Redmi Watch 3 Active Review: Pros, Cons, and Verdict

After a long time, we have a good smartwatch from Redmi and this is the by far best option you have because RealMe has ditched the Dizo brand, so we don’t have many good options at this movement.

The Redmi Watch 3 Active is priced at Rs 2,999 in India and it comes with Black and Gray color options while it will be available via Amazon.

So let’s find out whether this Bluetooth-calling smartwatch is worth Rs 2999 or not.

Redmi Watch 3 Active Review

Yes, the Redmi Watch 3 Active is worth buying because it offers a smooth software experience along with a well-built app for the smartphone, while it has all the smart features from Bluetooth calling to SpO2. So for the price of Rs 2999, this is worth buying.

Now, it does have its Pros and Cons like missing AMOLED display and no built-in GPS but you have to keep in mind this is a Rs 2999 smartwatch and not a Rs 5,000.

For an AMOLED panel and GPS, you have to spend Rs 5000 on a smartwatch.

Concluding everything from price to feature, the Redmi Watch 3 Active is a solid option for those who are looking for a new smartwatch under Rs 3000.

Redmi Watch 3 Active Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Larger 1.83-inch Display	LCD Display
Well-Optimized Watch UI	Missing Built-In GPS
Feature Rich Mi Fitness App
Close To Accurate Sleep Data
Lightweight Design
Long-Lasting Battery Life
Bluetooth Calling Support
Available at a Good Price
Added 20 Widgets
5 ATM Water-Resistant Missing

Display

The 1.83-inch LCD display is solid which will give you a good viewing experience even under the sunlight while the 450 nits brightness will ensure that you can see everything from time to heart rate on the display.

Also, the good news is, the screen bezels are not too big. So yes, when you wear this, the watch will feel premium.

Yes, I know, the Redmi Watch 3 Active looks like Apple Watch which is not a downside at all, look at this as an advantage as you’re getting the same design at an affordable price tag.

Related: 5 Best Smartwatches Under Rs 5,000

Overall, for the price of Rs 3000, one should not expect the AMOLED display when the watch also has the Bluetooth calling feature. The LCD display is solid too and you will be more than happy with its quality.

Design, Comfort, and Build

As I have said, the Redmi Watch 3 Active feels and looks like Apple Watch, so this is plus point and you will appreciate the design more as this is available at Rs 2,999.

The watch has 42 grams of weight with the strap which means, this is not too heavy a smartwatch because of the plastic build.

The plastic is not cheap either, also, Redmi has used matt color throughout the watch, so it won’t catch the fingerprint at all.

Now, keep in mind, the Redmi Watch 3 Active doesn’t look like a big smartwatch but it is a big watch. So if you have a small wrist then this won’t look that great.

You can wear this watch all day and all night and you won’t feel uncomfortable at all even at night too.

The strap is removable too, so you can buy any third-party strap from Amazon or buy official ones from the Mi website.

This too comes with 5 ATM Water-Resistant, so you can use this watch for swimming or even under the water.

Application and Watch UI

Redmi has added new features like widgets on the watch home screen which will give you more freedom to customize. 

You also have the option to use any of the watch faces but if you want more customization then you can add widgets like heart rate, sleep tracking, time, date, and much more.

For customization, you have to download the Mi Fitness App on your smartphone and log in with your Mi account and you’re good to go.

The app is smooth too, it doesn’t feel cheap or featureless.

Also, as the Redmi Watch 3 Active doesn’t have the built-in GPS, you can use your smartphone GPS whenever you go for an outdoor run but the catch is, you have to keep the smartphone near the watch all the time.

Redmi has added more than 100 sports modes but you can add every single of them on the watch, you have to choose a few from the Mi Fitness app which then shows up on the smartwatch.

Overall, the watch UI is smoother than before and the app is always better compared to any other India Wearable Brands.

Health and Fitness Tracking

The Redmi Watch 3 Active has every single sensor from Heart Rate Sensor, Accelerometer, and even SpO2 but it doesn’t have the Built-in GPS.

So if you’re that person who goes for an outdoor workout or run then it’s better if you consider the smartwatch that has built-in GPS.

The spO2 sensor on budget watches is never perfect, it shows you close to accurate but it never shows you the exact data. So never rely 100% on budget smartwatches for health-related issues.

These watches will give you some idea but they won’t give you the perfect data as most of the budget smartwatches use optical sensors which are not accurate at all.

Redmi has also added a heart rate sensor which gives you a rough idea about the heartbeat. You can either set heart rate monitoring 24/7 or choose to tap to see it.

This way, the battery will last for a long time.

Step counting is also hit or miss, so keep the 5% error margin.

For example, if the watch says, your step count for today is 3000 then expect it around 2900.

The sleep data is kind of okay. The Mi Fitness App shows all the sleep stages from Light Sleep, Deep sleep as well as REM Sleep.

The sleep data has improved compared to the last gen.

Overall, for the price of Rs 2999, the health data is sort of okay, it’s not perfect or the worst, it’s decent and that will give you some idea about your current health. The sleep data is a bit accurate compared to the health and SpO2.

Bluetooth Calling

The RealMe Watch 3 Active has one microphone and one speaker which are good but not the best. It’s good to see Bluetooth calling under Rs 3,000 but still, it needs a lot of improvement, especially in public places.

So if you’re in a public place where there is a noise of cars, bikes, people talking, and much more then the other person on call will have a hard time hearing your voice and the same will happen to you.

The solution is very simple, don’t use the watch for calling in public places, use it when you’re at your home or where there is no noise.

By the way, the watch doesn’t support SIM cards, but the calling feature works with the help of Bluetooth. To use the calling feature, you have to connect your smartphone to the smartwatch 24/7.

Also, the watch has dual Bluetooth support which will consume more battery life

Battery

The 289mAh battery will last for 7 to 10 days if you don’t use features like SpO2, heart rate, Sleep tracking, and even Bluetooth calling while keeping the screen brightness around 50%.

But if you use all the features expect the battery life to be around 2 to 3 days.

Also, as the watch has dual Bluetooth, it will consume more battery because the watch will connect to the Mi Fitness app and System Bluetooth for calling.

Single Bluetooth calling would have been great but it’s not expensive, so this is the best Redmi has to offer.

Verdict

By the way, we also have a WhatsApp Channel, so feel free to join the channel. And yes, it’s FREE…

Redmi Watch Active 3 Specifications

• Price: Rs 2,999
• Color: Platinum Grey and Charcoal Black
• Dimensions: Height – 46.94mm x Width – 38.88mm x Thickness
  Weight: 41.67g (with inbox strap)
• Display: 1.83 inch LCD Display with Resolution 240×280 and Brightness Up to 450 nits
• Sensors: Heart Rate, Accelerometer, and SpO2
• Other Features: Microphone and Speaker, Waterproof level 5 ATM, 100+ Sports Mode, and latest Bluetooth 5.3 Version.
• Calling Features: Incoming call Notifications, Answer calls, Reject calls Calls, and history upto 20 entries Favorite Contacts (10 contacts can be added from Mi Fitness App)
• Battery: 289mAh Battery
• Compatibility: Supports smartphones with Android 6.0 or iOS 12.0 and above App compatibility: Mi Fitness App (Xiaomi Wear) Compatible with Strava and Apple Health App

Images by Tech Singh