The Redmi Watch Move is Xiaomi’s most affordable smartwatch yet, priced at just INR 1,999 (~$23). Despite its budget-friendly cost, it makes several bold claims, including top-notch heart rate and step tracking, an excellent display, and impressive battery life. 
But how well do these claims hold up in real-world use? Let’s take a closer look.
First, the design: At first glance, the Redmi Watch Move might seem like a direct Apple Watch knockoff. From its curvy glass to its band style, everything screams Apple, and this can sometimes lead to awkward situations where people mistake it for an Apple Watch. If you don’t mind the imitation luxury look, then this might be a bonus, but if you’re after something unique, you might be disappointed.
The watch comes in four color options, and the color-matched straps are designed similarly to the Apple Watch Sport Band, with a buckle closure instead of a stud. They’re easy to remove thanks to a release mechanism, making it simple to swap bands when needed. However, at its core, the Redmi Watch Move is made of plastic, which is to be expected at this price point. It does come with an IP68 rating, so it’s resistant to dust and water, which is a plus for a budget smartwatch.
One new addition is the rotating crown on the side, which can be pressed as a button, but the crown’s functionality is somewhat stiff, making it difficult to use. Honestly, the touchscreen is easier to navigate than the crown. Now, onto the display: the 1.85-inch AMOLED screen has a resolution of 390 x 450, which delivers bright, vibrant colors with decent outdoor visibility. However, it does have noticeable bezels, and the lack of automatic brightness adjustment can be annoying.
The watch features an always-on display, which is convenient, but we noticed a glitch where the display would light up even without a wrist twist. This could be a calibration issue that might get fixed with a software update. The watch also includes a built-in speaker and microphone, which are more than adequate for notifications and calls.
The software on the Redmi Watch Move is surprisingly good, with a UI that’s easy to navigate. Xiaomi’s Mi Fitness app also offers a solid experience, though creating and logging into an account is an annoying hurdle. The app boasts over 200 watch faces, though you can only store two extra ones beyond the four pre-installed faces. The AI-generated watch face feature is fun at first, but after reaching the 30-free-trial limit, you’ll be asked to subscribe to a paid service for more images. The AI Q&A feature is quite limited and not as useful as some might hope.
Fitness-wise, the Redmi Watch Move tracks heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and even stress. Xiaomi claims its heart rate monitor is 97% accurate, but since there’s no easy way to verify this, we’ll take their word for it. The watch tracks over 140 activities, with auto-detection for six, though swimming is notably missing. It doesn’t have built-in GPS, so it relies on your phone’s location for tracking activities that need it.
When it comes to battery life, Xiaomi claims 14 days, and after a week of use, we still had about 54% left, so it seems like a pretty accurate estimate. The charging process is simple, using a thin USB cable that attaches magnetically to the back.
All in all, the Redmi Watch Move offers great value for its price. While it’s lacking in some areas like GPS and Alexa, and its design is a bit too Apple-esque for some, it delivers solid performance, an excellent display, and a range of useful features at an unbeatable price.