The Xiaomi Watch S4 has arrived with an updated design, adding a crown to the case for improved usability. Inside though, it’s more of the same, but is that a bad thing? We’ve had some hands-on time with the affordable smartwatch to find out.
Crowning achievement
The Xiaomi Watch S3 made do with a pair of buttons on the case along with the touchscreen for navigation, but for the Watch S4 Xiaomi has put a crown at the two o’clock position, complete with a twist-to-scroll feature. There’s a noticeable vibration when you turn it, and the software reacts quickly, making it a great upgrade. However, I don’t remember the Watch S3 being a navigational nightmare without it.
It’s attached to a smartwatch that’s otherwise quite similar. The clever removable bezel feature makes a welcome return, giving you far more customization than on a normal smartwatch, as each bezel comes with its own matching strap and watch face. It’s genuinely fun, and the mechanism to change the bezel makes things really easy: you just twist and click to lock it in place.
I wasn’t so taken with the primary bezel and strap supplied with my Watch S4 model, as the rainbow colors cheapened it slightly. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with a rainbow bezel it’s most definitely not. The rubber strap with its multi-color stitching is comfortable, but still not to my taste. I also received an orange band that’s a lot like a Sport Loop band for the Apple Watch, and it was comfortable and really eye-catching. The great thing is, the Xiaomi Watch S4 can look how you want with its quick change bezel and strap.
What about the specs?
Things haven’t changed much with the specification. The 1.43-inch screen has a 466 x 466 pixel resolution, and it’s really bright at 1,500 nits in sunlight, and a 2,200 peak. I haven’t struggled to see it at all. The case is made of aluminum, the bezel material changes depending on the one you buy and several come in ceramic. There’s a 486mAh battery with up to 15 days of use on a single charge. It’s charged using a plastic puck that magnetically attaches to the back of the watch. Be careful though, as the magnets aren’t that strong, and it’s also happy to latch on even when the charger’s pogo pins aren’t lined up correctly.
On the back is a heart rate sensor and the watch connects to the Mi Fitness app on your Android phone, and Xiaomi says the algorithm has been updated. It tracks heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and sleep, plus there’s a one-tap health overview feature where a 60-second check-up alerts you to any abnormal results. The OnePlus Watch 3 has a similar feature.
The software is Xiaomi’s own HyperOS 2, which comes with a few unusual features around connectivity with other Xiaomi devices. There are gestures like making a fist to move through presentation pages on a Xiaomi tablet, for example, and snapping your fingers to reject a call. I wear a watch on my left wrist and I can’t snap my fingers with my left hand, so this one would go unused. The software is fine, but oddly laid out. It doesn’t use a side swipe system like Google’s Wear OS, and instead employs the rotating bezel to navigate through a list of cards. Swipe left, and a watch face customization page appears, which seems unnecessary.
Worth a buy?
I still think the interchangeable bezel feature is cool, but I know that once I found a pairing I liked, I’d probably stick with it. However, the chance to change it up after a while is really welcome, adding much needed longevity to the design.
The Xiaomi Watch S4’s price hasn’t been revealed at the time of writing, but based on the 130 British pounds price of the Watch S3 (about $160), it will cost far less than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and OnePlus Watch 3.
It’s main challenger will be the CMF by Nothing Watch 2 Pro, which also has a swappable bezel gimmick. The Xiaomi Watch S4 looks and feels higher quality though, and although the software’s a bit weird, it has been reliable. Provided the Xiaomi Watch S4 doesn’t suddenly double in price, it’s looking like a good value smartwatch with a clever customization feature, good performance and all the health tech most need.