Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm vs Redmi Watch 6 Active, Both watches are Xiaomi’s, but they’re built for different people. The Watch S5 46mm, released May 28, 2026, is a round stainless steel smartwatch for anyone who wants something that passes for a regular watch and still tracks runs and rides properly. The Redmi Watch 6 Active is a cheap rectangular watch from the Redmi sub-brand, aimed at first-time buyers and students. It launched in China as the Watch 5 Active’s successor and reached Nepal in August 2026, so it’s only now turning up in shops outside China.

The S5 has the stronger hardware. Its 1.48-inch AMOLED screen (480 x 480) peaks at 2,500 nits, and it packs an 815 mAh battery, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, 5ATM water resistance, dual-band GNSS and 150+ sports modes. The Active counters with a bigger 1.85-inch AMOLED (450 x 390) at 1,200 nits, a 470 mAh battery, IP68 protection and Bluetooth calling. At 26 g it’s also light. Listings disagree on its sports modes (140 to 180), and I couldn’t confirm built-in GPS, so check before you buy if you run without your phone. Xiaomi claims 14 days of typical use for the S5 (9 with always-on display) and 12 days for the Active (6 with always-on). Nobody has published independent battery tests yet, and GPS workouts will shorten both.
The S5 costs €149 at Amazon DE, Php 10,999 in the Philippines and Rs 39,999 in Nepal. The Active is CNY 349 (about $51) in China and Rs 10,999 in Nepal. A European price near €50 is only a leak, and one US listing shows $64.99. I found no confirmed naira prices, so check local sellers. What this page helps you decide is whether a nicer build and longer battery are worth roughly three times the money.
Two other Xiaomi watches sit between these. The Redmi Watch 6 Lite has a 1.96-inch display, a 9-axis motion sensor and multi-system positioning. The Redmi Watch 6 has a 2.07-inch display and up to 24 days on light use. Outside the brand, the Huawei Watch GT 6 competes with the S5, and the Amazfit Bip 6 with the Active. Check current prices on both. I’d still compare these two first, because they show exactly what the extra money buys within one brand.
The S5’s steel case and large battery mean you can wear it daily without fretting over the charger, and dual-band GNSS and NFC help if you leave your phone at home. Its price is the catch. The Active’s big screen and light body make it comfortable overnight, and it’s cheap enough that a cracked screen isn’t a disaster. The smaller battery, IP68-only protection and unconfirmed GPS limit it to casual tracking rather than serious training.
Choose the S5 if build quality, outdoor tracking and battery life matter most to you. Choose the Active if you’d rather have a big screen, calls and basic health tracking at the lowest price. You’re paying for durability and training features on one side, and for a low price on the other.
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| Price | $190.00 $51.00 |
| Our Rating | |
| Brand | Xiaomi Redmi |
| Category | Xiaomi Smart Watches Xiaomi Smart Watches |
| Brand and model A brand is the name of the company or manufacturer that makes a product, while a model is the specific name or version of the item that the company creates | Xiaomi Watch S5 46mm Xiaomi REDMI Watch 6 Active |
| Release date A release date is the specific day when a product, service, or official piece of information becomes available to the public | Global launch on May 28, 2026 August 2026 |
| Warranty A warranty is a legally binding promise from a manufacturer or seller to repair, replace, or refund a product if it breaks or fails to meet specific quality standards within a set time | 12 months Yes |
| Price A price is the amount of money or other compensation that a buyer gives to a seller to acquire a product or service |
€179.99 / £149.99 for the Black and Silver models. Ceramic Blue and Jungle Green are €200 349 yuan (about $51) |
| In-the-box contents "In-the-box contents" refers to all the individual items, accessories, and documents included inside a product's packaging when you buy it new. | The watch, a magnetic charging dock, and a user manual that includes the warranty notice. The strap is included, and it differs by color. The watch, a magnetic charging cable and a user manual. Xiaomi's weight spec refers to an inbox strap, so a strap is included |
| Display type A display type means either large, stylized typography used for headlines and advertisements or the specific electronic screen technology (like LCD or OLED) used on a digital device | AMOLED, a 60 Hz refresh rate Square AMOLED |
| Screen size Screen size is the physical diagonal measurement of a display area, usually calculated from one corner to the opposite corner and expressed in inches. | 1.48 inches 1.85 inches |
| Resolution The measure of sharpness and detail in a digital photo, video, or screen, usually counted in pixels or dots per inch (DPI). | 480 × 480 pixels, about 323 PPI 390 × 450 pixels, 322 PPI |
| Peak brightness Peak brightness is the highest level of luminance a display screen can achieve for a brief moment in a small area. | 2,500 nits peak, or 1,500 nits when the whole screen is lit. 1,200 nits |
| Always-on display An always-on display (AOD) is a smartphone and smartwatch feature that keeps a small part of the screen active to show basic information—like the time, date, battery level, and notifications—even when the device is locked and asleep. | |
| Screen protection Screen protection means using an extra transparent layer or cover on an electronic device's display to prevent physical damage like scratches, cracks, and smudges | Glass cover. Wet-touch protection 2.5D curved glass |
| Case material The metal, ceramic, or composite substance used to build the exterior housing that protects the internal movement and dial. | 316L stainless steel. The bezel is stainless steel, ceramic or forged carbon, depending on the model. Plastic with a metallic spray coating |
| Case size the diameter of the watch case, measured horizontally from one side to the other (excluding the winding crown and pushers). It is expressed in millimeters (mm) and dictates how large the watch looks and fits on your wrist. | 46 × 46 × 10.99 mm. 44.5 × 39.4 × 9.9 mm, excluding the strap and protrusions |
| Weight Weight is the downward force that gravity exerts on an object. | About 46 g without the strap 26 g without the inbox strap |
| Strap material and interchangeability Watch strap materials are the physical substances used to make the band that holds a timepiece to your wrist, while interchangeability means the ability to easily remove and swap those straps without buying a new watch. |
Black and Silver: fluororubber, fits wrists of about 140–210 mm. Ceramic Blue: genuine leather, about 135–205 mm. Jungle Green: fluororubber plus braided nylon, about 135–205 mm. Interchangeability and the quick-release mechanism are not stated in the sources I found. TPU, fits wrists from 135 to 205 mm. The quick-release design lets you swap straps with a press |
| Water resistance rating A water resistance rating measures how much static water pressure a device or material can withstand before leaking or failing | 5ATM, equal to 50 metres IP68 |
| Available colors different color choices that are ready for you to buy or pick for a product. | Black, Silver, Ceramic Blue and Jungle Green. Global: Midnight Black, Matte Silver and Sunset Orange. China: Gunmetal, Pink Orange and Silver |
| Operating system An operating system (OS) is the main system software that manages a computer's physical hardware and provides a base for other programs to run | Xiaomi HyperOS 3 Xiaomi HyperOS |
| Phone compatibility Phone compatibility means how well a mobile phone can work with a specific network, carrier, app, or accessory without issues | Android 8.0 and above, or iOS 14.0 and above. Some features, such as Smart Hub, need a Xiaomi phone running HyperOS. Sports vlog recording only works on Xiaomi, REDMI and POCO phones. Android 8.0 and above, iOS 14.0 and above |
| Internal storage Internal storage is the built-in, permanent memory inside a device like a smartphone, tablet, or computer used to hold the operating system, apps, and your personal files. | Not Confirmed |
| Voice assistant A voice assistant is a software program powered by artificial intelligence that understands and responds to spoken commands. | |
| Third-party app support Third-party app support means a platform, operating system, or device has the capability to run, connect with, or integrate external software applications created by independent developers rather than the original maker of the system. |
| Battery Capacity Battery capacity is the total amount of electrical energy a battery can store and deliver, functioning much like the size of a fuel tank. | 815 mAh lithium-ion polymer. 470 mAh |
| Battery life Battery life is the length of time a device can operate on a single charge before it needs to be plugged in and recharged. | Xiaomi rates up to 21 days on light use, 14 days on normal use and 9 days with the always-on display. Up to 18 days with light use, 12 days with normal use and 6 days with heavy use |
| Charging type the charging type describes the shape of the plug or how power is transferred | 2-pin magnetic charging dock Magnetic charging cable |
| Charging Time Charging time is the total length of time required to recharge a battery from empty to full capacity. | 64 minutes to go from 13% to 95% Not Confirmed |
| Bluetooth version A Bluetooth version is the specific update level of the wireless rules that a device uses to connect and share data | Dual-mode BLE/BT 5.4. Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Wi-Fi Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to connect devices to the internet without physical cables. | |
| Cellular / eSIM support Cellular/eSIM support means your device has built-in digital SIM technology that lets you connect to a mobile network without needing a physical plastic SIM card. | |
| NFC NFC stands for Near Field Communication, a short-range wireless technology that lets two electronic devices exchange data when they are placed a few centimeters apart. | |
| GPS / GNSS GPS is the specific satellite navigation system operated by the United States. GNSS is the general, umbrella term for all satellite systems that provide location and time data worldwide. |
| Heart rate monitor A heart rate monitor is a device that shows how fast or slow your heart is beating in real time, measured in beats per minute (bpm). | |
| Blood oxygen Blood oxygen is the amount of oxygen circulating in your bloodstream carried by your red blood cells. | |
| ECG An ECG stands for an electrocardiogram, which is a quick, safe, and painless test that records the electrical activity of your heart | |
| Skin temperature Skin temperature is the measure of heat on the outermost surface of your body, which typically ranges from 33°C to 37°C (92.3°F to 98.4°F) and is usually lower than your internal core temperature. | |
| Sleep tracking Sleep tracking is the process of monitoring and estimating how long and how well you sleep using consumer devices like smartwatches, rings, or phone apps. | |
| Stress monitoring Stress monitoring is the process of tracking and measuring your body's physical and mental responses to pressure or challenging situations | |
| Fall / crash detection Fall and crash detection are automated safety features built into smart devices and wearables that use motion sensors and machine learning to sense sudden impacts or hard falls and call for emergency help |
| Number of sport modes The total count of pre-programmed exercise profiles or tracking algorithms a wearable device supports. | 150+ 140+ |
| Auto workout detection Auto workout detection is a smartwatch and fitness tracker feature that automatically recognizes, tracks, and logs your exercise without requiring you to manually start a workout session. | |
| Step, distance, and calorie tracking Step, distance, and calorie tracking means measuring your daily physical movement, estimating how far you have traveled, and calculating the energy your body burns using a fitness device or smartphone | |
| VO2 max VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen your body can use during intense physical exercise | |
| Swim tracking Swim tracking means using technology or manual logs to record and measure your performance and activity while swimming | |
| Altimeter / barometer An altimeter measures altitude (height above sea level), while a barometer measures atmospheric air pressure. | |
| Compass A compass is a tool used for navigation to find directions or a V-shaped instrument used for drawing circles. |
| Call making / answering Call making and answering means the complete process of initiating (dialing and placing) and receiving (picking up and responding to) telephone or digital voice communications. | |
| Message and app notifications Message and app notifications are automated alerts sent to your device or displayed inside a program to inform you of new information, updates, or required actions | |
| Contactless payments A contactless payment is a secure way to pay for goods and services by tapping or holding a card, smartphone, or smartwatch near a payment terminal without physically swiping or inserting a card | |
| Music playback / storage Music playback and storage refers to how digital audio files are saved (storage) and then read, decoded, and converted into audible sound waves (playback) by a device | |
| Built-in microphone and speaker A built-in microphone and speaker means a device has both an internal audio-capturing component (mic) and an internal sound-producing component (speaker) factory-installed inside its main housing, requiring no external attachments to record or play sound |
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