As an avid runner and fitness tracker enthusiast who has tested dozens of wearables over the years, I was eagerly anticipating the release of Xiaomi‘s next-generation Mi Band 8. Having relied daily on prior Mi Band versions for activity tracking, receiving notifications and sleep monitoring – I wondered if the upgraded Mi Band 8 would be a worthwhile upgrade or more of the same. After over a month of hands-on testing, I’m ready to wholeheartedly recommend the Mi Band 8 as impressing me as a cost-effective all-purpose fitness band that elegantly handles multiple roles.
Brand Background – Why Mi Bands Resonate
Xiaomi may not be a household name in the West, but the Chinese consumer electronics firm was an early pioneer of affordably-priced smartphones with flagship-level specs. They‘ve applied that same formula for premium features at budget pricing points to their popular Mi Band line of fitness trackers. Launched in 2014, Xiaomi has gone on to sell over 100 million Mi Band devices globally.
The inexpensive bands have cultivated a devoted following by packing comprehensive activity tracking into a slim, lightweight wristwearable form. While the sub-$100 price leaves some assuming limited capabilities, Mi Bands can monitor a plethora of workouts, captures ongoing heart rate data 24/7, tracks sleep cycles and even blood oxygen levels – rivaling far pricier alternatives. "Our vision for Mi Bands has always focused first on accuracy", said Cui Baoqiu, Xiaomi VP in an interview prior to the Mi Band 8 unveiling.
Mi Band Evolution – Better Bands With Each Generation
- Mi Band – 2014 – Basic fitness band with step tracking, sleep monitoring, 30-day battery
- Mi Band 2 – 2016 – Heart rate tracking added. OLED display with notifications
- Mi Band 3 – 2018 – Touch button control, swim stroke recognition
- Mi Band 4 – 2019 – Color AMOLED displays, smart controls
- Mi Band 5 – 2020 – Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) tracking
- Mi Band 6 – 2021 – SpO2 blood oxygen monitoring, 30+ workout modes
- Mi Band 7 – 2022 – Larger AMOLED display, 120+ sports modes
The Mi Band 7 already impressed with a sharp 1.62” AMOLED Panel and multiple dial plate customizations. But the Mi Band 8 takes visuals up a notch with an even more expansive 1.8” diagonal screen for better glanceability of health metrics and alerts. The vibrant OLED display also boosts touch responsiveness while allowing deeper blacks for improved contrast.
Unboxing Xiaomi‘s Flagship Fitness Band
As someone who has tested Mi Bands since the early days plus competitive trackers from Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung and Apple – I had high expectations for the 8th generation Mi Band model. The packaging ticks all the boxes – understated clean white box with minimal accessories of the fitness band itself, magnetic charging cable, instructions and a smooth silicone watch strap.
Mi Band 8 In Official Retail Packaging (Image Credit: Xiaomi)
Xiaomi kindly provided European review units with Google services integration for English speakers. Prior Mi Bands were Chinese variants reliant on workaround translation apps. Out the box with the Mi Band 8, the initial pairing process was delightfully streamlined. I simply scanned a QR code shown on the fitness band‘s display using the Xiaomi Wear app (available on iOS and Android). Once Bluetooth is enabled, it automatically connects.
The Mi Band 8 retains the light, low profile form factor for all-day wearing comfort. At just 16 grams including the strap, you barely notice it on your wrist. This allows capturing ongoing heart rate data and sleep tracking overnight without disturbances. I’ve worn far bulkier watch-style trackers that irritate after hours of use. The Mi Band 8 has a slimmer profile that previous versions, with curved sides and smooth edges that don’t catch on sleeves.
Mi Band 7 vs Mi Band 8 – The New Model Crams a Larger Screen Into A Compact Body (Image Credit: Xiaomi)
The band itself incorporate Aircraft-grade aluminum alloy + durable polymer construction with a skin-friendly silicone strap that allows removing for cleaning. Xiaomi rates it as 5 ATM waterproof – sufficient for rain, showering and even lap swimming but not diving.
Charging the lithium battery is conveniently handled via included magnetic pogo pin cable. Expect 10 days between charges with typical usage including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and notification buzzes. That battery longevity is impressive compared to the Apple Watch and other smartwatches needing nightly charging.
Customization and Accuracy – Mi Band 8 Impresses on Both Fronts
A hallmark of Mi Bands through the years has been extensive customization for personalized preferences. As a wearer that values both stylish looks and granular settings adjustments, I appreciate Xiaomi retaining deep configurability despite the low cost. The Mi Band 8 doesn’t just offer basic watch face personalization with colored backgrounds and fun character dial themes. You also have control over which smartphone apps trigger notification alerts on the band, choose metric or imperial units, pick a low battery reminder threshold, and toggle other options directly on the fitness band‘s intuitive touch interface.
The Mi Band 8 build on prior models with over 110 sports modes now recognized, ranging from staples like walking, running and biking to niche activities including Zumba, cricket, boxing and more. Using the companion Xiaomi Wear app, you can initiate dedicated tracking for workouts then view intensity and duration. One new mode I enjoyed testing was golf swing tracking to analyze form and consistency. The Mi Band 8 won‘t replace comprehensive sensors and simulators for pros mastering their swing but offers casual players like myself some useful biofeedback and averages.
Throughout several weeks testing daily walking, jogging and gym sessions wearing the Mi Band 8 simultaneously with an Apple Watch Series 8 and Garmin Venu 2 Plus on opposite wrists – I‘m impressed by how consistently the Mi Band 8 stack up for step counts, distance traveled and calories burned. While advanced runners will still want a full-fledged multisport GPS watch, the Mi Band suffices for most users not training for marathons. Heart rate tracking was also solid though I noticed occasional lag in picking up rapid changes like intense interval burts. Recovery readings were smoother. All sensors reflected realistic outputs that aligned tightly with my other trackers.
Sleep tracking is where budget bands often falter yet the Mi Band 8 demonstrates Xiaomi‘s algorithms and motion detection skills maturing well. It avoids false positives like registering bathroom wakes as ending sleep cycles. Parameters like REM sleep, deep sleep and light stages breakdowns aligned tightly with my Watch and dedicated sleep tech like Withings under-mattress sensors. Pleasant bonus: the Mi Band 8 adds animal sleep avatars denoting when you shift cycles. The new model also auto-detects afternoon naps.
Mi Band 8 Sleep Tracking Breakdowns (Image Credit: Xiaomi)
Between the beautiful AMOLED touch display, slim lightweight build and impressive health monitoring – how does Xiaomi squeeze so many features into the Mi Band 8 for under $70? By omitting bells & whistles like onboard GPS maps, music storage or a microphone. If you demand those capabilities look towards a multipurpose smartwatch. Think of Mi Bands as streamlined fitness companions. But that focus makes them wildly effective at core functions.
Health Monitoring – Best-in-Class Features for the Price
Advancing internal components allow Mi Bands squeezing advanced sensors and more comprehensive health metrics into the compact tracker. The Mi Band 7 added Blood Oxygen monitoring during sleep tracking. The Mi Band 8 takes insights up a notch by measuring resting heart rate, heart rate variability and even stress levels – capabilities typically reserved for top-tier wearables double to triple the cost.
The stress monitoring in particular in a helpful evolution I haven‘t seen from such affordable bands. Using the optical heart rate sensor, the Mi Band 8 will periodically check your heart metrics when inactive then offer a stress assessment from 1-100 based on heart rate variability as influenced by nervous system signals. I appreciated having an objective way to judge mounting anxiety levels from work and personal obligations before overwhelming stress triggers physiological responses.
Seeing weekly reports with low, medium and high stress scores and historical trends motivated me to schedule rejuvenating activities to actively lower tension when spikes arise. I allowed the continual heart scanning as it didn‘t seem to significantly impact battery life. The downside: readings are sporadic so don‘t expect real-time stress feedback during crunch time demands. But by alerting you to longer term patterns, I found the Mi Band 8’s tension tracking insightful.
Use Case Wins – Remote Camera Control, Workout Motivation, Gesture Navigation
While core capabilities like activity monitoring, notifications and battery endurance are paramount – somespecial Xiaomi tricks took the Mi Band 8‘s usefulness up another notch during my testing. I‘m not one to embrace bands primarily for frills but functionality like using the Retro style watch face‘s chronograph as a handy countdown timer during kitchen cooks or work breaks impressed.
Another test scenario hit perfectly by the Mi Band was snapping group photos while roaming museums solo this summer wearing masks. I miss being to ask passerbys. But realizing I could use the Mi Band 8 as a Bluetooth remote control shutter button for my phone‘s camera was a revelation! By setting camera controls and toggling preferences in the Wear app, you can preview shots on your phone screen several feet away then tap the band button to trigger pics and selfies without dashes. The 70+ ft wireless range worked impressively well indoors and outdoors. Fantastic for capturing candid moments and eliminating camera shake. Felt like having a proverbial third hand.
I also enjoyed customizing band touch controls for music playback adjustments without reaching for my phone that was handy while Strava-tracked trail runs. When walking outdoors navigating an unfamiliar city, I toggled notifications to received handy Google Maps-powered vibration tap turn alerts forStay left at 2nd stoplight" literally keeping me on track. Lifestyle integration thoughtful touches like these increase standalone versatility beyond health metrics.
While hardcore athletes have limitless choices for hardcore training companions, more casual users often want an uncomplicated band. The Mi Band 8 hits a sweet spots thereof everyday wearability, just enough custom controls and handy conveniences like the remote camera trigger distinguishing from budget rivals. It keeps you moving not just cataloging steps.
Verdict – A Wholehearted Recommendation As the Best Budget Fitness Band Available
In a fitness tracker product niche, products live and die by their sensors and algorithms. But mass appeal bands need to balance accurate monitoring with engaging touch displays to keep users motivated by the quantifiable self feedback loop. Xiaomi‘s Mi Band 8 represents the pinnacle of this delicate balance – cramming robust fitness tracking and health metrics like blood oxygen monitoring and stress scores into a thoughtfully designed wristwearable costing most shoppers under $100.
That astonishing value prop combined with 10+ day battery life, crisp new 1.8” ultra-responsive AMOLED touch display and greater configurability from 120+ sports modes to remote camera control makes the Mi Band 8 the outright recommendation as Editors‘ Choice budget fitness band. Smart watch pretenders need not apply when Xiaomi so artfully caters to the casual exerciser through the modern power user. If like me you‘ve ever trained for a marathon or try keeping daily step counts above 10,000, the appeal becomes obvious. Just don‘t the modest Mi Band design fool you – it‘s formidable inside.