Introduction
The new Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is replacing the Smart Band 7 Pro. In this review, we delve into the new changes and improvements that make this smart band special. We review screen quality, battery life, and activity tracking for you to be aware of and know whether this device is a good fit for you.
New and Improved Features and Functions
The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro has several enhancements compared to the Smart Band 7 Pro.
Improved features include:
Upgraded screen refresh rate to 60Hz for a seamless end-user experience.
Display Quality:
The display is rather sharp, quite clear, and colorful; suitable for most indoor use cases.
Battery Life:
The Smart Band 8 Pro offers better battery life performance. With some of the features off, it can last up to two weeks. With all the features on, including an always-on display, it is expected to run five to six days.
Activity tracking:
This feature has been enhanced by allowing the device to now track activity in roughly 150 more activities, spanning from running to playing tennis, tug of war, and much more.
GPS Enabled:
In-built GPS support enables Smart Band 8 Pro to provide you with exact tracking of outdoor activities like walking or running.
This makes Smart Band 8 Pro a very compelling choice for most people who need a feature-rich, reliable smart band for general use during their daily activities.
Smart Functionality Apps
The smartness of Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro lies in its functionality and app integrations that it embraces, leading to an escalated overall user experience. A smart band is helpful in music control, while it also announces app notifications and shows incoming calls. Users can cancel the calls directly from the smart band. Even though the smart functionalities are limited, important features are given for users interested in staying connected while on the go.
The smart band is complemented with the Mi Fitness app, which can be used on both iPhone and Android devices, to detail the physical activities and health metrics. One can even download different watch faces and swap them on the smart band to get that personalized experience. The app's user interface is easy and navigating between the fitness data and other information points is pretty easy.
In a way, this does not serve a few users well, as the app may lack granular information on some workouts. This will come in handy for casual exercises, as the information from the Mi Fitness app is just good enough to keep track of progress and setting up fitness goals.
Battery life and performance
The battery on the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is the kind that will assure you of being with you through all your days. Performance has been enhanced to last up to two weeks with a few features turned off. With that said, switching on all its other features, including an always-on display, users can expect somewhere around five to six days of battery life, ensuring the device remains on for quite a while before a recharge is needed.
Users may use the inbuilt GPS feature to help them keep proper tabs on their outdoor activities like walking and running. In this manner, the feature would increase the performance of the overall Smart Band with accurate data about activities. The device can also track around 150 active activities that cover a wide range of fitness routines and sports.
Despite the remarkable battery life and performance of the Smart Band 8 Pro, a number of cons include backward attachment of the TPU bracelet, which will evidently pose a challenge during first-time use. However, Xiaomi also offers a wide range of other watch bands, which come at an extra price, to allow their customers to customize their smart band.
CRITIQUE: BRACELET AND USER EXPERIENCE
The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is a staggering device with some notches-topped features and functionalities, although there are some aspects that pull it down in giving an outstanding user experience overall. A good example is the bracelet, which attaches backward into the watch; that has no functional disadvantage but might snap on difficultly the first time for a user. With time, the user might get used to it, but it is still a usability flaw that might put a potential buyer off.
The second concern is the absence of physical buttons on the smart band. This actually turns out to be quite annoying since the user may be required to struggle with many clicks, especially in an attempt to navigate all the way back to the watch face from deep within the menus, thus degrading its user-friendliness. It is also the lack of the physical buttons that cause some weird precondition in this band where it is powered up upon plugging in the charger and then connected to the power source.
In cases where one may forget to carry the charger, this may cause a really big inconvenience because the smart band becomes completely unusable unless powered on.
Points for Consideration: Smart Band 8 vs Smart Band 8 Pro
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro vs. non-Pro Comparisons on the other hand:
Show:
The Smart Band 8 Pro comes with a display refresh rate of 60Hz, which is double the smoothness and speed compared to the 30Hz of the Smart Band 8.
Battery:
Both are impressive on battery life, with the Smart Band 8 Pro running as long as two weeks with some features disabled, and about five to six days with all the functions on. It equally offers excellent service.
Activity tracking – Smart Band 8 Pro:
Up to 150 more activities can be tracked in active mode than with the Smart Band 8. This represents a whole lot more in the realm of tracking fitness routines and sports.
Price:
A tad lower compared to the earlier edition, Smart Band 8 Pro will surely come as an attractive offer to all those looking for affordability along with bettered functionality.
Design:
Users should also note design differences between the two, such as the TPU bracelet attachment and one of them being equipped with physical buttons.
At the end of the day, users will have to weigh their priorities and preferences before deciding whether the Smart Band 8 Pro justifies its higher price point with enhanced features and functionality in comparison to the Smart Band 8.
FAQs
1. What are the major improvements Xiaomi has made in the Smart Band 8 Pro from its predecessor?
The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is an improvement with an enhanced screen refresh rate at 60Hz, which is double that of the Smart Band 7 Pro at 30Hz, for smooth performance. This also brings out a display with crisp, clear, colorful visuals, making it good for most indoor uses.
2. Which of the tracking features are key in the Smart Band 8 Pro?
The Smart Band 8 Pro is able to measure your heart rate, blood oxygen level, sleep pattern, and level of stress. It supports GPS for highly accurate tracking of outdoor activities. It supports around 150 other more active activities that are done, thereby catering to all sorts of fitness routines and sports activity tracking.
3. What specifically are the limitations of the smart functions of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro?
The smart functionality is limited to simple music controls, notifications of apps, and showing or canceling calls. This information is not with detail, it could be a boon or bane for the customer.
4. What are the battery life and performance of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro?
Battery life and performance With better battery life, the Smart Band 8 Pro can last up to two weeks on standby if several features are turned off, and around five to six days with all features switched on, including the always-on display. The device records activity and GPS performance very accurately.
5. What are the limitations of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro?
Some of the drawbacks are: difficulty in back attaching the TPU bracelet, no physical buttons, the band has to be started by plugging the charger in and linking it to the power source.
6. What are the differences between the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro and the Smart Band 8?
A person would want to consider between the Smart Band 8 and Smart Band 8 Pro a better fit in terms of screen refresh rate, battery life, activity tracking, price, and design.
