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| The Honor Watch X5i looks almost identical to the Apple Watch. |
For just $33, this budget smartwatch delivers something Apple fans can only dream of — three weeks of battery life
The smartwatch market has a new contender that's turning heads for two very specific reasons. First, the Honor Watch X5i looks almost exactly like an Apple Watch — the gold standard that starts at $329 on Amazon. Second, it costs just $33. But before you write this off as another cheap imitation, the battery life figures might make you think twice.
While the Apple Watch Series and Ultra models typically require nightly charging or every other day at best, Honor claims the X5i can run for up to three weeks on a single charge. Even with the always-on display active — a feature that drains most smartwatches rapidly — you're looking at a solid six days of runtime.
The trade-off you need to know about
There's no free lunch in tech, and the Honor Watch X5i makes its compromises clear from the start. The watch runs on a relatively weak processor paired with an RTOS (Real-Time Operating System) rather than a full-fledged wearable platform like watchOS or Wear OS. That means you won't be downloading third-party apps, running complex watch faces with heavy animations, or enjoying the buttery-smooth performance of premium alternatives.
What you get instead is a focused, purpose-built device that does a handful of things well — and lasts for weeks while doing them.
Display and design
The Honor Watch X5i doesn't try to hide its inspiration. The rectangular face, rounded corners, and digital crown placement are unmistakably familiar to anyone who's seen an Apple Watch. But at this price point, that's hardly a criticism.
The watch features an AMOLED display with a resolution of 450 x 390 pixels and a smooth 60Hz refresh rate. Colors pop, blacks are deep, and the always-on display functionality means you can glance at the time without raising your wrist. Honor also offers over 180 watch faces to choose from, giving you plenty of customization options despite the limited operating system.
The build quality reflects the budget price tag. Honor uses a plastic case measuring 46.7 x 40.5 x 10.9 millimeters, keeping the weight remarkably low at just 28.1 grams without the strap. With the standard strap attached, you're looking at 41.4 grams — light enough that you'll probably forget you're wearing it.
Health and fitness tracking
For a $33 smartwatch, the sensor package is surprisingly comprehensive. The Honor Watch X5i includes a heart rate monitor and SpO2 sensor for tracking blood oxygen saturation. It can display your stress level in real time, which is a feature typically reserved for more expensive devices.
Sleep tracking is onboard, along with cycle tracking for menstruation monitoring. Where the watch really flexes its versatility is in the sports modes — Honor claims 109 different activity profiles. These range from obvious choices like running and cycling to more specific options including riding, skipping rope, and even darts.
Yes, there's a dedicated darts mode on a $33 smartwatch. Whether that's useful or absurd probably depends on how serious you are about your pub game.
Smart features and connectivity
The integrated speaker and microphone allow you to take calls directly from your wrist, though the watch relies on your connected smartphone to do so. There's no cellular model here — everything routes through your phone's Bluetooth connection.
Compatibility is pleasantly universal. The Honor Watch X5i works with both Android devices and Apple iPhones, so you're not locked into any particular ecosystem. That's a notable advantage over the Apple Watch, which requires an iPhone for setup and full functionality.
Durability: the one major miss
Here's where you might want to temper your expectations. The Honor Watch X5i carries a water resistance rating of just 1 ATM. For context, that means it's not suitable for swimming, showering under high pressure, or submersion beyond shallow depths. You can wear it in the rain without worry, and IP68 certification does guarantee protection against dust and brief immersion in fresh water. But don't take this thing for a swim or wear it in the ocean.
For a fitness-focused device, this is a notable limitation. Most competing smartwatches at least offer 5ATM resistance, which covers swimming and showering. Honor clearly cut costs here, so if you're a swimmer or someone who wants to track laps, look elsewhere.
Price and availability
For more details about specifications and regional availability, you can check Honor's official product page directly.
The Honor Watch X5i is currently available in China at a price of 229 yuan, which converts to approximately $33 USD. At that price point, the value proposition is genuinely difficult to argue with — even with the limited app ecosystem and the swimming restriction.
Honor has not yet announced any details regarding an international launch. It remains unclear whether the X5i will make its way to European markets, North America, or other regions. Given Honor's increasing global presence in recent years, an international release seems plausible, but nothing has been confirmed.
Who should care about this watch?
The Honor Watch X5i isn't trying to compete with the Apple Watch SE, let alone the Series 9 or Ultra 2. It's not for power users, app addicts, or swimmers. It's not for anyone who needs cellular connectivity, GPS mapping, or offline music playback.
Instead, this watch is for the massive market of people who want three things: basic fitness tracking, reliable notifications, and battery life measured in weeks rather than hours. If you're tired of charging yet another device every single night, the Honor Watch X5i offers a genuinely compelling alternative — at a price so low that it barely registers as a risk.
At $33, you could buy ten of these for the price of one Apple Watch. And while ten budget smartwatches won't give you the experience of a premium wearable, that single Apple Watch still won't make it through the weekend without finding a charger.
Sometimes, the best smartwatch is the one that's always on your wrist because you never had to take it off to charge. Honor seems to understand that better than most.
