Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Review: Does upgrading make sense?

• Maybe you missed it? Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro Review
• Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Review: Xiaomi’s affordable smart band for runners.

Part I – Introduction to Xiaomi Smart Band 8

The new fitness bracelet comes with an AMOLED screen of a similar size of 1.62 inches and a resolution of 192×490 pixels, but with an improved brightness of up to 600 nits, a built-in light sensor and support for the “Always On” mode.

The biggest change in the model comes in the form of a shift to the use of new strap adapters, so that instead of a strap that “fits” on the body of the bracelet, the new model comes with a pair of attachment points for a very wide variety of straps, including metal and leather straps, which are offered alongside the standard silicone straps, and is intended to make the fitness bracelet a more fashionable item.

In addition, for the first time, it will also be possible to obtain a “pendant” adapter to wear around the neck and a dedicated adapter for shoes for better monitoring of sports activities directly from Xiaomi itself.

The Mi Band 8 comes with water resistance to a depth of up to 50 meters (5ATM) and allows tracking over 150 types of sports activity, with the ability to measure 13 “professional” parameters for more accurate tracking of the user’s activities, alongside the familiar features of tracking Heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep and more.

The new model weighs about 27 grams together with the strap, where inside it will be possible to find a slightly larger 190mAh battery compared to the previous generation, which offers a usage time of up to 16 days in normal use and up to 6 days in use with the always-on AOD screen feature (Always see On Display).

The Mi Fitness (Xiaomi Wear) app also has a boxing mode that lets you practice various boxing moves. It also allows you to control different smart devices by simply raising your arm. And finally, Xiaomi has thought of resting moments, and you can play games like Sudoko, Flipper and 2048 with the Smart Band 8 to relax for a while.

Main Features

• 1.62-inch 60Hz AMOLED display
• Battery life of 16 days
• 24/7 Blood Oxygen Monitoring
• Health Monitoring – Heart rate/Sleep/Pressure Monitoring.
• Various options for wearing – around the neck or on the shoe.
• Gaming – Choose a fun watch face to make boring moments more enjoyable.
• 200+ watch faces available for selection and can be customized by your own.
• 150+ Sport Modes – Over 150 sport modes that cover a wide range of exercises.
• Always-on-display – Getting useful information without raising your waist or touching the screen
• Water-resistant up to 50 meters (5ATM) – can be used for swimming and snorkeling.

Specifications