Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro is a classic spin on the smartwatch
Joined by top-end Buds 4 Pro true wireless in-ears
If square wearables with digital watch faces are a little too modern to deserve a spot on your wrist, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro might be more your style. The newly revealed smartwatch’s mix of silver case and brown leather strap are timeless, and its circular display can perfectly mimic the hands of an analogue watch.
The 1.47in, 480×480 resolution AMOLED touchscreen is protected from scuffs and scrapes by sapphire crystal glass, and the surrounding bezels are ultra-thin. There’s also a rotating digital crown for controlling Xiaomi’s bespoke MIUI Watch OS interface, along with a shortcut button built into the case for jumping straight into an exercise routine.
It may not look especially sporty, but the Watch S1 Pro can track over 100 different sports and activities. There are 10 running programmes, from beginner upwards, as well as interval and endurance training. Expect all the usual fitness metrics on top, including step and sleep tracking, GPS mapping, heart rate monitoring and SpO2 records. The watch case is also 5ATM water resistant.
If you plan on swimming or working out a lot you may want the black version of the Watch, which ships with a black rubber strap instead of brown leather – although the quick release lugs mean it’s easy enough to swap that out for a different strap whenever you like.
Other niceties include a built-in speaker for making voice calls, NFC for contactless payments, and a seamless pairing function for anyone rocking a Xiaomi smartphone (which could soon be lots of you, seeing how impressed we were by the Xiaomi 13 Pro).
It should manage up to 14 days between recharges, depending on how much exercise you’re tracking, and a 10 minute top-up on the bundled charging cradle should be enough for another two days of use. A full refuel takes around 85 minutes.
The Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro is on sale right now, through the official Xiaomi UK website. It’s available in black or gold colours for £299.
Xiaomi also used its Mobile World Congress launch event to debut a new pair of true wireless earphones. The Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro are high-end in-ears that combine active noise cancelling, spatial audio and long battery life.
They have LDAC Bluetooth support for hi-res listening, and the ANC should be able to mute as much as 48dB from the outside world so you don’t need to listen at ear-damaging volumes. A new intelligent fit monitoring feature also lets you know whether you’re getting a good seal for the best comfort.
They support a new smartphone companion app, which brings a choice of ANC modes (including transparency), dual device connectivity and the option to toggle on Xiaomi’s Dimensional Audio tuning. This uses head-tracking to mix spatial sound in real time, for a more immersive (some would say gimmicky) listening experience.
Xiaomi promises up to nine hours of listening from the buds alone, and a combined 38 hours using the capsule-style charging case. The case supports wireless charging for cable-free top-ups, or for pinching some juice from your smartphone (if it supports reverse wireless charging, that is).
The Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro are on sale from today, for £240 directly from the Xiaomi web store. You can pick up a pair in either black or gold colours.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor