Introduction and unboxing
That is Xiaomi’s Watch S4 and it is among the many most customizable smartwatches you will get now. It is available in a single 47mm model and in three case colours – silver, gray, and black, however its case bezel may be modified on the fly, providing you with virtually countless choices.
We’ve got the Rainbow mannequin, which is a shade lighter than the Black one. It comes with a novel black bezel with colourful accents and a fluororubber strap with multi-colored stitching. The watch is €170 on the time of this text.
Contained in the retail field is the watch, its strap, and a 2-pin magnetic charger. The charger makes use of USB-A plug, which is disappointing in 2025. It is also barely fiddly to connect the charger correctly – rival watches like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch and Huawei’s Watch additionally use a proprietary charger, but it surely’s magnetic – simply plop the watch on high and neglect about it.
What’s contained in the field
We even have the extra Twin-tone Ceramic bezel and strap package, which utterly overhauls the watch’s look. The watch is smarter about swapping bezels, too – there’s now a warning once you take away the bezel – the watch vibrates always till you place the bezel again on the watch. A welcome change, contemplating how simple it was to by chance pop the bezel off on the Watch S3 and lose it.
The case has a bayonet-style mechanism, the place the bezel locks into place.
The extra digital camera bezel and leather-based strap
Design and construct high quality
Even higher, Xiaomi went with a regular 22mm band measurement, opening a world of prospects for each third-party and Xiaomi straps. Who would not love selection?
There are a whole bunch, if not hundreds, of 22mm lug watch straps on Amazon, AliExpress, and the like, in real leather-based, faux leather-based, rubber, ballistic nylon and extra. However there are additionally third-party bezels for the Watch S4 already, so you may customise it to your coronary heart’s content material!
The Xiaomi Watch S4 has a traditional look. The bezel sits prominently on the spherical case and protrudes just a few mm above the display screen glass cowl, defending it from scratches.
The case is made from an aluminum alloy, whereas Xiaomi would not specify something in regards to the glass, however we would guess it has some stage of scratch resistance.
Whereas some watches use a extra hardy and premium stainless-steel for the outside, the aluminum used within the Xiaomi Watch S4 permits for a light-weight package deal of simply 44.5g. As compared, the OnePlus Watch 3 is 49.7g, whereas the Galaxy Watch6 Traditional is 59g.
The display screen is a large enchancment over its predecessor. It is a 1.43-inch 466x466px 60Hz unit that is introduced the previous 600 nits as much as 2,200 nits. It is a noticeable bump – this panel will depart you wanting for nothing, even within the brightest of situations.
There’s an always-on display screen mode that is tailor-made to every particular person watch face.
There are two controls on the fitting aspect of the Xiaomi Watch S4 – one is the brand new rotating crown, which doubles as a pusher, and under it’s one other button that sits extra flush with the case.
The rotating crown provides a welcome layer of management to the smartwatch. It is exact, and has a beautiful vibration suggestions.
The controls
The center charge and blood oxygen combo sensor sits on the underside of the watch (it lights up in inexperienced and crimson). That is additionally the place the 2 pins for the magnetic charger sit.
The 1.43-inch 466x466px AMOLED show is, once more, very good – crisp and brilliant. But it surely’s Xiaomi’s effort in making subtle watch faces that makes it even higher. There are 9 built-in faces, all prime quality, all that includes a myriad of customizable widgets for various knowledge – battery life, steps, the day of the week, and so on.
Our solely slight gripe is that every one the watch faces are black – nice for AMOLED battery endurance, positive – however we would like just a few lighter faces too. You’ll find lots of further watch faces within the Mi Health app, so it is all good.
The Xiaomi Watch S4 is form of distinctive in that it is a big watch at 47mm, but in addition mild. It is for the distinctive consumer who likes them huge however mild! The Watch S4 lends itself completely to the responsibility of a health or sleep tracker.
Then again, individuals who like somewhat heft to their watch will not be the largest followers of this one.
Xiaomi outfitted the Watch S4 with its HyperOS 2, with seamless gadget reference to Xiaomi’s Sensible Hub. A push on the crown takes you to your apps grid, one other again to the principle watch display screen. A swipe from the highest brings up the notifications, a swipe downward brings up the totally different widgets you’ve gotten set – the exercise tab, your coronary heart charge, the climate, and so on. As soon as you have scrolled via your widgets, you get to the apps grid.
Notifications are fundamental. You get a stream of floating messages which you can faucet to see in full after which dismiss. You’ll be able to’t reply from the watch, and Messenger emojis aren’t supported, so that you get a bizarre image.
What’s distinctive in regards to the Xiaomi Watch S4 is that nothing occurs once you swipe left and proper on the principle display screen (nicely, a swipe left offers you a method to change the watch face) – most different smartwatches have a horizontally-scrollable interface, Xiaomi went with a vertical one.
A push on the second button opens up the fast toggles.
There are additionally gestures. You’ll be able to rotate or shake your wrist, or snap your fingers to realize quite a few customizable actions – reject a name, take a photograph (although that you must have the digital camera app open in your telephone, and a watch digital camera app open on the watch too), or open the climate app. We tried them, however we will not say they work persistently.
Sadly, the bodily controls aren’t customizable – the crown and the button under it are set of their methods for all times!
Health and sleep monitoring, battery life
The Xiaomi Watch S4 has glorious sports activities and well being monitoring credentials, as you’d count on. To cite the one-pager, you get greater than 150 sports activities modes – together with a private working coach, and even an expert snowboarding mode (a rarity on many watches).
The Watch S4 helps dual-band GPS, which makes use of each the broader L1 and the sooner and extra correct L5 band to supply monitoring accuracy inside the meter. We achieved GPS lock in round 40 seconds, and the map knowledge was very correct.
Health monitoring
We’re pleased with the health monitoring on the Xiaomi Watch S4. The exercise display screen is properly laid out with the time and the depth of the exercise entrance and middle. We would additionally say that the guts charge monitoring was according to different model health trackers.
This reviewer has by no means been a fan of Xiaomi watches’ overzealous sleep monitoring knowledge. I get not more than 50 minutes of deep sleep per evening, as established by years of each day monitoring with Samsung’s Galaxy Watches and Galaxy Ring, Huawei’s GT and Match sequence – none of these have ever given me greater than an hour of deep sleep per evening. Xiaomi’s watches estimate that I persistently get greater than 2 hours of deep sleep per evening.
Sure, it is true that outdoors of lab testing, sleep monitoring is usually estimation-based, however greater than 2 hours of deep sleep is bonkers for the fittest of individuals.
Nitpick apart, Xiaomi’s sleep monitoring is partaking, providing you with attention-grabbing metrics evaluating your sleep to different customers, assigning you a sleep animal, and sharing recommendations on methods to enhance your sleep.
Detailed sleep monitoring
Xiaomi claims you may rise up to fifteen days of battery with “typical use” from the 486mAh battery on the Watch S4. This editor is a agency believer {that a} watch, digital or not, must show the time on a regular basis, so I used the Watch S4 with the always-on show and notifications on, a one-hour each day exercise, and sleep monitoring at evening. Probably the most I bought was three days, however the watch practically died. Two days have been a constant outcome. You’ll be able to squeeze extra out of the Xiaomi Watch S4 for those who flip off the AOD and stick to boost to wake, extra nonetheless for those who do not use it for sleep monitoring.
Conclusion
You will get the Xiaomi Watch S4 for under €200 – an amazing value. Usually it is €170 but it surely’s typically discounted by 10% or 20% – we love a deal. Smartwatches within the neighborhood of the Watch S4 when it comes to construct high quality and specs are costlier.
That makes it easy – the Xiaomi Watch S4 is an excellent timepiece with top-tier specs at an amazing value. We’ve got little or no to complain about, except for the 2-pin magnetic charger.
Professionals
- A reasonably design, commonplace 22mm lug measurement
- The swappable bezel is a dream come true for personalization
- The rotating crown is a large improve
- Wonderful show
- Good collection of high-quality faces with paired AOD modes
- HyperOS 2 is practical and fluid
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- You’ll be able to’t customise the buttons
- Fiddly 2-pin connector
- Does not stay as much as the 15-day battery declare
