Review of Mi Band 6 - a fitness tracker that is more interesting than the previous generation model

The new version of the Xiaomi fitness tracker does not seem to have very significant differences from the previous one, but they affect the degree of convenience. Maybe the functions have not really increased, but those that are there are much easier to use. Let's tell you what exactly was improved in Mi Band 6 and what it led to.

Table of contents

• Specifications
• Design
• Screen
• Functions
• application
• Autonomy
• Outcomes

Specifications

Design

Nothing has changed ideologically - it is still an oval capsule with a groove around the perimeter. Compared with Mi Band 5 the novelty has grown quite a bit, literally by a fraction of a millimeter, so you can use straps from previous generations, at least silicone straps that stretch. As for more rigid structures like metal, you need to decide individually - you may need a file.

The Mi Band 6 comes with a standard black silicone strap with a pin buckle. The fixation is reliable, there are many holes - it will fit any hand. The pin is metal, not plastic, that is, it will not break off under load.

The sensor module on the inside of the tracker resembles the location of the sensors rather Amazfit Band 5, not Mi Band 5. The magnetic pad for connecting the charging has migrated from the previous generation model.

Screen

The main change that can be seen immediately concerns the display. Instead of a rectangle with a touch button below it, an oval screen is now used - a whopping 1.56 inches. It is made using AMOLED technology, bright, clear, perfectly readable in the sun and contains much more information than before. The form is also emphasized by the updated interface, where some of the indicators are displayed with arcs at the top and bottom.

The black background paired with 2.5D glass gives the impression that the entire surface of the tracker is a screen. In fact, there are frames, and rather big ones - 2–4 mm each, wider at the bottom.

The resolution of the oval display has grown noticeably: if the Mi Band 5 had 126 × 294 pixels, then the new item had 152 × 486. It recognizes swipes and clicks. Scrolling up and down menus lets you select apps and features, swiping left or right allows you to navigate between widgets. The fonts have not changed, but there are more menu items.

At the start, three dial options are available - all with a black background, but differ in the displayed parameters. We chose the most informative one: in addition to the time and date, it shows the number of steps taken, the number of calories burned, weather, heart rate, PAI activity scores and charge level. You can jump to points of interest by touching the corresponding area of ​​the screen (except calories - it is unclear why). The interface allows you to swap the indicators. There are also other watch faces available in the store. And you can also put some of your own image on the background.

The brightness is adjusted in the settings. By default, it covers three points out of five, and it is sufficient on a sunny day. In the same place, in the settings, there are scenarios for which the display wakes up (there are options by touch, by swipe, at a certain time) and by which it is blocked. In the same menu, you can choose what type of activity the tracker will track automatically.

Functions

There are more functions. First, it's still fitness tracker - and now it can track 30 different types of workouts. Among them are several options for cardio and strength, dancing, martial arts, a pool (which is important with a water resistance of 5 ATM) and even ice skating. Depending on the type of workout, the tracker converts the time spent under load into calories burned - taking into account the heart rate.

Pulse is measured very accurately, but for this the bracelet must be tightly fastened. The discrepancy in values ​​with the Wahoo Tickr chest heart rate monitor did not exceed five beats, either under load or at rest.

Secondly, this tracker can still determine blood oxygen saturation. This is by no means equivalent to being measured with a specialized medical device, but the function can be useful during an as yet unresolved pandemic. In our situation, the device showed a saturation of 95-100%.

One app measures stress levels, while the other offers breathing exercises that help calm down and come into a more blissful state of mind. The exercise is accompanied by an animated pulsating ring and short vibrations that tell you when to inhale and when to exhale. It takes no more than a minute.

In principle, a lot of attention has been paid to breathing in the Mi Band 6 - there is even a beta version of the function that analyzes breathing during sleep. According to the developers, it might help those who snoring. The reference scale says that the level of breathing during sleep should be above 60 points out of 100 possible. During our test, the values ​​peaked.

The display can display not only the information that the bracelet itself receives, but also notifications from the smartphone connected to it. A small pictogram and small letters, but this is enough to quickly understand whether the message is important or not.

In the standard version, the music control widget is displayed to the left of the main screen, and the weather to the right. The player buttons work with both Deezer and Spotify, and with other applications.

In the "Advanced" section of the menu there are functions of clockwork and regular timers, a stopwatch, as well as camera control and the search for a lost smartphone. You can also turn off sound alerts there. Alarm clock and world time are placed in a separate menu item.

application

To communicate with a smartphone on both Android and iOS, the Mi Fit application is used. The process of connecting devices to each other is simple and takes less than a minute.

The app hasn't changed much since the release of Mi Band 5 - it still features colorful infographics and tips for improving sleep and exercise, backed up by links to scientific articles.

The competitive element has not gone anywhere either: the bracelet shows, for example, how many Mi Band users weigh more than you, walk less than you, or sleep worse.

In Mi Fit, you can "make friends" the tracker with other gadgets of the Xiaomi ecosystem, for example, with smart scales. The devices will transmit information to the application, and it will already analyze it.

In the same place, in Mi Fit, you can choose other screen design options - they are available in the store. For Mi Band 6, craftsmen have not yet made as many dials as for previous generations, but the range will be replenished.

Autonomy

The battery of the Mi Band 6 is the same as that of the Mi Band 5: 125 mAh. And despite the enlarged screen, the battery life is the same - 14 days with a sparing use case. From 67% to 7% in our case, the bracelet was discharged in exactly one week. True, with multiple workouts, regular sleep monitoring and periodic heart rate checks. So the developers are not cunning about the battery.

A full charge takes about two hours. The supplied cable is short, magnetic and convenient. And for recharging you do not need to remove the capsule from the case.

Outcomes

There is nothing completely revolutionary in the Mi Band 6, compared to the fifth or even the fourth generation. But one cannot fail to note the increased usability and improved design. The oval display has benefited from both usability and appearance - the branded dials with scales that emphasize the roundness of the screen look very good.

Mi Band 6 finally received the function of monitoring the level of oxygen in the blood, without which no modern fitness tracker can do without. In China, there is also a version with NFC, but we got the usual one for the test - the only one that is currently officially available in Russia.

A significantly expanded workout list will benefit those who are meticulous about sports and their progress. It's nice when you can, for example, choose not just some faceless "Cardio", but a specific type of activity.

Many hopedXiaomi Mi Band 6 tipped to feature GPS, Sp02, and Amazon Alexa support / XDA Developers the fact that the Mi Band 6 will have a built-in GPS. But now the bracelet uses the signal from the sensor of the smartphone to which it is connected, and it does not have its own module.

In Russia, the tracker costs 3,990 rubles, on AliExpress the international version can be ordered for 3,400 rubles, the Chinese version for 2,900. If, in principle, you do not have any fitness tracker, but you need one, this is a great option. If you are using a fourth or fifth generation Mi Band, then it might be worth waiting for the next version.

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The author thanks Xiaomi for the device provided for testing. The company had no way of influencing its outcome.