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Xiaomi Watch S5 test: it looks more expensive than it is, but the biggest advantage is the battery
When I got the watch for testing, the first thing I noticed was that the new generation retains its recognizable design (it's hard to tell it apart from the S4 at a glance), while also bringing a slightly brighter screen and a much larger battery.
The case looks more business-like than sporty, but that's the trick, as it tries to combine the look of a classic wristwatch with the functionality of a modern smart device. It's aimed primarily at users who want to wear the same watch at work, during sports activities, and in their free time. It succeeds in this perfectly.
It seems more expensive than it is in reality
At first glance, the Xiaomi Watch S5 doesn't look like a typical sports watch. The 316L stainless steel case feels premium, but it's surprisingly light. In numbers: it weighs 46 grams (without strap) and is a good 10 millimeters thick. More important than the numbers, though, is that I wore it all day and even while sleeping, and I never thought about putting it down. The Xiaomi Watch S5 is a comfortable smartwatch.
At the beginning I wrote that there is almost no difference with the previous generation, the Xiaomi Watch S4, but still there is one. The most obvious is that Xiaomi has reduced the bezel around the screen, making the look more modern and elegant. The minute markers on the bezel (I admit that I didn't notice them in the first few hours of use) add a touch of classic watch, and the different strap materials and colors allow the user to choose a version that suits their style.
The button or crown is smoother than the S4 and has a concentric circular pattern. You can also "scroll" through the menus by touch, but I like the crown control, and the haptic vibrations also work precisely and pleasantly, as they did in the previous generation. It also has a bottom button for accessing the quick menu and system settings (long press). If you press it three times briefly, you call an SOS emergency contact (or "Help in distress" contact, as it says in the menu), which you set in the application. You can add up to three SOS phone numbers. The watch can also call if a person suddenly falls, and also send a text message with the location.
Dials for business, sports and leisure
As is typical with smartwatches, you can also customize it with the many watch faces available. From those that look like an analog clock, to numerous digital ones and those that display a bunch of other data (steps, calories, blood oxygen level, heart rate, weather, sleep, altitude, wind direction, etc.)
The watch effortlessly looks sporty enough for running or cycling, yet elegant enough for a business meeting.
AMOLED display is great even in sunlight
One of the biggest advantages of the watch is the 1.48-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 × 480 pixels. The image is very sharp, the colors are vivid, and the animations are smooth.
The brightness reaches up to 2500 nits. I measured my sports activity most often on nature hikes and while running. The screen performed excellently when running, but it is true that my running routine is more inclined towards the evening hours and this did not come out the best. In a larger test, the screen was in the midday "mountain" sun, but reading the numbers from the screen was never a problem.
An additional plus of the screen is protection against accidental touches due to water droplets, so using it during rain or after intense exercise is not a problem.
The battery is one of the biggest advantages
But where does the Xiaomi Watch S5 really stand out? In terms of battery life.
The built-in battery has a capacity of 815 mAh and allows for up to 21 days of operation with “light” use, or about two weeks with normal daily use. Even with all the sensors turned on and in my case, activity measurements about every other day (they lasted from 1.5 hours to 4.5 hours), the watch lasted me about nine days, which is more than excellent. So even after several hours of activity and “all the live” measurements, I didn’t have to frantically look for a socket.
Speaking of charging the battery – Xiaomi insists on a magnet that attaches to the watch, but it must be oriented correctly for proper contact. I would like a more universal solution here that would allow me to charge it even if I went on a trip and forgot the dedicated charger at home. I charged it when the battery level dropped to 10 %, and it charged to 100 % in an hour.
Ready for almost any sport
The Watch S5 supports more than 150 sports modes, so it covers virtually all common (and less common) activities - from walking, running and fitness to hiking, swimming and skiing.
I use it most often for hiking, running, and the occasional bike ride. And Xiaomi has taken special care of runners. The watch tracks more advanced running metrics like ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and vertical ratio, while also offering guided running programs for different goals.
Cyclists will love the ability to connect to a Bluetooth power meter and transmit heart rate data to a compatible cycling computer. I didn't have a chance to test this, though. After finishing a bike ride, the watch provides a detailed training analysis, which is useful for both recreational and more advanced riders.
It allows you to download music, but...
I usually listen to music through my headphones while running. So far, I've always had my phone with me, but I was able to download it to the Watch S5. Which is great and not so great. Let me explain: Being able to have music on the watch is really great. But 2 GB of space (or the limit of 60 songs) is really small. That's like five albums. If you listen to them regularly, you'll get tired of them sooner or later. Of course, you can change the list of songs in the app over time, but that's not very convenient.
Even two decades ago, this would have seemed "crazy", but today the standards of devices and our habits are completely different, and yes, we expect to be able to choose from a larger variety of songs.
Otherwise, I uploaded mp3 files and everything worked as expected. However, I had some FLAC files on my phone – the app doesn't recognize them and you can't upload them.
Outdoor navigation is great, as long as you're not in a "hole"
For outdoor activities, dual-frequency GNSS with support for five satellite systems is provided, which means faster position acquisition and more accurate route recording. The signal was only lost when I found myself surrounded by hills and there were several dozen-meter walls around me, the sky was open above, and on one side I was looking at the valley. There were obviously too many obstacles and the line on the map "ran away". Otherwise, the route line is really accurate and reliable.
The offline color maps are also a welcome addition. You can download maps and planned routes before you go, and during your activity the watch will warn you if you deviate from the planned route or guide you back to your starting point. This is a feature usually found on much more expensive sports watches.
But here's the problem. I put a lot of effort into downloading offline maps, but they're apparently not available in Slovenia. Maybe we can expect them in one of the upcoming software updates, but for now, there are no offline maps.
The most I could do was upload a .gpx file of the route I was following to my watch. The watch warned me if I strayed from the marked route, but all I could see on the screen was a sign of my position on the route (and direction) and a line of the route. There was no base or map. Better than nothing, but far from an ideal experience.
Keep your health under control, but the clock is not a doctor
Xiaomi has also upgraded the health monitoring sensors. The new optical sensor allows for continuous advanced monitoring of heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, stress, and sleep quality.
Special attention is paid to sleep analysis, as an improved algorithm more accurately detects individual phases and provides recommendations for better sleeping habits. There are also breathing exercises and a quick overview of key health data with one touch.
As always, it is worth emphasizing that these are wellness features and not medical measurements, but they are very useful for monitoring general well-being and lifestyle habits.
A few more smart features
The Watch S5 runs on HyperOS 3, which allows it to connect to devices in the Xiaomi ecosystem. From your wrist, you can control compatible Xiaomi Home devices, find your phone (even from other brands), control your headphones, or trigger a photo on your phone.
NFC payments are also supported (where supported banks are available), so in many cases the wallet can stay in your pocket.
The added option to adjust the orientation of the watch depending on which hand you wear it on shows that Xiaomi has also thought about user details. For example, I have it on my left hand, and if I set it to wear it on my right, the screen rotates 180 degrees.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Xiaomi Watch S5 46 mm is a very well-thought-out upgrade of the previous S4 series. We have nothing to complain about in terms of workmanship and materials, the AMOLED screen is excellent, the battery life is extremely long, and the range of sports and health functions is traditionally rich for Xiaomi.
The Xiaomi Watch S5 is a stylish enough watch for everyday use, while offering features that will satisfy most recreational athletes and users who spend a lot of time outdoors. It offers quite a few advanced features and analytics, and the GPS is very accurate in both urban and outdoor environments.
The downside is the inability to download offline maps and the fact that you can only charge it with a dedicated charger. Also, 2 GB of space for downloading music locally per watch seems a bit small to me.
I would just like an app store that would offer some additional options. On the other hand, switching to Google's ecosystem or Wear OS would probably also mean more battery consumption, which in my opinion is one of the biggest advantages of this watch.
