Compare Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 vs Garmin Approach S70

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 is supported mainly through automatic shot tracking and measured-shot behavior, with positive convenience but some manual confirmation or sensor caveats.

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 Garmin ecosystem is praised for tying golf, fitness, watch faces, and Connect IQ-style additions together.

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 is mixed: reviewers like comfort and integrated looks, but several dislike the molded strap not laying flat or prefer older straps.

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 is one of the strongest positives, with reviewers reporting long smartwatch use, multiple rounds, and much better endurance than Apple Watch comparisons.

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.

Pulse ox and blood oxygen tracking are present in several reviews and treated as part of the S70’s higher-end health sensor package.

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 is supported through Bluetooth music and headphone pairing, though the evidence is functional rather than deeply evaluated.

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

Brightness is repeatedly praised, with reviewers describing the screen as bright, crisp, colorful, and clear.

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

Build quality is viewed positively, with reviewers describing a lightweight, well-designed build and confidence-inspiring construction.

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 are generally praised, with reviewers liking the three-button setup and easy navigation support.

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 is limited because reviewers say the watch can show or manage calls but cannot be used to actually speak through the watch.

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 is mixed to negative, with reviewers repeatedly mentioning proprietary charging, USB-C adapter issues, and awkward face-down charging.

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.

Charging speed has limited but positive support from one reviewer who says it does not take long to fully charge.

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 are one of the S70’s strongest themes, with virtual caddie, PlaysLike, club suggestions, shot dispersion, and scoring advice appearing across many reviews.

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

Comfort is a major strength, with reviewers saying the watch disappears, sits comfortably, and does not bother them during golf or sleep.

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 is generally positive, especially Garmin Golf for round data, stats, and ecosystem value, with setup requirements noted.

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

Contactless payments are available through Garmin Pay, but evidence is mixed because bank support and setup can be limiting in some regions.

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 is positive overall because the watch pairs with iPhone and Android, though notification controls differ by platform.

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

Customization is strong, with reviewers noting data fields, colors, golf settings, watch faces, and movable pin or flag controls.

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 is the strongest consensus attribute: reviewers repeatedly praise the AMOLED screen’s sharpness, clarity, color, and impact on maps.

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 has limited direct support but is positive where mentioned, with the scratch-proof lens cited.

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

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 is positive, helped by wrist comfort, swing clearance, and the smaller 42mm option for users who found larger cases too big.

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 and shot-tracking accuracy is mostly positive, with reviewers praising Garmin-level sensor accuracy and convenient data, though some note shot-tracking limitations.

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

GPS and yardage accuracy are consistently praised, including quick GPS lock, accurate yardages, and close agreement with rangefinder-style measurements.

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

Reviewers describe broad health tracking as useful and Garmin-level accurate, especially when combining sleep, stress, heart rate, pulse ox, and fitness metrics.

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

Heart rate appears as part of the S70’s fitness and wellness tracking, with reviewers treating it as a useful everyday metric rather than a golf-only add-on.

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

Mapping and navigation are a major strength, with detailed hole maps, hazard views, pin movement, blind-shot tools, and full-color course layouts repeatedly praised.

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

Materials quality is positive in the available evidence, especially the ceramic bezel and premium-feeling build.

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

Menu navigation is mixed: several reviews praise simple starts and quick menus, while touch-heavy hole navigation frustrates one reviewer.

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

Music controls are present, but reviewers split between liking access and finding Garmin’s menu path less convenient than Apple Watch behavior.

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

Onboard music storage is a clear plus, with multiple reviewers noting downloaded songs or playlists from services such as Spotify or Amazon Music.

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

Operating system experience is mixed: one reviewer finds Garmin software mostly intuitive, while another says the OS hurts enjoyment on the course.

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

Outdoor visibility is excellent across reviews, with several reviewers saying bright sunlight or sun glare did not prevent easy reading.

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

Pairing reliability has limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer calling phone pairing straightforward through Garmin’s apps.

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

Recovery insight evidence is limited but supported by HRV readiness language, tying recovery-style feedback to sleep and heart-rate variability.

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

Reliability is mixed: GPS/course lock and battery endurance are praised, but one reviewer reports missed shot detections.

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

Safety features have limited support, with one guide noting an assistance/fall-detection-style safety feature.

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

Size options are widely praised because the S70 offers both smaller and larger versions, though color choices are limited in some reviews.

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

Sleep tracking gets frequent attention, with reviewers noting sleep scores, deep sleep or REM data, and morning feedback, though one reviewer questions how helpful the messaging feels.

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

Notifications are useful but mixed: reviewers like seeing messages and alerts, yet some call them distracting or limited for replies and conversation flow.

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

Smartwatch features are strong for a golf watch, but reviewers still flag limitations compared with dedicated Apple or Android smartwatches.

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 is a noted weakness in limited evidence, especially around pan-and-zoom behavior on the course.

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

Step counting is mentioned positively in limited evidence, mainly as an advanced counter one reviewer found useful.

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 is widely mentioned; some reviewers found it surprisingly accurate or habit-changing, while one reviewer considered it less valuable.

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

Style and design are positive, with reviewers calling the S70 stylish, modern, and suitable beyond the course.

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 is useful but not always seamless, with Connect IQ and downloadable apps/features appearing as the main support path.

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 is mixed: some reviewers find it good or responsive, while others find on-course panning and zooming fiddly.

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

User interface evidence is limited but negative where cited, focused on the touchscreen interface feeling fiddly during golf use.

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 is mixed but generally favorable for advanced golfers: reviewers praise value if using the full feature set, while warning basic-yardage users can spend less.

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

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

Watch face quality is well supported, with reviewers praising built-in faces, Connect IQ options, and the AMOLED screen making faces look better.

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

Water resistance is positive, with reviewers citing 5 ATM or 50-meter ratings and shower/swim use.

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

Wellness insights are a major differentiator, especially Body Battery, sleep, stress, energy, and Garmin’s explanations of what the metrics mean.

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

Wi-Fi connectivity is lightly supported by setup/menu evidence showing the watch can connect to Wi-Fi for updates.

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

Workout variety is a clear strength, with reviewers citing running, cycling, swimming, yoga, skiing, pickleball, and other activity modes.