The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro has entered the fitness tracker market, offering a compelling package at an affordable price point of just £60. This lightweight device combines a smartwatch-inspired design with robust fitness tracking capabilities and exceptional battery life. It’s designed for those seeking a balance between functionality and value, making it an intriguing option for fitness enthusiasts and casual users alike.
Over the past two weeks, the Smart Band 9 Pro has been rigorously tested to evaluate its performance in daily life. From tracking various exercises to monitoring overall health metrics, it aims to provide the tools needed to maintain a healthier lifestyle. This review delves into its design, features, and overall value to determine if it truly stands out in the competitive fitness tracker landscape.
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Design and Build Quality
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro brings a design reminiscent of the Huawei Watch Fit 3, combining the slim, lightweight feel of a traditional fitness band with the elegance of a smartwatch. Its aluminium alloy frame ensures the device remains light on the wrist, to the point where it’s almost unnoticeable during daily wear. Available in black, pink, and silver, the frame’s matte finish resists smudges effectively, maintaining a clean and stylish look throughout the day.
A key highlight of the design is the generously sized display, making it easy to read notifications and fitness stats at a glance. Unlike the smaller screens seen on older fitness trackers, the Smart Band 9 Pro is accessible even for those with less-than-perfect eyesight. The display, crafted from reinforced glass with subtle 2.5D curvature, has proven durable under rigorous use, showing no visible scratches or damage after weeks of testing.
Xiaomi’s bundled strap, made of fluoroelastomer, is comfortable but slightly awkward to secure single-handedly. However, with time, the mechanism becomes more intuitive. As expected, the straps are interchangeable, allowing users to switch between styles, such as a fitness-ready rubber strap or a more formal leather option for evenings out. The quick-release buttons make the process seamless, offering flexibility for various occasions.
Durability is another strong suit of the Smart Band 9 Pro. Its frame has endured rough handling without visible damage, and the device is water-resistant up to 5 ATM, making it suitable for swimming and other aquatic activities. Combined with its swimming tracking capabilities, the Smart Band 9 Pro ensures both style and performance for diverse lifestyles.
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Display
The standout feature of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is its 1.74-inch AMOLED display. With a resolution of 480 x 336 and a pixel density of 336 PPI, text and graphics are crisp and easy to read. The vibrant colors and sharpness make the display a joy to use, even for those with aging eyesight.
A 60Hz refresh rate ensures smooth navigation, and the auto-brightness feature—though occasionally sluggish—is a welcome addition. With a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, the screen remains perfectly visible under direct sunlight. Thin bezels around the display enhance the visual experience, giving it a near edge-to-edge design.
Setup and Customization
Setting up the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is a breeze. Download the Mi Fitness app from your preferred app store, sign in or create a Xiaomi account, and pair the band. The app allows you to customize everything from watch faces to notification preferences.
With a plethora of free watch faces available, ranging from minimalist designs to fitness-focused layouts, you’re sure to find one that suits your style. Some watch faces even offer minor customization options, like color tweaks, though these are quite basic. Switching between watch faces is simple: long-press the screen and swipe to choose your favorite.
Features and Functionality
User Interface (UI) and Navigation
The UI is straightforward and intuitive, with widgets accessible via swiping left or right. You can customize the layout and choose which widgets to include, such as step count, heart rate, or battery status. Additional quick settings like Do Not Disturb, battery saver mode, and torch mode can be accessed by swiping down from the main watch face.
Notifications are basic but functional. While you can view incoming messages and alerts, interaction is limited to dismissing them. Despite this simplicity, the haptics are sharp and effective, ensuring you don’t miss important updates.
Health and Fitness Tracking
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro supports tracking for over 150 activities, ranging from common exercises like running and cycling to niche options like kite surfing and board games. Runners are especially catered to, with guided warm-ups, endurance tracking, and GNSS positioning for outdoor runs. While the GNSS isn’t as precise as premium smartwatches from Garmin, it’s sufficient for casual fitness enthusiasts.
The updated health sensor provides continuous heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, sleep analysis, and stress monitoring. However, the heart rate readings occasionally spiked during periods of inactivity, indicating room for improvement in accuracy. Sleep tracking offers insights into light and deep sleep phases, but like most wearables, it can mistake lying awake for light sleep.
One unique feature is the “sleep animal” categorization, which assigns you a creature based on your sleep patterns. While fun, its practical usefulness is limited.
Music and Camera Control
The Smart Band 9 Pro doubles as a remote control for your smartphone’s music player, allowing you to play, pause, skip tracks, and adjust the volume. Additionally, the remote shutter feature lets you capture photos from your smartphone, adding convenience for group shots or creative angles.
Battery Life
Battery performance is a highlight of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro. With a 350mAh battery, it delivers up to eight days of use with features like always-on display and continuous tracking enabled. Turning off some features can extend battery life even further.
Charging is quick and hassle-free, thanks to the magnetic charger, which takes around 75-80 minutes for a full charge. If you need to extend battery life in a pinch, the power-saving mode transforms the band into a basic watch, displaying only the time and step count.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Affordable price: Exceptional value for money at around £60.
- Stunning AMOLED display: Bright, vibrant, and easy to read.
- Lightweight and comfortable: Slim design that’s barely noticeable on your wrist.
- Long battery life: Up to eight days of use on a single charge.
- Water resistance: Suitable for swimming with 5 ATM certification.
- Wide range of fitness tracking: Over 150 activities supported.
- Customizable watch faces and widgets: Plenty of options to suit your style.
Cons:
- Limited notification interaction: Can’t respond to or manage notifications directly.
- Inconsistent heart rate tracking: Occasional inaccuracies during inactivity.
- Basic sleep tracking: Misinterprets wakefulness as light sleep.
- Strap fastening: Slightly tricky to secure one-handed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro suitable for swimming?
A: Yes, the band is water-resistant up to 5 ATM, making it perfect for swimming and tracking water-based activities.
Q: How long does the battery last?
A: With standard use, the battery lasts up to eight days. Heavy use with all features enabled may reduce this to around a week.
Q: Can I reply to messages from the Smart Band 9 Pro?
A: No, the band only displays notifications and allows you to dismiss them. It does not support responding to messages.
Q: Is the heart rate monitor accurate?
A: While generally reliable, the heart rate monitor occasionally provides inconsistent readings during periods of inactivity.
Q: Does it work with both Android and iOS?
A: Yes, the Mi Fitness app is available on both Android and iOS devices, making the band compatible with most smartphones.
Q: How customizable are the watch faces?
A: You can choose from a variety of free watch faces, with some offering minor customization options like color adjustments.
Q: How long does it take to charge?
A: The band fully charges in approximately 75-80 minutes using the magnetic charger.
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Verdict
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is an exceptional fitness tracker at its price point. Its stunning AMOLED display, extensive fitness features, and remarkable battery life make it a fantastic choice for anyone looking to stay active without breaking the bank. While it may not offer the precision of high-end devices from Garmin or Apple, it’s more than capable of meeting the needs of casual users.
For those who value affordability, style, and functionality, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is a no-brainer. Whether you’re hitting the gym, swimming laps, or just keeping an eye on your daily activity, this device has you covered. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe for more tech reviews!
