Xiaomi’s Mi Band series of wearables is usually one of the go-to devices for anyone looking to buy a wearable for the first time. Its mantra for success is quintessentially Xiaomi. Offer an impressive number of features, at a surprising price point. However, other manufacturers have been catching up, the most notable of them being Oppo with its Oppo and Style (review) wearable. With the Mi Band 6, Xiaomi hopes to reestablish itself as the undisputed leader once again. Priced at Rs 3,499, the wearable sports a launch price higher than its predecessors. So what’s new?
The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 looks almost exactly like its predecessor, the Mi Band 5 (review). In fact, the company claims that the Mi Band 6 is compatible with the Mi Band 5’s straps. As such, if you liked the design of the Mi Band 5, the Mi Band 6 will be right up your alley.
Another handy feature of the Mi Band 6 is the fact that it is completely waterproof, which means users can take it for a swim if they want. In fact, the device also offers users the option of tracking swimming.
Overall, the Mi Band 6 is very lightweight and doesn’t seem too uncomfortable. However, the device is quite long and is just about the same length as my wrist. If it was any larger, the device would not only look ungainly, but it would be uncomfortable to wear as well. Credit to Xiaomi for managing to fit a larger display into the same form factor. However, if the company does plan on increasing display sizes, it should consider increasing the width of the device.
The Mi Band 6 packs a 1.56-inch AMOLED display that is quite vibrant and crisp. There are no buttons on the device, so navigation is entirely based on swipes and taps. It feels quite intuitive and anyone who has used a Mi Band in the past should feel at home. First-time users may feel slightly confused at first, but they should get the hang of it eventually.
In terms of activity tracking, the Mi Band 6 is quite feature-rich. The device can track up to 30 activities and also comes with an optical heart rate tracker. It should be noted that the devices can use their Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) score. This should give users a number that takes into account all their activities. The higher the number, the healthier the lifestyle. Another feature to note is that the Mi Band 6 does not come with a built-in GPS, and needs to pair with your smartphone in order to track routes.
The Mi Band 6 pairs with smartphones via the Mi Fit app. The pairing is quite seamless and requires the user to log in to their social media account or a Mi Account.
We haven’t been able to put the Mi Band 6 through its paces, but we did take it out for a walk. While the amount of data and information on offer seems impressive, the lack of a built-in GPS makes its presence known when it comes to route tracking. Interestingly, the device will detect when there is no movement and automatically pause the activity. When the user moves again, the activity will resume.
There is quite a bit more we need to test before we can come to a full conclusion. We will be putting the device through its paces soon. Stay tuned for our full review.