Xiaomi launches new affordable smartwatch with 18-day battery life

Xiaomi has officially launched its latest Redmi Watch 6 Active smartwatch in China. It comes as a direct successor to last year’s Redmi Watch 5 Active (curr. at $43.49 on Amazon), bringing some notable upgrades in terms of display, design, and more. Speaking more precisely, the smartwatch now comes with a slightly smaller 1.85-inch AMOLED screen but hits a significantly higher local peak brightness of 1,200 nits. In contrast, the Watch 5 Active has a larger 2-inch LCD screen but maxes out at only 500 nits. 

Another notable difference is the watch is now slimmer and lighter than the predecessor, measuring 9.9 mm in thickness (0.39 inches) and weighing just 26 grams (0.057 lbs) without the strap. The AMOLED display resolves at a 450 x 390 px resolution. It is now rated IP68 for water and dust resistance, meaning it can be usable during light water sports activities such as swimming. 

Furthermore, the watch retains the same 470 mAh battery from the last generation model. According to Xiaomi, the watch offers 6 days of battery life with the always-on display, 12 days without it, and up to 18 days in power-saving mode. There are no changes in the battery life numbers. It remains the same as the Watch 5 Active. Moreover, you can use the gadget to receive phone calls thanks to a built-in microphone and Bluetooth connectivity. 

Xiaomi’s new IP68-rated smartwatch supports up to 140 sports modes and a range of health tracking features, including heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, and stress level tracking. The watch is compatible with both iOS (14.0 and above) and Android (8.0 and above) devices. Other features include quick pay, remote photography, Apple Health compatibility, a flashlight, a phone finder tool, and Xiaomi Health companion app support. 

Available in gunmetal, orange, and silver colorways, the Xiaomi Redmi Watch 6 Active is priced at CNY 349 (~$51). Buyers can purchase the smartwatch directly from Xiaomi’s official website in China. There’s no word on its international availability yet.