The POCO Watch is “POCO’s first smartwatch.” As a headline, it is not bad, but the reality is that the POCO Watch is the global version of the Chinese Redmi Watch 2. Confused? I know, but don’t worry, because we don’t care for this case. What concerns us today is that the POCO Watch has already passed through our hands, and we can now bring you this analysis, so let’s get to it.
The one who writes these lines has been able to analyze the Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite and the Redmi Watch 2 Lite, twin brothers of this POCO Watch. The feeling with this watch signed by POCO is practically identical to that of the models mentioned above, while there are no apparent differences in design and finish.
The POCO Watch is made of plastic. It has a rectangular case with slightly curved corners and a button on the right edge to wake up the clock and open the application drawer. The watch weighs just over 30 grams and is 10 millimeters thick, making it one of those watches that are barely noticeable on the wrist and go completely unnoticed.
The click of the button, which also has good travel, is pleasant. However, I would have appreciated some engraving or relief to make it easier to locate and touch with wet and dirty hands. We have said the same thing in other reviews of Xiaomi wearables.
At the bottom, we have the PPG sensor, the pulse oximeter in a small module, and the pins for wireless charging. The problem with this charging system is that the charger only fits in one position, something that is not as comfortable as having a wireless charging base on which to rest the watch, and that’s it. Of course, it is not a drama, but it is worth commenting on it.
And the truth is that little more. The POCO Watch does not have a microphone or speaker (we will see later what this translates into) or any element that mainly attracts attention. It is a simple watch and what you expect from a 90-euro smartwatch. It does not have great boasts of design or pretensions. It is essential, functional, and sufficient. And we haven’t commented on it before, but it has 5 ATM water resistance.
As far as the strap is concerned, it is a 125-205mm TPU strap with a proprietary hook. The problem with this hook is that we can only use straps designed for this watch. The theme reminds me of the Mi Watch Lite and Redmi Watch 2 Lite, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the straps were interchangeable, but I couldn’t verify it during this review.
The feel of the strap is correct, but no more. Personally, it reminds me of the Mi Smart Band 6. It’s not bad, but there are better straps. In short, the POCO Watch is a cheap, simple smartwatch that is comfortable and light without falling in love with its finish. You can not ask for more.
POCO Watch Review : Performance
Let’s go now with the performance, but not before making a stop to talk about compatibility. The POCO Watch has Bluetooth 5.0 and can be paired with iOS and Android via the Mi Fitness app, the same app we use for other Xiaomi watches. The app is available on Google Play and the App Store and is entirely free. For this analysis, we have used the look linked to an Android mobile.
The POCO Watch, unsurprisingly, uses an RTOS (Real Time Operating System) operating system and is a highly closed operating system. That means we cannot install third-party applications and are limited to twenty pre-installed apps. We also do not have mobile payments, eSIM, or advanced features for calls, notifications, etc.
The performance of the operating system is quite improvable. The lack of power is noticeable when navigating between menus or opening the quick settings panel and notifications. There is some lag, and it is seen with the naked eye. You will notice it, especially if you make quick gestures to scroll through the widgets.
The widgets on the home screen (those that appear when you slide to the sides) can be modified to change their order or to appear more or less, but always within the minimal options the operating system offers. In a few words: if you like to fiddle with devices with the POCO Watch, you will lack a lot of margins.
POCO Watch Review : Screen
We continued with the screen, a section that we liked a lot. It is true that, at first glance, there are not too many differences between its brothers, but the reality is that there is a notable leap in technology and size. We still have some generous frames that I would have liked to see a little more used.
On this occasion, POCO offers us a 1.6-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 320 x 360 pixels, an exciting improvement compared to the 1.4-inch and 1.55-inch TFT panels of the Mi Watch Lite and Redmi Watch 2 Lite, respectively. The blacks are entirely black, the visibility in broad daylight is much better, and, finally, we have Always on Display mode (which we can activate at the cost of reducing the total autonomy of the watch).
At a reasonable distance, it is practically impossible to see the pixels with the naked eye, which is good news regarding seeing the metrics during a sports session. The panel responds correctly to our gestures, but the clock’s performance in terms of fluidity, as we will see later, has room for improvement, so the final feeling is that of using a low-end watch (which is what it is). , Really).
One aspect to note is that the POCO Watch has automatic brightness, which, fortunately, works well. Automatic brightness is one of those things that you miss when you don’t have it, and I’m referring to the Redmi Watch 2 Lite, for example. It is also interesting that some covers are interactive, so we can click on their icons to directly access the applications.
The screen can be woken up by making the gesture of looking at the time (which could work a little better, everything is said) or, if we activate the relevant setting, by double tapping on the screen. Personal recommendation: program the “Do not disturb” mode so that, after a specific time and until we wake up, the screen does not activate automatically.
Spheres
As for the customization options, we have several watch faces installed on the watch and as many others, about 100, available in the smartphone application. There is something for all tastes and colors, so I recommend taking a look and downloading one that we like. For options, of course, it will not be.