Xiaomi has a new lock with facial recognition and super endurance. It also impresses with its price on sale

Xiaomi has long ceased to be merely a smartphone manufacturer. The brand has also become one of the leading players in the smart home field, and its catalog includes practically everything from robotic vacuum cleaners to intelligent door locks. The latest achievement in this area is the Xiaomi Smart Door Lock G500, which functions simultaneously as a security lock, video doorbell, and camera, and can be opened in ten different ways. The most interesting of these is facial recognition.

Ten ways to open the door

The main appeal of the G500 lock lies in its versatility. The primary unlocking method is 3D facial recognition based on structured light and a dual AI chip. Unlike conventional 2D systems, Xiaomi claims it should resist attempts to bypass it using photos or videos. Furthermore, for situations where you turn back immediately after closing the door, the lock enters sleep mode after fifteen seconds to prevent accidentally letting you back in.

If facial recognition doesn’t suit you, there’s the classic fingerprint sensor, a keypad for permanent and temporary passwords, Bluetooth, an NFC card, or some of Xiaomi’s ecosystem devices – a phone, watch, or bracelet. In the event of a complete electronics failure, a physical key for emergency opening is also included in the package.

AI peephole with a wide field of view

The lock has a built-in camera with a resolution of 2.3 megapixels and a wide-angle lens with a 160° field of view. Integrated AI recognizes figures and reduces the number of false alerts from pets or passing animals – at least according to marketing materials. Its practical effectiveness will only be revealed with real-world deployment.

Recordings are stored for three days free in the cloud, and can be viewed via a mobile application, on a compatible TV, or on a smart display. The lock is integrated into the HyperOS Connect platform.

The inside of the lock features an HD display, showing a live image from the outdoor camera. When someone rings the doorbell, the screen automatically lights up.

Battery life up to eight months

The lock is powered by a combination of a 5,000mAh lithium battery and four AA pencil cells, which serve as a backup. According to the manufacturer, the main battery lasts for approximately 4 months of full operation, while the AA cells can cover another 4 months in basic mode (fingerprint, password). Thus, the total battery life reaches up to 8 months on a single charge.

When the capacity drops below 10%, the lock switches to power-saving mode and notifies you. Should it completely discharge, the device can be emergency-powered from a standard power bank via a USB-C cable.

Price and availability

The Xiaomi Smart Door Lock G500 received a recommended price in China of 2,799 yuan, which is approximately 8,600 CZK in conversion. However, it is currently available on the Xiaomi Youpin platform for 1,199 yuan, or approximately 3,700 CZK. And that’s already a very decent price. Unfortunately, it is almost certainly not coming to the Czech Republic.

Xiaomi has a new lock with facial recognition and super endurance. It also impresses with its price on sale Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

An alternative from Xiaomi on our market is the Xiaomi Self-Install Smart Lock, which, while not offering such a quantity of features, can be purchased for only 2,999 CZK in a set with a keypad. We described our testing impressions in a separate article.

Would you swap your keys for a smart lock with facial recognition?

Sources: Xiaomi Youpin, Notebookcheck