With the Xiaomi Watch 5, Xiaomi is pushing a new idea for smartwatch input, and it’s not just another screen shortcut. The Xiaomi Watch 5’s gesture control system uses an EMG sensor to read electrical impulses in your wrist muscles and convert them into commands.
Xiaomi says this is more accurate than accelerometer-based motion-based gestures because it can register subtle muscle movements even when your arm is mostly still. The watch is now available in China and Xiaomi expects a global premiere at MWC 2026 in Barcelona.
EMG gestures without theatrics
According to Xiaomi, you can clench your fist to answer a call or rub your fingers to control music playback. The promise is quick control when the other hand is busy, without excessive arm movements and without touching the display.
However, the gesture functions often become unreliable when the watch moves on your wrist or when you walk, run or lift. EMG could help, but it requires solid tuning to different fits and wrist sizes to be effective. The Apple Watch has Double Tap, but only that.
Big canvas, serious materials
The Watch 5 is a larger wearable with a 47mm body and a 1.54-inch round AMOLED display with performance of up to 1500 nits. Xiaomi relies on a stainless steel frame and sapphire crystal on both the front and back as well as a water resistance of 5 ATM.
Despite the larger 930 mAh battery, Xiaomi states the weight at 56 grams. The traditional controls with a digital crown and secondary action button also remain, so you can still navigate as usual if you don’t want gestures.
Battery and technical data are decisive
In health, Xiaomi combines EMG with ECG for on-demand heart rhythm analysis and Afib detection, as well as heart rate, blood oxygen and sleep tracking. There’s no body temperature sensor, but fitness features include over 150 workout modes, 3D animated gym guides, and full-color offline maps. Xiaomi claims the battery life to be 6 days under normal use and up to 18 days in energy saving mode.
In China, prices start at CNY 1999, which is about $285. If Xiaomi keeps global prices close, the initial tests will come down to one thing: whether the EMG control remains reliable in the real world.
