Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro review: 4 things left me impressed and 2 things that didn’t

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro With a huge always-on display, an easy-to-use UI, and a lengthy battery life, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is surprisingly inexpensive.

I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch for the last five years, and at this point, I’m so dependent on it that I find it difficult to consider wearing another wristwatch. But regardless of the brand or cost, as a tech writer, I would jump at the chance to test any new wearable that hit the market.

I can try any gadget I want, which is a benefit of my job. The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, which is best defined as a cross between a smartwatch and a fitness band, caught my attention during my recent gadget quest. This is a low-cost option that targets the market for entry-level fitness trackers rather than a fancy smart band.

It goes without saying that I was more eager to test the Band 8 Pro and see how it stacked up against other smartwatches and fitness trackers I’ve used. More significantly, I had to give it a try because a lot of people have been asking me if they should get a fitness tracker instead of a wristwatch.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro price: 69 Euro (which comes down to Rs 5,333)
What I liked about the Band 8 Pro

Unisex design

The days of fitness monitors are long gone. You only need to glance around to see how much the once-humbly fitness trackers have evolved to resemble contemporary smartwatches in terms of both functionality and design. This is more of a fitness tracker progression, since smartwatches have already been widely available in many markets, particularly in India. This could be the cause of the reintroduction of fitness bands by manufacturers, which now have hybrid designs resembling smartwatches instead of being called “smart bands.”

The Band 8 Pro looks a lot like the smartwatches that most people in the packed Delhi Metro wear. But this one fits my wrist much better because it has a more square-ish form. Whether you are a child or an adult, you may wear the size with ease. The majority of the external design is made of plastic, but the sides have a sheen that makes it appear as though it is finished in steel. However, it never feels as pricey as the Apple Watch, which is acceptable. Because it weighs only 22.5 grams, you won’t get fatigued from wearing it on your wrist all day.

In the interim, it is simple to detach and reattach the straps. The one-fits-all method works well because there isn’t a second strap option in the package, but considering the size, it is neither too little nor too big. In terms of the straps’ quality, they are well-made despite being composed of silicone. They breathe well and keep you cool during the sweltering summer months. When they become wet, they dry fast, and the band itself is excellent for shallow water activities like swimming because it is water-resistant (5ATM approved) up to 50 meters.

Always-on display

In direct sunshine, the 1.74-inch AMOLED always-on display is sharp and appropriately bright. With increasing usage, particularly when interacting with widgets and viewing menus, the larger display is a pleasant addition. This is because the screen can now support a full 60Hz refresh rate. For the last two weeks, I have been using the Band 8 Pro, and I absolutely adore the always-on display option. Thinking about a smartwatch/fitness tracker without it seems strange. One benefit of having an always-on display is that you can quickly glance at your watch to see the time or any pending notifications.

But by default, the always-on-display feature is disabled; to enable it, navigate to the settings. However, I must inform you that an always-on display shortens battery life; you may prolong battery life by turning it off. The Band 8 Pro’s screen automatically adjusts to the lighting, but Xiaomi also offers you the ability to manually change the display’s brightness. Although it is deactivated by default, I have no problems with the wrist raise recognition; it is accurate and appears to have improved with motion detection.

Easy-to-navigate user interface

have expressed less enthusiasm for the fitness bands and entry-level smartwatches’ user interfaces. To my amazement, though, the Band 8 Pro’s user interface feels so much more sophisticated and intuitive. It’s simple to use and bounce between important information, change preferences, manage music playback, and do a lot more.

The wearable’s UI is significantly more user-friendly and engaging now that widgets have been added. Basically, widgets are little cards with information on them that make tasks easier to complete without requiring you to search through apps. It only takes a swipe to access widgets. Your widgets are editable and customizable. But instead of holding onto the widget screen, which is a more handy way to do it, you have to open the Mi Fitness app.

Simple fitness tracking works well.

The Band 8 Pro isn’t the best fitness tracker if you’re searching for anything really powerful. However, you’re definitely in luck if you’re searching for something more laid-back, like a fitness tracker as opposed to an exact activity tracker. The Band 8 Pro attempts to strike a balance between a sports watch and basic sports functions. I tested both devices, and the results showed that the Band 8 Pro tracks basic fitness metrics like step count and estimated calories burned more accurately.

The steps were consistently 1000 fewer than on my Apple Watch, but overall, I wouldn’t say this is too awful. I was not surprised that the Band 8 Pro’s more sophisticated measurements, such as heart rate tracking, Vo2 Max score, and blood oxygen tracking, are erratic at best. I believe Xiaomi wanted to provide users with as many fitness tracking options as possible with the Band 8 Pro, rather than focusing on accuracy. The Band 8 Pro has up to 150 sporting modes to choose from. The Mi Fitness app from Xiaomi tracks both sleep and fitness (available on Android and iOS).

But in my opinion, the Band 8 Pro excels in GPS tracking precision. Its tracking accuracy astonished me, especially with built-in GNSS support (the GPS makes sure the device can capture your position even when your phone is out of range). The accuracy of the distance estimates indicates that the Band 8 Pro’s lock-on times were instantaneous. Although the Band 8 Pro appears to be a casual fitness tracker based on monitoring basic workouts, serious runners will likely choose Garmin’s smartwatches or the Apple Watch for tracking workouts.

Good battery life

I can confidently state that, after wearing the Band 8 Pro for a few days, I have gone six days without needing to recharge; of course, this can vary depending on the settings you utilized. I switched on the always-on display at this point. But if you turn off SoP2 monitoring and the always-on display option, the battery can last a lot longer. According to Xiaomi, with “normal” use, the battery can last up to 14 days. I believe that the Band 8 Pro’s respectable battery benefits can be attributed to its bigger battery capacity (up from 235mAh to 285mAh) compared to its predecessor.

What I didn’t like about the Band 8 Pro

Lack of a physical button

Like the Apple Watch’s digital crown, the Band 8 Pro is devoid of a physical button. This implies that all interactions, including swipes and touches, can be performed via the touchscreen. Although the swipe-heavy interface functions, I’ve discovered that it might not always be the best option. I do not mind navigating via gestures or the on-screen navigation, but I do wish the band had a tactile button. There are moments when you wish the UI had genuine buttons for navigation.

Bare minimum smart features

As the days went by, the inadequacies of the Band 8 Pro became increasingly apparent to me. While third-party connection and payment support are absent from the device, calendar integration, music management, and weather mirroring are all included. The gadget, as I mentioned at the outset, offers every function that the majority of smartwatches and trackers have, with the exception of app support.

Affordable fitness tracker, but is it worth it?

A lot of the shortcomings I’ve pointed up felt a lot like those of fitness trackers and smartwatches at the beginning level. However, considering the price of the Band 8 Pro, the shortcomings are actually rather tolerable. I believe Xiaomi made an attempt to create a visually appealing hybrid wristwatch and fitness tracker that offers surface-level health and fitness insights. That feature, though, is effective for occasional users. Although Xiaomi hasn’t officially released the Band 8 Pro in India as of yet—it made its debut at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of February—you may still import the gadget.

Here are the pros and cons of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro:

Pros :-

Simple, lightweight design

Superb display, always-on mode

Improved UI

Good GPS accuracy

Compatible with iOS and Android

Cons :-

No side button

Mixed heart rate accuracy

No third-party app support

BY- HHM