The Indian smartwatch market is at a saturation point right now. Players like boAt, Nose, and many others offer smartwatches for as cheap as 1K with a passable list of features. However, Xiaomi has not been able to carve a niche for itself in this market segment as they’ve in the smartphone market. Well, that was until now cause I believe the Redmi Watch 3 Active is a game-changer in all aspects. Xiaomi is offering the Redmi Watch 3 Active at an attractive price of Rs 3K and covers a lot of ground when it comes to providing basic features along with an aesthetically pleasing design & a cherry on the top with Bluetooth calling. So, should it be your next smartwatch? Find out below –
Design: Straightforward
Redmi Watch 3 Active closely resembles an Apple Watch thanks to its rectangular design and soft rounded corners. It is a plastic build watch but looks ultra premium thanks to a non-conductive vacuum metallisation coating. It has a large 1.83-inch display however, it is not heavy by any means. I spend the majority of my time typing content and have to put any watch or bracelet aside whenever I am at work. However, I didn’t need to do that with the Redmi Watch 3 Active as it’s that lightweight at just 41.67 grams. There’s a single button here which works well. Overall, the no-nonsense design of the Redmi Watch 3 Active will attract a lot of eyeballs. You can choose between charcoal black or platinum grey colours. I used the charcoal black variant coupled with an olive-green strap which Xiaomi is selling at Rs 499. However, the black silicone strap you receive in-box of the device is not bad by any means. It is comfortable, however, the mechanism to hook the watch on your wrist might take some getting used to.
Performance: Beyond Expectations
As a tech reviewer, I have to switch between a lot of devices which require daily charging. Charging devices has become a hassle for all of us but the Redmi Watch 3 Active makes your life easier with its battery prowess. While Redmi promises 12-day battery life for this one, I was able to get 10 days out of the Redmi Watch 3 Active with active BT calling and general fitness tracking. When you take into consideration that this watch offers 24/7 heart rate and SpO2 tracking then the battery life becomes more than just impressive. I did not carry the charging cable for this watch while I was travelling across states for events as there was no fear of the battery running out.
There are a lot of customization options available for users when it comes to the watch faces. Redmi promises 200+ watch faces but I found myself sticking to the default watch face. The Bluetooth calling feature here is simply awesome as I did not face any issues while receiving calls on the watch for extended hours. Additionally, the speaker volume is good enough for you to not stick the watch to your ear while receiving calls in an indoor environment. I predominantly used the step tracker, heart rate monitor, SpO2, stress and sleep monitor features of the watch. While I am unsure about the accuracy of these parameters, they work well. Additionally, you also get music controls, an alarm, weather updates, and also a theatre mode for uninterrupted film watching. All these features make the Redmi Watch 3 Active a complete package for the price!
Verdict
Redmi Watch 3 Active is an easy choice for people looking for a smartwatch in the 3K price category. It has everything you need coupled with a classy design which makes it a complete package.