Xiaomi Smart Band 8:
Last year Xiaomi released the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro, which has a larger screen, built-in GPS, and a new structural design that allows you to change different straps more easily, but in that review, I said I didn’t recommend fans of the traditional form of Mi band to buy it because the Pro version is really bigger and heavier. But now we’re finally getting the new Xiaomi Smart Band 8 released, whose size and screen are basically unchanged from its predecessor, but Xiaomi has put many of the features and functions from the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro on it, so let’s see if it’s worth your money today.
Unboxing
Compared with its predecessor, the packaging of the Xiaomi Smart Mi Band 8 is almost unchanged except for some patterns and texture, and the accessories inside the package are almost the same, we have the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 body, a manual, a strap and a magnetic charging cable.
The cable is almost identical to the charging cable of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro series, because this time the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 has a similar strap connection structure and charging port as the 7 Pro, but after I verified that they don’t exactly share the same cable, it doesn’t offer a solid connection with the band 7 Pro.
Design
This is the new Xiaomi Smart Band 8. Although its size is very close to its predecessor, but if we look closer we will find many differences. The first and most important thing is that the Band is no longer completely wrapped around the strap. It now has a new structure that supports quick removal. Like a traditional watch, you can remove one side of the strap from the Band by pressing the snap and pulling it outwards.
This is a really practical change that brings a variety of looks to go with the Xiaomi Smart Band 8. Xiaomi has officially launched three straps in different materials for the Band, all of them are very beautiful and have a very affordable price, and I believe we will see more straps with different styles from third-party manufacturers soon.
In terms of body material, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 finally has a metal frame, and like the Smart Band 7 Pro, the frame is dyed through an electroplating process, which makes it look very refined and more durable compared to the previous plastic frame. Compared to the band 7, the new Band is half a millimeter thinner and the sensor area at the bottom is not as prominent so you can get a more comfortable wearing experience.
Screen & Display
The Xiaomi Mi Band 8 has the same 1.62-inch AMOLED display as its predecessor and the bezel doesn’t get narrower, but thanks to the new powerful processor, it can now drive the screen to a refresh rate of 60 Hz.
So you know that even the band 7 Pro only has a refresh rate of 30 Hz. And actually thanks to its friendly pricing, we didn’t really complain much about the series’ refresh rate for years. Of course, the 60 Hz refresh rate will bring a big boost to daily use, and all your operations become very smooth.
Remember I predicted that Xiaomi would bring the AOD feature to the regular Xiaomi band series? Now here it is. Although the brightness of the AOD is still hardly satisfactory in sunlight considering the battery life, you can set it to turn on after sunset, and the band also supports automatic brightness adjustment so you don’t have to worry about the AOD waking you up when you fall asleep.
Features
In terms of UI and features, Xiaomi Smart Band 8 now supports up to more than 150 sports modes, the most interesting one being aerobic boxing. Thanks to the built-in acceleration sensor, we now have what is probably the world’s lightest sensory gaming device. Put on your Xiaomi Smart Band 8, follow the lessons in Mi fitness APP and you can swing your fists and burn your calories anywhere, anytime.
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 also has another useful proprietary accessory called the bean pod. It allows you to attach your Mi band to your laces to better track your stride frequency, stride length, and even the impact of your foot on the ground while running. If you are a runner and want to further improve your performance, you should really try following the professional data provided by this personal coach.
Egg Dials
In addition to bringing more sports mode support, Xiaomi also brings us an egg, you can find four mini-game dials in the dial store. If you are a Mi band 5 or band 6 user, you may feel familiar with it. Yes, some third-party community enthusiasts have developed similar mini-games and even utilities for the previous Mi band, such as calculators.
I’m very happy to see that Xiaomi is not cracking down on these behaviors but bringing these interesting ideas to their latest products. Although we keep complaining, fortunately, Xiaomi is still listening to their users.
Battery Life
In terms of battery life, Xiaomi claims that the lighter Xiaomi Smart Band 8 can last up to 16 days in typical use, and with the AOD function on, it can still last for about six days. As a long-time Mi band user, I’m not worried about its battery life because Xiaomi has been quite honest about its official figures here.
Verdict
Well, this is the new Xiaomi Smart Band 8. While its design and packaging are very much like its predecessor, Xiaomi has really put enough effort into, giving it many practical enhancements, so if you are a band 7 user watching this video, I would still recommend you upgrade to the new Mi band.
Although I am a band 7 Pro user, I am very jealous of the new Xiaomi Smart Band 8, which is the only Mi band supporting boxing classes as well as professional running monitoring. These features rely on the new sensors so all previous band models can’t get them via OTA.
The only thing that calms me down and makes me feel sorry is that the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 still doesn’t have a built-in GPS, so if you like running as much as I do and don’t want to take a phone with you, you can still stay with the Mi band 7 Pro and wait for the upcoming Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro.
