Whenever I review a smartwatch, I ask myself one simple question: would I actually wear it after the review is over? Most smartwatches get a lot of things right, but only a handful make me want to swap out my daily driver. After spending some time with the Realme Watch S5, I honestly came very close to doing exactly that. It offers a premium design, a surprisingly bright display, useful smartwatch features, and one feature that genuinely caught me off guard considering its price.
Don’t Delay Your Upgrade
Explore personalized EMI offers for your next purchase
For ₹7,999, Realme is clearly trying to offer more than just another fitness watch, and for the most part, it succeeds. It isn’t perfect, but some of the things this watch can do are usually reserved for smartwatches that cost significantly more.
Realme Watch S5 specs at a glance
Looks premium without trying too hard
The first thing that stood out to me was the design. I have always preferred round smartwatches over square ones, and the Realme Watch S5 immediately felt like something I would actually enjoy wearing every day. The metal and glass construction gives it a much more premium feel than its price suggests, while the overall design remains clean and minimal. In fact, I think it gives the CMF Watch 3 Pro a real challenge when it comes to looks.
Small details make a big difference here. The flat display, minimal crown, dual button setup, and industrial styling all come together really well. It feels modern without trying too hard, and that is something many budget smartwatches struggle to achieve. My review unit came in Rock Grey, which looks understated and premium, although I have to admit the Sand White variant is probably my favourite of the two.
Comfort is another area where the Watch S5 gets things right. It is lightweight enough that I often forgot I was wearing it, while the soft silicone straps remain comfortable even during long wearing sessions.
One of the brightest displays in its segment
The display deserves equal praise. The 1.43 inch AMOLED panel looks sharp, colours are vibrant, and the 1000 nits peak brightness is genuinely impressive for a smartwatch in this price segment. It also comes with an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness, and for the most part it works really well.
There is one issue though. Indoors, the automatic brightness occasionally lowers the brightness a little too aggressively, causing supported watch faces to switch into their red night mode even when there is enough ambient light. It is not a deal breaker, but it does make the watch face slightly harder to read. Thankfully, this feels more like a software issue than a hardware limitation, so hopefully Realme can address it through an update.
One feature I ended up using far more than expected was the built in torch. Thanks to the bright AMOLED display, it actually lights up a surprisingly large area in complete darkness.
The smartwatch feature I never expected at this price
The Realme Watch S5 does everything you expect from a modern smartwatch. Notifications arrive on time, Bluetooth calling works well, the interface is smooth, and there are plenty of watch faces to choose from. But the feature that completely stole the show for me was WhatsApp voice reply.
Most smartwatches in this price range only let you respond using a handful of predefined replies like “OK” or “On my way.” The Watch S5 takes a completely different approach. It lets you dictate your reply using your voice and sends it as an actual WhatsApp message. I genuinely have not seen another smartwatch around this price offering something like this, and honestly, this single feature makes many competing watches much less appealing.
It got a voice assistant which is neat and which I am seeing on a lot of affordable smartwatches these days. Realme has also added an App Market. It is fairly limited right now with only a few apps available, but Google Maps alone makes it worthwhile. Being able to glance at navigation directly from your wrist is incredibly convenient, and again, it is not something I expected to find on a smartwatch at this price.
More than just another fitness tracker
Health tracking is another area where the Watch S5 performs well. Alongside the usual heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and sleep monitoring, Realme has also included ambient noise monitoring, which is a nice addition that you do not often see in this segment.
During my testing, the readings were very close to another smartwatch that I regularly use and trust for health tracking, which gave me confidence in its accuracy. The built in GPS is another welcome addition because it accurately records your outdoor workouts and maps your running routes without needing your phone nearby.
Battery
Battery life is another strong point. If you mainly use the smartwatch for notifications, health tracking, and regular daily use, getting well over a week on a single charge is easily achievable. If you rely on GPS every day, battery life naturally drops, but I was still getting around four days before reaching for the charger. Charging itself is also quick, taking less than an hour to go from empty to full.
Should you buy it?
The Realme Watch S5 gets so many things right that it is genuinely difficult to ignore. It looks more premium than its price suggests, has one of the brightest displays in its segment, offers reliable health tracking, and delivers excellent battery life. More importantly, it brings features like voice replies to WhatsApp and Google Maps that are usually reserved for much more expensive smartwatches.
The automatic brightness issue is something I hope Realme fixes because it is the only thing stopping me from making this my daily smartwatch. If that happens, the Realme Watch S5 becomes an even easier recommendation. At ₹7,999, this is one of the best value for money smartwatches you can buy today.
Similar articles for you
NoiseFit Endeavour Pro review: Budget rugged smartwatch that outshines its price
₹10,000 That Look and Feel Premium”>Top 7 Smartwatches Under ₹10,000 That Look and Feel Premium
₹3,000 get the basics right”>Why pay more? These smartwatches under ₹3,000 get the basics right
Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
