Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 specs, features and buying guide
The Redmi Watch 5 is Xiaomi’s mid-range smartwatch: a 2.07-inch square AMOLED screen rated at 1500 nits, a 550 mAh battery Xiaomi says lasts 24 days in typical use, 5ATM water resistance and built-in five-system GNSS. It suits people who want a large, bright screen and long battery life without flagship money.
The display is the headline. It is a 2.07-inch square AMOLED at 432 x 514 pixels, which works out to 324 ppi, with a 60 Hz refresh rate, an 82% screen-to-body ratio and 1500 nits of peak brightness in high-brightness mode. Xiaomi describes the bezel as a 2 mm quadrilateral and the glass as 2.5D curved.
The case is 47.5 x 41.1 x 11.3 mm with an aluminium alloy middle frame and a stainless-steel rotating crown, and it weighs about 33.5 g without the strap. The in-box strap is TPU in 135-205 mm, in Obsidian Black, Silver Gray or Lavender Purple, and it uses a quick-release fitting so other straps can be swapped on.
Inside, Xiaomi lists a heart rate sensor with a blood oxygen sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an ambient light sensor and an electronic compass, plus five satellite systems, Bluetooth 5.3, a speaker, two microphones and 164 MB of local storage. The watch runs Xiaomi HyperOS and pairs with phones on Android 8.0 and above or iOS 12.0 and above.
What to check before you buy the Redmi Watch 5
Check the phone first. HyperOS on this watch supports Android 8.0 and above and iOS 12.0 and above, and Xiaomi states that the watch has to stay connected to the phone over Bluetooth for calls and notifications. If your phone is older than either line, the watch is the wrong purchase regardless of the hardware.
Then decide the strap colour, because it is the one cosmetic choice you make at checkout. All three in-box straps are TPU in the same 135-205 mm length, so the difference is appearance rather than fit, and the quick-release fitting means a swap later is easy. If you want a leather strap, Xiaomi sells those separately — the specification page lists a cream white leather strap as an accessory, not as an option in the box.
- Display
- 2.07-inch square AMOLED, 432 x 514, 324 ppi, 60 Hz, 1500 nits
- Battery
- 550 mAh, 24 days of typical use per Xiaomi
- Water resistance
- 5ATM, rated for 18 water sports
- Positioning
- GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou and QZSS
- Calling
- Bluetooth 5.3, speaker and two microphones
- Sensors
- Heart rate with blood oxygen, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass
- Size and weight
- 47.5 x 41.1 x 11.3 mm, about 33.5 g without the strap
- Storage
- 164 MB available for local use
Key features explained
A 2.07-inch AMOLED screen at 1500 nits
This is the part of the watch you notice first. 2.07 inches on a square case is large for a watch, the AMOLED panel gives proper blacks, and 1500 nits of peak brightness is Xiaomi’s answer to outdoor visibility. Xiaomi also lists a 60 Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling through notifications and widgets feel less stepped than the 30 Hz panels common at lower price points.
24 days, and what typical use means
Xiaomi rates the 550 mAh battery at 24 days in typical usage mode, a figure it says comes from its own lab and represents a 20% improvement over the Redmi Watch 4. Typical use is a defined test condition rather than a guarantee: heavy GPS tracking, always-on display or frequent calling will use more, and Xiaomi does not publish a separate heavy-use figure for this model on its specification page.
Five-system GNSS without a phone
The watch has built-in GNSS covering GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou and QZSS, so an outdoor run or ride is tracked by the watch itself rather than by the phone in your pocket. That matters for pacing and distance accuracy on routes with tree cover or tall buildings, where a phone-based track often drifts.
Bluetooth calling with two microphones
Calls run over Bluetooth 5.3 through the paired phone, using the built-in speaker and two microphones. Xiaomi states that the watch has to stay connected to the phone and that voice calls from third-party apps are not supported, so this is a way to take a call without reaching for your phone — not a standalone phone.
5ATM: what the rating actually covers
5ATM is a water-resistance rating of five atmospheres, and Xiaomi pairs it with a claim that the watch suits 18 water sports. That is a real rating for swimming pools and shallow open water, and it is more than most budget watches offer.
It is not a depth rating for diving, and it is not a licence to press buttons underwater. Xiaomi describes the product as not designed for medical purposes, and the same caution applies to water: rinse the watch in fresh water after salt water or chlorine, and avoid hot showers and saunas, where steam is harder on seals than immersion. If you want a watch for diving, this is not that watch.
HyperOS, the Mi Fitness app and 164 MB of storage
The watch runs Xiaomi HyperOS and pairs with the Mi Fitness app, which is where health data, watch faces and settings live. Xiaomi also states that the data can be shared with platforms including Suunto, which is worth knowing if you already keep a training log somewhere.
Local storage is 164 MB. That sounds small next to a phone, and it is: the storage holds watch faces, the recorder’s audio and small app assets rather than music libraries. Xiaomi notes that the operating system and pre-installed software take part of the flash memory, so the usable figure is lower than the headline number.
Health tracking: what Xiaomi publishes and what it does not
Xiaomi lists all-day heart rate monitoring, all-day blood oxygen saturation, sleep tracking and stress monitoring, and it says the watch uses an upgraded analogue front-end chip with a new algorithm for a claimed 5.2% improvement in heart rate accuracy and 10% in sleep recognition compared with the Redmi Watch 4. Those are the manufacturer’s own lab figures, not independent measurements.
What Xiaomi does not publish is an accuracy claim against a clinical reference, and the watch is explicitly not a medical device. Read the numbers as trends over weeks — resting heart rate drifting down as fitness improves, sleep duration across a month — rather than as measurements to act on medically.
Who should buy the Redmi Watch 5, and who should skip it
Who should buy the Redmi Watch 5
- You want a large, bright AMOLED screen and do not want to charge a watch every night.
- You run or ride outdoors and want built-in GNSS rather than a phone-tracked route.
- You swim, or you want a watch you do not have to take off at the pool.
- You want calls and notifications on the wrist from an Android phone or an iPhone.
Who should skip it
- You need standalone cellular: this watch has no cellular connection.
- You want to make calls through third-party apps from the watch — Xiaomi says that is unsupported.
- You need a medically certified device for heart rhythm or blood oxygen.
- You want a small, light dress watch: 2.07 inches is a big screen on a 47.5 mm case.
Where the Redmi Watch 5 fits
Running and cycling
Built-in five-system GNSS, 150+ sports modes and 10 on-wrist running courses, with the phone left at home.
Swimming
A 5ATM rating Xiaomi says covers 18 water sports, in a case that weighs about 33.5 g without the strap.
Everyday wear
Bluetooth calling through the paired phone, 200+ watch faces and a battery Xiaomi rates at 24 days of typical use.
Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 pros and cons
Pros
- 2.07-inch square AMOLED at 432 x 514, 324 ppi and 1500 nits peak
- 550 mAh battery rated at 24 days of typical use
- Built-in five-system GNSS for phone-free outdoor tracking
- 5ATM water resistance, rated for 18 water sports
- Bluetooth 5.3 calling with a speaker and two microphones
- Aluminium alloy frame and a stainless-steel rotating crown
Cons
- No Wi-Fi or cellular connection is listed
- Calls from third-party apps are not supported
- Xiaomi publishes one 24-day battery figure and no heavy-use figure
- No charging time is published for this model
- The 47.5 mm case and 2.07-inch screen are large on small wrists
Buying the Redmi Watch 5 in the US
Check the phone compatibility line before anything else. Xiaomi lists Android 8.0 and above and iOS 12.0 and above, and the watch depends on that Bluetooth link for calls and notifications. It is also worth pairing it once before you rely on it for a race or a swim, so the app and the firmware are up to date.
Then decide which strap you want, and whether you need a second one. All three in-box options are TPU in the same 135-205 mm length, so the choice is colour rather than fit, and the quick-release fitting means you can change it later without tools. Beyond that, the specification list is fixed across colours: the display, battery, sensors and GNSS are the same watch.
Frequently asked questions: Redmi Watch 5
How long does the Redmi Watch 5 battery last?
Xiaomi rates the 550 mAh battery at 24 days in typical usage mode, measured in its own lab and described as a 20% improvement over the Redmi Watch 4. Heavy GPS use, always-on display or frequent calling will reduce that, and Xiaomi does not publish a separate heavy-use figure for this model.
Does the Redmi Watch 5 need a phone?
For calls and notifications, yes: Xiaomi states the watch must stay connected to the phone over Bluetooth. Fitness tracking and GNSS work without it, so a run can be recorded with the phone left behind.
Can you swim with the Redmi Watch 5?
Xiaomi rates it at 5ATM and says that rating suits 18 water sports, so pool and shallow open-water swimming is within the claim. It is not a diving rating, and the watch is not designed for medical purposes.
Does the Redmi Watch 5 have built-in GPS?
Yes. Xiaomi lists built-in GNSS with GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou and QZSS, so outdoor workouts track without the paired phone.
Can you take calls on the Redmi Watch 5?
Yes, over Bluetooth through the paired phone, using the built-in speaker and two microphones. Xiaomi states that voice calls from third-party apps are not currently supported.
Which phones does the Redmi Watch 5 work with?
Xiaomi lists support for smartphones on Android 8.0 and above, or iOS 12.0 and above, paired through the Mi Fitness app.
Does the Redmi Watch 5 have Wi-Fi or cellular?
No. Xiaomi’s specification page lists Bluetooth 5.3 as the wireless connection and no Wi-Fi or cellular radio, so anything online goes through the paired phone.
What is in the box with the Redmi Watch 5?
Xiaomi lists the watch, a magnetic charging cable and a user manual that includes the warranty notice. A strap is fitted to the watch; the specification page lists a cream white leather strap as a separate accessory.