In a nutshell: what has changed?
The appearance of Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is practically not affected by the change of generations - lovers of narrow elongated capsules can sleep peacefully. But the mechanism for fastening the straps has changed completely. The bracelet is no longer inserted into the strap, because special latches appeared on the Smart Band 8 case.
The display is also different. Its size remains the same, but the refresh rate has doubled - 60 Hz instead of 30, and the maximum brightness has also slightly increased. The list of dials has also been updated. Among them are now even gaming ones - you can control a little man, solve a puzzle or roll a ball around the screen.
Finally, Xiaomi Smart Band 8 has received an updated list of workouts. The charging power has increased (its shape has also changed slightly, so the accessories are not interchangeable). The battery capacity has increased from 180 to 190 mAh - although the increase seems small, it matters for a tiny fitness tracker.
Ergonomic impressions
Dreams come true - you can forget about the capsules falling out of the strap, like a bad dream. The fastening mechanism is now like a traditional smart watch, and the creators of Xiaomi Smart Band 8 seemed to be specifically focused on Apple. It is enough to pull the latch on the case - and the strap is removed. It also snaps into place in less than a second. No need to cling to anything with a fingernail, pull and adjust. Five points, Xiaomi.
And then we remove one point for the glossy capsule. We left a couple of micro-scratches on it in the first days of testing, without putting any effort. Two or three months, five at most, and the bracelet will look like it was chewed by wolves. In addition, the side faces of the novelty are plastic, aluminum was not brought here.
The model received a set of branded accessories. There are already spectacular metal straps on sale. You can hang Smart Band 8 around your neck like a pendant - girls will surely like it. The accessory is attached even to sneakers.
On the one hand, this is great, because the new bracelet has special features for runners that allow you to better analyze sports performance. On the other hand, we all want to see how users will interact with the screen, notifications, and the settings menu when the bracelet is on their leg. Perhaps there will be more videos in the spirit of Fail Army on YouTube soon.
The overall impression of the ergonomics of Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is positive due to the good quality of the strap (it is more pleasant than on many more expensive watches), a screen with a good oleophobic coating, a narrow body and a lower height compared to the previous generation.
Gorgeous screen
The previous generation devices had a good display, but due to the low refresh rate, it seemed that the gadget was slowing down. This did not particularly bother anyone: the bracelets of the series were always cheap - smoothness “at the fingertips” is not expected from them. It is all the more surprising to interact with the screen of Xiaomi Smart Band 8.
Feelings after the old Band 7 - as if he had moved from an old Lada to the car of his mother's friend's son. Responsiveness and rendering of animations are on a completely different level. However, this only works in the menu, and some built-in apps seem to still output 30Hz. It doesn't matter - it will probably be fixed in a couple of firmware updates.
The maximum brightness has also increased. Yes, the difference is only 100 nits, but now it's a full 600 nits, like in some mid-range smartphone. You can see everything on the street: who wrote it, how many steps you walked, what song is playing in the built-in player. If Band 7 lacked brightness on a sunny day, then Band 8 does not have this problem. Auto-brightness is present, it does not work instantly, but correctly.
But the manufacturer failed to cope with Always On Display. The idea is good: even without raising your hand, you can see what time it is. But the implementation let us down. Each watch face has its own Always On pattern, which is great, but why couldn't it have been made less dim? You have to peer into tiny numbers or arrows - it's easier to unlock the device. Yes, and this option affects battery consumption, and noticeably.
Baby, suffer, this is China
We reviewed the Chinese version of the bracelet. We were mentally prepared for the fact that there were only three languages in the system - Chinese traditional, simplified and English. You can’t write it down as a minus, it has always been like this, but we are waiting for the global version. Most likely, Chinese gadgets will receive Russian support with the update, although we will not vouch for one hundred percent.
However, it is still worth warning those who are already ordering a brand new Smart Band 8. Even if you are confident in your knowledge of English, get ready for obstacles. The problem is in the proprietary Mi Fitness application.
The first difficulty is language, because the program does not offer to change the language in the settings (at least on Android smartphones). Is your phone in Russian? Welcome to the world of hieroglyphs every time you open Mi Fitness. It is worth translating the smartphone into English - and Mi Fitness will also switch to it. The facilities are about nil.
The second difficulty is related to the statistics in the application. The review author's account did not pull up any data in Mi Fitness for past years of wearing bracelets. We remind you that the seventh model worked on Zepp OS and connected to the Zepp application, while Smart Band 8 uses a completely different software. Alas, full-fledged synchronization of sleep statistics, heart rate and the distance traveled between them has not yet been implemented - or implemented, but somehow. Perhaps this will be corrected with the announcement of the international version of the bracelet or with the next update. Already bought something new? Get ready to start your sports life anew or study the instructions on the forum.
Useful features for sports and more
But with the monitoring of various health indicators, Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is in full order. We specifically compared the performance of the gadget with the previous generation, as well as a couple of smartwatches from other brands. The new bracelet surprisingly accurately counted steps and heart rate, discrepancies with more expensive models were minimal, while the previous generation was mistaken more often.
There is no GPS here, but for an inexpensive bracelet this is a given, not a flaw. To track the route of training, you can take a smartphone with you. But there is a function of automatic recognition of training, as on a full-fledged smart watch. In addition, Xiaomi Smart Band 8 measures blood oxygen, assesses stress levels, monitors heart rate, sleep phases, and so on - nothing unique. But the bracelet costs ten times less than Apple wearables and, more importantly, does a good job of monitoring.
Many things can be configured right on the device without using the phone. For example, control music directly from your wrist, turn on the flashlight (the screen is illuminated with bright white light), view sleep statistics for the night, activate an alarm clock or a timer. We have no questions about the functionality of Smart Band 8. It is worth noting that the model exists both in a version with NFC and a voice assistant, and without these options - but for Russia they are not yet particularly relevant.
What about autonomy?
Compared to the previous generation, almost nothing has changed. It feels like Xiaomi Smart Band 8 works a little longer in mixed mode - with auto-brightness and using the bracelet as a pedometer, alarm clock and notification receiver. But under maximum load, and even with peak brightness, the operating time is practically the same as the previous generation - so it seemed to us. On average, the bracelet lasts 5-6 days if you use it very actively. And up to two weeks, if almost nothing to load. For fitness bracelets of the latest generations, this is the norm. But do you remember how the mibands started? That's what we remember. The author of the review has repeatedly lost charging from the second generation - he forgot where it is at all and why it is needed.
Another unpleasant moment is that if you have a Band 7 charger at home, then technically you can recharge the new product from it, but only by holding it with your hand and suffering. They did not make full compatibility of accessories - and this is a shame.
Specifications
DISPLAY
1.62", AMOLED, 490x192, 60 Hz
BATTERY
190 mAh
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
48 x 22.5 x 10.99mm
27 grams
PECULIARITIES
IP68 protection, stress and SpO2 rating, new strap attachments and leg wear, no GPS, animated watch faces, Always On Display, Mi Fitness app
Results
The new Xiaomi Smart Band 8 turned out to be controversial. And it's not just about localization - with the release of the global version, most of the difficulties will surely sink into oblivion. But you will also have to face the problem of transferring many years of statistics to Mi Fitness, incompatibility of charging with the previous generation, an instantly scratched glossy capsule and autonomy that has long been non-championship.
If these disadvantages are not critical for you, you should take a closer look at the Smart Band 8 for the sake of a great screen - smooth, bright and responsive. There were no comments on the accuracy of the sensors during testing. Yes, and the strap fastening mechanism deserves praise - now it has become really convenient.
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