The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 is the new version of one of the most popular activity bracelets on the market. The secret has been to offer good hardware at ridiculous prices, but with the new model, Xiaomi has focused on implementing improvements that change the experience.
We could say that, with a price of 44.99 euros, the Mi Smart Band 6 is the most complete and capable activity bracelet that we can get in this range. But is it the right choice? For two weeks, this bracelet has been strapped to my wrist, recording my data, and I have come to some interesting conclusions, with things that I have liked, and others that I have not.
The good: big screen
The great novelty of the Mi Smart Band 6 compared to its predecessors is the new 1.56-inch screen. Although it seems like a small number, it is an important advantage, to the point that it feels like a completely different product.
The screen now occupies a good part of the front, although depending on the sphere you use it can “deceive” you a bit; if you install a colored sphere, you will see that there are still noticeable black edges, but if you use one of the default ones, in which black predominates, nothing is noticeable and the screen seems even larger.
One of the spheres that can be installed on the Mi Smart Band 6
The choice of these spheres is no coincidence, since the panel chosen is AMOLED technology, which allows pure blacks to be achieved, as well as considerable energy savings when displayed. If we want to increase battery life, it is recommended to use one of the pre-installed spheres, although we can also use the associated app to install up to 60 types of spheres of all kinds.
This is one of the best screens you can get in the industry, especially at this price, and a good reason to upgrade if you already have a Mi Smart Band 5.
The bad: the controls
We might think that having more screen real estate equates to improved control, but the truth is that this is not the case. The only interface of the Mi Smart Band 6 is the touch screen, and although it is bigger, we are still talking about only 1.56 inches.
Performing gestures becomes a somewhat annoying task, especially when the processor is not able to keep up with us and we start to notice slowdowns when we change menus.
But, above all, the worst thing is that it is not really worth fighting with the bracelet, because the number of options available is too short. This bracelet gets a lot of information and interesting data, but it is not able to do anything with it. It is absolutely essential to use a smartphone with the Mi Fit app to really take advantage of this bracelet.
Using the Mi Fit app is essential
It is in the mobile app where you are really going to spend most of your time if you want to better understand how you have exercised, how you have slept or even if you have to receive a health alert.
The good: lots of sensors
At least, the information you will receive in the app will be complete, because the Mi Smart Band 6 can boast sensors and technologies that we only find in more expensive devices. Like, for example, monitoring SpO2, the saturation of oxygen in the blood that can tell us if we have breathing problems; It seems to work well, and in my case it has confirmed suspicions about why I don’t sleep well.
The Mi Smart Band 6 can also monitor heart rate in real time, allowing us to realize possible problems. The app will notify us if it finds moments with an unusually high heart rate.
Sleep monitoring in the Mi Fit app
From the app, we can activate functions in a beta state, such as the control of the quality of breathing during sleep, as well as a continuous control of the tension. These are data that can really help us to go to our GP with a better context and get the help we need.
This bracelet can also help us improve the situation, with breathing exercises that can last up to 5 minutes, in addition to monitoring women’s health. If we activate the PAI function, it will give us a score depending on aspects such as the exercise we have done, our age and heart rate, and it will suggest activities to improve it.
The bad: the load
All these additional functions can consume more battery, and the system will warn us about it. Xiaomi promises that, with normal use, the Mi Smart Band 6 will last us about 14 days, and that fits with my experience. In my case, it lasted 12 days, after activating the mentioned features and recording a couple of exercises.
The annoying thing comes when you have to charge the bracelet. The Mi Smart Band 6 uses a magnetic system, which by itself is very easy to use; we just have to bring the charger closer and it will join the charging area. The advantage of this system is that we don’t have to remove the strap, but I would have liked to see some changes.
Charge with the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6
The charging cable, for example, is too short; so depending on where you have the plug, it is quite possible that the bracelet ends up in a strange position near the wall. And since the charging port is at the bottom, the bracelet will remain face down, resting on the screen, hiding the charging progress. The cable itself also looks flimsy, and you can tell that Xiaomi has cut back here to get a more attractive price.
bad as smart watch
It’s very tempting to buy a fitness tracker as an alternative to a smartwatch, but that’s a big mistake; Although they look alike, they are two very different types of devices, and expecting features from one in the other will only lead to disappointment.
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 stages this perfectly. During part of the test period, I tried to use it as a smartwatch, and it failed miserably; Not only that, it’s also not very good as a plain watch. Two weeks have passed and I still raise my arm, hoping that the screen will turn on to show me what time it is; Of course, it has never happened, because this device only unlocks if we tap or swipe on the screen. It is something that would be basic in a smart watch, but it is not here.
Nor can we expect much connectivity with our mobile. Although we can receive notifications, and the watch will notify us if someone is calling us, we can’t really do anything about it; We have no choice but to pick up the mobile and see the notification or receive the call. We also cannot send audio messages directly with the bracelet.
If you are going to choose the Mi Smart Band 6, instead of a cheap smart watch (like the Mi Watch Lite that costs only 5 euros more) it is important that you remember what it is, and what it is not.
Good as an activity bracelet
If you take all that into account, the experience with the Mi Smart Band 6 will not disappoint you. It is one of the best options, possibly the best, at the price of 44.99 euros; And let’s face it, you’re likely to find it cheaper during sales periods.
For that price, it offers everything we need in a fitness tracker, including tech like blood oxygen level tracking that until recently was exclusive to expensive smartwatches.
The new screen is also a great addition, both for its quality and its treatment of colors; so much so that perhaps I would have liked to see it better used.
Once we put everything in the balance, it is indisputable that Xiaomi has done it again: it has created the reference activity bracelet on the market, a best seller that will become the perfect gift (or self-gift).
The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 is available for 44.99 euros, and for 38.15 euros on offer at .
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