24.8.2020

This is my first fitness band and I wanted something that wasn't too expensive so I could assess if they work for me. The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is the latest generation of this band, it had good reviews (tech radar etc.) so I took the plunge and bought it.3 day review...Pros- small, light and comfortable so you can wear it 7x24 without really noticing its on. This is important particularly if you want to use the sleep tracking- has a minimal/ simple design and the silicone/rubber band has a matt appearance so it doesn't stand out too much- the screen (slightly bigger than the last generation) is just big enough to display key information and is highly customisable. You can download lots of other watch faces as well for free.I stuck with the standard home screen but customised what was displayed- steps and HR seem accurate (steps compared to other fitness apps on my phone) and the HR monitor is comparable with a high end Omron BP/HR monitor I have- the magnetic dual pin charger makes this really easy to charge (in the last gen one you had to remove the unit from the band to charge it). After 2 days it used about 20% of charge but that was with me messing about with it quite alot so usage numbers will likely come down...either way I should get a week out of a charge at least which seems reasonable. I also have full sleep tracking and activity detection switched on which will probably drain battery more and the app warns you this is the case- the sleep tracking seemed accurate but I would treat sleep analysis (REM vs deep sleep) with a pinch of salt- the colour display is bright and clear and you can view it even in bright sunlight (on max brightness)- setup was very easy and quick (tip - download the app first and initiate pairing with the band from the app, don't connect the band to your phone first without the app).Cons- the (free mi fit) app, while being very comprehensive is rather non-intuitive to navigate. Everything you need is there but it takes a bit of getting used of (took me a couple of days and a few hours of messing about with it)- The display doesn't change brightness levels depending on ambient light conditions but you can lower the brightness based on time parameters (day vs night). Not a big deal at this price point- the auto fitness activity detection was a bit hit and miss. I have reverted to manually telling the band when I start/ finish fitness activities (running) - not a big deal and perhaps it gets better over time as it works out what an activity looks like for a given user (i.e. a fast walker vs a slow jogger).SummaryFor my needs this band works really well. Its light, has a simple minimal design, good battery life and a clear and bright screen which is highly customisable via the mi fit app. The app is a bit of a mess but everything you might need is in there once you work out where it is in the app. I hope Xiaomi work on the app to make it more intuitive but frankly it's a small complaint at this price point. At £35 incl delivery seems like very good value to me and would recommend to others.

5.9.2020

I've used apple products my whole life, but I've recently started to break up a little and try out other items on the market.I like the apple watch but I wanted something cheap, yet something that delivers quality and style. I've had the Mi Band 4 which was amazing and I still think it's so cute given its size. The band 5 compared is also amazing. The display is again, very sharp, crisp colours, even brighter than the band 4 in my opinion. This tends to have a more bluish tint to the color scheme compared to the band 4 which has a warmer palette but they are both gorgeous and really this is hardly noticeable.Overall, the band 5 is much more accurate in its tracking features. The battery is amazing,I keep mine on max notifications on, max brightness, max screen timeout 10s etc and it lasts around a week on a full charge. If you don't max it out on all features it will proably last more.The apple watch is nice and stylish and has much more features but I always find myself worrying about the battery at the end of the day, or I wouldn't be as keen to shower with it, or I'd be scared to drop it etc.Comparing the apple watch to this little guy, I have no worries. Mi band 4 and now the mi band 5 have never been taken off my hand unless I need to charge it. I shower with it, do workouts, go to work, sleep with it, clean with it, it has been covered in mud, dirt, bleach, hand soap, shaving cream you name it, and it just works and I don't really worry about it breaking not so much because it can break but because it's so cheap and if it does actually break you can always buy another one for 30 quid. Nevertheless, the quality is superb and I've not had issues whatsoever.The app is good and it syncs with apple health. Also have you seen this without the strap and just on its own on your bedside table? It's just so bloody cute, it's a like a little egg lol. I've had the band 4 which i no longer wear but i keep it near my bed, it's been on for a month just so I can look at the time and the battery is still 35%.... Just wow.Compared to the honor bands and the samsung bands and all other similar bands, this one is actually stylish and looks premium and pretty. I don't like how the other bands of this kind have visible buttons or would be too flat or too bulky. This one is just perfect.Highly recommend if you want a cheap yet functional watch with smart features on your hand to wear 24/7 and not having to worry about water or anything else. It is SO SO durable.Only thing missing now is for it to have NFC feature so I can use contactless and imagine if it had an edge to edge display with sound O.O ... take my money already lol, like omg wowzas ahahahAnyways, thumbs up from me : ) Get one!!!Stay safe : )

9.4.2021

This is a very competent bit of kit.First impressions when opening the box are very positive. Everything is neatly and efficiently packaged, and the entire initial experience makes it feel like a premium brand. A small but informative instruction booklet is provided (rare these days) and the unit came partly charged. All it needed was a quick top-up charge and it was ready to go.In use, the display is the first thing to take note of. None of the promotional pictures or advertising blurb really do it justice - it's a beautifully clear, crisp and precise display that is absolutely excellent. There is a small touchscreen area at the bottom of the watch-face that allows you to move between menus by simply tapping this area.

20.5.2021

My first tracker was a Misfit Ray, which I bought because I really don't like the look of trackers with displays and I only wanted something to track steps that I could sync with the Health app on my phone. Sadly the Ray has bit the dust, so I was looking for something simple to replace it.Unfortunately no one seems to make any discreet trackers these days - they've all got big gaudy displays. So I resigned myself to having to get one with a display, but wanted one as unobtrusive as possible. This Mi Band 5 is about as slimline as they come these days, and over the 3 weeks I've been using it I've quickly got used to how it looks.My old Ray didn't have a heart monitor, and only really tracked steps and sleep.

12.10.2020

I wanted to get a fitbit inspire but thought i should give this a go first because I wasn't sure if I want a fitness tracker. I tried the whole of yesterday with steps and a 5km walk. I was comparing it with a pedometer I have, my partner's Samsung Watch and my Endomondo app. In terms of km accuracy, the mi band is the closest to my Endomondo app, compared to the Samsung Watch. Steps wise, it's quite good as well - more accurate than the pedometer I have. One feature I would like to call out is when I stop during the walk, the band buzzed to indicate that it has pause the tracking. When I started walking again, then it buzzed twice to indicate that tracking continues. It would be great if you're running,

15.2.2021

I bought this for around £26 and got it the same day with prime. It was quick to set up and took about an hour to charge from my USB on my laptop.The app works well and I have got everything working nicely without ever reading the instructions which usually means it's well designed.I found the step counter to be terrible at first but it seemed to learn and after a day was much improved and without proper measurement or testing of its accuracy I think its plenty good enough for me at least.The sleep monitor isn't the best really, but having not slept at normal times I'm not sure if the software is looking for a dip in heart rate during the night and is confused if sleep doesn't happen during this time.

11.4.2021

Having had 2 Fitbits, but finding them difficult to read in bright daylight, when my charge 3 screen started to fade and eventually went off completely I decided to look at another brand.Researched on line and this got good reviews.Good screen, no problems in daylight and I like the choice of watch faces.Not sure it is as accurate as the Fitbit, sometimes I can walk round the house for 20/30 steps and step count doesn't change.It has an idle alert telling me if I have been inactive for an hour but I can set the time period for that, or turn it off altogether.Wanted one that had elliptical on and thought it would auto-detect but apparently only for running, walking and cycling but no hassle to start & stop myself.

23.1.2021

I am a newbie to the world of fitness trackers and wanted something that could, basically track my weight workouts. I looked around and after reading so many bad reviews of the fitbit and so many good reviews of the Xiaomi, decided to jump in and purchase it at a fraction of the price. I have not been disappointed! This device came earlier than expected (2 days earlier!) and was in original box and came with a charger and a lovely booklet in many different languages, inc english. Once you download the app and sync, which was sooo easy, you're off! The app is so well thought out and designed. It's so easy to navigate and understand. As well as the mifit app it also syncs with google fit,

10.1.2021

As the owner of a truly great Xiaomi Mi Mini bluetooth Speaker that's performed faultlessly for the past three years, I thought I'd give this a try. As a 58yo, keen but nowhere near pro road bike cyclist, my need for the most accurate recording of heart rate is minimal, but feeling it wise to wear something that would help keep my enthusiasm in check at times I did my research on here (and elsewhere) and found this band appearing in recommendations for accuracy and ease of use far too often to ignore. Somewhat swayed by the much higher priced brands that could do more, I looked further into what that "more" included, finally concluding that it mostly meant recording things I either a)

3.4.2021

This was initially bought to replace my wife's FitBit Inspire after finally giving up following it's endless bluetooth troubles and tracking accuracy. She almost didn't want to try getting another fitness tracker, not wanting to spend another £80 on something that wasn't going to work correctly.I was familiar with Xiaomi and decided to buy the Mi Band 5 as a surprise and it was well worth the punt. The screen is vibrant and easy to read, the longer face isn't cumbersome in the slightest. The screen is responsive, easy to navigate and display is easily customisable. There are 3-4 faces included on the band itself but plenty more can be added through the Mi Fit app.The app itself is simple enough and should be usable by all,

4.4.2021

I had been wanting a smart watch for a while. I initially discounted these cheap fitness band type watches because I don't really care about how many steps I have done or what my heart rate is or how well I slept last night. I saw that this watch was rated top of the budget fitness tracker apps by stuff magazine and thought I'd give it a try. It does all of the step counting and heart rate tracking stuff. I have no idea how accurate it is in these regards and I don't particularly care. What I do like is are the notifications. Once you install the app to your phone you can go into the settings, then view all of the apps on your phone that produce notifications.

7.3.2021

For less than £30 pounds I think this is one of the best smart watches you could buy.The watch is well designed and durable. Some reviewers I've seen have experienced screen cracks, but I've dropped the watch, smashed it into walls, dropped things on it and there's been no damage in my experience. They do sell screen protectors for it, but I don't have one and I doubt you'd need it.The watch will track your steps, calendar events, period cycle for women, can tell you your heart rate and stress rating, offers breathing exercises to calm down after a workout, and tells you the weather, along with message notification from your phone, and the ability to control music playing from your phone.

2.12.2020

This is a replacement for my MiBand 4 - which I considered I be getting questionable readings. Look, I'm not a sporty person, and I don't work out. But I do like to know that I'm not in danger of merging with the sofa or my desk chair, and I also appreciate being able to monitor my sleep patterns. For under £30, the MiBand lets me do exactly that. And it's a neat little gadget.The most obvious difference between the 4 and 5? A heart rate monitor, stress level monitor, the ability to register REM sleep, and a much nicer screen. Personally, while I understand that the app might be a little limited for those who want to understand their workout performance, etc, I find it perfectly adequate for my needs.I've had a Jawbone Up 3,

26.3.2021

It works. It's skinnable in the Mi Fit app, with enough options that it can look how you like it.When you first realise that the device itself is entirely separable from the strap, there's a moment of worry that it'll pop out during activity. But after you've wrestled it out once and put it back in, it seems clear to me that no amount of running or jumping will dislodge it. You probably have to bend the strap back to get it in and out. A spare strap or two might have been a nice inclusion given they're just realtively cheap - but perfectly functional - bits of rubbery plastic.I do have a problem syncing to Google Fit, however. It's easy enough to set up. And I can see that Google Fit gets the heart data,

19.12.2020

I can't stress enough how amazing this watch is for the money. The screen may be small but it's super clear and vibrant. Reading the time and notifications is very easy. The app works like a charm. Got the watch set up in only a few mins and all my notifications come through (my phone is an Huawei and they are know for being difficult to use with smart watches as the aggressive battery management software normally cripples the notifications. But the mi fit app detected the phone I had and told me how to prevent the battery management stuff affecting it) The best thing by far is the battery life. I used to get 1 day from my old and far more expensive smart watch, so far I have had this one 2 weeks.

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 - Reviews

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