The smartwatch scenario in 2025 has never been more competitive, and brands have been fighting to merge high-end design and top-notch features at an affordable price. Among the recent releases, Realme Watch 5 has been able to hog the limelight. As a feature-packed upgrade from its earlier model, it has a great balance of style, fitness tracking, and smart connectivity — all at a surprisingly reasonable price.
Let’s take a deep dive into what makes the Realme Watch 5 one of the most exciting smartwatch launches of the year.
Premium Design That Stands Out
On the initial look, the Realme Watch 5 has a premium design that immediately takes you back to smartwatches of flagship quality. It takes cues from top-end smartwatches like the Apple Watch Ultra with a rectangular dial design, flat edges, tough metal-finish body, and pristine-looking crown section.
Realme has obviously emphasized durability and comfort. The watch is substantial but light on the wrist, and it’s perfect for wearing all day long. Realme has also made sure that it can meet an IP68 rating, which makes it dust- and water-resistant — great for workouts, daily commutes, or even the occasional splash of water.
The 1.97-inch AMOLED display dominates the front, offering an immersive viewing experience. With a resolution of 390×450 pixels and a brightness level of up to 600 nits, everything looks sharp, colorful, and clear — even under direct sunlight. The 60 Hz refresh rate further ensures smooth animations and fluid scrolling, which you’d typically expect from much pricier devices.
Vibrant AMOLED Display With Always-On Capability
The screen is certainly one of the largest selling points of the Realme Watch 5. Realme has moved to a rich AMOLED display, a significant improvement over its older LCD-backed variants. The darker blacks and high contrast make watch faces really stand out beautifully.
It also features Always-On Display (AOD) capability, such that you can glance at the time or notifications without having to wake the screen each time. Realme software adjusts brightness and screen-on time to reduce power loss while keeping it very clear.
There are hundreds of watch faces from which users can pick to complement their mood, clothing, or fitness objectives easily.
Battery Life That Keeps Up With You
One of the most useful positives of the Realme Watch 5 is its long battery life. The watch carries a 460 mAh battery, which, the company says, can offer as long as 14 days of usage on a single charge in regular conditions.
Of course, features like GPS tracking, Always-On Display, and ongoing health tracking weigh in, which can cut down that figure, but even then, the Realme Watch 5 easily beats out a lot of its rivals in its category.
This is charged through a magnetic charging stand and it has fast charging, which means users can quickly charge up and go about their day.
If you prefer the Apple ecosystem, explore our detailed review of the Apple Watch S11 to see how it stacks up against Realme’s latest release.
Smarter Fitness and Health Tracking
Health and fitness monitoring remain at the forefront for Realme, and Watch 5 capitalizes on this tradition with accuracy. The watch is outfitted with a full suite of sensors, including 24/7 heart rate monitoring, SpO₂ blood oxygen level sensor, sleep monitoring (with deep and REM information), stress tracking and guided breathing sessions, step, calorie, and distance monitoring.
Realme’s health algorithms have also been improved to provide more accurate results. The phone now detects more than 100+ work modes, ranging from running, cycling, and swimming to yoga and strength training.
The onboard GPS module enables standalone outdoor tracking without the need to carry your phone around — a luxury in most mid-range watches. This makes the Watch 5 an excellent partner for runners and cyclists seeking comprehensive route mapping.
Seamless Connectivity and Smart Features
Realme has improved the connectivity feature of the Watch 5 for seamless pairing with both Android and iOS smartphones. The watch comes with Bluetooth for instant syncing of notifications, calls, and app notifications.
The biggest addition is NFC support, which promises possibilities for contactless payments — an enormous convenience for users in urban areas.
Notifications are more interactive today. You can look at messages, manage music playback, glance at weather forecasts, and even use voice assistants from the wrist. While it doesn’t use Wear OS, Realme’s proprietary smartwatch operating system is quick, power-efficient, and extremely optimized for daily life.
While Realme focuses on value and style, the Galaxy Watch 8 takes a premium approach with advanced health sensors and seamless Android integration.
Realme UI for Smartwatches
With Realme’s own watch OS powering it, the Watch 5 provides a clutter-free and simple interface. Menus are intuitive, while swipes or taps are responsive due to the 60 Hz screen.
Though other third-party apps such as Wear OS watches cannot be installed, the system is optimized for battery efficiency and responsiveness. Most users will find that the included apps — fitness tracking, weather, calendar, alarm, stopwatch, and camera control — are more than sufficient for daily use.
Price and Availability
Realme keeps holding onto its value brand tag, and the Watch 5 is not different. Leaks and early listings indicate a price of approximately ₹15,999 in India, which places it as a mid-range option that packs a punch in terms of features.
With its AMOLED display, NFC, onboard GPS, and premium build, it is great value for money considering similar-priced wearables on offer from brands such as Amazfit, Noise, and Fire-Boltt.
Apple continues to dominate the luxury smartwatch market with the Apple Watch S11, known for its precision health tracking and elegant design.
Why Realme Watch 5 is Worth a Look
Here’s why the Realme Watch 5 shines among 2025’s congested smartwatch space: AMOLED screen with Always-On capability for sharp visuals, GPS and NFC presence within a sub-₹16K category is remarkable, crammed battery life (up to 14 days) guarantees dependability, more than 100 fitness modes and precise health sensors, premium construction and IP68 rating that is both trendy and long-lasting.
Of course, the only other limitation is the absence of third-party app support, but that’s a fair trade-off for improved performance and improved battery life.
Final Verdict: Smart, Stylish, and Surprisingly Capable
The Realme Watch 5 demonstrates that you don’t have to break the bank to acquire a smartwatch that is both aesthetically pleasing, performs efficiently, and has a well-balanced combination of style and substance. It’s not only an incremental improvement — it’s a statement that Realme means business about vying with the best players in the wearable space.
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a professional who values convenience, or someone who just wants a sleek smartwatch that complements your lifestyle, the Realme Watch 5 checks all the right boxes.
It delivers where it matters most — display quality, battery endurance, and fitness tracking accuracy — while keeping the price comfortably reasonable.
In short, Realme’s new smartwatch is a power-filled combination of smart style, functionality, and value that can easily find itself to be one of the top-selling wearables for 2025.
If you’re curious how it compares to Samsung’s latest wearable, check out our in-depth look at the Galaxy Watch 8, which brings flagship-level innovation to the table.
