Xiaomi Watch S4 is designed as a rugged, feature-rich smartwatch that is made with customisable accessories while maintaining robust functionalities, catering to both fitness enthusiasts and everyday users. It's priced at RM559, positioning it as a mid-range smartwatch with abilities such as Bluetooth calls and GPS capabilities.
During my stint of this review, I have been recovering from a leg injury and thus, am not able to enjoy the many sports mode this watch supports and track. So in this review, my thoughts are oriented at casual use, where I've focused on walk, sleep tracking and overall vitals monitoring.
Editor
Jodee Tan chevron_right
Table of Contents
Design & Display
- Dimension: 47.3mm x 47.3mm x 12.0mm
- Display: 1.43-inch AMOLED Display, 466x466 pixels (resolution), up to 2200 nits peak brightness
- Durability: 5ATM water resistant
- Weight: 44.5g, without strap (rainbow version)
At first glance, the 47mm-sized Xiaomi Watch S4 sports a clear, 1.43" AMOLED display with exceptional brightness which goes up to 2200 nits (peak). Through marketing visuals, the Xiaomi Watch S4 allows for interchangeable bezel design which has been upgraded in its durability from the previous generation.
This time, the Xiaomi Watch S4 is made with an Aluminum alloy frame, and its strap, a rainbow unit version, is made with fluororubber + nylon. At the side of the watch are 2 buttons, of which the rotating crown also allows for ease of navigation within the screen as well as enhances the interactive experience.
Other noteworthy specifications on the Xiaomi Watch S4 include its 5ATM water resistance rating, NFC support and a built-in speaker for calls.
Operation & Battery
- Compatibility: Android 8.0 and above, iOS 14.0 and above
- Battery: 486 mAh , 2-pin Magnetic charging base, up to 15 days
- Mobile App: Mi Fitness
For connectivity to your phone and other audio accessories, the Xiaomi Watch S4 supports Bluetooth® 5.3 for wireless connectivity. It's also powered by the Xiaomi HyperOS 2 which offers an easy-to-navigate smartwatch experience. In terms of compatibility with phones, smartphones are required to have OS with a minimum of Android 8.0 and above, or iOS 14.0 and above
Xiaomi Watch S4 is also rated to stay up to 15 days, with its high 486mAh battery capacity. It charges with a 2-Pin magnetic charging dock which takes just a couple of hours to fully power the watch.
Tracking & Data Insights
- Sensors: 7 in total
- Optional disabling of data tracking & monitoring (settings in app)
The Xiaomi Watch S4 supports over 150+ sports mode, and tracks data through the classic Mi Fitness app, available on both Google Android and Apple iOS app stores. There's GNSS for your GPS needs, and several sensors to track your body vitals.
Sensors are: Heart rate sensor (with blood oxygen sensor), Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Ambient light sensor, Electronic compass, Barometer sensor and Hall sensor.
To ensure a full smartwatch experience with the Xiaomi Watch S4, the watch must constantly be connected to your smartphone's Bluetooth. Voice calls are only possible with native phone apps on your phone and that third-party apps are not currently supported apart from the ones on your Mi Fitness app.
What We Liked
Screen Quality:
The most notable feature worthy of praise is the Xiaomi Watch S4's screen. It's clear, crisp and bright under harsh sunlight. The colours are spunky to look at, it's nice and smooth to use, and that it feels durable (more on this below). Screen size is also adequate; you would not have trouble navigating on the Xiaomi Watch S4, which is slightly harder to do on something like the Xiaomi Mi Bands.
User Interface:
Like its trackers, Xiaomi has done a good job with the user interface and the watchface designs. There's a ton available, and they are all designed and optimised well. Unlike the Amazfit Active 2 where many of the designs didn't feel well-optimised to fit the watch's OS, most of Xiaomi Watch S4 interface possess a quality that's detailed and precise.
Bonus: Until the Xiaomi Watch S4, I've been afraid to rely on a smartwatch for an alarm. The Watch S4's alarm was a melody, and that it's adequately loud and melodious to wake up to too. This has also made me realise just how loud the volume was, which is adjustable even for calls. However it's preferable to answer calls via earphones as the audio may not be loud enough in public spaces to utilise.
Data, App & UI:
The Xiaomi Watch S4, utilising the Mi Fitness app which is available for both Android and Apple iOS, has adequate stats you can look at to check your health insights. I find it nice that each set of data is grouped neatly for you to access and tap into. This is also where you can easily look for and change into new watchface designs, set notification boundaries and whatnots.
However, it must be said that while there are sufficient tracking data, the details of the insights are alright, simple at best if I must say. While I like that there were vitality tests and active monitoring of your vitals, I'm a little dissappointed that I cannot select or manually choose a precise weekly period to look at my stats. Instead, data is available strictly by the week, starting with each Monday. This is not the worst thing, it's just overestimation on my part.
Battery:
As expected, I find Xiaomi watches to have good battery optimisation. Rated to last 15 days, for a watch of this size with high-quality screen, I'm happy to say that the Xiaomi Watch S4 does well with battery management.
In the Amazfit Active 2, its 10-day battery claim for regular use fell short. Whereas for Xiaomi Watch S4, although they did not disclose GPS usage, the Watch S4 managed to last just under 2 weeks before I have to get it to charge, on regular use.
Design & Premium Build:
I am not a fan of the rainbow unit design I got, and I am not a fan of its size. However, I will applaud that Xiaomi offers various bezel options for users to have. The strap is of good quality and comfortable on the skin as well. While the watch can feel heavy for small wrist owners like me, the straps are grippy enough to not easily slip down and out.
I must also give recognition to Xiaomi Watch S4's durability and build, as it feels robust and able to withstand your daily knocks if you're clumsy like that. More often than not, I have accidentally brushed it against public railings, knocked it (gently) into the wall, and tossed it into my bag without any pouch for protection. It still looks as new as the day I took it out of the box.
What We Disliked
Size & Weight:
This watch is 47mm, with a 1.43-inch screen size. From the get-go, it was unfortunate that the Xiaomi Watch S4 didn't have smaller sizes available. I can overlook its big, rugged bezel which is easily swapped out, but do know that the Xiaomi Watch S4's size also means it's on the heavier side. At least this is due to the quality materials used to build the watch. But a smaller size option would've been nice for ladies with smaller wrists.
TLDR; this one's subjective and best suited for those who have normal to bigger wrists.
Slight delay on touch input:
Most of the Xiaomi Watch S4's clockfaces are well-designed and optimised. Navigation and icon apps are also clear and attractive. But I realised that there's a slight input delay in carrying out tasks, such as when I get it to wake up from a wrist-flick gesture, pressing its side button to activate the settings menu, and switching between apps.
This is not a big deal and that I believe it's fixable with software updates. But having tried other watches of recent releases like the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Amazfit Active 2 not too long while ago, this delay is more evident.
Verdict
The Xiaomi Watch S4, priced at RM559, is best enjoyed as a daily watch that'll get you from day to day tasks, and gym activities after a long day. Its premium build for the price makes it quite a value-for-money.
Because its data tracking and insights offered aren't as detailed as dedicated fitness-oriented watch brands like Garmin and Amazfit, this watch is best for users who are new to smartwatches. Xiaomi Watch S4 is sufficient for tracking the neccessities of your vitals such as calories burnt, sleep analysis and more. Its customisable straps and band offerings also makes it an eye-catching option for those who wants a robust lifestyle smartwatch.
Get the Xiaomi Watch S4 from Shopee and Lazada. Stay up to date with ProductNation on here, Instagram & TikTok as well.
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