If you’ve been searching for an affordable smartwatch that doesn’t break the bank, you’ve probably stumbled across the Jomkiss 5. I’ve spent the last two weeks wearing it daily, testing everything from step counting to sleep tracking. Here’s my honest take on whether the Jomkiss 5 is genuinely useful or just another cheap gadget that ends up in a drawer.

First Impressions: Design and Build Quality

The Jomkiss 5 comes in a simple box with the watch, a magnetic charging cable, and a basic manual. The first thing I noticed is that it looks more expensive than it is. The 1.85-inch display is bright enough for outdoor use, and the square face mimics a popular flagship design without feeling like a complete rip-off.

The silicone strap is soft and doesn’t irritate my skin, even during workouts. The casing is plastic, but it has a matte finish that resists fingerprints. At just under 40 grams, you barely feel it on your wrist. The button on the side is clicky and responsive, though I wish the touchscreen was a bit smoother when swiping.

Setting Up the Jomkiss 5: No Headaches Here

Pairing the watch with my Android phone took less than three minutes. You download the “FitPro” app (available for both Android and iOS). The app isn’t the prettiest, but it gets the job done. Bluetooth connection stayed stable throughout the day, and notifications for calls, texts, and WhatsApp arrived within a second or two.

One small issue: you need to allow the app to run in the background, or the watch disconnects occasionally on iOS. It’s a common problem with budget wearables, so keep that in mind if you’re an iPhone user.

Health and Fitness Tracking: How Accurate Is It?

For a watch in this price range, I didn’t expect medical-grade accuracy. The step counter was surprisingly close to my phone’s pedometer—within 2% over a full day. The heart rate sensor also aligned well with my chest strap during steady-state cardio, though it lagged a bit during interval training.

Sleep Tracking: Useful or Just Numbers?

The Jomkiss 5 breaks sleep into light, deep, and REM stages. Compared to my Oura ring, it correctly identified bedtimes and wake-ups but tended to misclassify periods of lying awake as light sleep. For tracking trends over weeks, it’s fine. For exact sleep staging, take it with a grain of salt.

Sports Modes and GPS

There are over 100 sport modes, which sounds impressive. However, the watch does not have built-in GPS. It uses your phone’s GPS when you start an outdoor workout. That works, but you’ll need to carry your phone. I tested the running mode on a track and the distance was off by about 4%—under a minute per mile pace difference. Acceptable for casual runners.

Battery Life: The Real Highlight

Here’s where the Jomkiss 5 actually shines. With the always-on display turned off (which I recommend), the watch lasted a full seven days with one hour of workout tracking each day. With continuous heart rate monitoring and notifications, I got six days. That’s much better than the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Charging is slow, though. A full charge via the magnetic cable takes about two and a half hours. But since you only do it once a week, it’s not a big deal. There is no fast charge, so plan to charge it overnight or while working at your desk.

Smart Features That Matter (and Some That Don’t)

You get the basics: call and message notifications, weather, music control, a find-my-phone function, and an alarm. The Jomkiss 5 also has a few quirky additions like a camera remote control and a “sedentary reminder.” I found the camera remote handy for group photos, but the watch’s mic only works for Bluetooth calls—there’s no standalone speaker.