Xiaomi Mi Band 6 review: The best budget fitness band gets even better

Xiaomi makes the best fitness trackers; the model has dominated this section over the past six years on the again of its reasonably priced Mi Band collection. In reality, Xiaomi is the second-largest wearable producer on this planet, second solely to Apple.

Xiaomi’s success is because of the truth that its fitness bands provide the identical set of options as Fitbit for a fraction of the worth. Last 12 months’s Mi Band 5 launched a big OLED display and a brand new charging connector, and for 2021 Xiaomi is rolling out a number of upgrades with the Mi Band 6.

The Mi Band 6 has an even bigger 1.56-inch display that extends all the best way to the perimeters, and it comes with a 24-7 coronary heart charge sensor, blood oxygen monitoring, stress monitoring, exercise detection, and two-week battery life.

Xiaomi hasn’t modified the method an excessive amount of right here, but it surely did not have to. The Mi Band 5 is already a terrific fitness band in its personal proper, and the Mi Band 6 retains an identical feature-set whereas providing a bigger display and blood oxygen monitoring. So in case you are out there for a sub-$100 fitness band, here is why you can purchase the Mi Band 6.

The Mi Band 6 was unveiled on March 29, with international availability kicking off from May 6. The fitness tracker is now accessible formally within the U.S. for $55, and you may choose it up from Amazon or Walmart. The Mi Band 6 has additionally made its debut within the UK and is obtainable for £40 ($56).

Xiaomi additionally sells the Mi Band 6 in different European international locations the place it has an official presence, with the fitness band debuting at €45 ($55). Xiaomi is ready to introduce the Mi Band 6 in different international markets — like India — shortly, however there isn’t any confirmed launch date at this second.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6: What you will love

Xiaomi hasn’t modified issues an excessive amount of from the Mi Band 5, and in consequence the Mi Band 6 finally ends up wanting virtually similar to its predecessor. The largest change is across the display; there’s now a 1.56-inch AMOLED panel as an alternative of the 1.1-inch possibility on the Mi Band 5.

The Mi Band 6 would not sport a brand new design, however you get a bigger 1.56-inch AMOLED display.

Although the Mi band 6 has a bigger display, Xiaomi hasn’t altered the general dimensions of the fitness band — it was capable of match the panel by eradicating the touch-sensitive button that sat beneath the panel of the Mi Band 5. The Mi Band 6 weighs simply 12.8g — 0.9g greater than its predecessor — and has roughly the identical dimensions, so for those who’ve purchased extra bands for the Mi Band 5, you should use them with the Mi Band 6 simply superb.

There are dozens of straps accessible for the Mi Band 5, and the truth that you should use them with the Mi Band 6 makes the fitness band that rather more engaging. I additionally significantly like the truth that Xiaomi has retained the magnetic charging connector from the Mi Band 5. I consistently lose these connectors, so the truth that they’re unchanged from the earlier technology makes it that a lot simpler.

Like its predecessor, the Mi Band 6 is obtainable in a single black possibility, and the bundled black silicone band feels respectable sufficient in every day use. The pin-and-hole buckle ensures you’ll be able to simply discover the best match in your wrist, and the band itself is comfy for all-day use. The Mi Band 6 additionally has 5ATM water resistance, and there is a devoted swimming possibility that allows you to measure your strokes.

The Mi Band 6 options an optical coronary heart charge sensor, however the main addition with this technology is blood oxygen monitoring. With the best fitness trackers now providing this characteristic as normal, it is nice to see Xiaomi together with the choice on the Mi Band collection. The Mi Band 6 maintains characteristic parity with the OnePlus Band whereas providing extra detailed software program insights and usually holding up better in every day use.

The AMOLED panel itself is brilliant and colourful, and I did not have any points viewing the display even underneath harsh daylight. The one draw back is that there isn’t any ambient mild sensor, so you need to manually crank up the brightness of the display. There’s no always-on setting both, with the display staying awake for a most of 10 seconds. This wasn’t a difficulty for me because the raise-to-wake characteristic works admirably; making certain the display is all the time lit up once I pull up the fitness band to view the time.

The Mi Band 6’s interface is just about unchanged from final 12 months, and you may view exercise information together with key metrics like coronary heart charge info, blood oxygen ranges, exercise information, and extra. There’s additionally all-day stress monitoring, and whereas the fitness band would not have any onboard storage for domestically storing music, you’ll be able to simply management music playback in your telephone with the band.

Blood oxygen monitoring is a marquee addition, and the Mi Band 6 is dependable on this specific space.

You additionally get guided respiratory workouts that may be set from one to 5 minutes, and what I like about this characteristic is that it exhibits your coronary heart charge ranges earlier than and after the train. Blood oxygen monitoring (SpO2) is a marquee addition on the Mi Band 6, and in my utilization, I discovered it to be dependable. I routinely bought a rating of 98 or 99%, and that lined up with the studying from an oximeter. A nifty addition is that the fitness band exhibits your coronary heart charge whereas measuring blood oxygen ranges.

Xiaomi has a devoted Wear app for its wearable, however you are better off pairing the Mi Band 6 with Mi Fit — what it lacks in design it greater than makes up in helpful options. The band pairs over Bluetooth 5.Zero and works with all Android telephones based mostly on Android 5.Zero and above, and you too can use it with iPhones operating iOS 10 and above.

The app collates exercise and sleep information, and allows you to customise the Mi Band 6 to your tastes. You’ll discover over 100 watch faces from the shop, however most of them find yourself wanting cheesy and are not definitely worth the effort. More typically than not, you will find yourself utilizing the default watch face that is enabled out of the field.

There are plenty of configuration choices accessible, together with setting customized alerts and reminders, enabling idle alerts to remind you to maneuver hourly, and the power to manage your telephone’s digital camera shutter remotely with the band. There actually is not all that a lot lacking from a characteristic standpoint, and Mi Fit continues to supply helpful metrics — and it seamlessly ties into Google Fit.

In day-to-day use, the Mi Band 6 does a terrific job mirroring notifications and calls to your wrist. You will not discover actionable notifications right here, so you will want to choose up your telephone for responding to a message or an incoming electronic mail.

For fitness monitoring, the Mi Band 6 detects as much as 30 types of actions, up from 11 on its predecessor. It now acknowledges HIIT, core coaching, Zumba, bowling, badminton, basketball, and others, and you may change the place of the actions from the Mi Fit app so that they are clearly highlighted whenever you go into the Workout app on the fitness band.

I attempted the indoor fitness and Zumba exercise modes, and the Mi Band 6 was fairly constant at measuring my exercise. I used it alongside an Apple Watch Series 6, and the variance between the 2 was underneath 10% when it comes to exercise monitoring. The Mi Band 6 does a good job monitoring your sleep, and it has a nifty night time mode that switches off the display and prevents raise-to-wake from triggering in the course of the night time.

As for battery life, you’ll get every week’s price of use between fees for those who allow all of the options — like all-day stress monitoring and frequent coronary heart charge measurements. While that is lower than the 14-day battery life that was a mainstay on earlier variations of the Mi Band, it’s respectable sufficient contemplating you get much more options on the Mi Band 6.

When you have to cost it, you’ll depend on the magnetic connector on the again, with the bundled cable taking simply over two hours to completely cost the band. I’ve misplaced the charging cables for the Mi Band all the best way to the Mi Band 4, and I’m assured that I’ll achieve this for the Mi Band 6 as nicely as soon as I take it on the highway — every time that kicks off once more.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6: What wants work

The Mi Band 6 excels as a budget fitness band, but it surely misses out relating to digital assistant integration. The Chinese model of the band runs Xiaomi’s personal Xiao AI assistant, however there isn’t any Alexa or Google Assistant in international markets. If you’re on the lookout for a fitness band on this class that features a digital assistant, chances are you’ll wish to watch for Amazfit to launch its model of the Mi Band 6.

Another omission is NFC; Xiaomi sells a model of the Mi Band 6 that has NFC in China, however the international mannequin misses out on this specific characteristic.

While the Mi Band 6 gets so much proper when it comes to exercise monitoring, I discovered that the guts charge information is inconsistent throughout exercises. Resting coronary heart charge measurements are correct, however I do not suggest utilizing the Mi Band 6 to observe vitals throughout exercises. We’ll have to attend and see if Xiaomi can repair the difficulty through a software program replace.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6: Competition

There’s a good quantity of alternative for those who’re out there for a sub-$100 fitness band. Amazfit’s Band 5 makes use of the identical {hardware} because the Mi Band 5, but it surely gives Alexa integration. Huami manufactures each Xiaomi’s Mi Band 5 and the Amazfit Band 5, so you will not discover any variance within the {hardware} itself, and the added software program options make Amazfit’s alternative a better possibility for patrons within the U.S. And as a result of the Band 5 has been out there for over six months, it’s accessible for simply $32, making it a stellar discount.

If you desire a fitness band that delivers significant insights, the Fitbit Inspire 2 is a superb alternative. The fitness band debuted for $100 final 12 months, however is now accessible for underneath $70. The Inspire 2 has a extra trendy design and handles the fundamentals simply in addition to the Mi Band 6, but it surely misses out on blood oxygen monitoring.

Xiaomi Mi Band 6: Should you purchase it?

You can purchase this if …

• You need an fitness tracker that nails the fundamentals
• You desire a budget wearable that measure blood oxygen ranges
• You want battery life that lasts weeks
• You’re out there for worth

You should not purchase this if…

• You need detailed software program insights
• You’re on the lookout for an exercise tracker for critical exercises
• You want digital assistant integration

Overall, Xiaomi hasn’t modified an excessive amount of with the Mi Band 6, but it surely did not want to take action. The Mi Band 5 was already one of many best budget fitness bands out there, and by including blood oxygen monitoring and a bigger display, Xiaomi has managed to distinguish its newest product.

4
out of 5

The Mi Band 6 does a terrific job monitoring your every day exercise, mirrors notifications to your wrist, permits you to measure blood oxygen ranges, and lasts every week between fees. It misses out on NFC funds and would not have a digital assistant, however for what you are paying right here, you’re getting a superb worth. And whereas there are plenty of choices in case you are out there for a budget fitness band, the Mi Band 6 continues to guide the pack.