A detailed review of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 fitness bracelet

Since I am a fan of Xiaomi technology and have tested all previous models of Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelets, the desire to get Mi Band 6 naturally took over. In general, the order has been placed, the bracelet has been received, let’s figure it out.

The appearance of the package has not changed much compared to Mi Band 5. The Chinese version, without NFC.

So, with the new model we are promised:

• 1.56 inch AMOLED screen
• measuring the level of oxygen in the blood SpO²;
• monitoring of 30 sports;
• automatic recognition of 5 types of activities.

Inside the bracelet itself, a charging cradle and an instruction manual.

Instruction in Chinese.

The updated Mi Band 6 has a recognizable design with minimal changes at first glance. But if you compare it with the fifth generation, you can see how much the display is enlarged (from 1.1 ”to 1.56”) and its resolution is increased to 152 * 486 (pay attention to the black frames inside the case).
The dimensions of the capsule have not changed much compared to the previous version, so the enlarged display with almost identical dimensions is a good solution. See for yourself:

• Mi Band 6: 47.4 × 18.6 × 12.7 mm.
• Mi Band 5: 47.2 × 18.5 × 12.4 mm.

In general, Xiaomi went on the right track, leaving the same dimensions, but significantly increasing the screen. But the strap remained identical to the previous one. It is not soft and not oaky.

The capsule is attached as in all previous versions, so there should not be any nuances with its loss. There is also a huge chance that rubber straps from Band 5 can be pulled on Mi Band 6. But questions may arise with metal ones.

Now briefly about the versions. As usual, there are several variations: Chinese, Chinese with NFC, and global. The marking of the usual Chinese version is XMSH15HM, for the rest it is not yet clear.

The reverse side has a standard gentleman’s kit, which has been expanded with a saturation sensor that allows you to measure the level of oxygen in the blood (SpO2). Compared to the previous model, the order of the sensors has also been changed, but the charging contacts for the magnetic cradle have remained unchanged. In general, using the updated cradle has become much more convenient than having to take out the capsule to put it on charge.
The built-in battery has a capacity of 125mAh. The approximate working time of the bracelet is 14 days. In fact, it turns out about 15-17% per day with the monitoring of heart rate, stress, sleep and other things turned on. When most functions are turned off, the consumption decreases to 7-10% per day.

Well, the feature of this bracelet is a huge 1.56” Amoled display with a resolution of 152*486 pixels (326ppi). Unlike the previous version of the bracelet, Mi Band 6 has lost the touch button under the display, now only gestures on the screen are used for control. You get used to it quickly, it does not cause discomfort. In the settings, you can choose how to unlock the screen: tap or swipe.
The screen itself is bright, there are 5 levels of adjustment. The number of lines of text that fits on the screen is 10, so it will be convenient to read due to the elongated display.

When you turn on the bracelet for the first time, the Chinese language is displayed, which changes to the system language of the smartphone when they are synchronized. Further, there is a process of updating all the data, after which you can use the bracelet with a clear conscience.

The first thing that meets us when launching a mobile application:

Briefly about the functions that are included in the bracelet:

• status — display of daily activity (distance traveled, calories burned);
• PAI — an individual index of physical activity, which is based on your height / weight indicators, pulse measurements, and so on;

• pulse / SpO2 — measurements of pulse, oxygen levels in the blood. The pulse measures correctly, compared with an ellipsoid cardio simulator, and the readings converge both on aerobic and anaerobic loads (with a pulse reading of about 155 beats per minute). Measurements of the level of oxygen in the blood converge with a stationary device, but I would not strongly hope for these figures;
• notifications — work correctly. There are no problems with not displaying emoticons in some applications;

• training — choice of one of 30 physical activities. In the previous version of the bracelet, there were only a little more than 10 pieces. Of the interesting: swimming pool, gymnastics, ropes, Pilates and ice skating. Each of the selected workouts can be configured in more detail (notification of heart rate, distance traveled, etc.);
• training history — display of completed workouts in detail;
• stress level — a reference indicator based on HRV (heart rate variability) and a stress model. No recommendations, just displaying some result;
• breath — breathing exercises with interval selection. In general, you need to follow the instructions for calming down.
• alarm — a standard alarm clock without a hint of a «smart» component;
• Alipay – the ability to pay using the QR code of this payment system;
• music — control music on your smartphone. It is convenient to use (pauses, switch tracks) due to large buttons, it is inconvenient to adjust the volume (small symbols);
• world clock — display of 6 different time zones;
• additionally — camera control, stopwatch, timer, device search, silent mode;
• settings — from the interesting: turning on the definition of the activity mode (5 pieces to choose from), adjusting the brightness level, choosing the desktop shell.

Settings in the application:

Since the display is a feature, it would be strange not to diversify it with many interchangeable watch faces. Therefore, through MiFit, you can download 3 shells from more than 100 pieces to the bracelet. When you install 4 shells, you will receive a notification about the lack of memory and a choice of a replacement theme.

The shells themselves are quite diverse, many are animated and there is a possibility of customization. For example, choosing a background image, text color, and so on.

The brightness of the display is sufficient to comfortably use it outdoors. More clearly:

An illustrative example of changing shells:

With regards to training, there is also one innovation here, and this is the ability of the bracelet to take a GPS navigation signal from a smartphone and outline the route. At first, I thought that the bracelet itself had built-in GPS, but when the phone was turned off, everything fell into place. As a result of the activity (walking was started), there is a summary of the route, pace, heart rate, altitude, cadence and stride length. If Mi Band 6 were equipped with GPS navigation, then with a built-in 125mAh battery, we would not have to wait for a long time.

As a result, the new model of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 fitness bracelet turned out to be a rather interesting device with rich functionality. The presence of a large (1.56”) and bright display gives an advantage over the previous line of devices, and the new SpO2 sensor and the presence of many sports modes significantly outweigh the cup of choice in its favor among other fitness bracelets.

What we liked:

• big amoled display
• the presence of a saturation sensor (SpO2)
• many sports modes
• automatic activation of sports modes (5pcs)
• the ability to write a route using the smartphone’s GPS
• true heart rate measurements
• convenient music control
• sleep monitoring
• displays emoticons in apps

What did not like:

• low autonomy
• only 3 interchangeable shells can be stored in the bracelet memory
• small characters to adjust the volume in the regular player
• no touch button

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