The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is the latest device in the company’s long but reliable line of affordable fitness trackers. Like the devices before it, the latest Mi Band builds on the improvements of its predecessor without asking consumers to break the bank. While other products now challenge the budget fitness tracker segment, the Mi Band 7 is in a great position to retain the best affordable tracker crown for another year. Here’s everything you need to know about the Xiaomi Mi Band 7.
See also: Everything you need to know about Xiaomi’s Mi Band series
Xiaomi Mi Band 7: At a glance
The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is the seventh major revision of the company’s affordable fitness tracker series. It first launched in China and was officially made available on May 31. Xiaomi announced its global rollout plans a month later. Xiaomi’s also referring to the Mi Band 7 as the Mi Smart Band 7 in international markets.
Xiaomi Mi Band 7
Xiaomi’s latest budget tracker
Xiaomi’s seventh-generation tracker ups the screen dimensions and battery capacity. It also brings new training metrics for athletes, continuous blood oxygen monitoring, and 120 sport tracking modes to your wrist.
As usual, Xiaomi doesn’t just sell one Mi Band model in all countries but has different options for its home market and the rest of the world. Kicking off the offering is the standard version, priced at 249 Chinese yuan (~$37). The NFC version follows at 299 yuan (~$44). However, Xiaomi offers early bird pricing of 239 yuan (~$36) and 279 yuan (~$42), respectively.
In Europe, the Mi Band 7 starts at €49.99 ($52) for early birds. The actual retail price is €59.99 ($63). It’s unclear if an NFC version will debut in global markets.
Although the global version isn’t yet available to purchase, you can already snap a Mi Band 7 model from Amazon in the US, but you’ll need $69 in your back pocket.
Compared to the Xiaomi Mi Band 6, the Mi Band 7 upsizes several features. It packs a larger battery, a bigger screen, and more sport tracking modes. There are also new features for serious physical trainers, continuous SpO2 monitoring with alerts, and several new colors. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is available in Ivory, Orange, Green, Blue, Black, Pink, Fluorescence Green, Fluorescence Orange, Camouflage Green, and Camouflage Blue.
Xiaomi also announced the Mi Band 7 Pro in early July, deviating from the usual Mi Band design and aesthetics.
Is the Xiaomi Mi Band 7 worth buying?
Mi Band 7
The Xiaomi Mi Band series has long set the pace for other budget wearables to follow. In that sense, it’s a no-brainer to purchase the Mi Band 7 if you are shopping for an affordable fitness companion for your wrist. However, you should think twice if you already own a Xiaomi Mi Band 6.
On paper, the Mi Band 7 excels in several areas, but the Mi Band 6 will likely still serve its users well for months if not years to come. So, should you upgrade if you already own a Mi Band 6? Not immediately, anyway.
We’ve yet to fully review the Mi Band 7, so we can’t quite comment on its real-world pros and cons, however, it’ll likely suffer from inherent Xiaomi problems, like the confusing multiple app situation.
That said, you’ll need to remember that the Mi Band 7 is an entry-level fitness tracker, so expect it to lack several higher-end features you’ll find on premium devices. This includes sensors like an ECG, smarts like onboard music storage or music streaming, and message replies. If you don’t need these features and are simply seeking a basic fitness tracker, the Mi Band 7 is a solid bet.
See also: The best smartwatches | The best fitness trackers
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 specs
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 | |
---|---|
Display |
1.62-inch AMOLED |
Sensors |
PPG heart rate sensor |
Battery |
180mAh |
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.2 |
Tracking and other features |
120 fitness modes |
Water resistance |
5ATM |
App compatibility |
Mi Fitness app |
Charging method |
Magnetic charging |
Supported devices |
Android 6.0 and above |
Dimensions |
46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25mm |
Colors |
Black, Blue, Orange, Pink, White, Dark Green, Fluorescent Orange, Fluorescent Green, Camouflage Blue, Camouflage Green. |
Design, hardware, and smart features
Xiaomi’s resisted the urge to make major aesthetic tweaks to its Mi Band formula over the years. Looking at the Mi Band 7, you won’t notice too many overt differences compared to the Mi Band 6. However, there are some stark hardware changes.
The most obvious is the screen. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 uses a 1.62-inch AMOLED with a 490 x 192 resolution. Compared to the Mi Band 6’s 1.56-inch AMOLED with 486 x 152 resolution panel, that’s a noticeable size up. With this larger display, Xiaomi’s also improved the UI, bringing in new icons, animations, and a revised visual aesthetic that should make peeking at data easier.
With the larger screen comes a greater demand for power. To compensate, Xiaomi’s upped the battery capacity in the Mi Band 7 to 180mAh. That’s a 44% increase over the Mi Band 6. Of course, the larger capacity doesn’t immediately guarantee the Mi Band 7 will last longer between charges. As we experienced with its predecessor, smart features do a good job draining the battery. We expect continuous SpO2 tracking to be one of the main power hogs.
The Chinese Mi Band 7 model features NFC with Xiaomi’s voice assistant. It also supports contactless payments. It’s unclear if global models will also receive NFC or the return of Amazon Alexa to the wrist. This would be a welcome addition, though.
Fitness and health tracking features
Despite the lack of visual tweaks, there is a definite focus on improving the Xiaomi Mi Band 7’s fitness and health tracking kit this time around. The new band includes 120 sports tracking modes. That’s likely more than any one user would employ, but it’s great for multisport enthusiasts on a budget.
Joining these new modes is a new focus on training metrics. The Mi Band 7 can monitor training load, recovery duration, and training effect. These three factors help contextualize the impact exercise is having on the body and makes for a more complete picture than simple metrics like calories burned. VO2 max monitoring is another new feature to monitor maximum oxygen intake, as well as continuous SpO2 monitoring to keep tabs on blood oxygen saturation levels. The Mi Band 7 will also alert users if this figure falls below 90%.
Beyond these new features, all the basic fitness tracking smarts make a return. Heart rate monitoring, daily steps, distance, caloric burn, and sleep tracking are all included. Stress tracking and women’s health monitoring round out the offering.
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 vs Mi Band 6: What’s new?
Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is still a solid fitness tracker in its own right, but the Mi Band 7 brings several new features to the table. As we’ve already mentioned, this includes a larger screen, bigger battery, more sport tracking modes, training metrics for athletes, continuous SpO2 monitoring with alerts, and a redesigned UI.
Beyond these advancements, the two products are functionally the same as far as basic fitness tracking and smart features go. Both have their problems though. For one, built-in GPS’s absence is still one particular sore point for Mi Band fans.
Deeper comparison: Xiaomi Mi Band 7 vs Mi Band 6
Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro: What is it?
Xiaomi announced the Mi Band 7 Pro in early July. Unlike the standard Mi Band 7, the Pro resembles a smartwatch rather than a fitness band. But, for all intents and purposes, this is an upgraded Mi Band 7.
It features a smartwatch-like rectangular 1.64-inch AMOLED screen, in the same vein as the Huawei Band 6 or Redmi Smart Band Pro. The screen also gets always-on support and automatic brightness settings thanks to an ambient light sensor.
Internally, we see some big changes. The Mi Band 7 Pro adds built-in GPS functionality over connected GPS, making it a more independent training partner for runners and trekkers. NFC also features as standard, unlike previous Mi Band models. The Mi Band 7 Pro and Mi Band 7 share several fitness tracking features, including heart rate tracking, all-day SpO2 monitoring, 117 sports modes, and sleep monitoring.
Xiaomi has yet to announce the Mi Band 7 Pro’s global availability plans, but it does cost a bit more in China than the original Mi Band 7, at 379 yuan (~$56).
Xiaomi Mi Band 7: The competition
Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
A few years ago few products could hold a candle to the Mi Band line in terms of price and features. However, that’s changed in recent years. Now the likes of Huawei and Fitbit have viable and affordable alternatives. Find the Xiaomi Mi Band 7’s biggest rivals below.
- Huawei Band 6: Although the Huawei Band 7 is now official, the Band 6 is still a viable option. It packs spades of battery life, a smartwatch-sized screen, and native SpO2 tracking. It’s only let down by the Huawei Health app and its fixed band which cannot be replaced.
- Fitbit Inspire 2: Fitbit’s gateway fitness tracker includes a year-long trial to Fitbit Premium as its headline feature and the company’s stellar sleep tracking kit and lengthy battery life.
- Fitbit Charge 4: One of the oldest products on this list, the Charge 4 is still worth it if you can find it at the right price. Unlike the Mi Band 7, it includes a built-in GPS. Spend a little more, and you can get the Charge 5 with an AMOLED screen and ECG as well.
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: This is Garmin’s cheapest fitness tracker but still comes in way pricier than the Mi Band 7. However, it is loaded with Garmin’s excellent health tracking kit, including the scarily accurate Body Battery. That said, it lacks plenty of other creature comforts found in this price range, from built-in GPS to a readable color display.
- Xiaomi Mi Band 6: Finally, the Mi Band 6 is still a viable device in its own right and a worthy alternative to the Mi Band 7 if basic fitness tracking without fuss is what you’re looking for.
More reading: The best Xiaomi Mi Band 7 alternatives
Where to buy the Mi Band 7
Xiaomi Mi Band 7
Xiaomi’s latest budget tracker
Xiaomi’s seventh-generation tracker ups the screen dimensions and battery capacity. It also brings new training metrics for athletes, continuous blood oxygen monitoring, and 120 sport tracking modes to your wrist.
- Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (China, NFC): 249 yuan (~$37)
- Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (China, no NFC): 299 yuan (~$44)
- Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (global): €59.99 ($63)
- Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro (China): 379 yuan (~$56)
Finding a Xiaomi Mi Band 7 to buy at present is a tough task. The device has been available in China for nearly a month, so importing a device from there is one option. While Xiaomi has announced plans to make the Mi Band 7 available globally, it has yet to announce an actual date.
For now, you can find the Mi Band 7 on Amazon for $69, but it’s unclear whether it’s the Chinese or global model. Our guess is the former.
The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro is limited to China for now. It’s unclear if or when it’ll arrive in global markets.
FAQs
The Mi Band 7 Pro includes built-in GPS, NFC as standard, a larger display, and a smartwatch-like UI and aesthetic. It’s also pricier than the Mi Band 7.
No, the Mi Band 7 does not have built-in GPS. However, you can use connected GPS through your phone. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro does have built-in GPS.
The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is water resistant to depths of 50 meters, so you shouldn’t have a problem showering or swimming with the band.
Chinese models of the Mi Band 7 feature NFC. However, it’s unclear if global models will feature NFC too. All Mi Band 7 Pro models feature NFC as standard.
Help other readers out
Are you buying the Xiaomi Mi Band 7?
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