realme Watch Review

The realme Watch is realme’s first smartwatch, aimed at the budget end of a category that already ranged from high-end models to affordable smart bands. This review covers its design, screen, features and battery, and who it suits.

Design

In shape the realme Watch echoes models such as the Apple Watch, Fitbit Versa and OPPO Watch, though its body is plastic rather than metal, in keeping with its lower price. It is light at 31 grams, which suits people who want a watch they barely notice on the wrist.

The silicone straps are comfortable and can be removed and swapped. The watch carries an IP68 rating for water resistance, so it does not need to come off for everyday tasks such as washing hands.

Screen

The display measures 1.4 inches. A thinner bezel below the screen could have made the visible area larger, but realme chose otherwise.

It uses an IPS LCD panel at a resolution of 320×320 pixels. Touch sensitivity can be inconsistent at times. The panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, so it resists scratches.

For a step up, see our OPPO Watch review: https://www.techblimp.com/2020/09/23/oppo-watch-review/

The screen is not large, but it shows most of what you need. At launch in 2020 it offered twelve watch faces, with realme saying more would arrive in a later update. Pairing was limited to Android phones, done through the realme Link app, which handles the watch’s functions. Notifications from apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Gmail, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube appear on the wrist.

realme Watch Features

The watch has 14 sports modes: outdoor running, indoor running, outdoor cycling, aerobic capacity, table tennis, indoor cycling, yoga, walking, strength training, football, basketball, badminton, elliptical and cricket. It also measures blood oxygen level and tracks heart rate, and shows incoming calls, SMS and app notifications. Additional features include sleep mode, meditation, find my phone, weather forecast, a drinking-water reminder and a vibrating alarm. There is no built-in GPS; the watch relies on the paired phone’s GPS instead.

The battery is 160 mAh. With average use it lasts up to 7 days, and up to 9 days with lighter use.

In Brief

The realme Watch fits someone after an affordable smartwatch who values low weight and comfortable straps over a premium look. Its practical smartwatch functions, 14 sports modes and multi-day battery cover the basics well. As realme’s first entry-level model, it carries the trade-offs noted above, chiefly the plain design and uneven touch sensitivity.