Xiaomi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8: Specifications compared
| Xiaomi’s latest model | Huawei’s latest model | |
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| Display | 1.62 inch AMOLED, 192 x 490 pixels (326 ppi), 600 nits | 1.47 inch AMOLED, 194 x 368 pixels (283 ppi), 500 nits |
| Sizes | 48 x 22.5 x 10.99 mm | 43.45 x 24.54 x 8.99 mm |
| Weight | 27 grams with the wrist | 14 grams without wrist |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| relationship | Bluetooth 5.1, no GPS, no NFC. | Bluetooth 5.0, no GPS, no NFC. |
| Battery | 190 mAh, 16 days of battery life | 180 mAh, 14 days battery life |
| Main characteristics | 150 sports modes, measures SPO2 and heart rate, sleep monitoring etc | 100 sports modes, measures SPO2 and heart rate, sleep tracking and more. |
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| Cons |
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| Rating |
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Huawei Band 8 review |
| for discount* |
Both tools have already been featured in the NextPit editorial team. However, while I was able to review the global version of the Huawei Band 8, Matt got a sneak peek at the Chinese version of the Xiaomi Smart Band 8, which is why we haven’t decided on a final rating and score yet. This model. Wait until the global wrist release to get a better idea of what Xiaomi’s offering is capable of.
However, we think you can already get a good overview of the two fitness trackers in our comparison. get started!
details of the situation:
Hardware, design, display
Visually, nothing has changed, I can say. The dimensions have changed slightly for both and the Huawei Band 8 has lost two grams of weight (14 g without the wristband). The comparison has become more difficult because Xiaomi has now decided to mention the weight only on the wrist (27 g).
Display sizes remain the same as their predecessors. This means that the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is 1.62 inches larger than the 1.47″ panel in the Huawei Band 8. Both displays are protected by 2.5D glass.
With a resolution of 192 x 490 pixels, Xiaomi sneaks in front of its competitor here, as the latter only manages 194 x 368 pixels, resulting in a low pixel density. With a higher brightness range (600 vs 500 nits), Xiaomi thus scores the necessary points for victory in the display category. Speaking of brightness: it’s now automatically controlled in the Smart Band 8, but Huawei is still waiting for an ambient light sensor.
If you like the all-rounder, you’ll prefer the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 over the angled Huawei Band. / © nextpit
So, all that’s left to say about the hardware is that both plastic fitness trackers can withstand water (5 ATM) depending on the conditions and both actually come with a new chassis.
In the past, they stuffed the body of the Xiaomi tracker into a silicone wristband, but from the 8th generation, there are clean cases where you can click the wristband. This also has the advantage of allowing you to use other accessories, including wearing the Smart Band 8 around your neck or on your trainers.
Huawei also relies on a new mechanism that makes it easier to insert or remove the wristbands. However, this only works with Huawei-branded bands, not third-party providers.
One more word about hardware and connectivity: Both Xiaomi and Huawei still don’t offer NFC, at least globally. You’ll be looking for GPS in vain, which I think is a tough task for both manufacturers. Please give us these features in the next generation.
Sensors and range of functions
Xiaomi has upped the game when it comes to sports modes: from 30 modes on the Mi Band 6 to 120 modes on the Smart Band 7 and now, 150 sports modes on the Smart Band 8. Hats off to Xiaomi for adding functionality. Huawei also offers improvements, but “only” sees an increase from 96 to 100 modes. Perhaps the most important subjects have been around for a long time, so we shouldn’t assume that.
Sleep monitoring, blood oxygen level (SPO2) measurement, heart rate monitor, and of course, pedometer – both devices are still capable of all these, and nothing new has been added in this regard. However, I personally found Huawei’s sleep tracking on the Huawei Band 8 to be incredibly inaccurate with its TruSleep technology.
The Huawei Band 8 is OK and I haven’t even slept for four hours? I doubt it! / © nextpit
In general, especially with regard to health characteristics, note that the set values are indicative at best and cannot be a substitute for readings and measurements made by medical professionals or doctors. However, Xiaomi has at least improved the accuracy of step tracking here.
Thanks to the aforementioned new wristband system, you can attach the Xiaomi fitness tracker to your separately sold accessories. According to Xiaomi, this increases reliability when tracking steps by five percent.
Otherwise, unfortunately, very little has changed on both models. This means that in Xiaomi’s case you have to work with the touchscreen to navigate, while Huawei also gives you a hardware key. To be honest, I find both operating modes very interesting and I think you will get used to both effortlessly.
Battery
Still, Xiaomi has made some strides here. While the Huawei Band 8’s battery stays at 180 mAh, Xiaomi’s battery has increased from 180 to 190 mAh and is now said to last up to 16 days. But Huawei claims that the battery will last after 14 days at most.
However, both values are theoretical lab values that you cannot derive in real life by enabling all relevant features. However, 5 to 6 days of battery life was easily achievable in my review with above-average usage patterns.
In the picture you can see the magnetic contacts that connect the charging cable to the Huawei Band 8. / © nextpit
We prefer to wait until we can review the European Xiaomi device before making a definitive conclusion about its battery life. However, it is highly recommended that you disable the always-on displays on both monitors. Firstly, this is because no display needs to be constantly on, and secondly, this puts a lot of drain on the battery life.
What else can be said about batteries? The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 can be fully charged in an hour. Huawei was slow here last year, but now it’s able to run a fully charged battery from scratch after 45 minutes. This is one of the few significant improvements from the Huawei camp this year.
Price and availability
Price and availability? This is a difficult category to judge as the global Xiaomi Smart Band 8 model is still not available. If you want the device shipped from China, Trading Shenzhen currently costs $74.21. However, that is not necessarily indicative of the official market price.
On the other hand, Huawei has officially listed the recommended retail price at 59 euros. After all, with the Huawei embargo stateside, you won’t find it officially available in the US. Feel free to check out other online sites and see if you can pick it up cheaper.
The question for Xiaomi might be: which model is more likely to release the global version of the Smart Band 8 or the China-bound Smart Band 8 Pro? My cautious guess would be the latter.
Summary
Let’s get to the conclusion, the winner rolled with a beard. I mention “unreleased” because officially we don’t know anything about the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 outside of China. We can only assume that the device will be similar to the Chinese model.
Assuming nothing has changed in terms of functionality, I feel that Xiaomi has made more progress than Huawei: there are more sports modes, a brighter, faster display, and a longer battery life. These are all factors that point to moderate growth.
Huawei, on the other hand, is more relaxed about its fitness tracker. They also introduced a new hand strap mechanism and included auto-adaptive brightness, without any innovation. No, Band 8 (by the way, the more I read/write about Band 8, the more lame it is creatively here.
Perhaps Huawei’s most important argument is the price, but again, we have to wait and see what Xiaomi charges for the device!
If you ask me, no one should own one of the two previous models. There aren’t enough new developments to throw money at the latest model. However, you can buy both with confidence knowing that you are buying a very decent fitness tracker.
I find the lack of GPS and especially the lack of NFC to be more surprising omissions every year. For this reason alone, I’m secretly waiting for the ninth generation of these two fitness trackers.
what do you think? Do you have a clear favorite between the two? Do you regret the poverty of new features as much as I do, or is the inexpensive fitness tracker so complete that no major innovations are needed? Please do not hesitate to write us in the comments.
