Xiaomi bands have become some of the coolest fitness gadgets, but they weren’t always so flashy and high-tech. Back in 2014, Xiaomi teamed up with Huami and got the ball rolling. The first Mi Band was pretty basic, with no screen or anything, just doing its thing, keeping track of steps and sleep, and lasting forever on a single charge.
Since then, Xiaomi has dropped 11 bands, each more advanced than the last. Screens popped up, heart rate monitors got added, and all sorts of bells and whistles. The design got sleeker, the features more packed, and they even added color screens and sports modes to mix things up.
So, let’s look at how they’ve evolved from 2014 to now.
Xiaomi Mi Band 1 and 1S 2014 – 2015
In 2014, Xiaomi jumped into the fitness tracker world with the Mi Band 1. Just a year later, they brought out the Mi Band 1S. What made people love these bands? They were cheap but did a lot.
Xiaomi worked with Huami to make these bands. They wanted them to be good but not pricey. This plan worked really well. People all over, especially in Asia, bought loads of them. They were a great deal. Mi Band 1 and Mi Band 1S sales of around 13 million units.
The Mi Band 1 was simple. It counted steps, tracked sleep, and had an alarm. It used a few LEDs to show stuff. The 1S went a bit further, adding a heart rate sensor. This was great for people who wanted to monitor their health.
Both bands were tough against water, with an IP67 rating. They could handle splashes, no problem. They didn’t have fancy screens but lasted a month on one charge.
They were light and comfy to wear all the time. They also connected easily with Bluetooth.
Xiaomi Mi Band 2 2016
The Xiaomi Mi Band 2, launched in 2016, was a notable upgrade in the Mi Band series. It featured a 0.42-inch OLED display, allowing users to check their fitness stats directly on the band.
This model retained its ability to unlock Android phones without a password, a convenient feature from earlier versions. It also continued to offer step counting, sleep tracking, and heart rate monitoring.
A major highlight was its battery life, ranging from 10 to 30 days on a single charge, greatly reducing the hassle of frequent charging. The Mi Band 2 was designed to be durable, boasting an IP67 rating, which meant it was resistant to dust and water and suitable for daily wear.
Xiaomi Mi Band 3 2018
In 2018, the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 hit the market at around $30. Its design won’t wow you, but it’s a step up from previous models. You can choose from five strap colors: black, orange, pink, dark red, and blue.
The screen is bigger than the Mi Band 2’s, sporting a 0.78-inch OLED panel that fits nicely along the wrist. It’s a touchscreen, so you can swipe through menus, although this feature can be a bit hit-or-miss.
At the bottom of the screen, there’s a touch button. Pressing it quickly takes you back, or you can hold it to activate functions. It’s pretty responsive during menu navigation.
The Mi Band 3 is water-resistant up to 50 meters, so feel free to take it swimming or in the shower. It tracks distance while running, but don’t expect to pinpoint accuracy as there’s no GPS. It’s also geared for tracking cycling and swimming.
The sleep tracking feature is handy. It shows sleep duration and wake times and differentiates between light and deep sleep.
Battery life remains impressive. You can get up to 20 days on a single charge, keeping you on the go without constant recharging.
Xiaomi Mi Band 4 2019
The Xiaomi Mi Band 4, released in 2019, costs about $40. It features a 0.95-inch touchscreen display, larger than the Mi Band 3. The screen’s brightness rises to 400 nits, making it easier to see in bright light.
Like its predecessor, the Mi Band 4 is water-resistant up to 50 meters, suitable for swimming and showering. On the back, it has a heart rate sensor that rests against the skin. The tracker records distance while running and works with your phone’s GPS for more accurate tracking. It also has modes for cycling and swimming.
In 2019, Xiaomi introduced the Mi Band 4, which is priced at around $40. It features a 0.95-inch touchscreen display, larger than the Mi Band 3, with improved sensitivity and a higher resolution, reducing missed touches and swipes. The screen’s brightness rises to 400 nits, making it easier to see in bright light.
Like its predecessor, the Mi Band 4 is water-resistant up to 50 meters, suitable for swimming and showering. On the back, it has a heart rate sensor that rests against the skin. The tracker records distance while running and works with your phone’s GPS for more accurate tracking. It also has modes for cycling and swimming.
The Mi Band 4 keeps track of your sleep, detailing sleep duration, wake times, and light vs. deep sleep phases. It sends various notifications to your wrist, including calls, texts, alarms, reminders, and app alerts, customizable through the smartphone app Mi Fit.
It works with Bluetooth 5 and is compatible with Android 4.4 and up or iOS 9.0 and up. Just download the Mi Fit app to connect and sync. You can even use old Mi Band 3 straps with it for more style options.
Xiaomi Mi Band 5 2020
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5, priced at $50, was released in July 2020. It looks like the Mi Band 4 but has a bigger 1.1-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 126 x 294 and a brightness of 450 nits.
Charging is easier now with a magnetic cable that connects to the back. Like before, it’s water-resistant up to 5ATM. You can wear it for swimming or showering.
It also tracks your sleep, including REM phases, light, and deep sleep, and provides a sleep score. The battery life, however, is slightly shorter than the Mi Band 4, offering 14 days on a single charge with a 125 mAh battery compared to Mi Band 4’s 20 days with a 135 mAh battery.
It carries the same sensors as the Mi Band 4: an accelerometer, gyroscope, and heart rate sensor. It lacks built-in GPS but can use your phone’s GPS to map your activities. You also get real-time heart rate data with alerts for certain thresholds.
Xiaomi Mi Band 6 2021
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6, out in March 2021 for $60, resembles its predecessor but stands out with a larger, sharper screen. The slightly elongated body, at 47 mm, maintains the familiar look. It comes in six colors, and you can swap straps with the Mi Band 5.
The responsive touchscreen’s 152 x 486 resolution provides crisp visuals. It is water-resistant up to 5ATM, so it’s suitable for swimming and even diving to 50 meters.
It tracks blood oxygen and stress through heart rate, sleep, breathing exercises, and menstrual cycles. While it doesn’t monitor REM sleep, it effectively captures light, deep sleep, and wake times.
You can get smartphone notifications on it, though it’s limited to longer texts.
Xiaomi Smart Band 7 2022
In 2022, Xiaomi launched the Smart Band 7 for about $60. It features a larger 1.62-inch AMOLED screen with a 490 x 192 resolution, providing a more precise display than previous models. This band offers an always-on display and supports over 100 animated watch faces.
Key features of the Smart Band 7 include continuous SpO2 monitoring with low oxygen level alerts and an upgraded user interface for better interaction. It’s packed with sensors for tracking fitness essentials like sleep, heart rate, and stress.
The band also offers specialized modes for tracking various sports activities and workout analyses. However, it doesn’t have a built-in GPS, and the global model lacks NFC for digital payments.
Xiaomi also released the Smart Band 7 Pro. But it’s hard to categorize this model as a Xiaomi wristband. It is more like a smartwatch.
The Pro version has a rectangular 1.64-inch 2.5D display and a metallic frame with quick-release straps. It’s available in the US for $119.99.
Key additions to the Pro include a built-in GPS and an ambient light sensor. It has a larger 235 mAh battery than the Band 7’s 180 mAh. Its health and fitness features resemble those of Band 7, including SpO2 and heart rate monitoring. It also supports over 110 activities and integrates Amazon Alexa for voice commands.
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 2023
The Xiaomi Smart Band 8, launched in October 2023 for about $50, sports a design similar to its predecessor but with a notable metallic frame and a new strap style. This design change means it’s incompatible with Band 7 straps. Uniquely, it can be worn on a neck strap or attached to sneakers.
Band 8 is water-resistant up to 5ATM and suitable for swimming. Health tracking includes 24/7 heart rate monitoring, continuous SpO2 tracking, sleep, and stress monitoring. It lacks a GNSS sensor, so you’ll need your phone’s GPS for detailed activity data. The international version also misses NFC.
A standout feature is a capability to track 151 different workouts. It syncs with Strava and Apple Health on iOS devices. The display, a 1.62-inch AMOLED panel with 192 x 490 resolution, boasts a 60 Hz refresh rate, offering smoother visuals than older models. The screen’s maximum brightness is 600 nits, supporting an Always-On Display (AOD).
Other features include an alarm, timer, weather updates, reminders, music control, breathing exercises, menstrual and pregnancy tracking, and a phone camera shutter. SpO2 tracking works all day and during sleep.
Battery life is impressive, with a 190 mAh battery lasting up to 16 or 6 days with AOD enabled.
Smart Band 8 Pro and Smart Band 8 Active 2023
Xiaomi also continued to release Smart Band, which is more like smartwatches rather than wristbands.
Smart Band 8 Pro: Xiaomi has made some cool updates here. The Smart Band 8 Pro has a bigger 1.74-inch AMOLED screen and is super bright at 600 nits. It has GPS features. The battery life is longer, but the screen resolution is the same as before, 280 x 456 pixels. Its price is about $80.
This light sensor changes the screen brightness depending on where you are. The screen gets bright if you’re outside in bright sunlight. At night, it dims down, so it’s not too harsh.
It’s packed with over 150 sports modes and can show your activity route on a map – pretty handy for tracking your runs. It’s got all these useful bits like a “Do Not Disturb” mode, an alarm, a way to wake you up gently, a flashlight, a phone finder, a battery-saving mode, and an intelligent wake-up feature within 5 minutes.
Smart Band 8 Active: The Smart Band 8 Active is slightly different. It has a 1.47-inch TFT screen with a 172 x 320 resolution, 500 nits of peak brightness, and a pixel density of 247 PPI. Plus, it’s water-resistant to up to 5 ATMs. Its price is about $45.
This band monitors your heart rate throughout the day and tracks your sleep in detail. It has over 50 workout modes, including 10 pro ones. Whether you’re into running or yoga, you’ll find a mode that suits your workout.
The Active model’s battery is 210 mAh and can last up to 14 days with regular use. It’s pretty cool to keep up with your daily routine without worrying about charging it all the time.
So, whether you’re looking for a more feature-rich experience like the Pro model or want the basics with the Active, Xiaomi’s got you covered with these new bands.
