The Xiaomi Watch S3 is an inexpensive smartwatch with a extremely customizable look that features swappable bezels. It may possibly monitor your well being, health, and sleep, convey telephone notifications to your wrist, and final a number of days between expenses. The draw back? It runs Xiaomi’s software program, which feels a bit primary, and you’ll overlook about third-party apps.
Closing in on a month with the Xiaomi Watch S3, I’m impressed by its monitoring capabilities, contemplating the comparatively low value, and the changeable bezels are a neat concept. However I’m additionally superb with saying goodbye to it. The Watch S3 has too many limitations for me, but it surely’s necessary to do not forget that this gadget is lower than half the value of probably the most inexpensive choice in our finest smartwatches information.
Earlier than we dig in, it’s price noting that there’s a international model of the Xiaomi Watch S3, but it surely’s not bought within the US, there isn’t any official US help, and sure options (like NFC for funds) fluctuate by area.
Smartwatch Chameleon
{Photograph}: Simon Hill
For people who wish to match their watch with their outfit, the Xiaomi Watch S3 has a novel trick up its sleeve within the form of interchangeable bezels. Altering the strap on a watch could be impactful, however with the ability to change each the strap and bezel nearly makes it appear to be a very totally different gadget.
The Watch S3 has fairly a chunky 47-mm aluminum case with angled lugs and two buttons on the appropriate. A stainless-steel bezel sits on high of the display screen, and you’ll rotate it to take away and substitute it with a distinct bezel. It’s straightforward when you get the grasp, and there’s a wee marker on the within that can assist you align. The bezels slot into place securely, and I by no means apprehensive about them coming unfastened.
Connect a brand new bezel and the Watch S3 suggests an identical watch face. It is a neat trick. There are greater than 100 watch faces in each conceivable model, and you’ll even create your individual. Altering the strap can be easy, so you may shortly change your look. My favourite of the straps and bezels Xiaomi despatched was the fashionable inexperienced and black combo. You get one black or silver bezel with an identical fluororubber strap with the Watch S3, and options should be bought individually.
The 1.43-inch AMOLED display screen has a layer of protecting Corning glass. The show is roomy and crisp, however the comparatively low peak brightness of 600 nits (a luminance measurement) meant it was typically arduous to learn in direct daylight. The Watch S3 can be 5ATM rated for water resistance, which means you may swim with it.
{Photograph}: Simon Hill
Streamlined for Stamina
The Xiaomi Watch S3 focuses on the fundamentals with name and notification alerts out of your telephone; well being, health, and sleep monitoring; and a handful of utilities like a voice recorder, digicam shutter management, and compass. It runs HyperOS, so there aren’t any third-party apps like you’ll find on a Google Put on OS smartwatch.
Navigating across the Watch S3 is slick and lag-free. HyperOS is just not probably the most engaging software program and lacks a cohesive design, with a mixture of boring and garish icons. But it surely principally labored nicely, other than the odd missed notification from my telephone. It connects through Bluetooth 5.2, and you need to use it with any telephone operating Android 8 or iOS 12 or later. I examined with the Xiaomi 14 Extremely.
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