In this review, we will dive deep into the Xiaomi Band 8, exploring its design, features, and functionality. While the previous iterations of the Mi Band series may have seemed less exciting, the Band 8 aims to revitalize the lineup with improvements that cater to the evolving needs of consumers. Join us as we take a closer look at what makes the Xiaomi Band 8 stand out in the competitive budget fitness trackers.

Unboxing Experience

As I eagerly unbox the Xiaomi Band 8, I’m greeted by a sleek and compact package. While this particular version is the global variant, it showcases the brand’s signature minimalist design. On the back of the box, there are some enticing highlights that pique my interest: AMOLED HD screen, 150+ sports modes, heart rate monitoring, and more. It’s clear that Xiaomi wants to make a statement with this release. Opening the box, I find the Xiaomi Band 8 nestled snugly inside. It’s accompanied by a magnetic charging cable, which hints at convenient recharging, and a user manual to help me get started. The packaging is straightforward, emphasizing the importance of the device itself.

Design and Build Quality

The Xiaomi Band 8 boasts a sleek and minimalist design that is both modern and functional. It follows the classic rectangular form factor that has become synonymous with fitness trackers, but this time with a 1.62-inch AMOLED screen. While it may not break new ground in terms of design, it maintains a familiar and comfortable style that many users appreciate.

While Xiaomi claims that the frame is made of metal, it’s important to note that it feels more like a high-quality plastic with a metallic finish. This design decision not only adds a touch of elegance but also keeps the device lightweight. The frame is available in different color options, with the black version of the Band 8 featuring a matching black frame or silver-like ceramic. This color consistency contributes to a cohesive and premium appearance.

The bottom side of the Xiaomi Band 8 provides into its charging mechanism and sensor placement, crucial aspects of its functionality and convenience. First charging contacts, which make contact with the charging cable when the device is placed on the charger. Beneath the charging contacts, the Band 8 houses a set of optical sensors that play a pivotal role in its health and fitness tracking capabilities. These sensors include a heart rate sensor and a blood oxygen (SpO2) sensor.

The Xiaomi Band 8 maintains a lightweight and unobtrusive design, making it comfortable for daily wear. The strap of the Band 8 is constructed from TPU, a material known for its flexibility and skin-friendly properties, It is comfortable to wear and minimizes the risk of skin irritation or allergies, which is crucial for a device intended for continuous use. The combination of a lightweight frame and TPU strap ensures that the device does not weigh down the wrist, even during extended periods of use. Users can comfortably wear the Band 8 throughout the day without experiencing discomfort or fatigue.

Also, Xiaomi has introduced a new strap attachment mechanism that allows users to easily change straps. The availability of various strap options, including leather, metal, and necklace straps, adds to the versatility of the Band 8. This design choice not only enhances aesthetics but also contributes to user comfort by allowing them to choose a strap that suits their preferences and style.

Moreover, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is built to withstand wear and tear. It’s equipped with Gorilla Glass 3 on its display, making it reasonably scratch-resistant. Plus, it’s water-resistant, capable of surviving up to five atmospheres of pressure, which means you can take it swimming without worries.

Waterproof Rating

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active has an impressive water resistance rating of 5ATM. But what does this rating mean, and why is it significant? The “ATM” rating is a measure of a device’s water resistance, with each ATM representing 10 meters of water pressure. In the case of the Smart Band 8, the 5ATM rating implies that it can withstand water pressures equivalent to a depth of 50 meters. To put this in perspective, this level of water resistance is more than sufficient for most water-related activities that individuals engage in. Beyond swimming, the Band water resistance extends to everyday scenarios where your smart band might encounter splashes, rain, or accidental spills.

While the Xiaomi Band 8 is designed to be water-resistant, it’s essential to remember that water resistance does have limitations. The device is not intended for use in high-pressure environments such as scuba diving or in saltwater, as salt can be corrosive. Additionally, exposure to hot water or steam may compromise the device’s water resistance over time. To maintain the longevity of your smart band’s water resistance, it’s advisable to rinse it with fresh water and dry it thoroughly after exposure to seawater or chlorinated pool water.

Display Quality

Moving on to the display and user interface, the Xiaomi Band 8 features a 1.62-inch AMOLED display that boasts vibrant colors and sharp details. While it may seem similar to its predecessor at first glance, there are significant improvements under the hood. The Band 8 boasts a 60Hz refresh rate, resulting in a smoother and more responsive user experience. Also, strikes a balance between providing ample space for information and keeping the device compact and wearable. This display takes up most of the front end of the band, with minimal bezels, making it a joy to interact with and ensuring that texts and icons are easily readable without making the band feel bulky on your wrist.

A key aspect of any display’s performance is its resolution, and the Smart Band 8 doesn’t disappoint. With a resolution of 192 x 490 pixels, this display delivers sharp and detailed visuals. The pixel density of 326 PPI further enhances the visual experience. Higher pixel density means that individual pixels are packed closer together, resulting in smoother and crisper images. This is particularly important when viewing watch faces with intricate designs. Also, with a maximum brightness of over 600 nits, this display outshines many competitors in the fitness tracker market. What does this mean for users? It means that you can effortlessly view your data and notifications, even when you’re outdoors in direct sunlight.

Unlike some fitness bands that require you to raise your wrist or tap the screen to view the time or notifications. But, with an “always-on” display, the Xiaomi Band 8 keeps its display active at all times, this means you can effortlessly check the time or glance at your notifications without any extra effort, enhancing overall usability. Additionally, Xiaomi has incorporated auto-brightness adjustment into the Xiaomi Band 8, a notable feature absent in some budget fitness trackers and has been long-awaited by users. This technology adapts the display’s brightness to match ambient lighting, enhancing visibility outdoors while conserving battery indoors.

Multi Watch Faces

The device offers seven pre-installed watch faces. These watch faces are more than just a means of telling time; they allow you to express your style, mood, and personality. With many different options to choose from, you’ll never run out of ways to personalize your smart band from sleek minimalism, and vibrant colors, to intricate designs, there’s a watch face that suits your taste.

Changing watch faces directly from the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is a simple process. On the current watch face, press and hold the touchscreen for a couple of seconds. This action should trigger the watch face customization mode. Once in customization mode, you’ll see a selection of available watch faces that you can choose from. But, to access to liberty of over 150 different watch faces you need to pair the band with the MI Fit App.

The Band 8 offers a wide selection of watch faces, some of which include built-in games, adding an element of fun to fitness tracking. However, the display’s pill-shaped layout is starting to show its age, and a shift to a more conventional display shape would be a welcome change.

Software and User Experience

To connect the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 to your smartphone, you’ll need to download the Mi Fit app, available for both Android and iOS. The app not only helps you pair your phone with the Smart Band but also enables you to customize various settings, including app notifications, call alerts, alarms, and health and fitness stats. The app also offers tips and recommendations for improving your sleep quality and overall well-being. For those who use other fitness apps like Strava or Zep, the Xiaomi Fitness app offers seamless integration. You can connect your accounts and ensure that your data is synchronized across platforms.

Once set up, your Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is ready to go. Navigating the Xiaomi SmartBand 8 is intuitive and user-friendly, especially if you’ve used previous iterations of the Mi Band series or other smartwatches. The user interface is similar to that of an Apple Watch or a Wear OS-based smartwatch, with a series of cards or widgets that you can swipe through to access different features and functions. There are widgets for health tracking, notifications, weather, sleep tracking, and more.

Swiping left or right reveals essential functions like sleep monitoring, heart rate tracking, weather updates, and even mobile music control. For Chinese users, Alipay and WeChat Pay integration is also available.

Swiping down on the display provides access to notifications while swiping up unveils an extensive menu that includes detailed statistics, workout modes, heart rate analysis, blood oxygen levels, stress monitoring, weather forecasts, and more.

Further customization options extend to brightness settings, including auto-adjustment and the intriguing custom photo screen lock feature. Users can also fine-tune the device’s vibration intensity and select from a range of vibration settings, including default, strong, or even off. The inclusion of a “Do Not Disturb” mode allows for uninterrupted focus during workouts or moments of rest. Additionally, the order of widgets can be tailored to suit individual preferences.

Widgets and Games

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 introduces widgets to its interface, providing quick access to essential information. These widgets offer a sneak peek at your stats and allow you to dive deeper into specific apps with a single tap. You can easily customize your widget layout through the Mi Fit app, tailoring the Smart Band 8 to your preferences.

Additionally, the Mi Band 8 comes with a few games, such as 2048 and a ping-pong-style game. While these games may not be the primary reason for owning a fitness tracker, they add a touch of entertainment to your wrist. The ability to have these games as watch faces is a clever way to integrate them into the device’s interface.

Notifications and Additional Features

While the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 provides notifications for calls and messages, it’s important to note that these notifications are informative rather than interactive. In other words, you can see incoming calls and messages on your band, but you’ll need to access your smartphone to interact with them. While the device lacks a built-in speaker, it compensates with vibration alerts that effectively notify users of incoming calls and messages.

Beyond notifications, the Smart Band 8 offers additional features that enhance its overall utility. These include:

• Camera Control: You can use your Smart Band 8 to control your smartphone’s camera. This feature comes in handy for capturing photos remotely, especially in group settings or when you’re setting up a shot.
• Find My Device: Losing your smartphone is a common occurrence, but with the “Find My Device” feature, you can easily locate your phone if it’s within Bluetooth range. Your band will help you pinpoint its location.
• Unlock Phone: For added convenience, you can use your Smart Band 8 to unlock your smartphone without entering a PIN or password. This feature streamlines the authentication process and saves you time.
• The device also supports NFC contactless payments, though the supported payment systems may vary by region.

Health and Fitness Features

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 continues to impress with its health-tracking capabilities. Heart rate tracking, SpO2 monitoring, sleep tracking, and stress tracking are among the standout features. The accuracy and responsiveness of these sensors are on par with the best in the industry. If you prefer, you can manually enable these tracking features as well.

For more casual users, the detailed metrics in some modes might feel overwhelming. Xiaomi’s “Vitality score” encourages users to engage in heart rate-intensive exercises but lacks comprehensive explanations, leaving users with data but limited actionable insights. The Band 8 covers all essential health metrics, including heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, sleep, and stress levels. It even offers a breathing assessment during sleep. However, our testing revealed occasional inaccuracies, especially in sleep tracking.

Wearing the Mi Band 8 during various workouts, it proved to be comfortable, lightweight, and non-intrusive. Even when fastened tightly for accurate readings, it remained comfortable. However, there was a notable difference in calorie burn calculations compared to the Apple Watch, with the Mi Band often reporting lower figures, which seemed more accurate.

The device can monitor a wide variety of exercises, from traditional activities like running and cycling to more unconventional ones like tug of war and kite flying. It even supports tracking for esports, which is a unique and entertaining feature. However, it’s important to note that it lacks a built-in GPS, necessitating the use of a paired smartphone to track GPS-based activities accurately.

One significant improvement is the band’s ability to automatically recognize workouts more accurately. It excels at suggesting when a workout has begun, and it supports over 150 different workout modes, including specialized modes like boxing and running analysis, it caters to a wide range of users. For those who prefer more detailed tracking during runs, there’s a running clip accessory that offers additional data, including feedback on your running posture.

Battery Life and Charging

Despite its small size, the Mi Band series has always had exceptional battery life, and the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 continues this tradition with a remarkable 16-day battery life. Yes, you read that right, 16 days! This is a significant improvement over its predecessor, the Mi Band 7, and it’s all thanks to an increase in battery size. However, it’s important to note that your actual battery life may vary depending on which features you enable.

During my first charge cycle, I managed to get a solid 12 days of usage. This was with all-day heart rate tracking set to one-minute intervals and improved sleep accuracy enabled. If you opt for the always-on display feature, you can expect the battery life to be around six days. To strike a balance between battery life and usability, I chose the “lift to wake” feature, which also showcases the Mi Band 8’s improved responsiveness compared to its predecessor.

Charging the Smart Band 8 is now faster than ever, thanks to the addition of fast charging. You can recharge it from 0 to 100% percent in under an hour. However, one thing to note is the updated charging cable. Unlike previous models with a magnetic mount in line with the cable, the new right-angled cable design might take some getting used to. It initially had a few kinks, but over time, it relaxed enough to remain reliably connected.

Conclusion and Verdict

One of the standout aspects of the Xiaomi SmartBand series has always been its affordability. While the eighth generation isn’t as budget-friendly as its predecessors, it still offers excellent value for money. Xiaomi has managed to keep the price increase minimal, making it a competitive choice compared to other Chinese fitness trackers on the market. Notably, there haven’t been recent updates from competitors like Samsung, cementing Xiaomi’s reputation as a frontrunner.

While the Xiaomi SmartBand 8 offers a lot to love, there are some drawbacks to consider. These include the lack of shortcut customizations, the absence of a barometer and altimeter, no smart home assistant integration, and the new strap attachment mechanism that may not be as secure as previous models. Moreover, the band still lacks built-in GPS, which could be a dealbreaker for some users.

So, the Xiaomi SmartBand 8 is an excellent fitness tracker that continues the legacy of its predecessors. Its affordability, impressive health tracking features, and exceptional battery life make it a compelling choice for fitness enthusiasts. It introduces several significant improvements, such as design enhancements, a smoother display, and interactive modes like boxing and running analysis. However, the extensive data and metrics in various modes may overwhelm some users. While Band 8 excels in offering a comprehensive fitness-tracking experience, there’s room for improvement in terms of data interpretation and accuracy. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent choice for users looking for a budget-friendly fitness tracker with a punch.

Now that you know what the Xiaomi Band 8 has to offer, it’s time to take advantage of this incredible deal. The Smart Band 8 it’s currently available at an incredible discount on AliExpress. With a price tag slashed by 50%, you can now own this impressive fitness companion for just $39.99, down from its original $79.98. But wait, there’s more! By using the code YK7N1L, you can snag an additional $4.00 off as a store coupon. Keep in mind that this offer won’t last forever. Head over to AliExpress now to make this incredible deal yours before it’s too late.

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Unboxing the Smart Band 8 Active

The unboxing experience sets the tone for what’s to come. Xiaomi, known for its attention to detail, delivers an exciting unboxing experience. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active arrives in a compact and visually appealing box that exudes a sense of anticipation. The minimalist design on the box hints at the device’s slim and sleek profile. Upon lifting the lid of the box, you’ll be greeted by the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active, nestled securely in a molded compartment.

Accompanying the Band Body is a dedicated Band Strap designed to perfectly complement the device. The choice of strap color may vary depending on your purchase, but commonly available options include black and pink. To keep the smart band powered up and ready for action it included a Dedicated Charging Cable. To guide you through the setup, customization, and usage of your band, a User Manual is included in the box.

Design and Comfort

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active has a remarkably slim design. With dimensions measuring 42.81mm in length, 25.42mm in width, and a mere 9.99mm in thickness (excluding the strap and protrusions), this smart band redefines what it means to be lightweight and unobtrusive. The slim profile ensures that the device sits comfortably on your wrist, Weight can play a significant role in the overall comfort of a fitness tracker, especially during extended wear. The Smart Band 8 Active weighs in at a mere 14.9g, excluding the strap. This featherlight construction ensures that you hardly notice it’s on your wrist, allowing you to wear it 24/7 without discomfort.

The band strap of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is crafted from TPU, a popular choice for fitness wearables due to its flexibility, durability, and skin-friendly properties. What sets this strap apart is its adjustability. With a length range of 135mm to 215mm, it accommodates a wide range of wrist sizes. Also, This band comes in an array of attractive colors. Users can choose from a palette that includes Ivory, Olive, Blue, Black, and Pink. While the device ships with default strap colors of black and pink, Xiaomi provides the option to purchase additional strap colors separately.

Waterproof Rating

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active has an impressive water resistance rating of 5ATM. But what does this rating mean, and why is it significant? The “ATM” rating is a measure of a device’s water resistance, with each ATM representing 10 meters of water pressure. In the case of the Smart Band 8 Active, the 5ATM rating implies that it can withstand water pressures equivalent to a depth of 50 meters. To put this in perspective, this level of water resistance is more than sufficient for most water-related activities that individuals engage in.

With the Band 8 Active, there’s no need to worry about taking off your smart band before getting wet. Its 5ATM water resistance ensures that it can handle the rigors of swimming with ease. Beyond swimming, the Band water resistance extends to everyday scenarios where your smart band might encounter splashes, rain, or accidental spills.

While the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is designed to be water-resistant, it’s essential to remember that water resistance does have limitations. The device is not intended for use in high-pressure environments such as scuba diving or in saltwater, as salt can be corrosive. Additionally, exposure to hot water or steam may compromise the device’s water resistance over time. To maintain the longevity of your smart band’s water resistance, it’s advisable to rinse it with fresh water and dry it thoroughly after exposure to seawater or chlorinated pool water.

Display Quality

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active boasts a generous 1.47-inch TFT display. This display size offers a substantial viewing area that allows for more information to be presented at once, making it easier for users to access vital data, like checking heart rate during a workout or reading notifications on the go, the ample screen real estate ensures that you can do so with ease. It provides a 10.5% larger viewable area compared to its predecessor, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8. This increase in screen real estate translates to more content being displayed at once. It’s particularly noticeable when viewing fitness statistics, and messages, or navigating through various menus.

A key aspect of any display’s performance is its resolution, and the Smart Band 8 Active doesn’t disappoint. With a resolution of 172 x 320 pixels, this display delivers sharp and detailed visuals. The pixel density of 247 PPI further enhances the visual experience. Higher pixel density means that individual pixels are packed closer together, resulting in smoother and crisper images. This is particularly important when viewing watch faces with intricate designs. Also, with a maximum brightness of over 450 nits, this display outshines many competitors in the fitness tracker market. What does this mean for users? It means that you can effortlessly view your data and notifications, even when you’re outdoors in direct sunlight.

The display of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is not only about visual brilliance but also durability. To ensure the screen’s longevity and resistance to everyday wear and tear, Xiaomi has equipped it with tempered glass. This material is known for its toughness and ability to withstand scratches and minor impacts, providing peace of mind to active users. Moreover, the display features an anti-fingerprint coating. This innovative coating minimizes unsightly smudges and fingerprints, allowing the screen to maintain its pristine clarity.

Multi Watch Faces

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active stands out not only for its impressive array of health and fitness features but also for its versatile and customizable watch faces. These watch faces are more than just a means of telling time; they allow you to express your style, mood, and personality. With many different options to choose from, you’ll never run out of ways to personalize your smart band from sleek minimalism, and vibrant colors, to intricate designs, there’s a watch face that suits your taste.

Changing watch faces directly from the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is a simple process. On the current watch face, press and hold the touchscreen for a couple of seconds. This action should trigger the watch face customization mode. Once in customization mode, you’ll see a selection of available watch faces that you can choose from. But, to access to liberty of over 100 different watch faces you need to pair the band with the MI Fit App.

User Interface

With a stunning display and a plethora of features, it’s essential to understand how to navigate its user interface effectively. The user interface of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is designed with simplicity and functionality in mind. With its responsive touchscreen, easy navigation, and customizable features, it provides a seamless and enjoyable user experience. From the watch face base, where you’ll access various features and functions. You can customize the home screen to display the information that matters most to you.

Swipe down from the home screen to access the main menu. Here, you’ll find a range of options, including fitness modes, heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, sleep tracking, stress measurement, and more. Tap on your desired function to start or view detailed information.

The Smart Band 8 Active keeps you connected to your smartphone by displaying notifications directly on your wrist. When a notification arrives, simply swipe down from the top of the screen to access your notifications. You can read messages, see caller IDs, and even dismiss notifications when you’re done.

Swipe down from the home screen once more, and you’ll find quick settings. This is where you can control essential functions like screen brightness, do not disturb mode, and find your device. Adjusting these settings on the fly enhances your user experience.

Swipe right from the home screen to access widgets. These customizable widgets offer at-a-glance information, such as weather forecasts, step count, heart rate, and more. Scroll through the widgets to view the data that matters most to you without diving into menus.

For those active moments, swipe left from the home screen to access fitness modes. With support for over 50 sports modes, you can choose the activity you’re about to engage in, and the smart band will track it accurately. Keep an eye on exercise duration, calorie burn, heart rate, and more during your workouts.

All this you can Customization through the Mi Fit app on your paired smartphone. In the app, you can personalize your device’s settings, configure notifications, manage watch faces, fine-tune health monitoring preferences, and more.

Health and Sports Tracking

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is more than just a step counter. It’s a comprehensive health monitoring tool that provides insights into various aspects of your well-being. Here’s a closer look at some of its key health-tracking features:

1. Heart Rate Monitoring: Your heart rate is a crucial indicator of your overall health. With 24/7 heart rate monitoring, this smart band keeps a vigilant eye on your heart rate throughout the day. It doesn’t just provide you with real-time data; it also sends notifications if your heart rate deviates from the norm.

2. Blood Oxygen Monitoring (SpO₂): Monitoring your blood oxygen saturation level is essential, especially during workouts and in challenging environments. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active offers continuous SpO₂ tracking, which means it keeps tabs on your blood oxygen levels all day long. If it detects a drop in oxygen saturation, it sends you notifications, allowing you to address potential health concerns proactively.

3. Sleep Tracking: Quality sleep is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. This smart band goes beyond basic sleep tracking; it distinguishes between different sleep stages, including deep and REM sleep. By analyzing your sleep patterns, it provides personalized suggestions to help you optimize your sleep quality.

4. Stress Level Measurement: In today’s fast-paced world, managing stress is paramount. The Smart Band 8 Active includes stress level measurement, providing you with insights into your stress levels throughout the day. When stress levels rise, it encourages you to take a break or practice relaxation techniques.

5. Women’s Health Management

For female users, the Smart Band 8 Active offers specialized features to support women’s health. It includes menstruation and ovulation tracking, providing advance notifications to ensure a worry-free month.

Achieving Your Fitness Goals

While health monitoring is crucial, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active also excels in sports tracking, making it an ideal fitness companion. Here’s how it enhances your fitness journey. This smart band supports over 50 sports modes, catering to a wide range of activities. Whether you’re into running, cycling, swimming, or yoga, you can select the appropriate sports mode for precise tracking of your exercise duration, calorie expenditure, and other relevant metrics.

Smartphone Integration – Mi Fitness App

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active excels in compatibility by offering wide-ranging smartphone compatibility so that Android users can enjoy its full suite of features. Similarly, iOS users with devices running iOS 12.0 and above can also seamlessly connect their iPhones to the Band.

To further improve its compatibility and user experience, the Smart Band 8 Active is designed to work harmoniously with the Mi Fitness app. This dedicated application serves as the central hub for tracking and managing your fitness data, health metrics, and device settings. The app is available for both Android and iOS platforms, ensuring that users on either operating system can effortlessly sync their smart band with the app.

The Mi Fitness App offers a wealth of features to enhance your fitness experience with the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active. It provides comprehensive data analysis, effortlessly syncing and presenting your fitness and health data in a user-friendly format, covering step counts, sleep patterns, and heart rate trends. The app goes further by crafting customized fitness plans aligned with your goals and fitness level, making weight loss, muscle building, or overall well-being achievable. For those curious about their sleep quality, the Mi Fitness App categorizes sleep stages and offers tips for improved sleep hygiene. Stress management is simplified with stress level tracking and techniques for maintaining balance. Female users benefit from menstrual cycle and ovulation tracking. Goal setting and achievement tracking, including step counts, calorie burn, and sleep duration, are also at your fingertips. Finally, the app seamlessly manages your Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active, allowing you to customize watch faces, adjust settings, and update firmware with ease. With regular updates and improvements, Xiaomi’s Mi Fitness app continues to evolve, offering users an increasingly refined and personalized fitness experience.

Notifications & Messages

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active ensures that you stay informed and connected throughout the day by providing clear and easily readable notifications. When paired with your smartphone, this smartwatch seamlessly syncs with it to display incoming calls, messages, and notifications from popular social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter, as well as other applications. With the Band 8 Active on your wrist, you won’t miss out on important messages or updates.

Battery Life and Charging

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active offers an impressive battery life and a hassle-free charging experience, Under typical usage conditions, which include features like continuous heart rate monitoring and occasional notifications, the Smart Band 8 Active can last an impressive 12 days on a single charge. Even if your usage is on the heavier side, involving more frequent interactions with the display and active tracking of workouts, you can still expect around 5 days of battery life.

When it does come time to recharge, the Band 8 Active simplifies the process. The two-pin magnetic charging cable effortlessly snaps into place, ensuring a secure connection for charging. This magnetic charging mechanism not only provides convenience but also offers rapid charging. In just under 2 hours, you can fully recharge the smart band from 0 to 100%.

Final Thoughts

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is an exceptional fitness companion designed to enhance your well-being. Its slim, lightweight design ensures comfort during day-to-day activities, while the vibrant 1.47-inch TFT display offers clarity and versatility. Personalization options with over 100 watch faces allow you to tailor your style, and compatibility with 50+ sports modes ensures precise exercise tracking. This smart band excels in health monitoring, featuring continuous blood oxygen and heart rate tracking, scientific sleep analysis, and women’s health management. Stress level measurement and sleep optimization provide holistic support.

Don’t miss the opportunity to get your Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active at a discounted price of $22.90 during the SPOTLIGHT event on AliExpress, starting at 07:00 AM, 26th Sept, PST. This limited-time offer includes a store coupon code (ACTIVE05) that brings the original price of $29.90 down to the final price of $22.90. Plus, the first 100 buyers will receive a free gift of 100 PCS mouse. It’s a world premiere you won’t want to miss!

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• 1.56″ AMOLED Display
• 130+ Watch Faces
• 30 Multi-Sport Modes
• Auto-Detects 6 Fitness Activities
• Heart Rate Monitoring, SpO₂ Tracking
• 5ATM Water Resistance
• 14-day Long Battery Life
• Magnetic Charging

Mi Smart Band 6 Unboxing Video

Design And Build Quality

At first glance, it is difficult to differentiate the Mi Smart Band 6 from the previous model Mi Band 5, as it has not changed the design details and is still made of plastic and a small size capsule in matte black color and topped with 2.5D curved tempered glass occupying the front part Almost entirely, and because it is a touch screen, it allows the brand to do without a physical button. Its only drawback is the slightly larger bottom edge.

On the back of the fitness tracker, you’ll see the various sensors and a pair of connectors where the magnetic charger plugs in.

However, I can say that the design is good and bad at the same time. Weird, yes let me explain, the good thing is that the Band 6 is just as comfortable to wear for extended periods of time as we are used to, the bad thing is that the design is starting to look a bit dated now, and may need a bit of an update.

The device carries a thin silicone strap, which is also black in the box by default, which can be removed and replaced if you want to take advantage of another color by purchasing more in different colors from Xiaomi such as white, blue, orange, or yellow. The good news is that all the bands I bought for Mi Band 5 are compatible with Mi Band 6.

While I’m on the subject of design, it’s worth noting that Mi Smart Band 6 is 5ATM water-resistant so that it can be worn while doing water activities like swimming or even showering, but avoid wearing it during activities that involve high water flow velocity and you can remove it from your wrist before going to dive.

Mi Smart Band 6 – Display Screen

The difference in design points for this watch is limited to the screen size which is 45% larger than the previous generation. The Xiaomi Band 6 comes with an AMOLED screen with slightly curved edges and a size of about 1.56 inches with a resolution of 152*486 pixels and this resolution gives a pixel density of about 326 PPI, The brightness is at its maximum of 450nits, which makes it quite vivid and sharp, and due to the larger size, it can accommodate more content and is easy to read.

It also has sufficient levels of brightness for use the outdoors and manually changes the lighting when moving between different lighting areas, and we can set a schedule during which the watch goes to the dim light mode, and it can move to that mode at sunset, and then raise the lighting back when waking up, However, we regret the lack of an ambient light sensor, which is clearly impractical on a daily basis. Understand that you will often have to go into the bracelet settings to switch between different intensities.

Finally, to exit the screen stop, simply press on it or raise your wrist if the function was previously activated in the settings. BTW, Band 6 display does not offer an always-on display.

Multiple Watch Faces

Coming to watch faces, Mi Smart Band 6 brings you 3 different watch faces pre-installed and you can add another via the app. However, Xiaomi has provided more than 100 main interfaces available in the app, and you will see quite a number of watch face options available for download that show Chinese anime characters and the animated series, which didn’t appeal to me much though, there are ample general options available as well, covering categories like fashion, simple, formal, science, technology, etc. The good thing is that you can add your own backgrounds to a set of preset layouts, which gives you some customization options.

Performance & interface

Using the Mi Smart Band 6 on a daily basis is simple, responsive, and easy to use without any major change to the interface from the Mi Smart Band 5 and you will notice that the small touch button at the bottom of the screen is getting bigger, and regardless of enabling the settings you want, all you have to do What it does is tie it to your wrist and let it do its work. You can tap on the screen to activate it, then use swipes and taps to move around.

By default, the home screen displays the time, date, weather, and heart rate. Four metrics for its part indicate the number of steps taken and calories burned during the day, a score of PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence), and finally sensor independence. It is possible to choose another presentation to highlight some information that we consider a priority or simply to take advantage of another design, Xiaomi offers several downloads of the application.

Swiping left or right displays shortcuts like Weather and Music Player by default, respectively, and they can be customized via the app and selected via the app (activities, heart rate monitor, etc).

You have to swipe from bottom to top on the watch face to scroll through the main menu, but it’s possible to do the opposite to start the menu from the end – workable if you’re looking for the app closer to the end of the list than the beginning. It includes steps, distance, calories), heart rate, SpO2, notifications, workout, events, alarm, weather, music, world clock, settings, and more (contains stopwatch, timer, find the device, camera).

Health & Fitness Monitoring

Mi Smart Band 6 offers the same set of features as its predecessor, along with a host of new features, the most notable being the addition of a SpO2 monitor, a feature that has been of great importance during times of the pandemic. where tracking blood oxygen levels has become crucial. Not only that, there are a bunch of updates on the fitness tracking side as well.

It also showed its superiority in most things when tested in terms of performance and efficiency of measurement and monitoring, as it is able to track steps and measure calories burned and the distance covered in running or walking with complete accuracy, and it also monitors sleep and heart rate throughout the day, but in fact, it is not suitable for determining Locations because it does not include a GPS chip so it is necessary to work with your phone to take advantage of accurate route tracking.

This watch records a detailed report of the heart rate readings during the resting period at an interval set by the user of 30 minutes, 10, 5, or even one minute, noting that measuring every 30 minutes will save a lot of battery charge and provide the most accurate data. Periodically every minute it allows us to learn more details at the cost of significantly reducing battery life.

There are dozens of exercise modes to choose from (both indoors and outdoors), and the increase in the number of activities available for this watch is arguably one of the most important improvements it has added over its predecessor, Band 5, as the bracelet now supports 30 sports modes compared to 11 in the previous generation. It can detect six of them automatically and without activating them manually: walking, outdoor running, treadmill, indoor rowing, cycling, and elliptical training. As for the other activities, you need us to choose them and select them from the list of activities and then manually click to start using them.

It is very necessary to have a fitness watch with a blood oxygen sensor, and Xiaomi has taken into account the importance of these issues to add the oxygen sensor, which provided the expected results, as the Band 6 watch needs only a few seconds to record the oxygen levels in the blood.

On the other hand, this wearable device contributes to monitoring menstruation in women in order to calculate the duration of the full cycle and determine the times of ovulation.

Other than that, Mi Smart Band 6 measures the number of steps taken, heart rate, and even stress level thanks to heart rate variability. PAI is a physiological activity indicator based on the user’s heart rate, gender, age, and physical activities, with the aim of maintaining a score above 100, and therefore the watch can be considered a suitable way to reach a good physical fitness by doing different sports and strenuous exercises during the day.

As for tracking sleep, the watch can calculate the duration and depth of sleep with good quality, and also sends data on the level of breathing during sleep and naps, and this watch arranges sleep data in a degree ranging between 1 and 100. Everything is divided into different buckets of sleep distribution: deep, REM, normal, light, and awake. Plus some recommendations for better breathing, even if it’s really hard to gauge the accuracy of such a scale. However, we mention that these measurements have no medical value and therefore do not replace the medical examination. But, it has an interesting indicative value that can alert a potential health problem.

Xiaomi Wear APP (Mi Fitness)

Mi Smart Band 6 can pair with your Android or iOS phone, and pair it in Bluetooth via the recommended app so that syncing is done automatically, it’s necessary to create a Mi Account beforehand. This is done via the Mi Fit app, or you can alternatively use the Xiaomi Wear app (which has been renamed Mi Fitness) because it carries a significant evolution from its predecessor, given that it is customizable by the user.

How to Connect APP

1. MI Band 6 supports “Mi Fitness APP” and “Mi Fit APP”.
2. Mi Fitness APP: Scan this QR code below, or search for “Mi Fitness” in the Play Store or App Store, download, and install.
3. Log into your account in the APP, choose to bind the bracelet device and follow the prompt. When the bracelet vibrates and the binding prompt is displayed on the screen, click OK to complete the binding.

Note: Please make sure that the Bluetooth of your mobile phone is turned on. During the connection process, the bracelet must be placed close to the phone.

This app is divided into three sections that include: Health, Workout, the device, and the profile.

1. The status can be defined on the main screen of the application, as it displays, in a clear and easy-to-navigate way, the recent activities that the user has accomplished, the number of steps taken, and the state of sleep last night, along with other health metrics.
2. The tab for exercises allows the user to start a specific exercise and displays the results of the metrics in real-time, as well as a map of the place so that the user can run in the right way, for example.
3. The settings for this application can be set from the tab that bears the name of the device, as it displays your paired devices and includes all the necessary settings for the user, in addition to the watch settings and notification preferences, and allows controlling all the settings of the bracelet. You can enable alerts for incoming calls, set goals, enable app notifications, set alerts, and view the connected band battery level. And with Mi Smart band 6, you even get the option to reject incoming calls with a personalized text message, right from the device.
   It is worth noting the fact that many features, including basic ones such as “raise to wake”, act as a camera shutter, control the default music player, and have the usual alarm/timer/stopwatch functions. and advanced features such as all-day stress monitoring and PAI – Personal Activity Intelligence mode.
4. Finally, the profile tab is related to the application settings. In fact, Xiaomi Wear cannot connect to third-party apps like Strava, Google Fit, or any other apps. You also cannot export metadata files. Therefore, the data collected by the Mi Band 6 remains in Xiaomi Wear.

The application also includes many other interesting features, most notably:

• You can select which instruments appear in Mi Smart Band 6 and in what order. There are a lot of instruments to choose from but only six instruments can be added to Band 6.
• As mentioned earlier, you can get a lot of watch faces in the Store section within an app, but about half of the faces are designed for Asian audiences and would be unfamiliar. Still, there are enough to choose from and the best part is that you can always make it yours by choosing a layout to your liking and setting a custom background.

• Mi Smart Band 6 supports all types of notifications – emails, incoming calls (with the option to decline), SMS, emails, idle alerts, and targets, and can display most third-party notifications like Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Skype, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube Calendar, games and many more. Although there is limited space for long texts there is no possibility to reply to text messages or answer calls. Nor can you issue voice commands; There is no Alexa or Google Assistant here, and most importantly, no microphone.
• There is one exclusive feature here, if you have a phone running MIUI, you can set up Mi band 6 to unlock your phone and bypass passcode/fingerprint/face security.

It should be noted that the Xiaomi Wear app loses the ability to compatibility with third-party apps, such as Strava, Google Fit, and other similar apps, so the data collected by the fitness tracker cannot be viewed. Therefore, the data collected by Mi Band 6 remains. On Xiaomi Wear, this can be confirmed by looking at the heart rate in the exercise summaries, showing this rate in the form of a graph without showing any numerical data or any other details.

Users outside of China can struggle to use this app as it contains Chinese phrases scattered throughout the app, not to mention missing out on the 12-hour time display and Fahrenheit scale.

Other Features

Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is equipped with many basic functions with some features that we often not find in other fitness trackers.
The tracker can show your smartphone notifications to any app right on your wrist. Notifications are clearly unresponsive and not easy to read on a screen of this size – so you only have to look at the incoming text and then need your phone to get it done. During an incoming call, the Mi Smart Band 6 vibrates and displays the contact information, but it still cannot be picked up from the bracelet.

Xiaomi sells two models of Mi Band 6: the Chinese version with NFC and voice assistant, and the global version without these two features.

What I find a little disappointing is that the Mi Band 6’s screen has to be set to dim on a set schedule or based on when the sun goes down since it doesn’t have an ambient sensor.

Finally, Mi Band 6 has some basic built-in apps like alarm clock, stopwatch, timer, event log, Find My Device, camera control app, music control, and many more in settings.

Usage And Battery Life

The Mi Smart Band 6 is powered by a 125mAh battery as it was on the Mi Band 5 and can be charged via the cable that features a magnetic connector. Charging is very convenient, since you do not need to remove the device from the strap, and the charger is magnetically attached to the back of the tracker.

Charging takes less than two hours to recharge from 5% to 100%, and the battery is rated to last up to 14 days (in the words of the manufacturer Xiaomi), which is considered a long battery life, and in actual testing, you can easily expect about 10-12 days, with basic use. However, keep in mind that advanced features such as continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep breathing monitoring, etc. use up energy faster and if you use Workout modes more frequently and for longer periods, and keep the above features enabled, you may end up charging them once every 5-7 days, which is still fine. If not, you may not even remember when was the last time you recharged.

Our Verdict

It would not be an exaggeration to say that just like the smartphone sector, the competition and rivalry in the fitness bracelet sector has become very intense in recent times. The Mi Smart Band series from Xiaomi has been very popular over the years and is one of the best selling trackers, and not without good reason. Devices in this range have always offered solid value for money, thanks to their attractive features and reasonable prices. And I’m happy to report that Mi Smart Band 6 isn’t much different. and thanks to new additions like the SpO2 sensor, you don’t miss out on anything a user might want in a basic fitness tracker.

The Band 6 also handles all users’ needs with complete efficiency, with various capabilities, various additional sensors, a higher-resolution AMOLED screen, larger than its predecessor, and more than double the activity tracking modes. It also provides accurate data that is close to ideal in some functions, but it declines in measuring the depth of breathing during the night period, and this justifies its lower price, and in the more expensive model, which is the Chinese, there is support for NFC payments and voice assistant, but the global model does not support this Features. With all this it comes as no surprise that Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is one of the best cheap fitness trackers that you can spend your money on.

Mi Smart Band 6 And Where To Buy

The Mi Smart Band 6 is currently available on the Hekka Store for a very good price and you can get a $10 coupon off over $29 by using this code: techhekka10, valid till end of this year and applicable for all Hekka international sites, one use per customer.. So, don’t miss out on this great deal.

• MI Band 6 Body
• Wrist Strap
• Magnetic Charging Cable
• User manual

Mi Smart Band 6 Specifications

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