Xiaomi likes to launch new products and when it’s not about watches, the manufacturer launches new connected watches. Wearables feature prominently at Xiaomi, which recently launched two new flagships: the Xiaomi Watch 2 and the Xiaomi Watch S3. The first, equipped with wearOS, has already been tested in our columns and today we are interested in the S3. The latter is more affordable and stands out by working with Xiaomi’s “home” operating system, namely HyperOS.
The Xiaomi Watch S3 is priced at 149.99 euros, or 50 euros less than the Xiaomi Watch 2 under Wear OS.
WE love
Its customizable design
The Xiaomi Watch S3 uses the design of “classic” watches, namely a round format. The finishes are of good quality and an imposing aluminum alloy case (47 x 47 x 12 mm) is present. This rather generous format (44 g without the bracelet) makes the Watch S3 more imposing than a Watch 2. The difference can count when making a choice, because the Xiaomi Watch S3 will not be the most discreet on the wrists. finer.
The watch offers two buttons on the right side, as well as a speaker and a microphone. The frame is made of stainless steel and the main curiosity of this watch is located at the dial bezel. It is replaceable and changing is very simple, which makes the watch highly customizable… provided you devote a certain budget to it. The change of look, or rather of bezel, is done by purchasing new frames separately on the Mi Store at prices ranging from 9.99 euros to 39.99 euros.
The strap is of standard type (width of 22 m) and can also be easily replaced, confirming the high degree of customization of the watch. By default, we are treated to a very classic rubber strap which is not necessarily pleasant.
Its screen and navigation
The Xiaomi Watch S3 has a 1.43-inch OLED screen displaying 466 x 466 pixels. It is of good quality with a sufficient level of brightness in most situations, even in sunny weather in the south of France. La tocante has the good idea of offering an automatic brightness sensor, which allows it to adjust this element depending on the situation and preserve autonomy. We appreciate the low minimum brightness so as not to dazzle during the night.
Like the rest of the watch, the screen is customizable with virtual watch faces via the Mi Fitness app. There is a very varied choice and most users will find what they are looking for.
The user experience is smooth and the HyperOS interface is pleasant to use. Despite the absence of a wheel, navigation is easily done using your finger on the touch screen and the buttons placed on the right side. Pressing the top button opens the watch’s main menu and provides access to the various pre-installed applications and features. We return to the home screen by pressing this same button again while a long press launches the voice assistant.
On the bottom button side, a short press opens physical activity tracking while a long press offers to turn off, restart, connect a new phone or reset the Watch S3. Regarding touch, sliding to the side opens the widgets (weather, health status, alarms, etc.). The green swipe at the top opens the notifications pane while the swipe down gives access to the quick settings (Do not disturb, silence, flashlight, settings, etc.). A simple and effective classic for beginners and experienced users alike.
Its very good autonomy
Equipped with a 486 mAh battery, the Watch S3 has an energy-efficient operating system. Xiaomi makes no mistake and announces an autonomy of up to 15 days, we are well above the promises of a watch running wearOS. Fortunately we were able to carry out a long-term test, because it is difficult to overcome the Watch S3.
Xiaomi’s promise is respected in standard use, without the always on mode. We were able to “wear out” the watch more quickly by activating the permanent display of the AMOLED panel, but we were still approaching a good week without going through the recharge box. Exceptional results which are very appreciable in use, especially since Xiaomi adds relatively fast charging. Behind the “cheap” aspect of the charger, it only takes a little over an hour (around 1h05) to fully recharge the watch.
Its numerous tracking sensors
In order to feed the Mi Fitness application and justify its presence on our wrist, the Xiaomi Watch S3 has numerous sensors. It has GPS, a heart rate sensor (combined with the blood oxygen sensor), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an electronic compass and even a barometer. Nothing is missing for rather complete and precise monitoring, even if the heart rate monitor seems to lack a little rhythm. When walking with a bit of running, it sometimes takes a little time to understand the changes in pace.
On the other hand, we really appreciate the GPS which shines with its precision and it is a very good surprise given the price positioning of the watch. The oxygen saturation readings seemed correct to us, as did the sleep monitoring which remains practical for providing a trend. We will not trust the latter 100%, because some false positives persist.
We like less
Its lack of third-party applications
While Xiaomi is turning to Wear OS on some of its watches, the Wach S3 comes with HyperOS. The manufacturer’s “in-house” operating system is well known, as are its strong and weak points. We have seen that its presence helps to offer generous autonomy, but the interface also shines through its limitations.
If it remains pleasant to use, we quickly go around since we have to be satisfied with the functionalities embedded in the watch. HyperOS remains a closed system which does not allow the installation of any additional applications. Even if the efforts to make the experience more complete are visible compared to the first generations, it remains frustrating. Unlike the watch itself, it’s not really possible to customize your software experience in terms of functionality. In the partnership department, we note the presence of Alexa and the presence of Amazon’s voice assistant on the wrist proves practical… provided you are a fan of this assistant. Alexa is in fact the only service available on the Xiaomi Watch S3 and a few bugs should be reported (disconnections, errors of understanding, etc.). The idea is appreciable, but the execution could be better and bring real added value to the wearer of the watch.
Also, it is not really possible to pay with the watch due to the lack of agreement with French banks. A solution exists with foreign banks like Curve, but Xiaomi Pay therefore remains almost unusable in France.
Its somewhat light application
This point partially joins the previous one, but it focuses more on the Mi Fitness application. Essential for owners of the brand’s connected watches and bracelets, it always fulfills its various functions: watch management, display of collected data, settings… Xiaomi aficionados will not be disoriented (on iOS or Android), with this interface in four tabs (Health, Training, Device, Profile).
The first is particularly interesting for consulting the numerous data collected by the Watch S3, while the second allows you to launch in training. Note the possibility of connecting a Suunto account in addition to Strava.
The last two tabs focus on the different settings of the watch (for Device) and the user for profile). The interface is clear, but the problem remains the same as the one we mentioned in our test of the Watch 2. The Mi Fitness application ultimately evolves very little and relies on acquired knowledge, forgetting to progress to offer more options.
Discover the Xiaomi Watch S3
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