Mi Bands have had quite the reputation as the most value for price fitness trackers. Launched at under USD 20, the first Mi band didn’t even have a screen and by its 3rd iteration, users can interact using a touch display and button by paying a little over USD 30 for a piece today.

However, with only third-party sellers offering the goods on the local market and competing brands getting better, is the Mi Band 3 for you?

Helping you decide.

• If you are on a budget and looking for a genuine entry level fitness band, it is for you.

• If you absolutely hate the thought of charging up the tracker every couple of days or so, it is for you.
• If you are looking for a carefree, low maintenance unit, it is for you.

• If your expectations are limited to basic time-keeping, notifications and rudimentary fitness tracking, it is for you.
• If you have a little more cash and yearn for something more extensive like a smartwatch or a rugged wearable like a FitBit, it is not for you.
• If you want a feature rich wearable experience and get things done through the watch, it is not for you.
• If you seek a higher degree of intuitiveness and UI design, it is not for you.

Key Specs:

Display: 0.78-inch OLED.

Interaction: Single point touch screen, capacitive button.

Resolution: 128 x 80 pixels.

Connectivity: Bluetooth version 4.2 BLE, NFC on certain models.

Weight: 20g

Battery: 110 mAh i.e. 20 days usage approx.

Sensors: accelerometer, optical heart rate monitor

Waterproofing: up to 50 metres, 5 atm.

As a Mi band 2 user before, I was accustomed to a build quality that is simply unmatched at this price point. And buying from sellers (unauthorized distributors) at around Rs. 3500 each time, the upgrade to Mi Band 3 was worthwhile.

The Good:

A bump up in the aesthetics department, a curved glass finish, improved strap design, better display and most importantly, the improved interaction with the device - a swipe enabled touch screen in addition to the touch button were all significant improvements from its predecessor.

At moderate use, the battery life of 20 days will surpass any tracker at any given price point. This is most notably due to the monochrome OLED display and the fact that you don’t engage too much with the device.

Personally, despite using the band on a non-Mi phone, all features except the proximity unlock (which allows you to unlock your phone by bringing the band closer to the phone), everything else seemed to work well.

Step tracking, Heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking remain fine features that address the fitness dynamic through the band itself.

The Bad:

Come to 2019, a black and white display doesn’t exactly fad. For a few hundred rupees extra, competitors like the latest Honor Band 4 from Huawei offers a color AMOLED display which look both attractive and remain brighter. Admittedly, out in the sun, the OLED isn’t ideal to look at.

The glass surface which isn’t gorilla glass or anything scratch resistance graded is susceptible to everyday scratches.

It would have been great if the charging process did not require peeling the tracker out of the strap but for additional water-proofing, it remains an arguable trade-off. Yet the biggest bugger is the unavailability of the product from official distributors for those seeking a warranty purchase.

The Verdict:

The Mi Band 3 has definitely taken a good budget tracker in the Mi band 2 and made it great for the price. The band is yet again touted for its execution and price value. Those faithful to the product line will most definitely vouch for the upgrade or encourage potential users to take up on it.

Having said that, stability isn’t always bliss in the world of tech. Iterating for enhancement rather than redefinition in the industry like its competitors i.e. Huawei and Lenovo, right now, you can find equally worthy competitors in the market at a similar price point.

Fitness trackers are mushrooming of late and all each of them has a unique flavor to offer. So, we would definitely recommend you to check out other products out there that are in contention to be your daily fitness tracker.

 
• mi_band
 
• smart_wear