Compare Garmin Lily 2 vs Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro

Automatic activity detection was consistently useful for walks and casual movement, with reviewers noting reliable walk detection and Garmin Move IQ, though its automatic detail is limited.

Workout auto-detection is inconsistent across reviewers: one full review says workouts must be started manually, while one video saw walking prompts appear after several minutes.

The Lily 2 is constrained as an app platform: reviewers noted no Connect IQ widgets and no native third-party app installation.

Wear OS and Play Store access are the biggest upgrade, with reviewers broadly praising Google apps and third-party support despite some complaints about Xiaomi’s skin.

Band quality is a clear upgrade, with standard 14mm quick-release bands repeatedly praised for flexibility, comfort, and easy replacement.

The straps are easy to replace and sometimes praised for softness, but the strap/case balance drew criticism during exercise because the heavy body can move around.

Battery life was generally strong for a small wearable, usually landing around four to five days, with a few heavier-use reviews seeing closer to three days.

Battery life is the most split attribute: some reviewers got two days, but others saw one day or less than 48 hours depending on always-on display, LTE, and workout use.

Blood oxygen tracking is present through Pulse Ox or SpO2, but one reviewer warned readings could run low, so confidence is moderate rather than excellent.

Blood oxygen tracking is widely present, including overnight SpO2 in some setups, and one sports test found pulse-oximeter deviation acceptable.

Bluetooth-related connectivity is limited: phone pairing and notifications work, but reviewers noted no gym-equipment broadcast, no direct Bluetooth headphone use, and no external HR sensor pairing.

Bluetooth connectivity was straightforward in the reviews that tested it, with solid phone, earbud, and Mi Fitness syncing experiences.

Brightness drew mixed reactions: one reviewer found direct-sun visibility excellent, while several others wanted a brighter screen through the patterned lens.

Brightness is generally strong and outdoor-friendly, though one reviewer disliked the indoor auto-brightness behavior.

Build quality improved versus the original Lily, with aluminum, Gorilla Glass, and a more premium feel appearing repeatedly in reviews.

Build quality is generally praised thanks to the stainless-steel construction and premium feel, though the extra weight affects comfort.

Button controls are a weak point because the Lily 2 depends on touch and a pseudo-button; reviewers wanted real side buttons or easier pause controls.

The physical controls are a strength, with the rotating crown and buttons making apps, workouts, payments, and navigation easier to access.

Call handling works best with Android predefined responses, while iPhone users mostly just receive alerts and still need the phone to act.

Call handling is strong in the reviews that tested it, with clear microphone/speaker performance and usable wrist calling.

Calorie tracking was present but not especially trusted, with direct reviewer evidence saying calories were slightly off or generous.

Calorie tracking is available through workout summaries and goals, but reviewers mostly treat it as part of general fitness data rather than a standout insight.

Charging is functional but not universally convenient: the magnetic or clip-style charger is easy enough, yet proprietary clips and travel cable needs were recurring caveats.

Charging convenience is mixed: the watch charges quickly, but the proprietary two-pin dock and required orientation are repeated annoyances.

Charging speed was mixed, ranging from roughly an hour to full charge in some tests to slower 30-minute gains versus Apple Watch.

Charging speed is a clear positive, with several reviewers reporting roughly 40-50 minute full charges or meaningful top-ups in 10-20 minutes.

Coaching features are useful but limited, including hydration adaptation, timers, alerts, plans, and VO2 Max mentions, while richer recovery guidance is absent.

Coaching is useful for basic analysis, interval suggestions, and recovery estimates, but more serious sports reviewers found training-load and recovery guidance weak.

Comfort is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly saying the watch is lightweight, barely noticeable, and suitable for day-and-night wear.

Comfort is a common concern because the large stainless-steel case feels bulky for sleep and workouts, though one reviewer still found it comfortable day to day.

Garmin Connect provides deep data and useful dashboards, but app clarity was split between reviewers who found it intuitive and those who called it clunky or unclear.

Mi Fitness divides reviewers: some liked its simple all-in-one controls, while others found it cluttered, buggy, and far behind stronger health apps.

Garmin Pay is a useful addition on Classic models, though regional bank support limits how valuable it is for some reviewers.

Contactless payments are well supported through Google Wallet/Google Pay and are easy to reach from the hardware shortcut.

Cross-platform compatibility is generally good across Android and iPhone, but Android gets more interactive notification and call-response features.

Android compatibility is strong, including non-Xiaomi Android phones, but iPhone owners get a less intuitive and more limited experience.

Customization is strong for bands and morning reports, with watch-face and patterned-lens customization more limited.

Customization is broad, covering watch faces, tiles, app shortcuts, straps, and button behavior, though some rivals offer deeper hardware-button remapping.

Display quality is intentionally minimalist and readable for many, but several reviewers criticized the basic monochrome LCD and lack of AMOLED vibrancy.

Display quality is one of the strongest consensus positives: reviewers consistently praised the 1.43-inch AMOLED panel for clarity, color, and sharpness.

Durability looks improved thanks to Gorilla Glass and aluminum construction, though few reviews included long-term abuse testing.

Durability looks promising because of the protected display and stainless-steel build, but lack of IP certification limits confidence for dust and rugged use.

ECG functionality is essentially absent, with reviews explicitly noting no ECG recordings or wishing for newer sensor hardware.

ECG functionality is effectively absent; reviewers explicitly noted that the watch cannot conduct ECG readings.

Fit was praised for small wrists, snug wear, and a low-profile shape that sits comfortably without bulk.

Fit favors larger wrists. The single large case and 22mm strap support make it adaptable, but smaller-wrist users were repeatedly warned away.

Fitness tracking accuracy was mostly positive for casual use, especially activity and heart-rate basics, but HIIT and unsupported activities produced caveats.

Fitness accuracy is context-dependent, with some positive casual impressions but multiple serious tests finding unreliable exercise, heart-rate, and sync data.

GPS accuracy depends on the phone because there is no onboard GPS; connected GPS could work well, but carrying a phone is required for maps and reliable distance.

GPS accuracy is mixed: some reviewers found dual-band tracking accurate, while Wareable/TrustedReviews found it below Garmin-level expectations.

Health tracking accuracy was generally reliable for core metrics like heart rate, steps, sleep, respiration, and wellness trends, with some sleep and SpO2 caveats.

Health tracking accuracy is uneven, especially body composition, which several reviewers described as rough or inaccurate compared with scales.

Heart-rate accuracy was a consistent strength, with several reviewers comparing it favorably to straps, Oura, Apple Watch, or Garmin watches, though intense intervals could wobble.

Heart-rate accuracy is mixed: steady running can be acceptable, but interval or strength sessions produced large errors in several tests.

LTE is a valuable option on supported models, enabling calls, messages, music, and app use without a phone, though carrier support and battery tradeoffs apply.

Materials quality improved with aluminum, but one reviewer still viewed aluminum as cheaper and less durable than stainless steel.

Materials quality is a strength, especially the stainless-steel body and premium construction, even though those materials make the watch heavier.

Menu navigation was workable and often easy enough, but some reviewers still described learning curves or extra steps.

Menu navigation is generally smooth with the rotating crown, but some interface choices and widget limitations make navigation less polished than rivals.

Music controls are available for controlling a paired phone, but reviewers consistently distinguished that from true onboard music.

Music support benefits from Wear OS apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music, including offline listening in supported apps.

Onboard music storage is missing, and multiple reviewers explicitly called out no music storage or offline listening.

Onboard storage is generous at 32GB and supports offline music, though one reviewer disliked the difficulty of moving files manually.

The operating system experience is Garmin-centric and lean, optimized for fitness and notifications rather than native Apple or Google app ecosystems.

Wear OS is transformative for Xiaomi, but execution is uneven: some reviews praise the smart experience, while others call Xiaomi’s skin unpolished.

Outdoor visibility was mostly good to excellent, especially in DC Rainmaker and DesFit testing, though one reviewer found bright sun harder to read.

Outdoor visibility is mostly good thanks to the bright AMOLED display, though reflections can still be worse than on some premium rivals.

Pairing reliability for connected GPS and phone handoff was much improved, with reviewers reporting quick locks and strong connection maintenance.

Pairing and syncing were reliable in the reviews that directly discussed setup, with no major Bluetooth pairing issues reported.

Recovery insights are a partial win: Body Battery gives readiness-style guidance, but dedicated recovery time and workout benefit features are absent.

Recovery insights are weak for serious athletes: one reviewer found recovery estimates useful, but others called recovery/training-load data rough or absent.

Reliability was good in user-level evidence, with reviewers calling tracking reliable and one owner saying it did what they wanted.

Reliability is a major caveat because multiple reviews reported bugs, crashes, stuck screens, unresponsive apps, or temporary step-count issues.

Safety features are a real strength for this class, including incident detection, LiveTrack, emergency contacts, and assistance alerts through a phone.

Safety features are present but basic, including heart-rate alerts and emergency/SOS settings rather than more advanced dedicated safety tooling.

Size options and wrist fit favor small wrists and compact-wearable shoppers, though the product line itself remains very small and style-focused.

Size options are poor: reviewers repeatedly note that the Watch 2 Pro comes in only one large case size.

Sleep tracking was mixed: some reviewers found scores and timing aligned, while others saw missed sleep duration and less useful graphs.

Sleep tracking offers useful stages and scores for casual use, but comfort and app presentation issues limit it for some reviewers.

Smartphone notifications arrive reliably, but control is limited, especially on iPhone and when trying to filter app-specific alerts.

Notifications are a clear smartwatch strength, with reviewers praising message viewing, replies, voice input, and app controls from the wrist.

Smartwatch features are useful but lean, including notifications, weather, calendar, Find My Phone, Morning Report, Garmin Pay on Classic, and music controls.

Smartwatch features are extensive thanks to Wear OS, with calls, messages, Assistant, Maps, Wallet, health tracking, and app support all represented.

Software smoothness improved over the original Lily, especially gesture wake and connected GPS handoff, though some touch controls remained less fluid.

Software smoothness is usually good thanks to Snapdragon W5+ hardware, even where reviewers criticized bugs or UI polish.

Step counting was broadly supported and valued, including pool-length and walking evidence, though one user contrasted it with an older inaccurate watch rather than direct lab validation.

Step counting is not fully reliable in the evidence: one written review found inconsistency and one video saw early step-count update errors.

Stress tracking was praised as engaging and useful, often linked with Body Battery and daily wellness patterns.

Stress tracking exists and can pair with reminders or breathing, but confidence in accuracy ranges from useful anecdotes to outright distrust.

Style and design were the broadest positive theme, with reviewers repeatedly describing the Lily 2 as elegant, classy, jewelry-like, and more wearable than sporty watches.

Design is broadly premium and watch-like, but style opinions are split between elegant/best-looking praise and plain or boring criticism.

Third-party app support is limited overall, but manually started workouts can sync to outside services like Strava through Garmin Connect.

Third-party app support is excellent for a Xiaomi watch because Wear OS brings Play Store apps, Google services, Spotify, WhatsApp, and more.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mixed to weak, with several reviewers finding it sluggish, less fluid, or insufficiently refined despite one positive touch-screen comment.

Touch responsiveness is strong in the tested reviews, with snappy taps, swipes, scrolling, and app interactions.

The user interface is usable but not polished; reviewers described it as fine, simple, or learnable, while also noting extra steps and learning curves.

The UI is easy to learn for some reviewers and seamless in places, but Xiaomi’s Wear OS skin also creates confusing or buggy behavior.

Value is context-dependent: reviewers liked the style, battery, and feature set, but comparisons to cheaper Fitbits or similarly priced Garmin models limited enthusiasm.

Value is a consistent strength, especially against Samsung, Google, and Mobvoi rivals, though critics warn the lower price comes with compromises.

Google Assistant works well overall, helped by good microphones and Wear OS integration, although a few transcripts show normal voice-assistant quirks.

Watch face quality is basic, with a handful of monochrome options and repeated wishes for more color or more choices.

Watch face quality is generally good and highly customizable, with both Xiaomi and Play Store options, though one reviewer disliked many built-ins.

Water resistance is a strength, with 5ATM or 50-meter swim/shower-safe evidence across multiple reviews.

Water resistance is solid at 5ATM, making rain, showers, swimming, and shallow water use acceptable across several reviews.

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, stress, hydration, sleep score, and Garmin Connect data that help users understand daily energy.

Wellness insights are broad, covering sleep, SpO2, stress, body composition, breathing, and health dashboards, but accuracy caveats remain.

Wi-Fi support is present and useful for phone-free use at home, though reviewers rarely treated it as a standout feature.

Workout variety is good for casual users with 18 profiles and new dance, HIIT, rowing, and meditation options, but missing indoor cycling and some sports frustrates reviewers.

Workout variety is excellent on paper, with 150+ modes repeatedly mentioned, though depth and accuracy vary by sport.