Xiaomi Watch S2
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Released in March 2022, the Xiaomi Watch S1 seduced us with its good manufacturing quality and comfortable autonomy. Unfortunately, we deplore its rather imposing single format which excluded small wrists. Although elegant, the design of its case could also seem massive compared to other connected watches, and its 64 g on the scale did not help matters for the thinnest wrists.
A refined design and a more compact version
Xiaomi has obviously heard the criticisms and is splitting a second version which corrects these faults. If the 46 mm version remains, it is available in three colors of steel cases (silver, gold and black), is refined (46 x 46 x 10.7 mm against 46.5 x 46.5 x 11 mm) and loses material at its ends, now sporting horns to attach one of the many bracelets available (in fluoroelastomer or leather and different colors). Above all, the Xiaomi Watch S2 is now available in a 42 mm version, using the same design, but more compact (42.3 x 42.3 x 10.2 mm). What considerably widen its target.
There is also a move to rectangular buttons and no longer round, for an overall design inevitably reminiscent of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 and 5. Especially since the pastel colors of the bracelets offered by the manufacturer are unmistakably similar to those of the Korean firm.
Xiaomi is however distinguished by a specific loop that it announces is more practical to attach on a daily basis. However, this is reserved for a few sports-type bracelets. It should be noted in passing that the Watch S2 does not seem to be available in an Active version, unlike the S1, the 42 mm version with a sports bracelet probably occupying this segment now.
The specific buckle of the Watch S2 sport straps
No change a priori on the display side: the Watch S2 46 mm retains a 1.43 “Amoled screen for 466 x 466 px, while the 42 mm version must be satisfied with 1.42 ” for an identical definition (and therefore a higher resolution, of 353 dpi versus 326 dpi). These screens are still protected by sapphire crystal for better scratch resistance and Xiaomi specifies this time that their maximum brightness reaches 600 nits. We can only regret that Xiaomi did not increase the screen size of its watch, since the Watch S1 Pro integrates a 1.47 “Amoled panel (480 x 480 px) in the same case format. 46 mm, and therefore with thinner edges.
New body measurements
Technically, Xiaomi is also making some improvements here, especially at the level of the back sensor island, which is no longer content to measure heart rate and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), since it gains a sensor skin temperature sensor (introduced in the Watch S1 Pro) as well as a bioelectrical impedance sensor, similar to what is found in the Galaxy Watch 5. If the first will probably not be of much use due to the great variability of skin temperature (especially at the wrist and especially since it is not associated with a second sensor, unlike the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra), the second offers eight new body measurements (basal metabolic rate, bone and water mass, etc.), in particular that of the percentage of body fat. Probably limited here too by its position at wrist level, this bioelectrical impedance sensor seems above all designed to identify long-term trends.
The back sensors of the Xiaomi Watch S2 watch © Xiaomi
On the sports side, the Watch S2 supports more than 100 activities and is compatible with swimming thanks to its 5 ATM certification.
Comfortable smartwatch autonomy
Despite a slimming treatment, the Watch S2 gains a 500 mAh battery, with a capacity 30 mAh greater than the previous one. Xiaomi nevertheless announces the same autonomy of 12 days in “typical” use and 7 days in intensive use. The manufacturer even goes so far as to specify the autonomy with permanent display activated, which would be 4 days. Logically, the 305 mAh battery of the 42 mm version does not allow such good autonomy, the announced durations being limited to 7, 5 and 3 days respectively.
The Xiaomi Watch S2 is currently only marketed in China at prices of 1099 yuan (~149 € excl. VAT) in the 46 mm version and 999 yuan (~135 € excl. VAT) in the 42 mm version (+200 yuan, i.e. approximately 27 € HT for the leather bracelets), but it would be surprising if it did not arrive quickly in our regions… and on our wrist for a next test!
