For quite some time, the Xiaomi activity bracelet continues to crown the market for this type of device. A team for those who want to receive notifications, control certain aspects of their physical condition and all this, of course, without depending on large products or a high price. One more year, the Chinese manufacturer has renewed its catalog with a new update that incorporates small improvements that make it even more interesting. I have been able to test the new Xiaomi Mi Band 6 and today I want to tell you about my experience , in addition to telling you whether or not it is worth buying it or going for an inferior model.
A Mi Band with more screen
The first thing I want to talk to you about is obviously design. As you can imagine if you have followed the history of this activity bracelet, the changes have not been too great compared to the previous one. What’s more, last year with the Mi Band 5 we already mentioned that aesthetically there were not too many new features. And, once again, the changes are slight but more striking than last year.
Now we have a larger panel , which goes up to 1.56 ″ , maintaining the AMOLED technology and the same 450 nits of maximum brightness . This value may not be too high for those moments of the day of maximum light in which, when hitting it directly on the panel, we see the screen a little less but it is not at all dramatic.
What does attract a lot of attention in this new Mi Band 6 is the loss of the mythical button at the bottom of the panel. This makes the panel grow in percentage of use, now having a much more striking and usable screen . Therefore, now we will have to use the yes or yes gestures to go back through the panel, with a swipe from left to right to go back.
That said, a question that arose with this increase in screen size was whether we would still be able to take advantage of the bands of the previous model with this new Mi Band. Speaking of dimensions, this most current model measures 47.4 x 18.6 x 12.7mm, while its predecessor was 46.95 x 18.15 x 12.45mm. After having directly tried to exchange their bands, I can say that at least the silicone models will be able to be used perfectly despite not being exactly the same in size.
Lastly, I wanted to mention that the back of this band is still exactly the same as the previous one. That is, here we find the sensor module (which are now grouped in a different way, yes), along with the two charging points that will work with the same magnetic system that the Mi Band 5 presented.
Xiaomi Mi Band 6: sportier than ever
Let me now tell you about what this bracelet incorporates internally, about its functionalities. The truth is that, once again, it is quite similar to the previous model in this section. But, this year the Chinese manufacturer has wanted to give one more plus to those users who love sports.
As I mentioned a few lines ago, in this case we will have to use gestures exclusively to move through the interface. As it was already incorporated in the Mi Band 5, if we swipe horizontally we will switch between different screens in which we will see the time, the music control or the home screen . And speaking of this panel, we once again have the possibility of customizing it to our liking by Apple Watch-style modules.
Then, if we slide from top to bottom (or vice versa) in the panel, we will access all the functionalities that this activity bracelet has. Among them we have:
- 24-hour heart rate monitoring .
- Creation of alarms and reminders .
- Monitoring stress and daily physical activity.
- Measurement of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) . This is precisely one of the great novelties of the current model. A value that comes in handy for those who are passionate about sports but that, in addition, it is vitally important to control in the moments that we are living through COVID-19.
- Sleep monitor . Now with assessments of breathing quality, nap mode and REM sleep.
- Control phone camera remotely.
Another aspect that has been improved is that of the sports modes. Until now we had 11 different ones, among which were activities such as: walking, running, cycling or swimming in the pool. But, in the Mi Band 6, we reach 30 modes of physical activity with new features such as: dance, HIIT, stretching, basketball, wrestling or skating. Therefore, it becomes an even more interesting bet for lovers of sports of all kinds. Of course, we still have water protection at 5 ATM , so we can use it as I have already mentioned without any problem in the pool or to shower with it.
All this sports implementation, added to the increase in its screen, will make the battery suffer if we abuse all this. This new bracelet has the same 125 mAh as the previous model and Xiaomi continues to promise that, under normal conditions with regular use, it will continue to last for about 15 – 20 days .
Is the Mi Band 6 worth buying?
At this point, and after having told you everything that this activity bracelet incorporates, this will be the question that will be going through your mind right now. Before I tell you my opinion, let me tell you one last key detail: the price.
One more year, the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 continues to bet on contributing a lot while still being an inexpensive team. This model will have an official price of 44.99 euros , and we can purchase it both on its official website and on Amazon Spain. These points of sale will also be joined by establishments such as Decathlon, El Corte Inglés, Fnac, Alcampo, Carrefour, MediaMarkt, Worten and The Phone House.
But of course, are the news enough to opt for this new model? The conclusion I have reached after testing it is that, if you are a Band 3 or 4 or earlier user, the answer is a resounding yes. You win in specifications, functionalities and screen size. However, if you have the Mi Band 5 and you don’t know whether to change it for it, I would only do it if you are a very athletic profile or if knowing your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is important to you.