Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is a new smart bracelet from the well-known Chinese company Xiaomi. What will it offer in terms of endurance and what new features does it offer? What about the different versions for different markets? Will the Mi Band 5 finally offer us NFC? We'll take a look at that in this review.
Content of the review
Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelets have been on the market since 2014. Since then, they have become increasingly popular and are a pioneer in the wearables segment.
Video review of Xiaomi Mi Band 5:
The Pack
In the package, you will find all the essentials to start using the band. First of all, therefore, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 itself, the charging cradle and there are also a few manuals. Of course, there is also a silicone bracelet that you can replace at any time in the future.Everything is packed in a black box that looks good at first glance. Inside then, everything is packaged practically as we are used to from previous generations of the bracelet.
Can you pay with NFC?
The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 exists in practically two versions. The first version is, of course, the version for the local market (i.e. mainly for China), and the second for the global market. The version for the local market will offer a bit more, such as a microphone for Amazon Alexa, a blood oxygenation sensor, and finally that NFC. The payment itself is then done with your Mastercard, which you load into the wristband and then just pay. But you won't see these three improvements in the global version, which is available in the Czech Republic.
At least for now. But the global market could also see an improved version under the name Xiaomi Mi Band 5 Pro. In essence, it should be the same supercharged version as the one available for the local market. We can definitely expect to see this version. The question is rather when it will happen.
Differences between Mi Band 4 and Mi Band 5
The first change you'll definitely notice is the different charging of the two versions. With the Mi Band 4 (as with previous variants), you had to remove the watch itself from the silicone band and insert it into the charger. With the Mi Band 5, you can already skip this intermediate step. The cradle is magnetic, so you simply place the Mi Band 5 on it and you're ready to charge.
In terms of size and weight, there have been virtually no changes here and both are virtually identical. What has changed, however, is the display, which has increased to 1.1 inches. The sensors have also undergone a big change, where they have been improved and the results have been refined. The fifth version got a three-axis accelerometer and also a three-axis gyroscope. These sensors are used, for example, to measure distance travelled. You'll also see a larger selection of sports activities than were available on the Mi Band 4.
But if you have the Mi Band 4, there's probably not entirely a reason to think about upgrading to the new version. The only plus point that would make it worth considering a change is clearly the greaterA brighter and clearer display that's not only easier to read but also easier to use. If you do upgrade, you can also use the silicone wristband from the Mi Band 4 on the latest version of the Mi Band 5.
Mi Band 5 design and display
As is usual with fitness bands, they are very lightweight and comfortable to wear. On the back of the 5, there are classic charging pins as well as a heart rate sensor. The promised water resistance to 50 meters is also an advantage . While I don't entirely recommend diving with the Mi Band 5, you can go swimming with a clear conscience.
As I write above, the Mi Band 5 features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display, which looks good on its own. The larger design makes it easier to use and read. There's also the classic bottom soft-button "back" feature that we're also familiar with from previous generations of the band. Indoors, a brightness setting of somewhere around 50% will suffice, but if you're going outdoors, I recommend turning the brightness up to the maximum. The display will then be beautifully legible, but you'll be squeezing the battery a bit more. The Mi Band 5 doesn't have an automatic brightness adjustment option, so you'll have to do these tasks yourself.
It probably won't surprise anyone that they didn 't get the Always On display feature. But that's okay, you can set the display to brighten when you turn your wrist on your phone. It should be noted that this feature works very reliably. In addition, you can set the so-called night mode, when the display will be completely off from a certain hour to a certain hour. This prevents the display from lighting up at night, which not only drains the battery but also disturbs your sleep.
If you're a fan of changing dials, then the Mi Band 5 will definitely please you. Not only do you have some dials stored in the memory of the Mi Band 5 itself, but you can also find a great deal of them in the mobile app itself. Here, everyone can already choose the dial that suits them best. A great advantage is the possibility to customize the dials. You can set what information and values you want the dial to show and you are not left to the default settings.
Mi Fit app
There are mentions of the app all the time in the review. As usual, it's the Mi Fit app that you use to pair your wristband and phone. You can then also make all sorts of changes to settings and so on. The app is very sophisticated thanks to Xiaomi's hard work and experience.
In the Mi Fit app, you can also track, for example, your route you ran. Of course, the wristband itself doesn't have GPS, so you'll need to have your phone with you to map your route. When you complete an activity, the data from the wristband and your phone are paired. You'll get a complete overview of your heart rate, the distance you've run and also a picture of the route you've taken.
You can also use the app to customize the shortcuts. So if you swipe in your wristband, you can define what will be displayed at what position. Be it weather data or music control options. You can also make the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 your trigger. Just set this feature, when you press the shutter button on the band, a countdown will start and within three seconds the phone will take a picture of you. Not only suitable for group selfies.
Notifications and phone calls
Within the app, you can then also easily set any notifications you want to appear. It does take a bit of fiddling with, but the result is worth it and the Mi Band 5 will always display what you want. You'll also be pleased to know that you can read the notifications including the accents. While the accented letter is smaller, no question mark or other character will appear in its place. Unfortunately, you don't have the option to reply to notifications or messages, so you'll have to reach for your phone if you need to. Although English is supported in the text, the bracelet's menu doesn't support English yet.
If we look at the phone options, they are quite limited with this bracelet. You can reject or postpone an incoming call, but receiving a call is not possible due to the lack of a microphone.
New features of the bracelet
The first new feature of the bracelet is the so-called PAI. This function should track your activity throughout the day and evaluate it. Whether it is steps lost, training activity and so on. The ideal PAI value should be 100 at the end of the day. Honestly how this feature works is a bit of a mystery for now.
The second new feature is a feature called breathing. This feature has become quite widespread in smartwatches and bracelets. With this feature you should learn to breathe properly, for example, if you are stressed and need to calm down.
The third feature that could be described as new is the stress level measurement. Based on your current heart rate, the watch shows you the level of stress you are currently under. If you are more stressed, you can immediately use the aforementioned breathing functionwhich should calm you down slightly, just by breathing more calmly.
Sleep tracking is also available within the Mi Band 5 . The band will measure how long you slept or how long each stage of your sleep lasted. It should be noted, however, that this is a very indicative measurement and cannot be taken completely seriously. However, this feature is fully sufficient to know roughly when you fell asleep and what time you got up. You can also choose the night mode function, which has already been described above.
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Bracelet durability
To find out the specific battery usage in different activities, I set up a few scenarios to test the endurance. The first scenario was set up so that the brightness was set to 100%, continuous heart rate monitoring was on, and sports activity was measured here and there with the bracelet. With such usage, the wristband's endurance is estimated to be about 7 days.
In the second scenario, the brightness was already reduced and the heart rate measurements were limited at longer intervals. In this case, the battery drained more slowly and it is possible to get to a battery life of somewhere around 12 to 13 days, which is definitely a pleasant endurance.
Price
Considering that it is a novelty, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 sells for around . If we compare the price evolution with the Mi Band 4, the price was similar at the beginning, but gradually decreased. Therefore, it can be assumed that the fifth generation of the bracelet will also be similar.
Upgrading from Mi Band 4 to Mi Band 5 is probably not entirely necessary. The only thing that might tempt you to do so is a larger display, which is a bit moreThe display has gotten a little bit bigger, making it much better to use the band and read notifications. But if you own one of the lower ranges, then the upgrade is definitely worth it.
Conclusion
The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is a great fitness bracelet that offers a plethora of features. I was pleased with the larger display and more practical charging cradle compared to the previous generation. However, it's a great pity that the bracelet still doesn't allow NFC payment, which we've been waiting for all year.
If you're looking for a useful gadget to track step counts and measure sports activities, the Mi Band 5 is a good choice and we'd be happy to recommend it.
