What’s new on the latest budget tracker?

Consistency is vital relating to Xiaomi’s Mi Band lineup. Annually, the corporate launches a slim, inexpensive tracker with greater than sufficient well being and health options to warrant a spot in your wrist. With iterative modifications, the road continues to enhance steadily, and this yr isn’t any totally different. Discover out the important thing variations between the Xiaomi Mi Band 8 vs the Mi Band 7.

Xiaomi’s newest health tracker could look acquainted at first look. The machine shares lots of the 7’s outstanding design options together with a light-weight, band-style form and the identical 1.62-inch, 192 x 490-pixel, AMOLED show. Each additionally provide an always-on mode for keeping track of stats.

Nonetheless, a better look reveals variations each refined and important. The Mi Band 8’s pill-shaped tracker measures 48 x 22.5 x 10.99mm which is barely longer and wider, but additionally thinner, than the Mi Band 7 at 46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25mm. Whereas the show sizes are equivalent, the 8’s display can now attain 600 nits at peak brightness in comparison with the 7’s 500 nits. The brand new mannequin additionally includes a 60Hz refresh fee.

In the meantime, extra important than its show modifications, the Mi Band 8 additionally includes a new strap. For the primary time, the road drops the stretchy, silicone unibody band of its predecessors in favor of a two-piece strap that clips into both facet of the capsule. This look elevates the machine enormously. In reality, it lends itself to a way more engaging aesthetic much like pricier trackers just like the Fitbit Encourage 3.

A two-piece strap debuted on the Mi Band 7 Professional, however that is the primary time we’ve seen the look on the really budget-friendly lineup. Moreover, the Mi Band 8 will be worn off the wrist as a pendant-styled necklace or clipped to a operating shoe. With extra flexibility in how the machine is worn, customers can now observe vital metrics past the wrist.

Whether or not you have got the standard Mi Band 7 wristwear or the versatile Mi Band 8, each gadgets are finest worn powered up. For that, the Mi Band 8 packs a 190mAH capability battery, barely bigger than the Mi Band 7’s 180mAH one. The increase between the 2 generations is a small one in comparison with the 44% improve we noticed between the Mi Band 6 and the 7, however that is smart contemplating the 7 launched a a lot bigger show.

The Mi Band 8 boasts a battery life declare of 16 days with typical use and 6 days with always-on mode enabled. The 7 claims a 15-day battery life with typical use and 9 days with heavy use. Throughout our Mi Band 7 evaluation interval, we had been in a position to eke out nearer to at least one week of battery life with all of the band’s options enabled.

On the within, a Mi Band 8 vs Mi Band 7 comparability highlights a lot of the similar monitoring options. With coronary heart fee and SpO2 sensors, every offers full-day coronary heart fee monitoring and steady blood oxygen monitoring with low SpO2 alerts. In addition they each provide sleep and stress monitoring, feminine well being monitoring, and Private Exercise Intelligence (PAI) metrics. These could sound like staples on each wearable, however they’re nonetheless spectacular at this value. Even the Apple Watch SE 2 doesn’t characteristic an SpO2 sensor.

On the health entrance, each fashions monitor VO2 max in addition to a staggeringly massive vary of exercise modes. Technically, the Mi Band 8 passes the 7 with 150 sport modes (in comparison with 130), however we’re not satisfied you’ll use all of them anyway. Different health options embody monitoring superior coaching metrics equivalent to coaching load, coaching impact, and restoration stats. You gained’t discover as a lot knowledge as that offered by different ecosystems, however these metrics are a lot useful in bettering efficiency.

Sadly, the Mi Band 8 nonetheless doesn’t pack the onboard GPS we had been hoping to see this yr. As a substitute, each gadgets provide linked GPS solely, so you have to to deliver a telephone on runs and rides both method. The Mi Band 8 does, nonetheless, provide an upgraded 6-axis movement sensor. To place it to good use, Xiaomi additionally added movement-based health programs to the Mi Health app.

• Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (China, no NFC): 249 yuan (~$37)
• Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (China, NFC): 299 yuan (~$44)
• Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (World): $44.18 at Amazon

• Xiaomi Mi Band 8 (China, no NFC): 239 yuan (~$34)
• Xiaomi Mi Band 8 (China, NFC): 279 yuan (~$40)

The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 launched within the spring of 2022, hitting world cabinets on Might 21, 2022. Its authentic retail value was about $10 increased than that of its predecessor at $60. At this time, you possibly can sometimes discover the Mi Band 7 out there from third-party retailers for under $50. That value could drop additional when the 8 arrives in all areas. The Mi band 7 is available in Ivory, Orange, Inexperienced, Blue, Black, Pink, Neon Inexperienced, Neon Orange, Khaki Inexperienced, and Khaki Blue.

A world mannequin of the Xiaomi Mi Band 8 just isn’t but out there. Nonetheless, Chinese language fashions are equally priced to these of the Mi Band 7 lineup. For now, present Mi band 8 fashions can be found in two colours: Gentle Gold and Vibrant Black. Additionally it is not clear if there shall be a world Mi Band 8 mannequin with NFC. We haven’t heard any concrete rumors a couple of Professional mannequin of the 8 both.

Since 2014, Xiaomi has been persistently bettering its price range health tracker line. Final yr, we felt the corporate knocked it out of the park. The show dimension, superior coaching options, and correct sensors on the Mi Band 7 earned the machine an Editors Alternative award.

This yr, the Mi Band 8 brings again all the identical options we love, plus an elevated strap design and some extra area of interest capabilities. It’s a unbelievable machine at an amazing value. So which must you purchase?

The Xiaomi Mi Band 8 is one of the best choose for those who don’t already personal a Xiaomi Mi Band 7. The fashionable strap offers the tracker a refined look whereas additionally giving customers extra flexibility in how they put on the capsule daily. Should you personal a Mi Band 6, see our Mi Band 8 vs 6 comparability information to find out whether or not it’s time for an improve.

Should you already personal a Mi Band 7, the choice isn’t as straightforward. There will not be sufficient newness to the newest era to warrant procuring simply but (until you’re desperate to strap your capsule to your sneaker). A extra important improve can be to take a look at the Mi Band 7 Professional ($109.99 at Amazon). This mannequin is the one one with built-in GPS, plus a smartwatch-style show, strong health monitoring, and respectable battery life.