Buying a budget smartwatch often feels like a headache. One model has solid specs but looks awful, another is easy on the eyes yet dies in a few days, and a few just feel like flimsy plastic toys on your wrist. You end up thinking, yeah, this will do, not actually wanting to keep it.
So when I finally grabbed the Realme Watch 5, I was skeptical. It’s priced below ₹5,000, but it claims a lot: GPS, a big AMOLED display, calling, and more. I’ve been wearing it every day, answering a few calls, logging whatever workouts I remember, and mostly seeing whether it genuinely holds up or turns out to be another watch that looks great in ads but falls apart once you actually use it.
When I first opened the box and took the Realme Watch 5 out, I honestly didn’t expect much. But the first thought in my head was, okay, this doesn’t look cheap. The body is plastic, yeah, but the finish hides that really well. In the hand, it doesn’t feel like one of those light, toy-like watches at all.
There’s a rotating crown on the side made of metal, and it actually feels solid. It clicks properly when you turn it and doesn’t feel loose or flimsy, which I really liked because that’s one place where cheap watches usually mess up.
The strap size is standard, so changing it is easy if you ever feel like using a different one. The one that comes in the box is comfortable enough. I’ve worn the watch for long hours without feeling any irritation or tightness. It’s not some luxury strap or anything, but it doesn’t bother you either, which is what really matters.
I’ve been wearing it pretty much every day , for normal stuff, walking around, doing light workouts , and it has held up just fine. Once it even got sprayed by the garden sprinkler by accident and nothing happened. With its water resistance, you don’t really think twice about sweat or a bit of water. You just wear it and move on.
The screen was actually the first thing that made me pause for a second. I put the watch on and just went, okay wow… This is bigger than I expected. For this price, it honestly feels almost too big, but in a nice way. The display looks really good in normal use. Watch faces look colourful, text is clear, and even small notification lines are easy to read. I never felt the need to bring my wrist close to my face just to read something.
I’ve worn it outside a lot too , proper daylight, not just shade , and I didn’t really struggle with visibility. It stays bright enough. I wasn’t constantly rotating my wrist trying to find the “right angle” to see the screen. Using it daily also feels smooth. I didn’t notice any annoying lags while scrolling around or opening things. And the always-on display… I didn’t care about it at first, but now I use it without thinking. You just look at the time and move on. No tapping, no extra effort.
The only annoying part? The brightness. There’s no auto adjustment, so you have to control it yourself. And honestly, most of the time you realise it’s wrong only after you step into sunlight or move indoors. It’s not some major issue, just one of those “why isn’t this automatic?” things. Once you fix it, though, you forget about it completely and just use the watch normally , while walking, working out, or casually checking the time.
One thing that caught me off guard was how comfortable this watch actually feels. It’s really light. After a while, you honestly stop noticing that you’re even wearing it. The best part of the deal obviously is that the strap can be changed too, so if you ever feel like putting on something softer, the option’s always available.
Even with the strap that comes in the box, I never had an issue. I wore it for long hours and didn’t get that tight, itchy feeling that some cheap watches give you. I even slept with it on for a couple of nights, and it didn’t feel weird or bulky on my wrist while turning in bed.
So yeah, if you’re planning to wear it all day for steps, workouts, sleep, comfort is not something you’ll be stressing about with this one.
The Watch 5 doesn’t try to overwhelm you with unnecessary apps or flashy extras, and honestly, that works in its favor. Everything feels straightforward. To pair it with your phone, you’ll need the Realme Link app, just make sure it’s updated, otherwise the connection process can get a bit annoying.
Once it’s connected, using the watch day to day is pretty smooth. Moving through the menus, switching watch faces, starting a workout, or checking your health data all feels quick and hassle-free. There’s no lag that makes you feel like you’re waiting on the hardware.
I’ve used plenty of budget smartwatches where the interface feels slow and clunky no matter what you do, but that’s not the case here. This one keeps things clean and functional. It’s not trying to wow you with fancy animations, it just works, and that’s exactly what you want from a watch at this price.
For the money Realme is charging, the Watch 5 packs in a surprising number of features. You get built-in GPS, tons of workout modes, Bluetooth calling, NFC, and a huge collection of watch faces. If you’re someone who likes changing how your watch looks often, you won’t run out of options anytime soon.
Along with that, all the everyday smartwatch essentials are here too, music control, alarms, a compass, breathing tools, even the ability to trigger your phone’s camera. Nothing feels overdone or gimmicky, but everything most people actually use on a daily basis is neatly covered.
When it comes to health features, the Watch 5 covers pretty much everything you’d expect from a modern smartwatch. It keeps an eye on your heart rate, SpO₂ levels, sleep patterns, stress, and even includes a menstrual tracking option for women. You also get things like VO₂ Max readings and automatic workout detection, which is super helpful on days when you forget to hit start before exercising. I also like the little movement reminders, it gives you a nudge if you’ve been sitting in one place for too long.
So it’s definitely not a watch that’s only meant for showing notifications or counting steps. You can rely on it for regular fitness tracking, sleep insights, and keeping an overall check on your health without needing any extra gadgets.
Let’s get one thing out of the way first, no smartwatch, including this one, should be treated like a proper medical device. These are fitness gadgets, not hospital equipment, and the Watch 5 is no exception.
That said, from my personal experience, the readings on the Watch 5 felt fairly reliable most of the time. Since it comes with built-in GPS and the usual set of sensors, the data it shows feels far more trustworthy than those super-cheap watches that often throw out random numbers. My step count seemed on point, heart rate readings didn’t feel strange or inconsistent, and workout stats stayed within a realistic range.
Outdoor tracking is where the GPS really helps, you can actually feel the difference if you’ve used non-GPS watches before. Routes look more accurate, and distance tracking feels more believable.
At the end of the day though, it’s still just a smartwatch on your wrist. You shouldn’t expect doctor-level precision. But for everyday activities like walking, running, gym sessions, cycling, and keeping a general check on your activity and health, it does a more than decent job.
The built-in GPS is easily one of the strongest features of the Watch 5. You can step out for a walk, run, or cycling session without taking your phone along, and the watch will still track your distance and route on its own. And it’s not just rough tracking, you actually get a clear, accurate map of the path you covered.
If you’re someone who enjoys working out outdoors, this is a huge advantage. Most budget smartwatches either don’t offer GPS at all or struggle to get it right. This one, thankfully, handles it well enough that you can genuinely depend on it.
With 108 workout modes, the Watch 5 tries to cover just about everything, from basic stuff like walking, running, gym workouts, yoga, and cycling to more specific activities like water sports too.
Realistically, most people won’t use even half of these, but it’s still nice to know the options are there. But, If you switch between different workouts or just want simple tracking without too much setup, this much variety is more than enough for everyday use.
Pro tip here although the watch is IP68 and has many water sports modes included such as surfing and motorboating, I would advise not to take it for swimming as you don’t get that option in the entire list.
Bluetooth calling is one of those features that doesn’t seem like a big deal at first, but once you start using it, you actually appreciate it. Being able to take calls straight from the watch while your phone is in another room or buried in your pocket is genuinely convenient. The audio quality won’t blow you away, but for short, quick conversations, it gets the job done without any real issues.
The Watch 5 also comes with NFC support, which can be used for things like smart card scanning or other region-specific functions. To be honest, I couldn’t really make practical use of it myself, so I can’t say much about how well it works in real life.
That said, when you look at these features together, they clearly push the Watch 5 beyond being just a fitness tracker. It starts to feel more like a lightweight smartwatch that can handle a few everyday tasks alongside health and fitness tracking.
Realme claims the Watch 5 can run for up to 16 days with regular use and even touch 20 days in Light Smart Mode. On paper, that sounds impressive, especially when you consider it’s packing a 460mAh battery at this price. For most users, that essentially means you won’t be reaching for the charger very often.
In my own usage, though, charging itself isn’t particularly quick. From low battery to full, it took a little over two hours, even when I used an 80W fast charger. Battery drain, on the other hand, felt fairly well controlled. Across three days of heavy use, the battery dropped by roughly 30%. So yeah, I’m slightly skeptical about consistently getting the full 16 days if you’re really pushing it.
That said, with lighter usage, just steps, notifications, and basic health tracking, the battery drain slows down noticeably. In that kind of scenario, the long battery life that Realme promises does feel much more realistic.
If you’re in the market for an affordable smartwatch under ₹5,000 that looks good, lasts long, and does more than just show notifications the Realme Watch 5 is a very strong contender.
It combines the features (GPS, health tracking, calling, NFC, many sports modes) that usually cost much more, with a build and display that feel premium. For fitness enthusiasts, casual users, everyday wear, or those wanting an entry-level “smartwatch” without spending big, the Watch 5 brings balanced value.
In short: Realme Watch 5 punches above its price, a smart buy for value-conscious users seeking full-featured smartwatch capabilities.
