Looking for a new premium smartwatch? Check out the best from Xiaomi and Apple in our Xiaomi Watch vs Apple Watch comparison.
If you are in the market for a smartwatch, you would have surely heard about the Apple Watch Series 8. They are the pinnacle of smartwatches and offer the best smartwatch experience.
But what if I tell you you will get a similar experience for a lot lower price. That’s where Xiaomi comes in, their Xiaomi Watch S1 Active competes for neck and neck with Apple Watch Series 8 but costs much much lower.
Comparing the Xiaomi Watch and the Apple Watch, both have impressive displays, but the Apple Watch has more advanced connectivity options and sensors. The Xiaomi Watch has a longer battery life and a more budget-friendly price tag, while the Apple Watch comes with a premium price. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference and budget.
Xiaomi Watch vs Apple Watch 2023 : S1 Active vs Series 8
I’m going to share my thoughts on two of the hottest smartwatches out there – the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active and the Apple Watch Series 8. These two timepieces have been designed to make your life better, and I can’t wait to share how they stack up against each other.
Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Xiaomi Watch S1 Active | Apple Watch Series 8 | Better Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Memory | Unspecified storage | 32GB 1GB RAM, eMMC 5.1 | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| OS | Proprietary OS | watchOS 9.0 | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Battery | Li-Po 470 mAh | Li-Ion 309 mAh | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Display Size | 1.43 inches | 1.9 inches | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Display Type | AMOLED | Retina LTPO OLED | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Display Resolution | 466 x 466 pixels | 484 x 396 pixels | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Body Dimensions | 46.5 x 47.3 x 11 mm | 45 x 38 x 10.7 mm | Xiaomi Watch S1 Active |
| Weight | 36 g (1.27 oz) | 32 g (41mm), 38.8 g (45mm) (1.13 oz) | Xiaomi Watch S1 Active |
| Body Type | Glass front, plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front, ceramic/sapphire crystal back, aluminum frame | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Water Resistance | 5ATM | 50m | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Connectivity | No | eSIM, HSPA, LTE | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| WLAN | No | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-band | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE | Xiaomi Watch S1 Active |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2, GPS | Accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, barometer, always-on altimeter, compass, SpO2, VO2max, temperature, GPS | Apple Watch Series 8 |
| Sounds & Music | Loudspeaker, No 3.5mm Jack | Loudspeaker, No 3.5mm Jack | Tie |
Note: “Better Component” is determined based on which smartwatch has a superior specification in that particular feature.
Design & Display
Let me start with the design and display.
The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active features a 1.43-inch AMOLED display that is both clear and bright. One thing I appreciate about this watch is its waterproof design, which means I don’t have to worry about taking it off when I’m swimming or showering.
Plus, I have three color options to choose from: Moon White, Space Black, and Ocean Blue. I like having choices, so this is a plus for me.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 8 is quite impressive. It has a 1.9-inch Retina LTPO OLED display that’s always on and boasts a peak brightness of 1000 nits. The screen is crystal clear, and I love that I can keep it on all the time.
The design of this watch is premium, and I have four colors to choose from: Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Red. The variety is great, and each color is stunning in its own way.
Overall, both watches have impressive displays and designs. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is more affordable and has a waterproof design, which is great for those who love water sports. The Apple Watch Series 8 is more expensive, but its always-on screen and premium design make it worth the investment.
Battery Performance
The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has a battery that can last up to two weeks on a single charge. That’s impressive! I don’t have to worry about charging my watch every day, and it’s a relief knowing that I won’t have to stop what I’m doing to charge it frequently. I appreciate the convenience of this long battery life.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 8 lasts for up to 18 hours. While this is still a decent amount of time, it pales in comparison to the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active’s two-week battery life.
I do like that the Apple Watch has a fast charging feature, where I can get it back up to 80% in just 45 minutes. But overall, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active takes the cake on battery life.
Connectivity & Sensors
As someone who values staying connected and tracking my fitness, this is an important aspect for me.
The Apple Watch Series 8 has impressive connectivity options, including eSIM support and LTE data speed. The idea of having cellular capabilities on my wrist, so that I don’t have to carry my phone with me everywhere I go is an added bonus.
Also, the range of sensors on the Apple Watch Series 8 is impressive, including an always-on altimeter, VO2max, and temperature. It supports GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, and BDS, allowing me to track my location accurately.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC connectivity. The ease of connecting to my phone via Bluetooth and the convenience of making mobile payments with the NFC feature is a plus.
The watch also has an array of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer, heart rate, and SpO2. It supports GPS with dual-band GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, and QZSS, quite like hte Series 8 so was able to track my runs and walks accurately.
Overall, while the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has an impressive array of sensors and connectivity options, the Apple Watch Series 8 takes the cake. Its eSIM support and LTE data speed mean I can stay connected even without my phone nearby, and the range of sensors make it a powerful fitness tool.
Price Difference
Finally, let’s talk about price. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is significantly cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 8, with a price tag of around $150. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is the clear winner.
Xiaomi Watch S1 Active vs Apple Watch 8 Which is Better?
In conclusion, both the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active and the Apple Watch Series 8 have their strengths and weaknesses. The Apple Watch Series 8 has a more premium design, a wider range of features, and better connectivity options.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has a much longer battery life and is much more affordable. Ultimately, it all depends on what you’re looking for in a smartwatch, and these two are great options to choose from.
Xiaomi Watch S1 vs Apple Watch 7
Xiaomi’s brand new smartwatches, the Xiaomi Watch S1 and S1 Active have been making the headlines. Xiaomi seems to have hit the right set of specs and features this time out. We all know that Apple’s latest Apple Watch 7 is one of the best Smartwatches you can get so let’s see how both of these compare against each other.
Specifications
| Dimensions | 45 x 38 x 10.7 mm (1.77 x 1.50 x 0.42 in) | 46.5 x 46.5 x 11 mm (1.83 x 1.83 x 0.43 in) |
| Weight | 42.3 g (41mm), 51.5 g (45mm) | – |
| MaterialsWater Resistance | Glass front, ceramic/sapphire crystal back, stainless steel frameIP6X certified50m water-resistant | Sapphire crystal front, stainless steel frame, plastic backWaterproof (5ATM) |
| Display Technology | Retina LTPO OLED, 1000 nits (peak)Always-on display | AMOLEDAlways-on display |
| Screen Size | 1.9 inches | 1.43 inches |
| Resolution | 484 x 396 pixels (326 PPI density) | 466 x 466 pixels (326 PPI density) |
| Protectin | Sapphire crystal glass | Sapphire glass |
| Internal Storage | 32GB | Unspecified storage |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | Yes, with dual-band. GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| OS | watchOS 8.0 | Proprietary RTOS |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate, barometer, always-on altimeter, compass, SpO2, VO2max | Accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | Li-Ion 309 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 470 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging Technolgy | Wireless charging | Wireless charging |
Display
When it comes to displaying both the Xiaomi Watch S1 and the Apple Watch Series 7 are excellent.
The Watch S1 sports a 1.43 inch AMOLED display with Sapphire Glass for protection while the Series 7 features a large 1.9-inch OLED panel with LTPO support.
Both watches have an Always-on display and the same PPI (pixels per inch) of 326. But if I had to choose, I would go with Series 7 because of LTPO and a brighter screen. Series 7 also looks a bit better than the Watch S1.
Software
This is a category where Apple outshines almost everyone in the Smartwatch industry. But finally, Google is catching up with watchOS thanks to its increased focus on Wear OS.
Unfortunately, Xiaomi has gone for an in-house software solution. I have been impressed with the Wear OS on the new Samsung Watch 4 series, and I wish Xiaomi used the same.
While watchOS is still as impressive as ever, Xiaomi has designed the Watch S1 with competent software. The new RTOS on Watch S1 is aesthetically pleasing, is not laggy, and has tons of customizable options.
I would still choose the Apple Watch Series 7 for the overall software experience, but Xiaomi has improved a lot too. Want a customizable Watch? Go with Xiaomi, want something that just works all the time, then choose Apple.
Sensors
Xiaomi and Apple have all the necessary sensors in a modern-day smartwatch. Both of them feature an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, barometer, compass, and SpO2.
Apple offers some extra sensors in the form of an Altimeter and a VO2max sensor. So again Apple wins. While Apple offers more sensors, Xiaomi offers more tracking features. the Watch S1 has 117 sports modes while Apple Watch only has 18 modes.
Pricing
This is where Xiaomi has a huge advantage over Apple. The Xiaomi Watch S1 costs half of the Apple Watch Series 7. The Watch S1 starts at $199 while the Series 7 starts at $399.
Check out the latest Xiaomi watch on Aliexpress
Check out the Apple Watch on Amazon
Xiaomi Watch vs Apple Watch Series 6
Display
Displays are very important for a smartwatch, it is where you interact with the watch, where you get all your information and notification from. A lackluster display can make the experience of using a smartwatch underwhelming. Both Xiaomi and Apple have equipped their watches with top-quality displays, thanks to their expertise in making smartphones with a good display.
Xiaomi Display
The Xiaomi Watch comes with a 1.78 inches Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 368×448 pixels. It can go up to 450 nits of brightness, which is enough for most situations unless you are under bright sunlight. Xiaomi uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to protect the display. The overall display is reasonably bright, vivid, and colorful thanks to its AMOLED panel.
Apple Display
Both the Xiaomi Watch and the Apple Watch Series 6 have similar display specs until you look closely. They are equipped with 1.78 inches displays with a resolution of 368×448 pixels. The difference lies in the type of panel used, as Apple has chosen an LTPO OLED panel compared to the AMOLED on Xiaomi. An LTPO panel will improve battery life thanks to its ability to adjust the refresh rate depending on what is displayed on the watch.
The Apple Watch Series 6 can hit peak brightness levels of 1000 nits, making it much brighter than the Xiaomi Watch at 450 Nits. Apple uses Ion-X strengthened glass to protect the display while Xiaomi uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3. But overall, both watches have good displays that are vivid and colorful with support for the always-on display.
Apple Watch Series 6’s display is superior, but the Xiaomi Watch’s display will perform just as well in most conditions. Only under heavy sunlight, the Xiaomi Watch will struggle to keep up with Apple. So the real question is are you willing to pay more than double for a better display?
Check out the latest Xiaomi watch on Aliexpress
Check out the Apple Watch on Amazon
OS, Software, and Watch Faces
Software should be perfect for any smart device, it is the interface and without good software, all you will have is a watch that displays the time, not a smartwatch. Both Xiaomi and Apple have their software specifically developed for smartwatches.
Xiaomi Watch’s OS is based on the Wear OS with an overlay. Xiaomi calls this MIUI for Watch. If you are familiar with Wear OS then you will find the MIUI for Watch to be similar.
Apple Watch Series 6 runs on Apple’s watchOS 7.0 (upgradeable to recent versions like 7.3.3 available). Apple watchOS evolves making it better with every iteration.
Apple has been in the smartwatch game for much longer than Xiaomi now, so the software feels much more refined. But that doesn’t mean Xiaomi is lagging by a lot, Xiaomi using Wear OS makes it just as good. I am sure Xiaomi will nail the MIUI for Watch going forward.
The customizability of watch faces is a nifty little feature that makes it fun to use the watches. Both Xiaomi and Apple have multiple watch faces that look great and display information well. I do prefer the watch faces on Apple Watch Series 6 as it has a much cleaner and simple look. But it is a subjective opinion and you may find the watch faces on Xiaomi to look better.
Xiaomi Watch Faces
Apple Watch Faces
Internals and Sensors
Smartwatches come with a lot of sensors that make them smart. These sensors gather a lot of information that you can use in a variety of ways. To power these sensors, crunch the number, and store the information, the internals should be powerful enough for that.
Both the Xiaomi Watch and the Apple Watch Series 6 come with an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a heart rate sensor, a compass, a SpO2 sensor, and a barometer. While those are all the sensors in the Xiaomi Watch, Apple includes more like an always-on altimeter and a cadence sensor. The heart rate found on Apple Watch Series 6 is its 2nd gen version which should be better and more accurate compared to its predecessors.
Xiaomi (left) Apple (right) sensors
To power these sensors and store information, Xiaomi uses a Snapdragon Wear 3100 along with 1GB of RAM and 8GBs of storage. On the other hand, Apple uses a custom-made Apple S5 chip along with 1GB of RAM and 32GBs of storage. This means that Apple has much more storage, to store information, apps, watch faces, and more.
You also get WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS with GLONASS, and NFC on both devices for connectivity and other functions. Apple Watch Series 6 gets a better Bluetooth version with v5.0 compared to v4.2 on the Xiaomi Watch.
Check out the latest Xiaomi watch on Aliexpress
Check out the Apple Watch on Amazon
Functions
Functions are what these smartwatches can do and cannot. Both are very closely matched in this regard. Both the Xiaomi Watch and Apple Watch Series 6 can monitor your heart rate, check blood oxygen levels, and air pressure around you. They can also use GPS for location, an accelerometer for footstep calculation, and a gyroscope. The Apple Watch Series 6 also comes with a cadence sensor that can be used while cycling to calculate your speed and distance covered by you.
Apple Functions
Both watches use their sensors to measure the distance traveled by you, track steps taken, track your sleep habits, and count calories. This information is provided to you in detail that you can analyze. Both smartwatches are excellent fitness devices and are great to monitor your health and exercising habits. And both watches include high-quality sensors making them fairly accurate and reliable for such purposes.
Along with the above functions, you also get smart functions like notification and message tracking from your phones, smart assistant, Siri for Apple, and Google Assistant for Xiaomi. The inbuilt microphones in both watches and loudspeakers allow you to answer calls too. You can track your phone with these watches thanks to wireless sensors like Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi in them. And you can also listen to music on both the smartwatches.
When it comes to both smartwatches are so closely matched, with Apple only having an extra cadence sensor for cycling. This makes the Xiaomi Watch the clear choice given the price difference. As always Xiaomi has delivered on value.
Check out also: Apple Watch Cellular vs Apple Watch GPS
Battery Life
Unlike traditional watches that last for years, smartwatches use much more energy to drive the display, internals, and sensors. This means that you will need to charge them regularly. Here the Xiaomi Watch wins by including a larger battery giving it extra juice to last around 1.2 days compared to the 0.75 days of battery life from the Apple Watch Series 6.
Xiaomi Watch Lite vs Apple Watch SE
If both the Xiaomi Watch and Apple Watch Series 6 are out of your reach, then you can check out their cheaper siblings that offer a lesser experience at a lower price. The Xiaomi Watch Lite and the Apple Watch SE are for people that want a good smartwatch experience who are strapped on a budget.
Display
The Xiaomi Watch Lite comes with a 1.4 inches Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320×320 pixels. It can go up to 450 nits of brightness, which is enough for most situations unless you are under bright sunlight. The overall display is reasonably bright, vivid, and colorful thanks to its AMOLED panel.
Xiaomi Display
Apple Watch SE comes with the same display and protection as its higher-end model. A 1.78-inch display with an LTPO OLED panel. Same resolution of 368×448 pixels and a peak brightness of 1000 nits. The display is also protected with an Ion-X strengthened glass compared to no protection on the Xiaomi Watch Lite.
Apple Display
A smaller display on the Xiaomi Watch Lite compared to the Apple Watch SE can sway users towards the SE but will the price difference justify it for you?
OS, Software, and Watch faces
Xiaomi Watch Lite’s OS is based on the Wear OS with an overlay. Xiaomi calls this MIUI for Watch. If you are familiar with Wear OS then you will find the MIUI for Watch to be similar.
Apple Watch SE runs on Apple’s watchOS 7.0 (upgradeable to recent versions like 7.3.3 available). Apple watchOS evolves making it better every iteration.
Apple has been in the smartwatch game for much longer than Xiaomi now, so the software feels much more refined. But that doesn’t mean Xiaomi is lagging by a lot, Xiaomi using Wear OS makes it just as good. I am sure Xiaomi will nail the MIUI for Watch going forward.
The customizability of watch faces is a nifty little feature that makes it fun to use the watches. Both Xiaomi and Apple have multiple watch faces that look great and display information well. I do prefer the watch faces on Apple Watch SE as it has a much cleaner and simple look. But it is a subjective opinion and you may find the watch faces on Xiaomi to look better.
Apple Watch Face
Functions
Both the Xiaomi Watch Lite and Apple Watch SE can monitor your heart rate and the air pressure around you. They can also use GPS for location, an accelerometer for footstep calculation, and have a gyroscope. The Apple Watch Series 6 also comes with a cadence sensor that can be used while cycling to calculate your speed and distance covered by you.
Xiaomi Sensor
Both watches use their sensors to measure the distance traveled by you, track steps taken, track your sleep habits, and count calories. This information is provided to you in detail that you can analyze. Both smartwatches are excellent fitness devices and are great to monitor your health and exercising habits. And both watches include high-quality sensors making them fairly accurate and reliable for such purposes.
Along with the above functions, you also get smart functions like notification and message tracking from your phone, smart assistant Apple Watch SE. The inbuilt microphones and loudspeakers on the Apple Watch SE allow you to answer calls too while Xiaomi doesn’t support this feature. You can track your phone with these watches thanks to wireless sensors like Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi in them. And you can also listen to music on both the smartwatches.
When it comes to both smartwatches are so closely matched, with Apple only having an extra cadence sensor for cycling. This makes the Xiaomi Watch Lite the clear choice given the price difference. As always Xiaomi has delivered on value.
Battery Life
Unlike traditional watches that last for years, smartwatches use much more energy to drive the display, internals, and sensors. This means that you will need to charge them regularly. Here the Xiaomi Watch wins by including a larger battery giving it extra juice to last around 9 days compared to the 0.75 days of battery life from the Apple Watch SE.
Conclusion
Similar to smartphones, Xiaomi aims to compete with Apple in the smartwatch industry by offering similar or slightly less for a lot less price. This makes the Xiaomi Smartwatches much better value for money offerings. Apple on the other tries to offer you the ultimate smartwatch experience money and can buy, this meant that they cost significantly more.
In reality, you won’t find much difference between the two when it comes to day-to-day usage and functionality. You will save up a lot going with Xiaomi though, but the Apple Watches are in the end the best ones out there.
Which is the better brand, Xiaomi or Apple
For smartwatches, Apple has a clear lead. They have been in the industry longer and have been perfecting the smartwatch. Apple Watches have robust software with exceptional hardware making them the best in the business.
This doesn’t mean that Xiaomi smartwatches are bad, they are good devices too, but Apple Watch almost does everything better. Xiaomi has been catching up and from a hardware standpoint, they are on par with Apple. Software needs improvement which we will see in a couple of years.
Besides, Xiaomi Watches cost much less than Apple Watches, so for the price Xiaomi does an excellent job. In the end, if you want the best of the best, Apple is the way to go, but if you want something that is reasonably priced yet amazing, then Xiaomi has you covered.
Also Read:
Xiaomi vs Fitbit | Mi Band 5 vs Fitbit Inspire HR
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