Xiaomi Mi Band 5 review: Fitness was an integral part of our lives. Was, is the keyword here. It already seems ages when going to gym was a normal. Few months back treadmills were replaced by cycles and dumbbells started going out of stock from most e-commerce websites. And, like all other trends, these lasted less than Glen Maxwell does on the crease, especially in the IPL. If you are late to the party, then a fitness tracker is a must in the beginner’s kit. Xiaomi has launched one just in time – the Mi Band 5. Priced at Rs 2,499, the band costs marginally (Rs 200) more than the Mi Band 4. So, what do you get for 200 extra bucks and is the Mi Band 5 the budget fitness tracker to buy this festive season? Let’s find out in our review.  

Xiaomi Mi Band 5: Design 

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The Mi Band 5 looks very similar to any other fitness band available in the market, both by Xiaomi or others. But who is to blame! What can you possibly do with the design of a fitness band! There is little scope to play around and Xiaomi has tried that by using a bigger and capsule-shaped display.  

The new fitness band features a 1.1-inch AMOLED full touch display which might be a minute upgrade but makes a major difference in user experience. I have seen my mom and others struggle with the smaller displays on fitness bands. On Mi Band 5, the text and numbers are clearly readable. The brightness is good as well both for indoor and outdoor conditions. The touch control is responsive and makes the band easy to use.  

Xiaomi has used the basic silicone straps on the Mi Band 5 which seem comfortable even during long usage. At the back, you get the heart rate sensor and charging pins. Now, this feature can leave the room divided. I personally prefer USB charging on fitness bands that don’t require you to carry an additional cable. But, Xiaomi has gone with a magnetic charger. The problem is if you lose it, there is no way of charging the tracker unless you buy a new one. 

There are unlimited watch faces which you can change using the Mi Fit app. It helps you customize the band experience.  

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 review: Performance  

Xiaomi is offering a number of features on the Mi Band 5. It comes with 11 professional sports modes that track all indoor and outdoor activities like walking, running, Yoga, rowing machine, jump rope and more. All this data is stored in the band as well as on the app. Along with this, the Mi Band 5 also features an improved 24-hour continuous heart rate and sleep monitoring due to the improved PPG biosensors. 

It now also keeps a check on your stress levels by giving alerts and suggestions for relaxation. Yepp, that was a much-needed feature, Xiaomi! You can also grant access to calls and messages to receive notifications on the fitness band. However, to answer the calls or reply messages, you will need your smartphone. 

The Mi Smart Band 5 features an all new women's health tracking that helps record the menstrual cycle/ovulation phases and provides useful reminders. This is a welcome feature and needs to be adopted more.  

Another very useful featured added by Xiaomi is the Personal Activity Intelligence or PAI. This gives ratings or scores to the user between 1 to 100 based in heart rate. The idea is if you work out more, the PAI would be more. But, it is difficult to find the accuracy of this feature.  

The step counter on the Mi Band 5 also seemed very accurate. It nearly matched the readings shown on Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. The other important features include a 50-meter water resistance. This allows you to wear the band while taking a shower or during intense work out sessions.  

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 review: Battery  

Battery is a very important feature of any fitness band. Given that you would want to wear it around the clock, you expect the battery to last for as long as it can. Mi Band 5 delivers on that front. Xiaomi claimed that the band features a long-lasting 2 weeks battery which can even last till 3 weeks with power saving mode enabled. 

I have been using the band for almost 11 days by now (at the time of writing) and the battery per centage still stands at 11%. This means it can easily go on for another three days at least. 

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 review: Should you buy it? 

Whether Maxwell scores or not, he always carries a bat. So even if you don’t work out, you should always have a fitness band on your wrist, it does make a lot of difference. Even for a normal person it is important to track their daily activities to keep update about their health and motivate themselves. It becomes even more important in the post COVID-19 world where physical activities have been restricted.

Priced at Rs 2499, the Mi Band 5 emerges as a value for money option against more expensive competitors like Fitbit and Samsung. It covers all bases in this segment and delivers accurate readings. The new features and bigger screen add to ease of use. However, if you want more advanced features, then you would have to look at more expensive options.