Forget the Google Pixel Watch 2 — I found a great alternative

You cognize nan aged saying, “Be observant what you wish for?” Well, I deliberation it whitethorn beryllium true. Over nan past week, I’ve been wearing nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro. It is overmuch bigger than nan Google Pixel Watch 2, which is simply a spot excessively small.

The problem is, this 1 is really a spot too big for my wrist. Yes, I cognize I’m difficult to please, but nan much I deterioration nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, nan much it feels for illustration nan anti-Pixel Watch 2, and nan much I deliberation it is simply a worthy replacement to Google’s vastly improved — yet terribly dainty — smartwatch.

All astir nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro

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The Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, size issues aside, has turned retired to beryllium 1 of nan champion smartwatches of nan year. It uses nan Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 platform, conscionable for illustration nan Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 5, and it’s an absolute powerhouse. The Pixel Watch 2 uses nan Snapdragon W5 chip, wherever Google chose a different, little capacity co-processor to spell pinch it, compared to nan higher spec 1 that comes arsenic modular pinch nan W5+ chip. It really makes a quality arsenic nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro is simply a rocket ship, moreover compared to nan speedy Pixel Watch 2.

It’s awesome to spot much wearables usage Qualcomm’s latest scope of suitable chips, and possibly moreover amended to spot Xiaomi has utilized Google’s Wear OS 3.5 package for nan Watch 2 Pro alternatively of its ain proprietary software. It pairs pinch Xiaomi’s Mi Fitness app, I’ve been utilizing it pinch nan Google Pixel 8, and everything from first setup to downloading apps has been faultless. The app itself is straightforward and logically laid out, reminding maine much of Samsung Health’s attack to information than Fitbit’s.

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The bosom complaint sensor connected nan backmost besides monitors humor oxygen and accent levels, positive nan watch will measurement your Body Composition, conscionable for illustration nan Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. Is location thing missing from nan specification? It doesn’t person extended information features for illustration autumn detection, and there’s nary ECG, but GPS is onboard, you tin programme successful a interaction to nonstop an alert to successful an emergency, and there’s nan action to bargain a exemplary pinch an LTE relationship too.

Inside is simply a large 495mAh battery, and pinch nan always-on surface progressive and a azygous workout tracked, it will easy past for 2 days. However, Xiaomi disables all-day humor oxygen and accent monitoring by default, and turning these connected intends nan smartwatch whitethorn request recharging nan evening of time 2 if you way some slumber and a GPS workout. Still, this is awesome performance, particularly considering it’s besides driving a large, colorful screen.

The biggest quality complete nan Pixel Watch 2

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OK, now that we’ve learned astir nan awesome specification, let’s talk astir nan size. Simply put, everything astir nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro is big. On nan beforehand is simply a 1.43-inch surface pinch a 466 x 466 pixel solution and a highest of 600 nits brightness. It’s wrapped successful a monolithic 47.6 x 45.9mm lawsuit that’s 11.8mm thick, making it somewhat larger and thicker than moreover nan 47mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. There’s thing successful nan creation to hide its wide massiveness either, arsenic nan surface has a thick, bold, level bezel astir it, and 2 buttons flank a ample crown connected nan right-hand side.

It really is nan anti-Pixel Watch 2, which embraces its minimalism to nan constituent it has nary standout creation features to springiness it immoderate characteristic of its ain astatine all. The Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro is nan opposite, pinch its bold, achromatic case, oversized crown, and textured separator connected nan unmissable bezel.

If nan Pixel Watch 2 disappears connected your wrist, nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro announces it’s location pinch a bellow. It’s not lightweight either astatine 79 grams pinch nan strap. Its size and weight make it uncomfortable for maine to deterioration each time and night, dissimilar nan Pixel Watch 2.

But conscionable for illustration nan Pixel Watch 2, nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro only comes successful a azygous size. It’s huge, aliases nothing. While I personally for illustration nan statement-making look of nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, it hardly looks sensible connected my 6.5-inch wrist. It’s nan aforesaid conundrum I look pinch nan Pixel Watch 2, conscionable nan other measurement around. Yet neither institution gives maine nan prime to effort a smaller aliases larger model, truthful everyone is stuck pinch conscionable 1 option.

Using nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro

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This is nan 3rd clip successful 2023 I’ve faced this situation, arsenic nan Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 5 is besides only disposable successful a azygous size, limiting its appeal. But let’s opportunity you’re good pinch nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro’s size; what is it for illustration to use? It’s excellent. Xiaomi has added its ain interface to Wear OS, and it intimately mirrors its ain MIUI interface recovered connected Xiaomi’s phones pinch tons of colors, large fonts, and clear typefaces that make seeing and interacting pinch nan smartwatch easy. The crown tin beryllium rotated to navigate nan menus, while a agelong property calls up Google Assistant. Swipe near aliases correct to position different informative tiles, positive there’s nan action to adhd galore further ones to nan list.

It took maine a while to get utilized to 1 interface quality complete different Wear OS smartwatches, though, arsenic a swipe up connected nan surface shows Quick Settings and a swipe down shows your notifications. This is nan other of astir different smartwatches, and I can’t spot immoderate functional logic why it has been altered. But it tin beryllium forgiven erstwhile nan package is truthful fast, pinch everything from Google Maps to YouTube Music launching and reacting instantly.

The surface sometimes needs a spot of a prod to registry an action, but it’s mostly erstwhile nan smartwatch has conscionable woken up, and Raise-to-Wake needs to beryllium progressive if you want to spot notifications erstwhile they get without tapping nan screen. This will drain nan artillery a small more, arsenic will activating automatic workout detection. The haptic vibration is subtle but noticeable, however, there’s sadly nary measurement to change nan strength if you’d for illustration it a small much pronounced.

I for illustration really accelerated nan artillery charges. The magnetic puck has 2 locating pins truthful it snaps securely to nan backmost of nan watch, and successful my tests, it usually hit Xiaomi’s committedness of recharging successful 45 minutes by doing truthful successful conscionable 40 minutes. When you past see nan artillery has nan expertise to past 2 days nether galore circumstances, nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro ne'er feels for illustration a burden, particularly erstwhile nan powerful spot makes nan package truthful effortless too.

Workout and wellness tracking

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The optical bosom complaint sensor connected nan backmost measures bosom complaint and humor oxygen levels, some of which tin beryllium progressive each day. There’s a tegument somesthesia sensor that besides assists pinch menstrual rhythm tracking. While there’s nary ECG feature, it does return a assemblage creation measurement. Open nan app, touch nan 2 buttons astatine nan aforesaid time, and little than 30 seconds later, nan smartwatch returns information including assemblage fat, musculus mass, water, bony mass, protein, and your BMI. Xiaomi makes it clear it’s not aesculapian advice, but it could thief way improvements complete time. It’s arguably a characteristic that will beryllium much useful to much group than an ECG.

There are 150 activities to track, positive built into nan watch’s package are a assortment of guided moving workout sessions to follow, on pinch guided relaxation sessions. Starting a workout is performed done nan app aliases from a dedicated Tile, but unfortunately, there’s nary evident measurement to personalize nan Tile to show your favourite workouts, and because location are truthful many, it tin beryllium a small time-consuming to find nan 1 you want if it’s not stepping aliases running. That said, it’s accelerated and easy to get things going — conscionable beryllium alert Xiaomi besides has a sound guidance strategy that’s progressive by default, truthful it will outcry your stats to everyone astir you unless you move it off.

The Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro’s lawsuit is made of stainless steel, and there’s a prime of either nan rubber strap seen successful our photos — aliases a leather type attached to a metallic case. It each feels very coagulated and durable, but there’s nary IP standing aliases subject modular certification for toughness, truthful it makes do pinch 5ATM h2o guidance which intends it’s good for swimming.

The Mi Fitness app presents its information clearly, and there’s plentifulness of extent and information. It’s awesome for casual and semi-serious exercisers, but anyone really into moving whitethorn want to look astatine a smartwatch for illustration nan Garmin Forerunner 265, aliases multi-sports fans whitethorn for illustration nan Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2).

A bargain replacement to nan Pixel Watch 2

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You tin astir apt show I’m taken by nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, but I haven’t gotten to nan champion portion yet. In nan U.K., it costs 240 British pounds, which is $290. That’s 110 pounds little than nan Google Pixel Watch 2 and nan Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, making it superb worth for money. Even nan LTE type is conscionable 290 pounds, aliases astir $350.

The take of Wear OS 3.5, pinch its improvements complete erstwhile versions, makes nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro acold much appealing than models pinch Xiaomi’s proprietary software. Plus, it’s 1 of nan fewer smartwatches to usage nan highest capacity Qualcomm spot disposable for wearables too. The truth it each useful truthful faultlessly and past costs little than nan title makes it hugely exciting.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

What a shame nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro joins nan Pixel Watch 2 and nan Ticwatch Pro 5 successful only offering a azygous lawsuit size, for illustration it aliases not. I’m not going to bang connected astir why this is shortsighted erstwhile it comes to watches again, arsenic I’ve already had plenty to opportunity astir nan matter.

But if nan Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro suits your wrist, it’s disposable to bargain wherever you live, and you consciousness nan Google Pixel Watch 2 is excessively small, past it could conscionable beryllium nan perfect smartwatch for you.

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