Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve smartwatch with main features

Xiaomi constantly pleases users with new smartphones with good functionality at an affordable price. With smart watches, things are worse. Yes, the company is actively developing in this direction, but it produces new models exclusively for the domestic market, but the situation seems to change soon.

If you believe the insiders of the XDA-Developers portal, the company has planned to launch a new model for the European market. It was discovered by chance, in the proprietary Mi Watch application. It is assumed that the novelty is an updated version of Watch Color with the name changed to Mi Watch Revolve.

Main characteristics

The exact characteristics are not yet known. Many users express the opinion that the manufacturing company will leave the main functionality of Color (with the exception of cellular support), and the new name is just a rebranding.

Design and equipment

Unlike the Mi Watch (very much reminiscent of the Apple Watch), the new model received a round case. The design is simple, but at the same time stylish, without unnecessary details, as close as possible to the classic. The display is protected by ultra-strong third-generation Gorilla Glass. There are also rumors that for additional protection of the display, a protective DLC coating will be used (used for ordinary watches and is considered the best, as it increases resistance not only to mechanical, but also chemical influences), which can extend the service life by a couple of years. .

The display is small and looks neat on the hand. The previous version of the rectangular shape looked massive and ridiculous, especially on the female hand (for which it received a lot of hard-hitting comments from Russian users).The dial is an adaptation for a mechanical watch with 3 hands and digital values, and the control buttons located on the side of the case further enhance the similarity.

Gorilla Glass is a development used by well-known consumer electronics manufacturers. Crash tests conducted by users (using a smartphone as an example) showed that when dropped from a height of 1.5 meters, the glass on the front panel was covered with a network of small cracks, but this did not affect the operation of the touch display. Glass is used for the production of smartphones in the middle and premium price segment.

The case is made of polished stainless steel (except for the plastic back cover), which is distinguished by excellent resistance to corrosion, but steel is not so resistant to scratches, so you need to handle the watch carefully.

The strap is silicone, plastic (not oak), fits snugly to the hand. On the one hand, it is comfortable, on the other hand, in hot weather, silicone straps are not particularly comfortable to wear. By the way, for the Color model, not only silicone straps of different colors were available, but also premium options, including leather (even alligator). Whether the company will bother with accessories for Revolve is unknown.

The network got a video with the unpacking of the gadget (according to the user, the watch was bought on Aliexpress). The box contains: instructions, the watch itself and the charger.

By the way, the packaging also deserves attention - it's a stylish white box with the image of a watch and the manufacturer's logo, wrapped in a protective film - just right for a gift.

Display

Touch, full color, with bright colors.The design is adapted to the round shape, the letters and numbers are large enough to read well. The AMOLED display allows you to see the information on the dial even in bright sunlight. Excellent screen resolution options (this is at a size of 6.5 cm2) - 454 x 454.

The interface is simple and informative - nothing superfluous and distracting. Let's hope that the manufacturer adapts not only the dial, but also the menu icons for the round display. The Color had a "cropped" screen feel, as information was displayed in the center (as in the rectangular version).

The dial is reminiscent of a classic watch with 3 hands and numbers, while the control buttons located on the side of the case reinforce the resemblance.

Functions

The display is very informative. Management is made by 2 buttons. The upper one is for calling up the menu, the lower one is for entering the sports interface (useful for training). You can also see the sleep analysis (when swiping to the left).

Users suggest that the interface can be changed (similar to Color with more than 100 pre-installed theme options). The gadget supports GPS (GLONASS).
The display shows the pulse (the sensor is located on the inside), the number of steps and calories burned. When you swipe to the left, information about the analysis of sleep, heart rate and the number of steps taken appears. Pressing the top physical button takes you to the main screen. There is a recording function - you can view the recordings by double-clicking on the bottom button.

But there is no information about support for SIM cards and Wi-Fi yet, but given the more than budget price (about $ 100), most likely not. It will not work to receive calls, but this is not critical.Unlike the version for the Chinese market, there will be built-in speakers.

Regarding the installation of applications - also still unknown. Users who bought the Color noted that installing updates and applications is troublesome. Although they noted that it is unlikely that anyone would think of trying to play games on a tiny display.

There is also no information about voice control. The XiaoAI voice assistant "knows" only the native language. Whether the company will adapt the voice control function for the global market or refuse it altogether is not yet clear.

Another detail that deserves attention is the waterproof case (5 ATM). You can safely wash your hands in the watch, swim in the pool, open water (do not dive). The manufacturer does not recommend exposing the watch to high temperatures, so it is better to take it off before going to the bath or sauna.

autonomy

But here everything is fine. The manufacturer promises 14 days without recharging. According to user reviews, the Color version “ate” about 5% of the charge in one workout. You can charge the device quickly, in just a couple of hours.

Such indicators are quite understandable - a powerful 420 mAh battery (for comparison, the Apple Watch 5 has only 296), a small display, minimal functionality (you can’t receive calls, and you won’t be able to go wild with installing applications), plus the possibility of physical control. Third-party extensions are also automatically removed.

Where could I buy

The watch is already on sale on AliExpress, but note that despite similar specifications, the seller offers a Chinese version that does not support WearOS.

Well, do not forget that the instruction will be only in Chinese and the voice assistant function will not be useful in this case either.Asking price - $ 100 (depending on configuration). By the way, the price, according to forecasts, is not much different from the original. Sales are expected to start at $113 (minor difference possible, depending on the market).

As for the start of sales in Russia, there is no information yet. Various sources report that mass production and the official presentation can take place in a couple of months.

What is the result

The Chinese brand will not be able to offer anything essentially new, except for a changed name and case shape.

Opinion about the novelty among users is also ambiguous. On the one hand - a bright display, stylish design and long battery life. On the other hand, it has very limited functionality. As one of the commentators noted, “Xiaomi watches work for a long time, but stupidly.”

Unlike the Chinese version, the rebranded version for the global market will lose functionality - there is no support for cellular communications. Hundreds of versions of pre-installed watch face themes are also an idea, not to say very necessary, as well as weather data.

Worthy of respect is the honesty of the manufacturer, who calls the pulse sensor a heart rate sensor (unlike competitors whose watches “can” measure pressure).

Advantages and disadvantages

Based on the known parameters, preliminary conclusions can be drawn. For $100, the buyer gets a beautiful fitness tracker with more than 8 sports modes (walking, running, cycling and others).

• stylish design;
• durable protective glass;
• waterproof stainless steel case;
• silicone strap;
• adapted dial;
• simple control;
• affordable price;
• several training modes;
• bright display.

• limited functionality;
• unable to install applications;
• does not support cellular communication.

So, the novelty is intended rather for lovers of stylish and unusual accessories. Beautiful watch with a minimum set of functions necessary for training. Although, it is quite possible that during the official presentation, Xiaomi will be able to surprise users.