Compare Xiaomi Watch 2 vs Garmin Approach S70

Automatic workout detection is not a strength: one reviewer found no automatic workout tracking, while another said the feature could be trigger-happy, though one YouTube reviewer enabled it successfully.

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

Reviewers consistently liked the Wear OS app ecosystem, highlighting Google apps, Play Store access, and major third-party apps as a major value advantage.

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

Band feedback is mixed: reviewers appreciated standard or workout-friendly straps, but the included TPU band was also called cheap, okay, or less premium than alternatives.

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 varies by setup, ranging from one day with richer tracking to two days or more with conservative settings, so it is useful but not class-leading.

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 and generally useful, with several reviewers noting all-day or nighttime SpO2 support and one comparison showing close readings.

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 support is generally reliable for phone connection and calls, though one reviewer emphasized the watch is Bluetooth-only because it lacks cellular service.

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

Brightness is a consistent strength, with reviewers praising the AMOLED screen as bright enough for normal use and direct sunlight.

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

Build quality is generally good for the price, with premium-feeling or solid construction noted, though some reviewers still felt it lacked ultra-premium materials.

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

The two-button setup is easy to use and customizable, but reviewers also noted the lack of a rotating crown limits navigation compared with the Pro model.

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

Call handling is a clear positive, with multiple reviewers saying the microphone and speaker support calls well and allow direct wrist calling.

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 usefulness is weakly supported because one reviewer found Mi Fitness workouts sometimes contained glitched calorie figures or mismatched information.

Charging convenience is a recurring concern because the proprietary magnetic puck needs careful alignment and is less flexible than universal wireless charging.

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

Charging speed is one of the strongest battery-related positives, with reviewers reporting full charges in roughly 35 to 60 minutes.

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

Coaching features are present through running courses, sports modes, and coaching tips, but evidence is limited and less central than the basic tracking features.

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 strongly positive: reviewers repeatedly described the watch as light, comfortable, unobtrusive, and wearable during daily use, sleep, and workouts.

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

The companion app is mixed: it enables setup, reports, watch faces, and health views, but one reviewer found Mi Fitness a chore for analysis.

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

Contactless payment support is a major Wear OS benefit through Google Wallet or Google Pay, though one reviewer disliked the required screen lock.

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 limited because several reviewers said the watch is Android-only or loses potential on iPhone despite the Mi Fitness app existing there.

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

Customization is strong, with reviewers praising watch face choices, complications, tile rearranging, strap options, and Play Store watch face expansion.

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 most praised attributes, with multiple reviewers calling the 1.43-inch AMOLED screen sharp, bright, detailed, and excellent 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 impressions are mixed: the watch survived normal testing and felt durable, but reviewers noted no military standard and uncertainty about protection materials.

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

ECG functionality is absent; reviewers explicitly noted there is no ECG or related advanced health hardware at this price.

Fit is acceptable but size-sensitive, with one reviewer praising snug fit potential and others noting the larger case or specified wrist-size range.

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: indoor heart-rate workouts and swim data looked promising, but reviewers warned some workout data and GPS could vary.

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 evidence is mostly positive, especially from reviewers praising dual-band or accurate outdoor tracking, though one reviewer found the GPS lacked exactness.

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 general trends but not medical-grade, with reviewers split between encouraging raw data and warnings about trust or heart-rate dependence.

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 mixed: some reviewers saw close readings versus Garmin or an oximeter, while others reported jumps and inconsistent values.

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 not available on the Watch 2, and several reviewers treated the missing eSIM or cellular option as a clear compromise.

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 acceptable for the price, with an aluminum frame and light body, but reviewers contrasted it with stainless steel or sapphire-equipped rivals.

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

Menu navigation is generally intuitive through swipes, buttons, tiles, and quick toggles, though the lack of crown means more touch navigation.

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

Music controls are supported through YouTube Music, Spotify, and playback controls, but the evidence focuses more on availability than depth of control.

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 is a strength because the 32GB storage was repeatedly described as enough for apps, playlists, podcasts, or offline music.

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 a major selling point because it runs Wear OS with Google services, though being on Wear OS 3.5 drew update concerns.

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 consistently praised, with reviewers saying the display remains bright or visible outdoors and 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 appears good in the limited evidence, with reviewers citing automatic syncing and an easy setup process.

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

Recovery insights are weak because Mi Fitness recovery suggestions were criticized, despite the watch offering some post-workout analysis.

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

Reliability evidence is limited but positive, with one reviewer saying the screen had not scuffed or scratched after several days of use.

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

Safety features are modest: reviewers mentioned find-my-phone and heart-rate alerts, but safety was not a major focus.

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

Size options are a clear weakness because reviewers noted the watch is offered in a single large case size, which may frustrate smaller wrists.

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

Sleep tracking is generally positive, with reviewers reporting useful sleep stages, wake-up detection, and close-enough results versus other devices.

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 mixed: many reviewers found replies and alerts useful, while one reported Wear OS notification delays from frequent apps.

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 are strong for the price, including Google Maps, Wallet, Assistant, calls, messages, Play Store apps, and broad Wear OS functionality.

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 reviewers praising fluidity or improved slickness, but some still noticed sluggishness, stutters, or older Wear OS.

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

Step counting evidence is limited but positive, coming from one reviewer who grouped basic step tracking with daily metrics that worked well for him.

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

Stress tracking is widely supported as a built-in health feature, with some reviewers noting all-day tracking options.

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

Style and design divide reviewers: many found the minimalist round design clean or suitable, while others called it plain or lacking character.

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

Third-party app support is strong because Wear OS and Google Play bring apps such as Spotify, WhatsApp, Audible, Amazon Music, and more.

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 generally positive, with reviewers describing responsive scrolling, usable touch controls, and smooth interaction, despite occasional UI polish issues.

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

The user interface is broadly intuitive, with easy defaults and simple swipes, but one reviewer saw overlapping or disappearing graphical elements.

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

Value for money is the strongest consensus point: reviewers repeatedly framed the Watch 2 as unusually affordable for a capable Wear OS smartwatch.

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 is generally good through Google Assistant, with reviewers praising accuracy, smart-device control, and easy voice access despite occasional recognition delay.

Watch face quality is strong thanks to attractive AMOLED rendering, built-in faces, customization, and access to many additional faces through the Play Store.

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 adequate for swimming and daily water exposure at 5ATM, though reviewers noted no extra IP rating or rugged certification.

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

Wellness insights are present but basic, with sleep advice and health summaries seen as useful yet generic or bare-minimum compared with premium platforms.

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

Wi-Fi support is present and useful, including 5GHz Wi-Fi, but one reviewer noted calls and notifications still depend on phone connectivity without cellular.

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

Workout variety is very strong, with reviewers repeatedly citing roughly 150 to 160-plus sport modes across running, swimming, cycling, gym, yoga, and more.

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