Xiaomi Smart Band 9 fitness tracker review - A classic in its ninth edition
Change of generation.
The Smart Band from Xiaomi—also known as Mi Band—is a typical fitness tracker. Lightweight and slim, it hardly catches the eye. However, the ninth generation is significantly brighter than its predecessor and measures even more accurately. Our review will reveal all the new generation's strengths and weaknesses.Benedikt Winkel, 👁 Daniel Schmidt (translated by Daisy Dickson) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Verdict - The Smart Band 9 with a brilliant display and precise measuring
Xiaomi's Smart Band 9 is no revolution, however, it features quite a few improvements. At the same time, the fitness tracker stays true to its virtues. Its AMOLED screen is impressive in this price class thanks to its extremely high peak brightness and great clarity.
Just as impressive is the Smart Band 9's ability to measure health values. These are precise and can be used reliably for monitoring bodily functions—even during a workout. In particular when measuring your pulse is the fitness tracker on par with high-end smartwatches. Its sports tracking is extensive, especially with regard to jogging.
The Mi Fitness app provides a lot of information and presents it well. Its range of functions has recently been expanded and developments are now also displayed. The amount of data it collects becomes clear when taking a look at sleep tracking, for example.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 features a brilliant, bright display and delivers accurate measurements at a low price.
Limitations compared to a high-end smartwatch become clear when it comes to notifications. There are no microphones or speakers installed and it isn't possible to make calls on the watch. Reading long messages on the narrow display is tedious due to the many breaks in them. There is no voice assistant or app store, and contactless payment or navigation also aren't supported.
Even so, the smart band only costs just under $60 and—like its predecessors—will likely continue to fall in price. However, the fitness tracker still offers lots of surprisingly good functions. The Smart Band 8 Pro has a slightly larger display and a satellite connection. The Huawei Band 8 has a button in its case and a similar size.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 has an MRSP of $59.99. You can purchase it from online retailers such as Amazon.
Table of Contents
- Verdict - The Smart Band 9 with a brilliant display and precise measuring
- Case and connectivity – The Smart Band 9 with a colorful aluminum case
- Setup and operation - Mi Fitness app as a control center
- Health and fitness - Xiaomi focuses on a vitality value
- Display - The Smart Band 9 with a new peak brightness
- Performance and battery life - The Smart Band 9 runs smoothly
The Smart Band from Xiaomi—formerly the Mi Band—is a classic among affordable fitness trackers. The gadget is currently in its ninth generation. Its predecessor was also intended to be a fashion accessory and in our review, we criticized its lack of GPS and NFC.
The Smart Band 9 is only available in one version, but in five different colors: Blue, silver, rose, gray and black. The Smart Band 9 comes delivered from the factory sporting a color-coordinated TPU band. Our test model features the colorway Midnight Black.
The Smart Band 9 is compatible with Android and iOS devices.
Case and connectivity – The Smart Band 9 with a colorful aluminum case
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9's case is made of an aluminum alloy and has no buttons or openings. The 1.62-inch display is the same size as its predecessor and is as long as it is narrow. The base of the device is made of plastic, where the sensors and charging pin are located. With the TPU strap included, the tracker weighs 27 grams and without the strap, it weighs 16 grams.
The straps can be changed without the need for any tools using buttons on the bottom. The band has a width of 15 millimeters and a proprietary connector. The manufacturer offers matching straps made of fabric, leather and metal. It is also possible to wear the Smart Band as a chain or shoe clip. The quick-release fastener has not changed compared to its predecessor, and the straps fit accordingly.
A pin closes the TPU strap and we had no problems with it during our test—the band is easy to close and doesn't open unintentionally. According to Xiaomi, the band is waterproof up to a pressure of 5 bar. The Smart Band 9 doesn't feature an IP certification. Xiaomi has also done without a GNSS module and NFC on its fitness tracker. It neither has a microphone nor a speaker.
Sustainability - Xiaomi is stingy with its information
Xiaomi hasn't provided any information on the carbon footprint of its Smart Band 9, nor has it provided any information on the recyclability of its product or the proportion of recycled materials used. Most of the packaging is made of cardboard. The films used are biodegradable.
Setup and operation - Mi Fitness app as a control center
In order to set up the Smart Band 9, you have to download the Mi Fitness app. After booting up the tracker—by placing it on its charging pad—a QR code appears on the display, which leads you to the software download. You can also download the app directly from the Play Store or the Apple App Store.
After launching the app, it automatically searches for devices—the Smart Band 9 was quickly found during our test. Authorizations must then be assigned, for example for sending notifications.
At the end of the setup process, the functions and operation of the smartband are explained. However, you don't have to run through the steps on the tracker, as they are displayed on your smartphone screen. Individual areas are also highlighted in the app.
The app is divided into four sections: "Health", "Training", "Device" and "Profile". "Health" serves as a dashboard and clearly arranges values in the form of tiles. Tapping the tiles takes you to the respective submenu. You can customize the selection and arrangement of the tiles.
Under "Training", you can start a training session from the app. The completed exercises are then also displayed here. You can additionally find out information on the current training load and VO2 max. Under "Device", you can change settings on the Smart Band 9. There is a large selection of free watch faces that can be customized. You can also set which app is allowed to send notifications or how the widgets and apps are arranged.
The vibration alarm can be customized for different notifications and you can freely select the rhythm of the vibration. This is also where you can set the health measurements. Individual functions can be activated and the interval can be changed. The system often offers users the choice between continuous measurement with specific intervals and smart interval determination. Many functions such as extended sleep monitoring and breathing rate measurements during your sleep are deactivated ex works. When activated, a message appears notifying users of the reduction in battery life.
The stored data is displayed in "Profile". It also shows current competitions and linked services from other companies. You can link the watch to Google Fit or Strava, for example.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 has no buttons and no crown, so it is operated exclusively via its display. Swiping sideways guides you through the various widgets. Sleep, heart rate, weather, media control and a short menu are displayed as standard and you can scroll in both directions. Swiping from top to bottom opens the message menu. The app overview is opened by swiping from bottom to top.
Swiping from the left edge to the center takes you one step back. There is no quick access on the home screen. The Mi Fitness app features six different widgets in various sizes and they provide information about steps taken, time spent sleeping and your daily activity.
Telephoning and notifications - The Smart Band 9 without telephone functions
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 doesn't have a microphone or a speaker, so it isn't possible to make calls on the fitness tracker. However, incoming calls are reliably displayed. Notifications also usually arrived reliably on the Smart Band during our test. Only emails from Gmail weren't displayed.
The fitness tracker can display a variety of emojis, but not all of them. The Smart Band 9 doesn't display images. You can't reply on the tracker in any way.
Voice assistant - Not available on the Smart Band 9
Since the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 features neither a microphone nor a speaker, it also doesn't have access to a voice assistant.
Health and fitness - Xiaomi focuses on a vitality value
All of the tracker's measured values are collected in the Mi Fitness app. In addition to measuring your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation, the Smart Band 9 can also determine your stress level and provide a vitality value. Stress is classified on a scale between 0 and 100. In addition, four phases with corresponding emojis and colors help with this classification. The spectrum ranges from Relaxed, Weak and Moderate to Serious.
The values can be read off graphically over the course of the day. There is also a daily summary with maximum and average values—plus, the data can be displayed for weeks and months.
The vitality value is made up of various parameters: Age, resting heart rate, maximum heart rate and training data. The values are calculated for the past seven days. Xiaomi recommends aiming for a value above 100, as this should have a positive influence on your health development. The basis for this is supposedly the WHO's guidelines for physical activity.
Activity goals - semicircles and viewpoints
Xiaomi displays your daily activity using three semicircles. They show calories burned, steps and time in motion. In addition to the daily values, averages are also shown in the respective categories for the past seven days.
In the submenu for steps, it shows you the distance covered. However, there is no information on the amount of steps or floors. The data can also be displayed for weeks and months and your goals can be individualized.
If desired, the tracker can remind you to get up regularly. The software awards "points" for getting up and taking at least 20 steps.
Heart rate, heart rhythm and blood oxygen saturation
In order to better assess the measured heart rate and blood oxygen saturation values, we compared them with those of reference devices. To do so, we took the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 with us on a bike ride. A Polar H10 chest strap served as the reference device for our heart rate measurements.
At resting heart rate, the values of both of the devices were only one beat per minute apart. We measured the power pulse at three different points in time. The average deviation from three measurements was only 0.15 percent.
A Braun Pulse Oximeter 1 served as our reference device for the blood oxygen saturation measurements. The average difference from three measurements was 4.1 percent. The values measured using the Smart Band 9 were always lower than those of the reference device. The maximum deviation between the tracker and the reference device was 5 percent.
Overall, the Xiaomi band's measurement accuracy is impressive—especially considering its low price. The Smart Band is suitable for monitoring body parameters and also for assessing athletic performance.
Sleep tracking - The Xiaomi tracker reveals your sleeping habits
The Smart Band 9 boasts comprehensive sleep-tracking features. The software not only shows your total sleep times and the individual sleep phases—light, deep and REM—but also the proportion of each phase. It also provides reference values for better classification.
In addition, your sleep is rated with a point value and a word score. It also gives you a comparison with previous nights and with other users in the same age group. The app also provides a sleep interpretation and suggestions for improvement.
If the Smart Band 9 is worn for at least seven nights, the software analyzes your sleep patterns and assigns a sleep animal, which represents your typical sleep character. A sleep rhythm is assigned accordingly and your sleep continuity is monitored. The values are also set in relation to stress and movement before going to bed. The software provides a recommendation for the course of the day to help improve your quality of sleep.
The fitness tracker can measure your average pulse rate at night, as well as your oxygen saturation and average breathing rate. The Smart Band 9 even features a smart alarm clock straight out of the box. It takes your sleep phase into account, although the time window for variability is short, namely just 10 minutes.
Workout recording - comprehensive running program on the Smart Band 9
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 can track over 150 individual sport types. Tracking varies in intensity depending on the sport. For example, there is a lot of data and setting options for jogging. You can set your goals: Times, distances or calories burned. The Smart Band 9 even offers a mode for interval training, training reminders, an adjustable target heart rate range, an AI pacer and automatic pausing.
Running courses for different performance levels are also installed ex works. The options for other sports are unfortunately significantly reduced. Completed training sessions can be displayed on the tracker and in the app. The software also provides information on your training status.
Display - The Smart Band 9 with a new peak brightness
The Smart Band 9's 1.62-inch AMOLED display is the same size as that of its predecessor, but it is significantly brighter. Xiaomi advertises a maximum brightness of up to 1200 cd/m², compared to just 600 for the predecessor model. We didn't achieve this value in our measurements—however, it is difficult to cover the sensors on smartwatches with sufficient light.
We measured a maximum of 836 nits with the ambient light sensor activated; without the sensor, you can expect a maximum of 620 cd/m². The values we measured are significantly higher than those of comparable devices such as the Huawei Band 8 or Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro. Its built-in ambient light sensor is a big plus compared to many other inexpensive trackers. The display remains very easy to read even in full sunlight and delivers great contrasts.
Another nice feature is that Xiaomi has given the Smart Band 9 an always-on display. However, this can only be used indoors. As good as its brightness sensor works when displaying content, the AoD is far too dark for outdoor use. At night, it is deactivated as per the "do not disturb" mode which you can set up—a nice solution. The raise detection works quickly and reliably.
We noted some screen flickering during our measurements at a frequency of 60 Hz, which corresponds to the tracker's refresh rate.
| Xiaomi Smart Band 9 | Xiaomi Smart Band 8 | Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro | Huawei Band 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | ||||
| PWM Frequency | 60 | 114 90% | 60 0% | 59 -2% |
| Screen | -21% | -23% | -53% | |
| Brightness middle | 836 | 659 -21% | 643 -23% | 391 -53% |
| Black Level * | ||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 35% /
35% | -12% /
-12% | -28% /
-28% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 60 Hz Amplitude: 72.3 % |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 60 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 60 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 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Performance and battery life - The Smart Band 9 runs smoothly
Xiaomi hasn't provided any information on the installed SiP or storage. The system runs smoothly and without stutters during everyday use. Inputs are implemented quickly and scrolling through menus feels smooth.
There is no app store and music cannot be saved locally. Accordingly, you only need storage space to save watch faces.
Runtimes - The Smart Band 9 lasts for a week and charges quickly
Xiaomi states that the Smart Band should last 9 days with the always-on display activated. We didn't quite reach this value—it lasted for 7.5 days during our test. This included 2 workouts. We set up the automatic training detection, activated all measurements and set it to "smart".
This means that the fitness tracker can easily be worn 24 hours a day for a week without needing to charge it in between. The device charges nice and fast. Using an Anker 335 power supply, the charge level climbed from 5 to 40 percent in 15 minutes. After 40 minutes connected to the charger, the Smart Band 9 was 95 percent charged and it was fully charged after 50 minutes.
The charging cable is held in place by a magnet on the bottom of the watch. It doesn't support charging via the Qi standard—this is typical for the price range. Instead, the fitness tracker shows a customized charging display with time and charge level in landscape orientation. The battery has a capacity of 233 mAh.
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this 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. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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