Mi Watch Lite is the cheapest smart watch from Xiaomi. Is it worth considering its purchase? [REVIEW]

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Xiaomi released the Mi Watch Lite to the Polish market at the end of 2020 and a few months after the newest band from the Chinese manufacturer appeared on the market - Mi Band 5. Now, after more than a month of testing, it's time for a full review of the device.

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Appearance and convenience of use

The first thing that catches your eye is the rather small dimensions of the device. Mi Watch Lite is much smaller, for example, than the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro and fits better to the wrist than the Mi Band 5. It also makes its very light weight (35 g with a strap), thanks to which we quickly forget about the presence of a new Xiaomi watch on the wrist.

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The smartwatch case is made of good quality black plastic. On the right side there is a place for a (metal) multi-function button, and underneath there is a scanner for measuring the heart rate and contacts for charging the watch.

The whole thing is well made, although I have reservations about the average quality of the glass protecting the screen. After a few days of using Mi Watcha Lite, there were several smaller and larger scratches on it. So let's get a foil that will provide additional protection.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite photo by BP

Screen and controls

Unfortunately, the glass pane is not the only element on which Xiaomi has saved a bit. The company also compromised on the screen, which is made in LCD TFT technology, not AMOLED (as in the Mi Band 5).

You can see the difference at first glance. The colors displayed on the screen are a bit faded, and when you look at the watch from even a slight angle, the image darkens, the colors become even more washed out, and the black interface elements turn gray (common problems of TFT panels). Unfortunately, it presents itself quite poorly, so it is a pity that Xiaomi did not bet on a much better quality AMOLED display.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite photo by BP

After all, the watch screen does its job. Regardless of the conditions, I had no problems with reading the time and notifications. A square display with a diagonal of 1.4 inches and a resolution of 320x320 pixels is very suitable for this purpose. The brightness of the backlight can be adjusted automatically and its range is suitable for everyday use.

It is worth mentioning that, unlike Mi Banda 5, in the case of Mi Watch Lite we have a physical button that allows you to highlight the watch face and go to the main screen. This is a big plus, because the device does not activate accidentally every time it comes into contact with water (and this is the case in the smart bands of the Chinese manufacturer).

Watch system and capabilities

Not only the control, but also the capabilities of the Mi Watch Lite are similar to what the Xiaomi smart bands offer. By sliding your finger to the right or left, we go to the next widgets displaying the most important information. Clicking the button takes us, in turn, to the list of applications, which are 18. Unfortunately, the order of the icons cannot be changed in any way.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite photo by BP

Most of the options are consistent with what offers, for example, Mi Band 5. Mi Watch Lite allows, among others to perform one of the 11 exercises, control music, measure the heart rate or use the stopwatch, timer and alarm clock. The watch also shows data on training, activity, weather and allows you to read notifications. In addition, Mi Watch Lite has a built-in compass, barometer, shows the current altitude above sea level (unfortunately the indications are quite inaccurate) and has the function of a flashlight (its role is played by a white screen with maximum brightness).

A significant advantage over the Xiaomi Mi Band series bands are, however, much wider options for reading measurements and making changes to the settings. From the level of the watch, we can check the duration of sleep, change the alarm time, and introduce many real changes to the settings (e.g. hours of activity or automatic wake-up of the watch after raising your hand). In the case of Mi Banda 5, making such changes requires a smartphone with an appropriate application, which is quite troublesome.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite - sample dials photo BP

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mobile application

While in the case of Xiaomi bands we use the Mi Fit mobile application, watches (including Mi Watch Lite) connect to another application - Xiaomi Wear. The application is quite intuitive and easy to use. It is a pity that the Chinese manufacturer requires a separate program to be installed for various types of devices. As a result, having, for example, a watch, scale and a brush from Xiaomi, we have to install as many as three different applications (Xiaomi Wear, Mi Fit and Xiaomi Home, respectively).

Screenshots from the Xiaomi Wear application pic. Screenshot

Returning to Xiaomi Wear, however, it is worth mentioning that the application is only to support the operation of the watch and is not as important as in the case of bands. Mi Watch Lite also has a built-in GPS module, so we can record workouts at the level of the watch, leaving the phone at home, which will surely be appreciated by running enthusiasts. Unfortunately, Mi Watchem Lite cannot be paid (there is not even an NFC module here).

The only thing you can complain about in Xiaomi Wear is the sleep measurements. I can't understand why the app shows sleep time first with minutes and then hours (eg "7 mins 6 hours" or "58 mins 7 hours"). This is completely counter-intuitive, especially since the order on the watch screen is reversed.

Screenshots from the Xiaomi Wear application pic. Screenshot

Unfortunately, this is not the only disadvantage of sleep measurements, because the measurements themselves are quite inaccurate. Not only does the watch not detect short naps at all and does not analyze sleep (even many hours) during the day, it does not yet show REM phases. This is surprising, because these options are present even in the much cheaper Mi Band 5.

What's more, measuring sleep at all causes the Mi Watch Lite watch a lot of problems. On many occasions in the sleep charts I had wake-up calls that were not really there, or the measurements "stopped" in the early morning, even though I slept 2 or 3 hours longer.

It is a consolation that all the other options (except the aforementioned altitude, but you can get over it) work without any reservations.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite photo by BP

Battery and runtime

I can praise the operating time on a single charge. Mi Watch Lite is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 230 mAh, which - according to the manufacturer - is enough for a maximum of 9 days of work. In fact, when we use the watch quite sparingly, you can actually count on about 9-10 days away from the charger. However, when we often backlight the screen, use a compass, flashlight or training with an active GPS module, the working time drops to about 5-7 days.

The need to recharge the smart watch every few days is not inconvenient in my opinion (although some people may disagree with me). Especially since this process is quite short. Of course, we supplement the energy with the charger included in the set, in which the device should be placed.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite photo by BP

Summary. Is it worth it?

In my opinion, Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite is not a full-fledged smartwatch, but something like a fitness band on steroids. In addition to the basic options that the Mi Band 5 also offers, for example, we have several extras, such as GPS, compass, etc., as well as greater possibilities to change settings and personalize the device without having to reach for the phone. We also have a larger screen that allows for much more convenient operation.

It is also worth noting that (excluding Mi Bands) Mi Watch Lite is the cheapest wearable device on the Xiaomi offer and one of the cheapest smart watches in general. In Polish electronics stores, we can buy it for about PLN 240-250. It's about PLN 100 more than you need to spend on Mi Banda 5, but this amount is not excessive compared to the possibilities offered by the watch.

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Is it worth paying extra for Mi Watch Lite? In my opinion, yes, if you just need a larger screen and slightly more extensive possibilities than with the Xiaomi fitness band, and you can also come to terms with some shortcomings that are present in the Mi Watch Lite. However, if you expect something more, it will be necessary to look around for one of the more expensive devices.