The Xiaomi Sensible Band 9 in a nutshell

Sadly, the Xiaomi Sensible Band 9 is a minor product replace with only a few modifications. It is nonetheless the most effective reasonably priced health trackers on the market however I am more and more asking myself why Xiaomi doesn’t embrace NFC connectivity on the very least. GPS is completely reserved for its Professional fashions such because the Xiaomi Sensible Band 8 Professional (evaluate). Nonetheless, the show is considerably brighter and the battery has grown with out the gadget getting any bigger. As well as, sleep detection appears to be considerably improved and Xiaomi now gives its health tracker in an aluminum body.

This implies 2024 can be a yr wherein you should buy the $60 Sensible Band from Xiaomi with out hesitation. You will not expertise an evolution for the cash, however you do get a health tracker that’s price each penny, higher than its predecessor in each facet.

Design, {hardware} and show

Visually, the Sensible Band 9 is sort of indistinguishable from its predecessor, though Xiaomi happily opted for an aluminum body as a substitute of plastic. The show can be the identical measurement, however is now a lot brighter.

Execs:

• Brighter show.
• Barely extra compact housing.
• Aluminum body as a substitute of plastic.
• Waterproof as much as 5 ATM.
• Improved vibration motor.

Cons:

One factor that’s instantly apparent: the brand new Sensible Band is roughly 1.5 mm shorter than its predecessor! Haha, simply kidding! Nobody would discover this until you had been holding the Sensible Band 9 and eight proper subsequent to one another, and even then, it is barely noticeable. Nonetheless, Xiaomi put in a bigger battery and managed to shrink the gadget concurrently, hats off to them for the trouble.

On the identical time, Xiaomi additionally retired the shiny plastic body and now gives us a matte aluminum chassis. Good transfer, Xiaomi! This chassis and the Sensible Band 9 can be found in 5 colours, particularly Midnight Black, Glacier Silver, Mystic Rose, Arctic Blue, and Titanium Grey. Our evaluate unit got here in Titanium Grey. The chassis seems actually cool, however the silicone strap stays a bit pale in its mild grey shade.

Other than that, every thing remained the identical by way of design. That is not unhealthy information, as a result of final yr, every thing was roughly excellent. That is why the case remains to be water resistant as much as 5 ATM. You should not soar into the ocean with it or get shot at by water cannons. Nonetheless, showers or operating within the rain are positively nicely inside vary.

Xiaomi tinkered with the vibration motor, which I like significantly better now. Earlier than this, you felt such as you had been oscillating between “I do not discover something” and my arm being torn off.

Just like the chassis, the show additionally remained largely similar, with the specs listed additional down on this evaluate. What’s new, nonetheless, is how the 60 Hz AMOLED panel illuminates as much as 1,200 cd/m2 now, making it twice as vivid as final yr’s mannequin.

Software program and operation

The utilization of this health tracker has modified … not! That is okay, as a result of the software program ran easily, operation is intuitive even with out {hardware} buttons, and I do not actually miss something for an reasonably priced health tracker. In fact it isn’t notably thrilling.

Execs:

• Fortuitously,  there a no main modifications.

Cons:

• It is too unhealthy there are not any main modifications.

Sure, I really suppose that each viewpoints are legitimate: First, it is good that not a lot has modified. It’s because its operation remained intuitive and anybody can shortly discover their approach round no matter whether or not they already use a Sensible Band or are utterly new to it. Second, it’s a disgrace that so little has modified.

There are merely no main improvements by way of operation. You proceed to swipe by means of the varied screens and widgets. I notably favored how the widgets will be known as up by swiping sideways. You’ll be able to place steadily used widgets right here. This can be a good factor as a result of Xiaomi often hid features akin to a stopwatch or the smartphone’s digital camera management deep throughout the menu.

If you wish to use the gadget, you’re nonetheless tied to the Mi Health app so there may be nothing new to report right here, both. Organising the gadget itself was an easy and fast affair. The software program regarded largely unchanged in comparison with its predecessors. Solely when checking the model quantity did I discover how Xiaomi now refers back to the system as HyperOS.

Health, well being and different features

Xiaomi has probably not upgraded the features this time round. For those who personal the predecessor, you will see it simple to make use of, however can be left wanting with regards to new options. Nonetheless, some measurements have turn out to be extra exact.

Execs:

• Improved sleep monitoring.
• Many (over 150) sports activities modes.

Cons:

I will be the primary to confess that the temptation was there to take Matt’s evaluate of the Sensible Band 8 and shortly give a runaround of the health tracker’s features by means of ChatGPT to provide you with a rehash. It’s because little or no has modified from the earlier model. It is nearly logical when you think about that over 150 sports activities modes alone are provided. How will you increase this class with out having to resort to unique sports activities akin to sizzling canine consuming competitions or musical chairs?

You have guessed it: in that case little has modified, which means we’re nonetheless lacking GPS and NFC performance. Therefore, you may overlook about making cell funds or operating whereas leaving your smartphone at residence in 2024.

Whether or not it is coronary heart price monitoring or measuring your blood oxygen ranges, steps taken, energy burned, or your sleep: Xiaomi claims its new health wristband performs extra exact measurements. Sadly, as a result of an absence of comparability values, I can’t actually perceive how they arrived at this conclusion. I haven’t got any medical tools or a high-quality tracker together with a chest strap. Therefore, probably the most I did was going for a run and monitoring the gap, steps, and many others. with different apps from opponents.

I launched Adidas Operating (beforehand often known as Runtastic), Google Match, and Samsung Well being and in contrast them with the Sensible Band 9. Check out the leads to the gallery, however you will have been forewarned: It is no coincidence once we inform you in these benchmarks the values obtained are solely meant to be an estimate and don’t present a medically correct measurement.

Measurements may very well be a bit bit extra constant now, however there’s one factor I really observed that labored higher now: sleep monitoring! I had the sensation the Sensible Band 8 Professional (evaluate) that one thing was transferring in the fitting route, and this development is confirmed. Deep sleep phases and night-time waking phases had been exactly recorded.

The one drawback for me? After seven days of sleep monitoring, the app needs to let you understand about your “sleep animal” and offer you additional evaluation choices to your sleep conduct. I did this for seven nights in a row. Nonetheless, Xiaomi nonetheless will not inform me my rattling sleep animal and says I’ve to measure my sleep for 2 extra nights. If one thing earth-shattering occurs then, I will replace the evaluate right here accordingly.

Can I inform you extra about its options? Sure, I might, however I truthfully do not wish to. Little or no has modified and now I can give it some thought extra: Am I now praying for the umpteenth time that the Mi Health app breaks down all of the measured knowledge very properly, with statistics and all that jazz? How concerning the capacity to measure and monitor your menstrual cycle, stress, or blood sugar ranges once more? No, I will spare you and myself that. Simply learn our earlier evaluations, the place all of the enjoyable is mentioned in larger element.

Only one fast factor, even when it isn’t new: for some measurements, you first should activate everlasting monitoring within the settings and sure, such fixed measuring additionally drains the Sensible Band 9’s battery.

Battery and charging

Xiaomi elevated the battery measurement and extends the battery life this time spherical, which is nice! Nonetheless, wi-fi charging isn’t supported and the included charging cable remains to be far too quick for me.

Execs:

• Battery elevated to 233 mAh.
• Lengthy battery life.

Cons:

• No charger included.
• Quick cable.
• No wi-fi charging.

I opted for a distinct technique for the evaluate this yr and bitterly remorse it. I often flip every thing on with the Sensible Band: Show on at most brightness, All the time-On Show included. From there, I allow all of the notifications, i.e. mirroring every thing that additionally seems on the smartphone. The vibration motor? It’s also enabled, in fact. The end result? A minimal runtime of kinds.

In fact, this isn’t set in stone as a result of I do not become involved in as a lot bodily exercise as most individuals who purchase a health wristband particularly for sports activities and well being monitoring. That is why I gave it a extra lifelike run this time: I unnoticed the All the time-On Show as a result of the arm motion to activate the show was sufficient for me anyway, I disabled notifications through the weekend and likewise the vibration motor.

The story ends like this. I have been utilizing the rattling wristband for every week now and I am at 47 p.c battery life. Therefore, I am most likely round 14 days with my present use sample. It might be too lengthy to attend till it runs dry for this evaluate, as I would not have the luxurious of time to take action. Hopefully this data is sufficient for you.

As I discussed, all of us use these trackers in a different way. That is why we do not often obtain the “as much as 21 days” runtime that Xiaomi touts, however under that, we’re most likely all fairly far aside relying on our utilization sample.

Xiaomi knowledgeable us the battery life has considerably elevated from 16 days final yr to 21 days and with the All the time-On Show enabled, 9 days are attainable. That is additionally because of the elevated capability of the Sensible Band 9, as a result of it swapped out the 190 mAh battery for a 233 mAh battery.

Past that, every thing stays the identical: You’ll be able to totally cost the gadget in just below an hour. The cable with the magnetic charging contact is included and remains to be approach too quick. Neglect about discovering an influence adapter within the field in 2024, both.

Xiaomi Sensible Band 9 technical specs

	Technical specs
Gadget
Picture
Show	1.62 inch AMOLED 192 x 490 px (326 ppi) 60 Hz refresh price as much as 1,200 cd/m2 2.5D tempered glass
Dimensions	46.53 x 21.63 x 10.95 mm (H x W x D)
Weight	15.8 g (with out wristband)
Colours	Midnight Black, Glacier Silver, Mystic Rose, Arctic Blue, Titan Grey
Battery capability	233 mAh Quick charging assist Solely charging cable is included
Safety	5 ATM
Connectivity	Bluetooth LE
Sensors	Accelerometer / gyroscope sensor / optical coronary heart price sensor / ambient mild sensor
Different options	Suitable with Android 8.0 (or increased) iOS 12.0 (or increased) over 150 sports activities modes

Conclusion

For those who belong to the “by no means change a profitable method / if it ain’t broke, do not repair it” faction, this health tracker is for you! On this case, every thing is pleasantly similar to what you understand from its predecessors. There are important variations within the a lot brighter show and the bigger battery capability, however no person can actually have something towards that, can they?

Functionally, we’re treading water a bit, though “a bit” might be the understatement of the yr. Sleep monitoring has improved and I think about that knowledge assortment has typically turn out to be extra exact. Nonetheless, why is NFC, which is obtainable in China, not obtainable right here and why is there no GPS?

In actual fact, I imagine that the story of the Xiaomi Sensible Band is about to come back to an finish. In case you have the predecessor, the Xiaomi Sensible Band 8, in your possession, you may sit again and loosen up and maybe take one other take a look at Xiaomi’s reasonably priced health tracker in 2025. For those who do not personal a newer health wristband from Xiaomi and, like me, aren’t overly motivated with regards to bodily actions and health, you may go for it: $60 for this gadget is greater than truthful!

Nonetheless, in the event you’d quite store round first, check out our record of the very best health trackers of 2024. I am certain you’ll discover what you are on the lookout for there!

What do you suppose? Has Xiaomi made wise enhancements to its reasonably priced health companion? Or do you miss options or {hardware} components on the Xiaomi Sensible Band 9? Do tell us!