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MagyarXiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro smartwatch review - The Pro Tracker
Not only smartphones are becoming Pro, but also smartwatches and fitness trackers. Accordingly, Xiaomi offers a Pro version of the Smart Band 7, the Smart Band 7 Pro. The band is available in two color variants: Graphite Grey and Light Gold.
However, the colors only quantify the frame around the display, which has a metallic shine. The casing itself is black or white, as is the included band. Additional bands in blue, pink, green and orange can be ordered from Xiaomi. Our test model is Light Gold with a white band. The Smart Band 7 Pro has an MSRP of 100 Euros (~$106).
Case and features - Smart Band with wider display
Xiaomi relies on a plastic casing for the Smart Band 7 Pro. The visual highlight is the glossy frame around the display. The casing is kept simple, and there is no crown or buttons. Only a microphone on the right side interrupts the material.
The 1.64-inch AMOLED display is very slightly curved in a longitudinal direction. Xiaomi speaks of 2.5D glass, it is supposed to be tempered and protected from fingerprints by a coating. In comparison with the Smart Band 7 without Pro, the display is hardly bigger, but it is especially wider. According to the manufacturer, the smartwatch is waterproof and should withstand a pressure of five bar. NFC is not installed.
The strap is made of TPU and is 20 millimeters (~0.8 in) wide. Changing the band is tool-free and easy, but the clasp is proprietary. The Smart Band 7 Pro weighs 21 grams (~0.7 oz) without the wristband, and 32 grams (~1.1 oz) with it.
The Smart Band did not get any scratches during the test, but there is one discoloration on the casing and another on the band from a new pair of jeans.
Setup and operation - With Mi-Fitness app
The Mi Fitness app is required to set up and operate the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro. The program is available for both Android and iOS devices. The smartband and smartphone find each other right away and pair smoothly. After that, only permissions for data transfer have to be given. When opened for the first time after pairing, the app shows a short tutorial on the watch's functions and controls.
The Mi Fitness app is divided into four sections: "Health", "Training", "Device" and "Profile". A Xiaomi account has to be stored in order to synchronize data with the watch. The "Device" tab holds the settings of the band. Watch faces can be selected - Xiaomi talks about over 150.
In addition, the settings for various programs can be changed there, such as for sleep, heart rate monitoring or stress measurement. Mostly, however, only limited choices are available, such as the choice between simple and complex tracking for sleep. These settings are also possible directly on the smartwatch.
However, there are also settings that are only possible on the watch, but not in the app. These are mainly settings that affect the display. For example, the use or style of the always-on display, the brightness or the vibration. Setting an alarm is also only possible directly on the Smart Band.
The "Training" tab shows completed sports units sorted by sport. In the "Health" section, the software displays the collected data. The daily statistics are prominently displayed with calories burned, steps taken and hours spent in motion. The view also shows the most recently completed workout and tiles for sleep, heart rate, steps, calories, standing, blood oxygen saturation and stress.
The arrangement of the tiles can be changed. Tapping on each tile opens the submenu with more information and data for the past weeks and months.
In the "Profile" section, the app version, the connected Xiaomi account and the software's permissions are displayed. There is also the option to transfer data from the Zepp Life app, which also belongs to the Xiaomi group. The Smart Band 7 Pro cannot be paired with Zepp Life. The Mi Fitness app can also be paired with the Strava service.
Because the Smart Band 7 Pro has no buttons, it is operated exclusively via the touchscreen. A swipe from the side of the rectangular display triggers another function. A swipe from top to bottom opens the notification menu. A swipe from right to left leads through the tiles - Xiaomi calls them widgets. Out of the box, the watch lists the voice assistant, the weather and the media control. The content and order of the tiles can be changed in the app.
The app overview is opened with a swipe from the bottom to the top. The quick menu is opened via a swipe from left to right.
A movement in the opposite direction takes the wearer back from the menus to the watch face. Within submenus, a swipe from the left to the inside takes the user back one step.
The Mi app offers six different widgets. An overview of completed steps, sleep, and daily statistics can each be displayed in two different designs.
Telephony and notifications - Xiaomi saves on the speaker
It is not possible to make calls with the Smart Band 7 Pro. Although the tracker displays incoming calls, they can only be rejected or muted.
The Smart Band 7 Pro usually displays notifications reliably. The watch only rejects e-mails, although the corresponding authorization is given. It is also noticeable that messages from instant messaging apps - especially WhatsApp - are sometimes displayed with a delay of a few minutes. Longer messages are also shortened.
Replies are not possible, not even in the form of preconfigured short replies. Most emojis are displayed, but the watch cannot show pictures.
Voice assistant - Alexa remains mute
Xiaomi relies on the Alexa voice assistant for the Smart Band 7 Pro. An Amazon account has to be stored or linked in the Mi Fitness app for the smart assistant to work. The voice assistant has to be stored on this account. Accessing Alexa is very simple; a swipe from the right edge of the display to the left is enough. However, access via voice alone is not possible.
The voice commands are reliably recognized and answered in most cases. However, the spoken commands are not displayed. Therefore, a short moment of uncertainty remains whether the input worked before the result appears on the display. Due to the missing speaker, voice output of the results is not possible.
Health and fitness - Xiaomi displays stress
All health and fitness functions are also controlled and evaluated via the Mi Fitness app. The smartwatch keeps pulse values, blood oxygen saturation and stress levels under control. If desired, the watch can also issue a warning when limits are exceeded.
In addition, the watch offers cycle tracking. It is not possible to synchronize the data with Google Fit without a third-party app.
Activity goals - Smart Band 7 Pro animated
The Smart Band 7 Pro offers the familiar circles or semicircles to display the goals for the day. Xiaomi provides values for calories burned in activity, steps taken and hours spent standing.
The overview of these values is provided by both the smartwatch itself and the Mi Fitness app. The watch can also indicate the total calories burned and a classification of the stress level. Stress is given values between 1 and 100, which are assigned to individual phases: Relaxed, Mild, Moderate and Serious. If desired, the watch can warn when stress is too high. The smartwatch offers breathing exercises to reduce stress.
It is possible to start a competition with friends via the Mi Fitness app. Then the values are shared with the contacts, thus the participants are supposed to motivate each other. The watch notifies when all daily goals have been reached and also reports when the wearer has been sitting for too long without getting up, for example at the desk.
Heart rate, heart rhythm and blood oxygen saturation
The Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro can measure pulse rates and blood oxygen saturation. In order to better classify the readings, we compare them with those of reference devices.
We took the Smart Band 7 Pro on a bike tour together with a Polar H10 chest strap. When measuring the resting heart rate, the difference is 3.39 percent, and the value of the test device is below that of the reference device. Likewise, the smartwatch's performance heart rate readings are below those of the Polar device, with a deviation of 6.86 percent.
The values determined for the blood oxygen SpO2 are more accurate. A Braun pulse oximeter 1 serves as a reference. The devices show an average difference of 2.36 percent in three measurements. The Xiaomi tracker's readings are also lower than those of the reference device in this discipline.
Sleep tracking - Xiaomi with reliable tracking
The sleep tracking of the Smart Band 7 Pro succeeded. The user can choose between basic and advanced tracking. The advanced monitoring includes the nightly heart rate, the detection of REM sleep and the monitoring of nightly breathing.
In general, the smartwatch reliably detects sleep and wake phases, even naps are detected. The watch detects deep sleep, light sleep and REM sleep and breaks down the total sleep time into the individual phases. The values are also displayed graphically. They can be output for one night, but also for a week or a month.
The software only gives the complete analysis in the smartphone app. Nevertheless, the display is also extensive on the watch itself, including average heart rate and blood oxygen saturation.
Unfortunately, the smartwatch does not offer a smart alarm function that does not wake the wearer in a deep sleep phase if possible.
Workout recording - Smart Band 7 Pro records automatically
Workouts can be reliably tracked with the Smart Band 7 Pro. The device recognizes workouts and can start tracking automatically if desired. The automatic workout detection and also the termination of data collection functioned reliably in the test. The watch can track a total of 110 different sports and workouts.
During the workout, the watch displays the signal strength of the satellite connection, the time, the duration of the workout, the distance covered, the current speed, the current heart rate including classification into a range, and calories burned.
In addition, swiping sideways leads to access to the media controls.
After the workout, the most important data is displayed directly on the smartwatch, including a representation of the route covered. The watch also provides an overview of the course of the pulse values, oxygen saturation and speed.
Further settings are possible depending on the selected sport. For example, a target can be defined for the workout, be it a time, a distance or a number of calories burned. The watch also offers interval training for jogging. If desired, the Smart Band 7 Pro can provide training progress reports after a certain distance.
A classification of the training load or a recommendation for rest periods is missing. However, the smartwatch offers various training plans for jogging. The focus can be placed on the start of running, fat burning, endurance or interval training in general.
GPS and navigation - Xiaomi unfortunately without route export
The Smart Band 7 Pro has an integrated satellite connection. All common systems are supported: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS and Galileo. Once a satellite connection is established, it remains stable in the test. The connection quality is visualized with bars during training. However, it takes a few seconds until the connection is established, even outdoors. Other smartwatches are faster.
Unfortunately, routes can neither be exported nor imported. Therefore, we cannot superimpose the recorded route of the Smart Band 7 Pro over that of the Garmin Venu 2 reference device. However, the data shows that the measured total distance of both watches is very similar.
Navigation is not possible with the Smart Band 7 Pro.
Display - Pro band finally with automatic adjustment
The display of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro makes a very good impression and is a big plus point compared to the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 without Pro. The 1.64-inch AMOLED display simply offers a bit more surface area than its counterpart in the normal Smart Band and a different form factor with more width. The Pro also has an automatic display brightness adjustment that works quickly and accurately in the test.
The lift-up detection for a quick activation of the display is also convincing, unless you use the always-on display. This function is also very well implemented. The software also scores points with the fact that the AoD can be limited in time so that it does not light up at night, for example, and can also be controlled intelligently so that naps are detected, the display is dimmed and power is saved.
Furthermore, the display is sufficiently bright with a measured maximum brightness of 516 cd/m². Although some smartwatches offer significantly more brightness reserves - the Pixel Watch is twice as bright - the Smart Band 7 Pro is still easy to read even in sunlight. The black value is perfect due to the display technology used. However, we measured PWM with a frequency of 118.9 Hz in our tests.
| Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro | Huawei Band 7 | Huawei Watch Fit 2 | Google Pixel Watch LTE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | ||||
| PWM Frequency | 118.9 | 120.1 1% | ||
| Screen | -9% | 7% | 107% | |
| Brightness middle | 516 | 472 -9% | 553 7% | 1066 107% |
| Black Level * | ||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -4% /
-4% | 7% /
7% | 107% /
107% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 118.9 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 118.9 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 118.9 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Performance and runtime - Smart Band 7 Pro runs stably
Xiaomi does not provide any information about which SiP is installed in the Smart Band 7 Pro. Because no browser is installed on the watch, no benchmarks can be started. However, the performance is convincing in everyday use. Both scrolling through the app overview and swiping through the tiles is smooth. Programs are launched quickly.
When the system is put under stress, for example by the continuous, fast opening and closing of programs and menus, the user interface becomes a bit sluggish and reacts slightly delayed to inputs. However, there are no incorrect inputs or system crashes.
There is also no information about the installed memory. However, it is hardly needed because nothing can be stored on the smartwatch except watch faces.
Battery life - Xiaomi promises too much
Xiaomi promises a battery life of twelve days with average use. We did not reach these values by far in the test. However, all measurements are constantly active for the test, the tracking of all parameters is set to intensive, and workouts are tracked automatically.
The smartwatch lasts 3.5 days with an activated always-on display during the day. If the always-on display is deactivated, the battery life doubles to about seven days while all other settings remain unchanged.
In return, the Smart Band 7 Pro is quickly recharged. After 20 minutes, the battery is charged from 0 to 50 percent capacity. The Xiaomi band needs one hour for a full charge from 0 to 100 percent. Charging is done via a cable with two contacts that holds magnetically on the bottom.
Pros
Cons
Verdict - The Pro version does a lot right
What makes the Smart Band 7 Pro a Pro compared to the regular Xiaomi Smart Band? The display is hardly bigger, but it has a different form factor. It is wider, which makes certain contents easier to read. In addition, the pro offers a brightness sensor and adjusts the display brightness accordingly - a clear gain in comfort.
Another improvement is the built-in GNSS. This allows the pro band to establish a satellite connection on its own, which means that the smartphone does not have to be taken along during training. Nevertheless, you will probably have it with you most of the time because music cannot be stored locally on the smartwatch and the watch cannot pair with Bluetooth headphones.
While we are at it, NFC would have been good for the watch and we would have been happy about a speaker as well, which would have expanded the voice assistant's range of functions considerably.
On the other hand, the Smart Band 7 Pro is inexpensive, lightweight and well made.
It offers a good mix of smooth performance, usable battery life, a convincing display and many tracking features. Thus, Xiaomi positions the Pro Band above the very simple fitness trackers like the Smart Band 7 or the Huawei Band 7 but clearly below the more expensive smartwatches like the in-house Watch S1 or the Amazfit T-Rex 2.
Price and availability
The Smart Band 7 Pro has an MSRP of 100 Euros (~$106). Xiaomi sells it in its own online shop. But other retailers have also listed the Pro model, for example Amazon or Mediamarkt have listed the Pro band. The band is available for immediate delivery.
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Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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