The S5 smartwatch, which Realme just released in India, is now available for purchase on the company’s official website for Rs 7,499. It’s interesting to note that a number of smartwatches from certain well-known companies are available. This one has a high-end appearance and is said to have a number of sophisticated fitness monitoring features. Additionally, the watch costs less than Rs 8,000 and has a vibrant AMOLED display and a respectable battery life.
I spent some time using the smartwatch to see if it was worth the price. Let’s get started with the review to learn everything there is to know about its features, design, cost, and more.
The contents of the box
In addition to the wristwatch, the packaging includes paperwork and a cable-free circular magnetic watch charger.
Design and Presentation
When held in the hand, this smartwatch truly appears high-end. It has a single spinning crown and a circular watch style. Two more buttons are added. It provides Panda Glass protection and has an aluminum alloy body. The Sand White color unit was delivered to me.
It is also available in a shade of rock grey. Compared to the black version, I preferred the white version since it better accentuates the ceramic-style finish. Notably, the watch contains silica gel, which frequently causes the gadget to perspire, particularly in hot and muggy summers.
The Realme S5 Watch, which weighs about 33 grams and has a strap that weighs over 17 grams, seems light. The bezels on the display are narrow, but the white ring on the outside is apparent and gives the watch a rough appearance. It is easily scratched. The spinning crown offers tactile feedback and functions nicely when scrolling. Five ATM water resistance is supported by this wearable.
The watch has a 1.43-inch AMOLED panel with a 455×466 resolution, a refresh rate of 60 Hz, and a maximum brightness of 1500 nits. The brightness and quality of the display are impressive. Outside, auto brightness settings function fairly well and visibility is good. Additionally, users get an always-on display and five adjustable brightness settings. Additionally, the smartwatch has a Smart Might Vision feature that, when used at night, automatically changes the watch face to a red theme.
The watch’s overall colors appear crisp and organic. Additionally, the wearable’s theoretical specifications match the actual experience. You might not be entirely pleased with the watch faces. Through the Realme Link app, this wristwatch offers about 100 watch faces; however, the majority of them are not customizable.
The synchronizing process can also seem a little sluggish to you. Applying a watch face is also slow, and opening the watch face options may take some time to refresh. Up to 12 watch faces can be stored locally on this watch.
Alerts and Intelligent Features
Another area where you can feel that something is lacking is notifications. Apps like WhatsApp and others allow users to get notifications. However, there isn’t much potential for customization in terms of how notifications might act. Furthermore, it is not possible to adjust the delivery behavior or notification priority according on whether the smartphone is in use.
Additionally, the watch occasionally fails to display images and emoticons in alerts. Additionally, the capacity to respond is restricted. Although Realme has touted smart voice reply support, it was challenging to consistently rely on them. In actuality, Bluetooth calling outperformed my expectations. The built-in microphone functions fairly well, and voices sounded clear.
Blood oxygen, heart rate, sleep cycle, stress, and support for over 110 sports modes are all features of the Realme Watch S5. An essential component of the health suite is sleep monitoring. This gadget provides sleep stage breakdowns, including REM sleep, deep sleep, and resting heart rate during sleep sessions, and it has good nap detection capabilities. The sleep monitoring functioned fairly well for me.
SpO2 and heart rate monitoring also performed rather well. However, throughout the exercise sessions, readings may occasionally change. Additionally, step tracking was occasionally perceived as being a little erratic.
In my experience, the GPS workout tracking functions fairly well, and indicators like heart rate, pace, and distance throughout activities are easily readable. Additionally, the company prioritizes features like running companion modes, metronome accompaniment, pacing coaching, and aerobic training effect monitoring. Overall, the device’s accuracy for tracking fitness was mediocre, and there is room for improvement.
Battery Life
One of the benefits of the smartwatch is its battery. The watch could easily last about six days if heart rate monitoring is enabled, notifications are turned on, sleep tracking is active, and the display is always on. Yes, if you turn off the AOD, your battery will last longer. You can also use it for about ten days after turning off the battery-saving functions. This is comparable to smartwatches in the same price range.
The smartwatch can take up to three hours to fully charge, which is a very long time. The Watch S5 has a unique magnetic charging system that is connected via USB Type-C. Notably, the magnetic attachment was a little weaker than anticipated, which was also a little disappointing.
Final verdict
One gadget with good hardware is the Realme Watch S5. The display on this smartwatch is one of its best features. It’s smooth and brilliant. The watch has a high-end in-hand feel and its GPS functions fairly well. Additionally, it receives full credit for Bluetooth calling.
You might not be entirely happy with software, though. Its limitations could include slightly off fitness tracking and syncing issues.
It is a good choice around Rs 8,000 if you require a smartwatch for casual use that has a bright display, a good battery life, crisp Bluetooth calling, and little dependence on health and sports features.
