Live Science Verdict
With its elegant tone , extremely customizable invention and mind - bowl over array of features , the Xiaomi learn S4 easily outperforms most other smartwatches in its price range . However , serious gymnastic apparatus and data eccentric person may be disappointed by its over - simplify physical fitness stats .
Beautifully design
Customizable bezel , straps and ascertain confront
The Xiaomi Watch S4 is one of the most stylish fitness trackers we have tested.
Brimming with feature film
Accurate heart rate and slumber trailing
Budget - well-disposed
The Xiaomi Watch S4 is comfortable to wear all day.
Battery lifespan shorter than advertised
Workout tracking may be inaccurate at times
leave only canonic fitness stats
We did not like how the default silicone strap was pinching our skin.
Some lineament need a Xiaomi telephone
Why you’re able to trust Live ScienceOur expert reviewer expend hours testing and compare products and service so you’re able to pick out the best ones for you . Find out more about how we test .
Xiaomi fitness tracker can be a reach - and - lack , in our experience . We were so impressed by the ultra - cheapXiaomi Smart Band 9that we included it in our scout to thebest physical fitness trackers , but the more recentXiaomi Watch 2disappointed us with its erratic battery aliveness and clumsy navigation . Now , another physical fitness tracker from Xiaomi has shore on our wrists . So , which camp does the Xiaomi Watch S4 belong to : is it another mediocre wearable , or one of thebest budget fitness trackerson the food market ?
The display is big, bright and easy to read.
At first coup d’oeil , the scurf is likely tipped in its favor . The Xiaomi Watch S4 is unlike any wearable we have screen before , and that is mostly due to its unique conception .
To begin with , it looks amazingly “ premium ” for a watch that costs just £ 129.99/€159.99 ( while it is not uncommitted in the US just yet , we expect it to be priced at around $ 149.99 just like its predecessorXiaomi Watch S3 . ) It is also highly customizable . The Xiaomi Watch S4 features interchangeable bezel , obliterable strap and a wide range of picket face up .
Design pinch aside , it also shoot a line two workweek of battery life , oodles of fitness - trailing features and plenty of mini - apps . Needless to say , we were keen to put this smartwatch through its yard .
The Xiaomi Watch S4 offers detailed explanations of your health metrics.
Xiaomi Watch S4 review
Xiaomi Watch S4: Design
The Xiaomi Watch S4 is a fashionista ’s dream . Although its frame is made of aluminum alloy , it is crafted so skillfully that it resembles premium untarnished blade , and the watch itself is so tastefully designed that it await more like a priceyWithings ScanWatchthan a fitness tracker costing less than $ 150 . you’re able to also customise its design exactly how you like it .
The Xiaomi Watch S4 is available in three colouring options ( Silver , Rainbow and Black ) , but thanks to its interchangeable bezels , there are plenty more style to take from should you like to shake thing up a minute . The straps are obliterable , too . Whether you require a brilliantly colour waterproofed wristband or a fashionable leather strap , the Xiaomi Watch S4 can let your personality polish through . We really liked that , and wish more brands would offer such customizability .
The Xiaomi Watch S4 not only looked good , it was also comfortable to wear . This fittingness tracker weigh 1.59 oz ( 44.5 g ) without a shoulder strap , which make it slightly sullen than anApple Watch , for example , but it did not weigh our radiocarpal joint down . Navigating it was also a breeze . The Xiaomi Watch has a touchscreen , a turn out crown and a side button , and this combining of ascendency create it easy to flip between configurations on the go . Overall , no complaints .
The Xiaomi Watch S4 can work as an extension to your phone.
show : 1.43 - inch AMOLED 466 x 466
Always on : Yes
Dimensions ( in):1.86 x 1.86 x 0.47
The Xiaomi Watch S4 is charged through two small pins located next to the heart rate sensor.
Dimensions ( mm ): 47.3 x 47.3 x 12.0
Weight : 1.59 ounces ( 44.5 g )
colours : Black , Silver , Rainbow ( plus customizable variants )
The Xiaomi Watch S4 produces largely accurate sleep measurements.
destination : Aluminum metal
Sensors : PPG , accelerometer , gyroscope , ambient Light Within , barometer
GPS : Yes
We were impressed by the accuracy of heart rate measurements obtained with our Xiaomi Watch S4.
Compass : Yes
Altimeter : No
piddle resistance : 5ATM
There is a lot to like about the Xiaomi Watch S4, but this affordable fitness tracker may not be suitable for everyone.
NFC payments : Yes ( require a Xiaomi phone )
Compatibility : Android 8.0 and above , iOS 14.0 and above
Storage : 2.2 GB interior storage
We spent two months testing the Xiaomi Watch S4.
It also seemed relatively perdurable . We tested the Xiaomi Watch S4 for almost two calendar month and did not remark any scratches or assume - and - split damage during that fourth dimension . While it is admittedly not as sturdy as some of the more premium fitness trackers out there — aluminum alloy ca n’t withstand the same harsh conditions as titanium or stainless brand , for exercise — it should not fall apart at the first hurdle , either .
The only gripe we had regarding the Xiaomi Watch S4 was with its nonremittal silicone polymer shoulder strap . This is quite thick and grippy , so it tend to pinch against our skin as we pucker it under , and we sometimes skin to tighten it up on our carpus . However , this is not really that big a mass since you may easily trade it for another strap .
Xiaomi Watch S4: Display
The Xiaomi Watch S4 features a bright , colorful 1.43 - inch AMOLED presentation . We liked it a mass : it was easy to read and navigate , whether in direct sun or dimly lit environments , and did not unintentionally switch itself on upon contact with water droplet . The touch screen had a good sensitivity to touch and never dawdle or froze .
One of our favorite things about the display was its exceptional customizability . Whether we need our Xiaomi Watch S4 to count like a classic parallel watch or a futuristic gimmick brim with health stats , there were plenty of vigil faces to suit our preference . Plus , they were all barren to download . Many smartwatch brands charge a small fee for their watch faces , so this is a big peak for Xiaomi .
Xiaomi Watch S4: Features
The Xiaomi Watch S4 offers an impressive raiment of feature article , from one - tap health insights and earphone notifications to conditions reports and on - wrist running course . This fitness tracker was clearly designed to appeal to a wide of the mark range of user and circumstances . However , this universal plan of attack is not without its flaw .
Some of the best features in the Xiaomi Watch S4 associate to health and fitness . This wearable can continuously supervise your heart rate , tenseness andblood oxygen , and it can separate you how well you sleep , when your period is due , how intemperately you exercised and how much post - exercise recovery your body needs . Moreover , the Xiaomi Watch S4 can coalesce all of these data power point into an easy - to - translate “ vitality score ” — a stat that betoken how balanced your physical activity is . If you puzzle out out on a regular basis without overexert yourself , get enough step in and log Z’s well , this vitality grudge will go up .
All health stats can then be accessed in the free Mi Fitness app . We liked this app — it is comfortable on the eye and all the metrics are award well and explained in sufficient contingent without overcomplicating anything . This pretend the Xiaomi Watch S4 a particularly useful putz for beginners .
However , this also entail that some nicety and complex insight may be lost . For representative , the eternal sleep tracking is limited to " deep " and " light " stage , while your physical exertion log focus preponderantly on core pace activity and Calorie combust , without getting into the finer details of exercising performance . Serious exercisers and data geek may be disappointed here . That say , the Xiaomi Watch S4 can be plug into to third - party apps like Strava and Suunto , so certain more advanced metric unit can be viewed there .
We also like its blanket smartwatch capabilities . For example , the Xiaomi Watch S4 can relay phone notifications , store music , take photos remotely or locate your locating using treble - frequency Global Positioning System and a reach . It also comes with fall detection , barometer , stopwatch , voice recorder , flashlight and many more feature and mini - apps . However , some of these characteristic — such as NFC payments , customizable gesture ascendence or voguish plate connectivity , for exemplar — are only uncommitted to those who own a Xiaomi earphone .
Xiaomi Watch S4: Performance
carrying into action - wise , the Xiaomi Watch S4 did not disappoint us , but it did not particularly instill us either . Its workout - trailing feature and assault and battery life decrease short of our expectations , but then this smartwatch deliver itself with relatively accurate wellness - trailing features and unflawed data transfer . Overall , the performance of the Xiaomi Watch S4 reflect its affordable price and we ca n’t really complain about that .
take off with the negative , Xiaomi claims that the Watch S4 has up to 15 day of electric battery biography , but that did not equalize our experience . While it may be possible for this seaworthiness tracker to last two hebdomad on a single bang , we suspect this only use if it is not used too often . We break our testing unit nearly every Clarence Day and Nox , continuously monitoring our vitals and tracking at least four hour - long workouts a calendar week , and even without the Always - on screen enable , we only bring off to squeeze a level best of 10 days out of it . That said , the Xiaomi Watch S4 still extend a better electric battery biography than many other physical fitness trackers in its cost range .
We were also underwhelmed by some of its physical exercise - tracking feature , particularly when it came to movement depth psychology . For example , the step count was reasonably accurate , but not exact enough to gratify the needs of hiking pros , while the CVA charge per unit ( identification number of arm strokes per minute , a cardinal system of measurement in indoor rowing ) disagree by as much as 10 % . Moreover , the “ calories burned ” figure always seemed too mellow , but then this stat is notoriously difficult to capture and each brand uses a somewhat different algorithm to calculate it .
On the other paw , the Xiaomi Watch S4 seemed very accurate at measuring our slumber . It picked up all of our naps and aright evaluate when we went to layer and woke up , and its judgement of our eternal rest lineament tended to hit the mark .
Heart rate measurements were also relatively exact . During one exercise , we tire both our Xiaomi keep an eye on S4 and aPolar H9chest - strap heart rate admonisher , then equate the measurements give by the gimmick . Our testing unit did a good chore of assessing substance rate during rest and low- to moderate - volume activity , and while it did become less reliable with high - intensity utilisation , it did not perform any worse than some far more premium fitness tracker .
Lastly , we like the quick connectivity between our watch and the Mi Fitness app . We experienced no data transfer hiccups while using the Xiaomi Watch S4 , and all system of rules update were perform fleetly and with no break .
Xiaomi Watch S4: User reviews
At the time of writing this review , the Xiaomi Watch S4 was fresh out of the factory gates , so there were not enough user testimonials to give us a clear picture . However , initial reviews on societal media seemed predominantly positive .
Should you buy the Xiaomi Watch S4?
✅ Buy it if : You want a stylish , multi - purpose smartwatch on a budget . The Xiaomi Watch S4 is classy , exceptionally customizable and packed with an array of feature article , and does a relatively upright job of track your rest and heart charge per unit . Not to mention , it costs less than $ 150 .
❌ Do not buy it if : You are a seasoned exerciser looking for a performance - oriented fitness tracker . While it fork up reasonably unspoilt time value for beginners , the Xiaomi Watch S4 does not track complex fittingness stats or supply detailed bm analysis .
If the Xiaomi Watch S4 is not for you
TheAmazfit Balanceis a not bad option to the Xiaomi Watch S4 . While it is nowhere near as customizable or stylish , it offers similar features and safe tracking performance for the same amount of money .
If you are looking for something more affordable , consider theXiaomi Smart Band 9 . This fitness dance band may not be as racy and classy as the Xiaomi Watch S4 , but it uses the same app and has all the fundamental features you need to kickstart your physical fitness subprogram . Plus , it is nearly $ 100 cheesy .
For serious athletes and out-of-door fancier , we would advocate theTicWatch Atlas . It is half the price of some of the more premiumGarmin watches , but its strength and tracking features are nothing short of telling .
Xiaomi Watch S4: How we tested
We spend two months quiz the Xiaomi Watch S4 , looking at its design , features , tracking execution , ease of utilisation , connectivity with third - party devices and note value for money . We wore it during the day , while sleeping and when doing a range of activity , from hikes in the great open to gymnasium - based weightlifting and high - saturation cardio .
Finally , we appraise the accuracy of our Xiaomi Watch S4 by equate its substance rate measurements with the data we obtained using a more precisePolar H9chest - strap spirit charge per unit monitor .
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again , you will then be prompted to enter your presentation name .
