Lifestyle

Redmi Smart Band review: Gets the bare minimum done

Staying healthy isn’t a costly routine!

Published

October 12, 2020

Shivam Vahia

Xiaomi has dominated the wearable segment in India for a long time thanks to its Mi Band lineup. The affordable fitness tracker sells like hotcakes because its price is significantly lower than Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung, and Apple.

Even though many companies have tried to grab the affordable market, none have come close to Xiaomi’s dominance. Now, the Chinese gadget maker wants every piece of the wearable market and has launched the Redmi Smart Band, an inexpensive fitness tracker that costs just INR 1,599 (US$ 22). It has also launched the Mi Watch Revolve to grab the premium share while the Mi Smart Band 5 sits in the middle.

The price of the Redmi Smart Band makes it a lovely product to have, especially when we consider its display, fitness functionality, and battery life. I’ve used the fitness tracker for almost a month, and there’s a lot to love about it, but that doesn’t make this a perfect gadget. If you’re considering a purchase, this review will help you determine whether this tracker is fit to be your GadgetMatch!

It has a boxy design that feels very light and comfortable

The Redmi Smart Band has a very boxy design that almost looks like you’re wearing a rectangle display module on your wrist. However, it’s very light at just 13 grams, and after a few hours, it’ll just become a part of your body. The natural placement is comfortable for extended an duration and perfect for natural sleep tracking.

The band material is soft, and there’s no irritation or decay. Thanks to 5ATM water resistance, you can wear it while doing the dishes or take a swim whenever you want. The metal buckle is tight enough and didn’t open up accidentally even once. Considering how light it is, having a secure strap is important because you may not realize when it falls off.

Another great feature of the band is its direct USB charging capability. No need to carry along a tiny wire or charging pod along because a USB is located on the tracker’s body and can be directly plugged into an adapter by removing one side of the strap. It takes approximately two hours to charge completely.

I’d advise being a little careful with the USB port because it’s made of plastic. While removing the strap, don’t apply a lot of force. A few adapters were having trouble charging the band due to loose connection, but this wasn’t widespread. Just ensure you have a trustworthy brick when on the go.

A disappointing display

On the front is a 1.08-inch color and touch display with a resolution of 128 x 220 pixels. Unlike the Mi Smart Band, it isn’t an OLED panel, and the maximum brightness is disappointing. Under direct sunlight, you’ll have to keep one hand over it and strain your eyes to see a notification or activity.

The brightness is still manageable though. The display’s touch detection is terrible and doesn’t work half the time. This isn’t a remote incident because other users have reported a similar problem. It’s UI is based on gestures, and there’s a capacitive button on the bottom. The swipes are barely registered, and the accuracy is all over the place. Cutting corners, Xiaomi ended up with an appalling display that’ll test your patience.

This is the only aspect of the band I didn’t like. Even though it has a very pocket-friendly price, the screen is a major turn-off. It doesn’t do justice to all the other features that make this a very potent fitness tracker.

Lastly, the display is sufficiently big, but the notifications are hard to read. Pixels are very easily seen, and I’d have to pause and focus on the display to read the notifications. The process doesn’t feel natural, and while driving, the notifications are seldom easily visible. This kind of defeats the wearable’s purpose because it’s supposed to be an extension of my phone while I’m driving or riding. The text size cannot be changed.

It has some nifty features that come in very handy, like Raise To Wake, Watch Faces, Weather, and Alarms. It isn’t a smartwatch, so there’s no app store. But, you can select a watch face from a wide collection and even customize to your preference. This adds a convenient layer of personalization and doesn’t look old or boring.

What about fitness?

This is where things get interesting. Xiaomi has years of experience making inexpensive trackers, and this is clearly visible here. The Redmi Smart Band can accurately track your steps, distance, calorie burn, and heart rate. The small tracker is very accurate and gets the job done perfectly. It comes with five preloaded modes — outdoor running, walking, treadmill, cycling, and freestyle modes.

Sleep tracking is also very accurate and works flawlessly in the background. A cool feature is, the band can detect when it’s worn, and the heart rate sensor will work only when it’s on your wrist. So, if you remove it, the sensors won’t drain your battery. However, workouts will be tracked only if your phone is connected, so don’t forget to take along your phone everywhere. This isn’t a standalone wearable, and I wouldn’t expect one at this price. Lastly, it doesn’t have a swimming mode despite being water resistant.

The tracker connects to your phone via the Xiaomi Wear app, and it’ll compile all the information from the band simply and elegantly. The depth of displayed information is actually beneficial, and the app is seamless to use. The band supports Bluetooth 5.0 and works with any Android phone.

A more than decent battery life

Lastly, the Redmi Smart Band has a 130mAh battery that the company claims can last up to two weeks. While Xiaomi’s battery claims are usually spot-on, this tracker doesn’t even come close to the stated figure. It lasts me a week with notifications switched on and full-time heart rate tracking.

One week’s battery is honestly, very good. Especially when we compare it to a premium gadget like the Apple Watch, that barely gets you 24 hours. Even though the band doesn’t stand true to its claims, seven days is a perfectly fine time period and I don’t hold anything against the product. It doesn’t have an OLED display, so I’m pretty sure that’s where a majority of the electrons are headed!

Is this your GadgetMatch?

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that’ll help you maintain your health regimen, the Redmi Smart Band is a very competent tracker that’ll never disappoint. The tracking is accurate, it has sufficient features, and the color display looks enticing.

However, if you’re looking for a general wearable for instant notifications and time, the Redmi Smart Band isn’t for you. The screen is pathetically bad in registering swipes and gets very annoying. Adding to this, notifications aren’t even easily visible under direct sunlight.

If you’re looking for an alternative, the Mi Smart Band 5 has just launched in the country. It comes with a heavier price tag, but definitely has more features and looks way more premium. In the same price bracket, the realme Band is a solid product because it doesn’t try to be as fancy as the Redmi Smart Band and gets all the basics done.

Lifestyle

What a day at Masungi GeoReserve taught me about a smartphone’s durability

Captured through the lens of the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G!

Published

February 4, 2026

Her and Noela

Xiaomi Philippines brought the Redmi Note 15 Series to Masungi GeoReserve to see how it holds up when the terrain is uneven.

Through the REDMI Titan Quest, we were brought into limestone paths and forest trails where dust settles fast and footing rarely stays predictable.

The day started with uneven ground beneath my feet and a phone that stayed out of my pocket. At Masungi GeoReserve, there was no reason to baby anything.

I spent the morning hiking and climbing, stopping only when something felt worth capturing using the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G.

Wide frames captured the scale of Masungi’s rock formations and open viewpoints.

Closer shots focused on textures, stone, and other details along the path. The 200-megapixel AI-powered camera system made it easy to move between 1x and 4x focal ranges as the light shifted throughout the day.

Power also never became a concern. With a 6,500mAh battery and 100W HyperCharge technology, the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G kept up through hours of being outdoors.

Really ‘Titan Tough’

Durability showed itself early. Dirt clung to the device, and there were small knocks along the way that felt normal for a trail like this. Nothing cracked, of course.

A Titan Tough Durability Station later reinforced what the hike already proved; that dust and water resistance, and drop protection matter most in activities like this.

Designed for days like this, the REDMI Titan Structure, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and fiberglass back panels create a phone that feels ready for impact.

The Pro+ variant I’ve been carrying also supports drop resistance of up to 2.5 meters, which feels reassuring.

The Titan Quest builds on earlier REDMI Titan Lab durability tests, where toughness was measured under controlled conditions. On the trail, those results felt tangible.

Availability

The REDMI Note 15 Series is available through Xiaomi’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada. Select models come with bundled accessories, gift sets, and digital perks such as three months of Spotify Premium and a three-month 100 GB cloud storage plan.

The series includes Xiaomi Philippines’ No. 1 protection package, covering a four-year battery warranty, two-year liquid damage and exterior protection, and a two-year standard warranty.

Entertainment

Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 premieres in April

The animated series is set between seasons two and three.

Published

February 3, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Stranger Things is over. After years of success, the long-running series finally reached its definitive conclusion. But if you thought Netflix would easily let its biggest cash cow go, then you’d be mistaken. Barely a month after the final episode, the franchise is back with an animated spinoff called Stranger Things: Tales from ’85.

The animated series, which oddly features a new cast to voice the characters, is not a continuation of the concluded story. Rather, it’s a midquel set during the winter between the second and third seasons. Despite closing off a gate to the Upside Down, Eleven and the gang discover that some monsters are still lurking around in their world.

Because we already know what happens up until the very end, there’s hardly any tension. That said, and based on the show’s subtitle, the animated series might be a creature-of-the-week adventure. However, Eric Robles, who will run the series, says that saving Hawkins is still a major plot point.

The Duffer Brothers, who will be executive producers, says that it was a challenge to feature monsters after the events of the main show’s second season. The show will still have a substantial story, though.

For now, we’ll have a bit of a reprieve from everything Stranger Things (or time to catch up with everything, if you prefer). Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will premiere on April 23.

Entertainment

BTS returns with global live comeback event on Netflix this March

BTS reunites live worldwide

Published

February 3, 2026

GadgetMatch

Netflix has officially announced BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, a global livestream event set for March 21, 2026. This marks the group’s first full reunion performance since completing South Korea’s mandatory military service.

Streaming live exclusively on Netflix, the event will air at 8 PM KST (or 4 AM PST and 7 AM EST). It will broadcast worldwide from the historic Gwanghwamun in Seoul. The performance celebrates the release of BTS’ fifth studio album, ARIRANG.

Netflix partnered with HYBE to bring the seven-member group back to the stage. This is being positioned as a landmark global comeback. RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook will reunite onstage for the first time as a complete group since their hiatus.

The live special will be directed by Hamish Hamilton and produced by Done + Dusted, with executive producers including HYBE, BIGHIT MUSIC, Guy Carrington, Garrett English, and Kevin Hermanson. Netflix confirmed that the event will be ticketed, with further details to be announced at a later date.

A symbolic return in Seoul

The choice of Gwanghwamun as the livestream location adds symbolic weight to the comeback. One of Seoul’s most historic public spaces, the setting reflects the themes explored in ARIRANG. It is an album described as deeply reflective and rooted in identity, heritage, and renewal.

The album announcement arrives alongside confirmation of the ARIRANG World Tour, scheduled to run from 2026 to 2027. The tour will span 34 regions and include 82 shows. This will happen across Asia, North and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and additional territories.

Together, the album and live event mark the start of a new chapter for BTS. This follows years of solo activities and military enlistment. The comeback positions the group not just as returning idols, but as artists re-entering the global stage with a renewed sense of perspective.

Netflix expands its live ambitions

BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG also represents a milestone for Netflix. It will be the platform’s first-ever live global broadcast originating from South Korea, further expanding its growing slate of live programming.

The event joins a lineup that already includes live specials. These are Skyscraper Live, Star Search, Jake vs Joshua, WWE Raw, NFL Christmas Gameday, and major boxing and sports events. Netflix has also confirmed upcoming live coverage of MLB games, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and The Actor Awards.

With BTS leading the charge, Netflix continues to test the limits of live global entertainment beyond traditional sports and reality formats.

A documentary follows days later

Just days after the livestream, Netflix will release BTS: THE RETURN, a feature-length documentary premiering on March 27, 2026.

Directed by Bao Nguyen, the film chronicles the group’s long-awaited reunion and the making of ARIRANG. The documentary follows BTS as they reunite in Los Angeles. Watch as they create new music, navigating personal change, shared history, and the challenge of beginning again after time apart.

Produced by This Machine, HYBE, and EAST Films, the documentary promises unprecedented access to the group’s creative process. It explores moments of doubt, reflection, and rediscovery as BTS shape what is positioned as a defining album of their career.

Intimate and emotional in tone, BTS: THE RETURN frames the comeback not just as a pop culture moment, but as a story of resilience, brotherhood, and reinvention—one shaped by time, growth, and the weight of global expectation.

For millions of fans worldwide, March 2026 marks not just a return, but the beginning of BTS’ next era.