Compare Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 970

Auto-detection is present and useful for walking-style activity prompts, but the evidence also notes limited customization around how it detects workouts.

Auto-detection evidence was limited but positive, with support for automatic sport-specific counts and lap auto-detection during swim testing.

The app ecosystem is limited: reviewers describe basic smarts, some data sharing, but no broad third-party app store or richer platform-level features.

The app ecosystem was a clear Garmin advantage, with Connect IQ, downloadable faces, apps, and extensive sports-watch software repeatedly mentioned.

Band feedback is mostly positive for comfort, quick-release swapping, and optional straps, though one reviewer found the stock strap unremarkable and another disliked the proprietary system.

Band quality had limited evidence but one review praised the strap’s subtle stretch and stabilizing micro-adjustment effect.

Battery life is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly reporting multi-day to multi-week endurance, although heavy tracking and always-on use shorten it significantly.

Battery life was the most mixed repeated theme: GPS endurance was usable or improved, but AMOLED smartwatch endurance and always-on use were frequent concerns.

Blood oxygen tracking is widely present, including continuous or overnight options in several reviews, but it is treated as a wellness metric rather than medical-grade data.

Blood oxygen support is present through PulseOx or SpO2, and reviewers also tied it to breathing disturbance and broader sensor tracking.

Bluetooth connectivity supports calls, phone-linked GPS assistance, notifications, and music-related functions, but one reviewer notes the watch cannot connect extra Bluetooth peripherals.

Bluetooth connectivity was supported for headphones and external sensors, including Bluetooth and ANT+ pairings.

Brightness is a clear strength, with many reviewers highlighting the 1,500-nit AMOLED screen and strong automatic brightness behavior.

Brightness was one of the most consistent upgrades, with reviewers calling the AMOLED display substantially brighter or Garmin’s brightest yet.

Build quality is generally praised for feeling better than a cheap smartwatch, with aluminum construction mentioned often, though some plastic elements remain.

Build quality was strong overall, supported by sapphire, titanium, polymer construction, and a premium feel.

The rotating crown is generally useful, tactile, and easy for navigation, but reviewers note the lack of extra buttons or more advanced shortcut controls.

Button controls were a strength, with the five-button layout and dedicated buttons preserving reliable control when touch is not ideal.

Call handling is consistently usable over Bluetooth, with several reviewers praising clear enough microphones and speakers while a few describe limited loudness or clarity.

Call handling was useful but mixed: reviewers liked wrist calls and speaker/mic additions, while some found call volume or wrist talking less compelling.

Calorie tracking appears as part of the broader activity and rings system, useful for basic motivation rather than advanced nutrition or training analysis.

Charging convenience is mixed: the magnetic/pogo-pin charger attaches securely and can be shared with some Xiaomi devices, but reviewers dislike the proprietary cable and slow Bluetooth file-transfer context.

Charging convenience was mixed, with the familiar cable supported but reviewers still wanting wireless charging or noting the watch must be removed to extend recording.

Charging speed ranges from good to merely reasonable, with reports of around 60 to 80 minutes in some reviews and roughly two hours in another.

Coaching features are better than expected for a budget watch, including running courses, AI pacer-style workout tools, breathing guidance, and some sleep suggestions, but not personalized advanced coaching.

Coaching features were broad and useful, with Garmin Coach, triathlon plans, daily suggested workouts, race planning, and structured training repeatedly supported.

Comfort is a major positive because the watch is light, wearable overnight, and easy to forget on the wrist despite the large display.

Comfort was a major strength, with reviewers finding the lighter, slimmer body comfortable for 24/7 wear despite occasional sleep bulk concerns.

The Mi Fitness companion app is generally clean, visual, and easy to use, but some reviewers call it basic and not as advanced as higher-end ecosystems.

Companion app quality was mixed: Garmin Connect was comprehensive and synced well, but one reviewer criticized app layout and built-in workouts.

Contactless payment support is absent in the global model according to multiple reviews, making this a clear limitation.

Contactless payments were consistently confirmed through Garmin Pay or NFC payments, with caveats around bank support.

Cross-platform compatibility is strong for basic use, with reviewers confirming Android and iOS support, though some features vary by phone platform.

Cross-platform compatibility was functional but limited by phone platform, especially Apple restrictions on replies and media in notifications.

Customization is good for budget use, especially watch faces, widgets, launcher layout, and some personal photos, but deeper watch-face customization is limited.

Customization options were strong, including customizable watch faces, widgets, data pages, focus modes, and battery profiles.

Display quality is one of the watch's strongest attributes, with reviewers praising the large AMOLED panel, sharpness, color, responsiveness, and premium feel for the price.

Display quality was widely praised for the bright, crisp, clear AMOLED touchscreen, with several reviewers calling it vibrant or readable.

Durability looks decent for the price, with reviewers citing scratch-free use and rugged-enough construction, though dust protection and premium glass are not emphasized.

Durability was broadly positive due to sapphire scratch resistance and long-term mark-free use, though one review reported bezel scrapes.

ECG functionality is not available, with reviewers explicitly saying there is no ECG option.

ECG functionality was widely confirmed as a major health upgrade, usually described as manual or snapshot-based rather than passive continuous monitoring.

Fit is mixed: the watch is light and straps cover a broad wrist range, but the single large size can feel overwhelming on smaller wrists.

Fit was positive for reviewers who liked the 47mm balance and wrist feel, though sleep fit and one-size limitations created caveats.

Fitness tracking accuracy is mixed: some reviewers found it effective or strong for casual tracking, while others called it less precise than dedicated sports watches.

Fitness tracking accuracy was strongly supported in one detailed review that found near-perfect land-based workout tracks and solid optical heart-rate accuracy.

GPS accuracy is split across reviews, ranging from accurate and reliable for casual runs to overreported distances and slight running inaccuracies.

GPS accuracy received broad agreement as excellent or top-tier on land, including road, trail, city, and race testing, with only some open-water caveats elsewhere.

Health tracking accuracy is adequate for basic wellness but not advanced or medical-grade, with reviewers noting decent data alongside sensor limitations.

Health tracking evidence was mostly positive for derived health signals, including heart-related data and cycle/temperature-related observations, but one review noted Garmin can overestimate sleep.

Heart rate accuracy is inconsistent: some tests found close results against chest straps, while others saw high readings, lag, or occasional anomalies.

Heart-rate accuracy was one of the clearest strengths, with many reviewers finding the Elevate Gen5 sensor close to chest straps or reliable in running and workouts.

LTE connectivity is absent on the global model, with several reviewers specifically noting no LTE or eSIM support.

LTE connectivity was a clear weakness because reviews explicitly said the 970 lacks cellular or LTE functionality.

Mapping and navigation were major strengths for offline maps, routes, ClimbPro, and route tools, but map lag and rerouting bugs were repeated caveats.

Materials quality is better than many budget watches thanks to aluminum alloy, but reviewers still mention plastic or plasticky elements.

Materials quality was strong, with titanium and sapphire repeatedly cited as premium upgrades while keeping the watch light.

Menu navigation is easy overall, helped by the rotating crown, app grid/list options, and stacked widget layout.

Menu navigation was powerful but mixed: buttons and touchscreen offer control, while some reviewers found menu depth and clicks cumbersome.

Music controls are useful for controlling phone playback, and several reviews note accessible media controls from the watch.

Music controls were supported through direct wrist playback and standard Garmin music features, though audio quality was not a central strength.

Onboard music storage exists and is useful for phone-free workouts on supported setups, but storage and transfer behavior are limited.

Onboard music storage was strongly supported, with 32GB storage and offline music or streaming-service downloads mentioned across reviews.

The operating system experience is lightweight and mostly pleasant, but reviewers repeatedly cite proprietary HyperOS limitations versus Wear OS or watchOS.

Operating system experience was mostly positive for Garmin’s depth, but reviewers also found the feature set overwhelming or less polished in some areas.

Outdoor visibility is excellent across reviews thanks to the bright AMOLED display and readable screen in direct sunlight.

Outdoor visibility was strong, with multiple reviewers reporting good readability in sunlight or bright conditions.

Pairing reliability is strong where discussed, with reviewers reporting no pairing or syncing issues and quick satellite/connection readiness.

Pairing reliability had limited direct evidence and was mixed, with one reviewer needing several attempts to pair the watch with the app.

Recovery insights are present through training status, recovery time, breathing, and workout-load style metrics, though they remain basic.

Recovery insights were consistently praised, especially impact load, running tolerance, training readiness, recovery time, and load guidance for managing training.

Reliability is generally good in day-to-day use where cited, with raise-to-wake, smoothness, and connection stability praised.

Reliability evidence was mixed: some long-term use was reassuring, while route crashes and map glitches appeared in several reviews.

Safety features are limited but include an SOS option that can call an emergency contact through the connected phone.

Safety features were strong, with flashlight strobe, Incident Detection, LiveTrack, emergency alerts, and nighttime visibility cited.

Size options are weak because the watch comes in one large size, which one reviewer said will not suit every wrist.

Size options were weak because the 970 comes only in a 47mm size, which reviewers noted may not suit smaller wrists.

Sleep tracking accuracy is mixed: some reviewers found duration and broad stages close, while others saw inconsistent results or deep-sleep overestimation.

Sleep tracking was useful and often consistent for sleep timing or ratings, though reviewers were cautious about stages and noted misses or comfort issues overnight.

Smartphone notifications are one of the clearest compromises: mirroring works, but replies, emojis, pictures, and actionable notifications are limited or missing.

Smartphone notifications were supported directly, including notifications, weather, calendar alerts, and phone-range message handling.

Smartwatch features cover the basics well, including notifications, calls, alarms, timers, and basic apps, but remain limited versus premium smartwatches.

Smartwatch features were solid for a sports watch, covering notifications, calls, voice assistant, music storage, NFC payments, and general daily smarts.

Software smoothness is mostly good, with some reviews calling it smooth and others noticing stutters, touch lag, or less-than-60Hz-feeling animations.

Software smoothness was a recurring caveat, with reviewers citing lag, slow saves, map delays, route crashes, and unclear guidance in some advanced metrics.

Step counting accuracy has limited direct evidence, but the detailed review found exercise-mode step counting nearly dead-on and daily counts generally close.

Stress tracking is widely included, but reviews treat it as a basic wellness feature and one reviewer found it slow and sensitive to movement.

Stress tracking drew positive evidence, especially when reviewers saw stress feed into recovery, daily training, or Body Battery style insights.

Style and design are broadly attractive and modern, but several reviewers point out obvious Apple Watch influence or lack of originality.

Style and design were generally praised as sleek, good-looking, premium, and less intimidating than rugged adventure watches, though not everyone loved the rubber-band look.

Third-party app support is poor, with no native Spotify or YouTube Music support, few extra apps, and one reviewer saying no third-party apps are available.

Third-party app support was strong through Connect IQ and integrations or services such as Strava, Komoot, RideWithGPS, and useful extra apps.

Touchscreen responsiveness is mostly good, including wet-use and swipe/tap responsiveness, though one reviewer found touch lag in parts of the software.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mixed: some found it snappy and useful, while others noticed scrolling lag, sensitivity quirks, or overwhelming touch interactions.

The user interface is generally approachable, smooth, and pleasant, with reviewer praise for simplicity and navigation despite some platform limitations.

User interface evidence was positive where reviewers highlighted quicker menus and an easy-to-use widget/glance structure.

Value for money is strongly positive overall because reviewers praise the display, battery, and basic features for the price, though one reviewer considered it overpriced against cheaper alternatives.

Value for money was mixed: reviewers called it capable and sometimes worth it, but repeatedly emphasized the high price and stronger value from alternatives.

Voice assistant quality scores poorly because reviewers state that Alexa or other voice assistant support is absent.

Voice assistant quality was useful for commands, timers, phone assistant access, and watch controls, though reviewers noted it is not always immediate or broad.

Watch face quality is a strength, with many free, attractive, and varied faces, although customization depth differs by face.

Watch face quality was supported by multiple stock faces and many Connect IQ options, though only one review directly discussed it.

Water resistance is consistently supported, with 5ATM ratings and swimming or shower use reported, though hot-water and diving caveats remain.

Water resistance was adequate for swimming and 50-meter or 5ATM use, but reviewers emphasized it is not diveproof like some Fenix models.

Wellness insights include sleep suggestions, Vitality Score, and basic health summaries, but reviewers note limited personalization or AI-style guidance.

Wellness insights were a strength, with Evening and Morning reports, Body Battery, sleep coaching, health status, and day-planning guidance repeatedly cited.

Wi-Fi connectivity is absent, specifically called out as a limitation for faster file transfers or standalone connectivity.

Workout variety is excellent for the category, with reviewers repeatedly citing more than 150 sports modes and broad activity coverage.

Workout tracking variety was very strong, with reviews citing large sport libraries, new sport profiles, multisport tools, swimming, cycling, strength, and running modes.