The Xiaomi watch S3 is an affordable smartwatch with a highly customizable look that includes interchangeable bezels. It can track your health, fitness and sleep, send phone notifications to your wrist, and last for several days between charges. Does he lower it? It runs Xiaomi’s software, which seems a bit basic, and you can forget about third-party apps.
Approaching a month with the Xiaomi Watch S3, I’m impressed by its tracking capabilities, considering the relatively low price, and the interchangeable bezels are a good idea. But I’m also okay with saying goodbye. The Watch S3 has too many limitations for me, but it’s important to remember that this device is less than half the price of the most affordable option in our best smartwatches guide.
Before we dig in, it’s worth noting that there is a global version of the Xiaomi Watch S3, but it’s not sold in the US, there’s no official support in the US, and certain features (like NFC for payments) vary depending on the region.
chameleon smart watch
Photography: Simon Hill
For people who like to match their watch with their outfit, the Xiaomi Watch S3 has a unique trick up its sleeve in the form of interchangeable bezels. Changing a watch band can have a big impact, but being able to change both the band and the bezel almost makes it look like a completely different device.
The Watch S3 has a fairly thick 47mm aluminum case with angled lugs and two buttons on the right. A stainless steel bezel sits at the top of the screen and you can twist it to remove and replace it with a different bezel. It’s easy once you get the hang of it and there’s a little marker inside to help you line up. The bezels fit into place securely and I never worried about them coming loose.
Put on a new bezel and the Watch S3 will suggest a matching watch face. It’s a good trick. There are over 100 watch faces in every style imaginable and you can even create your own. Changing the strap is also simple, so you can quickly change your look. My favorite of the straps and bezels that Xiaomi sent was the stylish green and black combination. You get a black or silver bezel with a matching fluoro rubber strap with the Watch S3, and alternatives must be purchased separately.
The 1.43 inch AMOLED The screen has a protective layer of Corning glass. The screen is spacious and sharp, but the relatively low maximum brightness of 600 nits (a measure of luminance) meant it was sometimes difficult to read in direct sunlight. The Watch S3 also has a 5 ATM water resistance rating, meaning you can swim with it.
Photography: Simon Hill
Optimized for endurance
The Xiaomi Watch S3 focuses on the basics with call alerts and notifications from your phone; health, fitness and sleep tracking; and a handful of utilities like a voice recorder, camera shutter control, and a compass. It runs HyperOS, so there are no third-party apps like you’ll find on a Google Wear OS smartwatch.
Navigating the Watch S3 is simple and lag-free. HyperOS isn’t the most attractive software and lacks a coherent design, with a mix of boring and flashy icons. But overall it worked well, apart from the occasional missed notification from my phone. It connects via Bluetooth 5.2 and you can use it with any phone running Android 8 or iOS 12 or later. I tried the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
