Faisal Ghaffar 
Even though Xiaomi has been making phones for about a decade now, the company is relatively new to the world of smartwatches. In 2019, it launched the first Mi watch, which was an Apple Watch lookalike. However, the company has now replaced it with what seems to be a Samsung Galaxy Watch lookalike. This seems to be the case with the Watch S1 Pro that had been announced in August last year and was rolled out at MWC this year.It is quite similar to the Galaxy Watch 5 and also comes at a similar price point.
Design and build
While there is nothing remarkable about the design of the Watch S1 Pro, it does look good. It feels expensive and premium and Xiaomi has opted for the traditional combination of glass and stainless steel. But, it is only available in 46mm and is 11.28mm thick, which could be chunky for those with smaller wrists.
Nonetheless, the Watch S1 Pro offers a good balance between looks and durability. You can choose from black and silver, as per your preference. It comes with a comfortable rubber band, which makes it great for everyday use and water sports. The main way to interact with the watch is via touch, but it also comes with two physical controls.
There is crown on the right side and clicking on it gives you access to the apps, while you can scroll through them by rotating them. There is also a shortcut button given for the workout section. The Watch S1 Pro weighs just 48.6g, which makes it quite lightweight.
Display and audio
A 1.47 inch 480×480 display makes the Watch S1 Pro a joy to use, as the OLED is able to deliver deep blacks and vibrant colors. Since the display is flat rather than curved, you do not have to worry about tapping the steel accidentally instead of glass, even though the bezels are quite slim. Tapping and swiping the screen is also easy due to the size of the S1 Pro.
While audio is not that important on such a small device, Xiaomi has proven to be quite impressive in this regard. The loudspeaker is quite clear and the built-in microphone can easily be used for calls and Alexa commands.
Software and features
Xiaomi’s custom MIUI watch 1.0 software is used in the S1 Pro, which is similar to WearOS, but it does not have a Google Play Store, or any other store. This means that no third-party apps are supported. But, the watch comes with a number of fitness and health monitoring features. Alexa support is one feature, allowing you to speak to the virtual assistant easily.
Fitness-related features like checking skin temperature, blood oxygen, heart rate and stress levels are all available. You can open the settings menu by swiping up, while swiping down opens the notification tray. Tools like compass, flashlight, air pressure monitor and alarm work independently. But, you need Bluetooth for the rest of the features.
The Verdict
The Watch S1 Pro delivers substantial power and has a 500mAh cell, which is quite generous for a smartwatch, making the battery quite impressive. Even with heavy usage, the watch can last for two full days. To put it simply, it is a capable and attractive smartwatch that has a lot to offer.
