Xiaomi Mi Band 2 Review: Detailed Review of Sports Band

Today’s fitness-related products market is full of fitness trackers, but Xiaomi Mi Band stands among the bests. Initially, the Xiaomi Mi Band at a price tag of ₹999 was spot on. Still, the lack of a good display compromised consumer satisfaction.

That was the scenario a year ago; now, the latest Mi Band comes with outstanding upgrades along with an affordable price tag. Xiaomi Mi Band 2 fixed the flaws of its predecessor by adding an Oled display and a heart rate sensor.

Many consumers are happy to hear about it, but has gone everything all right this time? Read on to come to know about it.

Pros & Cons: Xiaomi Mi Band 2

Pros

20 days battery life.

Very affordable.

Helpful idle alerts.

Accurate sleep and step tracking.

Cons

When outside, the display could be hard to read.

Mi Fit App requires some rework.

Inconsistent heart rate monitor.

Design: Xiaomi Mi Band 2

Except for the strap of Mi Band 2, it’s completely different when it comes to design; it’s nothing like the Mi Band. The dongle from it comes is still the same, but it fits seamlessly into the silicone strap.

The band is slim, so light, that you’ll forget that you’re wearing a fitness band. The major issue with the first Mi Band, though it comes at less price, it feels cheap due to the plasticky silicone band.

The current Mi Band (2) strap is software and rubberier, something which all the consumers would like. Mi Band 2’s capsule fits correctly into the band, and you don’t have to worry about it falling out.

If we talk about the Mi Band 2’s capsule, it has a display on the top, with a circular button at the bottom. Clicking on the circular button allows you to check stats such as number steps, distance covered, etc.

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Features & Performance: Xiaomi Mi Band 2

Just like an entry-level fitness tracker, you could expect the same features and performance, even in Xiaomi Mi Band 2. This fitness tracker can track the distance traveled, steps taken, sleep, and burned calories; it’s good at tracking these metrics.

Mi Band 2 automatically records your workouts; you can check the Mi Fit mobile application stats. Though it can take a minute or a couple to know that you’ve started exercising, it still can provide accurate information.

The band comes with features like automatic sleep tracking and a heart rate monitor. The sleep tracking is fairly accurate, but the problematic feature is the inconsistent heart rate monitor.

The problem is, the heart rate monitor often fails to record the accurate heart rate; readings can off at times. In case you’re working, you can’t rely on the device, as the monitoring isn’t continuous, and for readings, you need to stay still.

For athletes stopping and checking heart rates aren’t convenient. Other features offered by the fitness tracker are vibration during incoming calls, texts, and notifications of apps; these features work very well.

According to Xiaomi, Mi Band 2, on a single charge, can last up to 20 days. And yes, the predictions are very accurate. Whether you go out for walks, run four times a week, check heart rates and scroll multiple times through daily stats, the battery won’t give up until the 20th day.

Also, it’s very easy to charge the Xiaomi Mi Band 2. All you need to do is remove the band capsule from the band, plug it into its charger cable and connect it to your computer. And that’s it, after its full charge, you can use the tracker for up to twenty days.

Specifications: Xiaomi Mi Band 2

Display: OLED display; 0.42-inch

Heart rate monitor: YES; optical heart rate sensor

Sleep tracking: YES

Water resistance: IP67

GPS: NO

Battery Life: Up to 20 days; 70mAh; lithium polymer

Compatibility: Android & iOS

Weight: 7g

Mi Fit App: Xiaomi Mi Band 2

The Mi Fit app is a very intuitive application that shows your daily reports on sleep, activity, heart rate, weight loss, and goals on its main screen. When you tap on the different metric sections, you will display more specific and detailed data.

The application connects with WeChat, Sina Weibo, Google Fit, which allows you to access the apps’ results if you want to. Overall the Mi Fit app is good, but it can still go through some improvements; other than that, it’s a thumbs up.

Conclusion

When it comes to reliable activity tracking along with a heart rate sensor, Xiaomi Mi Band 2 is a very good product. In India, Mi Band 2 is available for ₹1,999, and to be honest, it worth the price.

The only problem you need to look out for is the edges of the heart rate sensor. It would force you to wear a little loose than your comfortable wear. So, make sure you’re aware of this potential problem if you need to wear the fitness tracker throughout the day.