithms used to crunch coronary heart fee information to spice up coronary heart fee monitoring accuracy to 98%.
On the sports activities monitoring entrance, there’s over 150 sports activities modes to select from, with profiles for swimming, mountaineering and winter sports activities like snowboarding. There’s devoted coaching periods for working freshmen and extra working insights into your coaching load, VO2 Max and fatigue ranges. It’s good to see that there’s dual-frequency GNSS assist to vow improved outside monitoring accuracy when taking your train outside.
As a health tracker, you’ve bought a really glanceable widget on the watch to regulate your progress with some watch faces capable of show a few of your health monitoring stats. Day by day step counts had been properly in step with two different health trackers I wore on the identical time.
In case you’re maintaining a tally of your coronary heart fee throughout the day, resting coronary heart fee information captured for the day appears to be like okay. Glancing down at readings in real-time, and the readings usually had been noticeably increased. I put a few of that right down to a strap that didn’t at all times really feel prefer it was getting that sensor shut sufficient to my wrist, however that is one thing I’ve seen earlier than.
Mike Sawh
When taking it to mattress, you’ll get a pleasant breakdown on the watch of sleep information like levels, time slept and sleep coronary heart fee should you’ve enabled the extra superior sleep monitoring assist. The sleep monitoring in comparison with the Oura Ring 4 usually matched up for time slept, sleep scores, with deep and lightweight sleep stage capturing barely extra beneficiant time spent in these sleep levels. Common coronary heart fee was on the excessive facet on most nights as effectively.
Turning it for sports activities monitoring and it’s good to see that there’s quite a lot of modes that provide activity-specific metrics, with many nonetheless holding that monitoring to capturing exercise period and coronary heart fee.
The twin-frequency GNSS assist did come up barely quick with monitoring distance in comparison with a twin frequency-packing Garmin watch, with metrics like common tempo information not far off. Issues didn’t massively enhance on the guts fee monitoring entrance the place common readings had been related, however most coronary heart readings had been nearly 10 bpm increased.
Mike Sawh
There are some extra options right here like the flexibility to trace stress, observe respiration workout routines and observe Vitality scores, however as I stated, notably in regards to the latter, it by no means really feels a part of each day monitoring proceedings.
Your information lives primarily within the Mi Health companion app, the place I nonetheless assume it might show information in a means that doesn’t really feel prefer it’s simply been dropped on the web page. You do moreover have the choice to share information with Strava, Suunto and Google and Apple Well being if spending time in that app isn’t to your liking.
Battery Life & Charging
- As much as 15 days battery life
- Fast cost mode provides you 2-day battery
- As much as 5 days battery life
The battery numbers quoted for the Watch S4 are precisely the identical because the Watch S3 and meaning this can be a smartwatch that’s able to lasting weeks and fewer should you maintain the display on always. Even should you do need the display on constantly, Xiaomi will allow you to maintain the display on if you’re prone to need it on and switch it off for instances if you’ve bought the watch off otherwise you’re in mattress sleeping.
I discovered utilizing it with the always-on show on lighter utilization days battery drop was round 20%. Add in use of extra demanding options like GPS and steady blood oxygen monitoring and that’s prone to be nearer to 2-3 days.
So, no enchancment on the S3 with that new model of HyperOS in place however a minimum of it’s not bought worse both.
Value & Availability
The Watch S4 value formally goes on sale on the identical value as its predecessor, sticking at £129.99 to make it a really reasonably priced smartwatch as soon as once more.
The Watch S3 now sits at £99.99, so it’s probably you’ll see a Watch S4 value drop sooner or later as effectively. You’ll be capable of seize it from the Xiaomi web site and listings have already popped up on Amazon as effectively.
That value places it up towards smartwatches just like the Huawei Watch Match 3 (From £119.99), Honor Watch 5 (£129.99) and means it’s significantly extra financial institution balance-friendly than the most cost effective obtainable Apple Watch, with the Watch SE (2nd technology) sitting at £219.
It’s the identical story when in comparison with the most cost effective Samsung smartwatch, which is the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE (from £214).
Take a look at our record of one of the best funds smartwatches.
Must you purchase the Xiaomi Watch S4?
I believe should you appreciated the Xiaomi Watch S3 and like the thought of an improve that primarily makes its standout function a a lot nicer one, then that may be the most important cause to improve. HyperOS 2 feels extra grown up than the final model, whereas a whole lot of the software program adjustments are actually related to you having a Xiaomi cellphone or sensible house system.
In case you’re in search of the most effective smartwatches beneath £150, that is nonetheless the most effective you may get. It’s not going to offer you that richer app ecosystem that Apple or Put on OS watches will get you, however there’s sufficient to love right here.
Amazfit is an issue for Xiaomi with the Lively 2 (each premium and non-premium) providing a wealthy set of options for much less. It doesn’t have that extra customizable design and that’s one thing Xiaomi has in its favour for the Watch S4 a minimum of for now.
Specs
- 1.43-inch, AMOLED always-on show
- 5 ATM water resistance score
- Coronary heart fee sensor with blood oxygen sensor
- Twin-frequency GNSS
- As much as 15 days battery life
- Bluetooth 5.3
- As much as 15 days battery life