Download Mi Watch Revolve Active First Impressions: Time to Get Active? for free

The Mi Watch Revolve was launched last September and cost Rs. 10,999, but it recently received a price cut of Rs. 7,999. It didn’t have a voice assistant on board and the features didn’t really help it. Xiaomi has now launched a new product called Mi Watch Revolve Active that offers Alexa support along with SpO2 tracking, which is a useful feature given the current pandemic situation. Has Xiaomi developed a better wearable? And should the Mi Watch Revolve Active be preferred to the previous model? I spend some time with this new watch trying to figure it out.

Mi Watch Revolve Active Price in India

The Mi Watch Revolve Active costs Rs. 9,999 in India. As an early bird offer, Xiaomi is offering a Rs. 1000 discount that reduces the price to Rs. 8,999. The Mi Watch Revolve Active also has an HDFC banking offering for Rs. 750 which brings the price down to Rs. 8,249. You don’t get size options, but it does come in beige, black, and navy blue with matching straps.

The Mi Watch Revolve Active has a 1.39-inch AMOLED display, and since it only comes in one size, this device can look big on your wrists if you have small hands. The display is bright and also has an always-on mode. I found the screen brightness to be good enough, and this watch has an ambient light sensor that can adjust the brightness automatically.

The case feels similar to plastic, but is super light at only 32 g (without strap). The watch is water-resistant to 5 ATM pressure, which should help it withstand the rigors of daily use. There are two buttons on the right side of the watch case. The top one represents the app drawer on the watch’s display, while the second is a shortcut for training tracking. Both have good click feedback and you won’t doubt one entry. The left side is completely blank.

The Mi Watch Revolve Active has two buttons on the case

Turn the watch over and you will see a number of sensors on the bottom. These are for heart rate, SpO2 and stress tracking. It also has ports for charging the battery. I had a beige unit of the Mi Watch Revolve Active that has a brown back.

This watch uses 22mm straps and the one included has quick release pins so you can remove it without tools. Xiaomi says it will offer several bands as accessories for the Mi Watch Revolve Active that you should be able to swap out fairly easily. The strap material is soft to the touch and has a structured surface. You get a regular buckle on the strap to clip around your wrists. I found the watch a little difficult to wear because of this texture, but it also felt secure once it was in place.

You can pair the Mi Watch Revolve Active with a smartphone via the Xiaomi Wear app. This app is very easy to use and setting up the watch for the first time is a smooth process. Once paired, the app can be used to review various statistics that the watch is recording. You also need the app to log into Amazon so that Alexa can work on the Mi Watch Revolve Active. I’ve been using Alexa for a while and found the functionality a bit limited – more on this in the detailed review.

With the Xiaomi MI Watch Revolve Active you can track heart rate, sleep, SpO2, stress and workouts. The watch also has a built-in GPS to track outdoor workouts and a barometer to measure pressure. The Mi Watch Revolve Active contains a 420 mAh battery that, according to Xiaomi, can last up to 14 days and can be charged in less than two hours using the charger supplied.

The sensors on the underside of the Mi Watch Revolve Active

I found the watch’s UI to be very similar to that of the Mi Watch Revolve, which I checked earlier. This new watch quickly woke up when I raised my hand. Swiping down from the top will show notifications from a paired smartphone, while swiping up from the home screen will toggle quickly. Swiping left and right from the watch face reveals various stats such as heart rate, sleep time, and stress.

The Mi Watch Revolve Active is, as the name suggests, a fitness product. Xiaomi also seems to have managed to pack everything essential. So should the Mi Watch Revolve Active be your fitness watch of choice? Stay tuned for the full review to find out.