A model new yr, and the world will get a brand new Xiaomi health tracker. We at the moment are wanting on the eighth iteration of the Xiaomi Good Band, aptly named the Xiaomi Good Band 8 Professional. The brand new mannequin sports activities a bigger show at a lower cost. Discover out what else has modified because the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro (review) and what the brand new health tracker from Xiaomi has to supply typically on this assessment.
Good
- Very reasonable value
- Engaging design
- Giant show
- GPS/GNSS
- First rate battery life
Dangerous
- Too little innovation
- No NFC
- AOD drains loads of battery
Xiaomi Good Band 8 Professional: All offers
The Xiaomi Good Band 8 Professional in a nutshell
The Xiaomi Good Band 8 Professional lastly has a robust promoting level—its value. Individuals who bought the Good Band 7 Professional in 2022 are most definitely going to be irritated as the brand new health tracker presents just about the identical options, albeit with an elevated show measurement at 1.74 inches and at a $79 value level. Do keep in mind Xiaomi’s merchandise are usually not formally obtainable within the US, though you possibly can decide it up at that value level through on-line retailers resembling Amazon.
Surprisingly, we nonetheless must reside with out NFC exterior of China, the place nothing a lot has modified when it comes to performance since final yr. The watch is well-made and appears actually fashionable for a health tracker. For those who can reside with the truth that the battery dies after roughly six days with the All the time-On Show activated and the way you’re unable to carry out cashless funds utilizing the health tracker, you may get a tool with an excellent price-to-performance ratio.
The health tracker is offered in black or grey shades with different choices for the wristbands. Bear in mind, you’ll solely discover a charging cable within the field with none charger.
Design and show
Visually, the Good Band 8 Professional is nearer to a smartwatch than a health tracker. The AMOLED show, which has grown to 1.74 inches, makes it even simpler to learn than the remainder of Xiaomi’s health tracker vary.
Execs:
- Excessive-quality workmanship.
- Giant show.
- 5ATM water resistance.
- Engaging design.
- Infinitely adjustable brightness.
Cons:
- Clasp does run into points.
- All the time-on Show consumes loads of battery energy.
I just like the design simply as a lot as its predecessor, besides that the show has now grown to 1.74 inches. Other than that, it appears to be like precisely like its predecessor. This isn’t destructive in any respect, as it’s visually interesting with a mixture of Gorilla Glass Victus and a polymer fiber case. There are precisely zero buttons, crowns, or different bodily enter strategies for this well-made machine as the whole lot is managed through the touchscreen. This provides the machine an nearly elegant simplicity.
The TPU wristband is simple to connect and simply as straightforward to take away if you wish to substitute it with one other one. Nonetheless, I discovered the clasp to be a bit fiddly, though this is also resulting from my slightly clumsy fingers. For those who desire, you may get a substitute strap, together with alternate options that depend on braided nylon or calfskin.
Xiaomi guarantees us 5ATM water resistance. I do know—I am additionally waterproof as much as 5 bar (forgive my unhealthy jokes! If it is in my head, I’ve to put in writing it!). By the way, for those who’re swimming or showering, you are higher off with a watch that’s water resistant as much as 10ATM. Nonetheless, washing your arms or strolling within the rain will not be a problem in any respect with the Good Band 8 Professional.
The advertising division at Xiaomi is actually doing its finest when it comes to technicalities, citing the health tracker as featherweight mild at 22.5 g and measuring a mere 9.99 mm skinny. The strap will not be included within the weight and Xiaomi generously omitted the guts price sensor from the thickness to stay underneath the 1 cm restrict. I spotted that is frequent follow amongst health tracker producers, however no person would let me get away with it if I mentioned that I weighed a comfortable 89 kg if I disregarded the stomach.
The Xiaomi Good Band 8 Professional show
Three or 4 fast ideas concerning the show: the decision (336 x 480 px) and pixel density (336 ppi) have elevated with the bigger display measurement. You get a 60 Hz refresh price and a 600 nits brightness, each of that are already current within the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 (review). The brightness degree, which could be adjusted each routinely and manually (lastly!)Â will not be the very best, however you possibly can nonetheless learn the advantageous AMOLED panel clearly always, even when outdoor.
By the way, the All the time-on Show can also be very straightforward to learn. We focus on what AOD does to the battery underneath the ‘Battery’ part later.
Basically, the bigger show makes the whole lot a bit simpler to learn and I feel Xiaomi has made a pleasant compromise right here: giant sufficient to learn the whole lot simply and sufficiently small that girls with smaller wrists also needs to really feel comfy carrying this health tracker.
Software program and operation
As with its predecessor, Xiaomi additionally distributed with a bodily management ingredient on the Good Band 8 Professional. All enter must be carried out through the touchscreen.
Execs:
- Self-explanatory person interface.
- App chaos has been eradicated.
Cons:
- Too many menu ranges to reach on the desired sport/exercise mode.
- No NFC/cell cost help.
- Vibration motor is just too highly effective.
Nothing a lot has modified when it comes to operation: There aren’t any buttons and crown with which you’ll scroll or choose menu gadgets. Every little thing is carried out through the touchscreen. That is all proper, actually, as a result of the operation is sort of foolproof. If in case you have used Xiaomi watches/trackers earlier than, you’ll know methods to use it proper from the get go. If not, you may have it down very quickly: swipe as much as entry the app overview, swipe down for the notifications, and swipe left or proper by your widgets and into the fast settings.
Additionally, you will have the choice of putting a number of of those widgets on one display and in several sizes. To edit the widgets and screens, you employ the Mi Health app, which by the way appears to be like nearly precisely the identical as after I reviewed the Good Band 7 Professional round a yr and a half in the past. This interprets to uniformity, continuity, however it might additionally imply that there merely hasn’t been a lot growth.
The app is offered for each Apple and Android and requires you to have a tool operating not less than iOS 12 or Android 8.
You realize, I am a lazy particular person and am removed from actually immersing myself in any sort of sporting exercise. That is why this app is sort of good for me. I get statistics on my coronary heart price, sleep high quality, blood sugar degree, and I can observe my accomplished laps and rather more. I am completely proud of that. If I need to pair the machine with the app, it is easy, as is loading/altering the watch faces and customizing my profile.
If you’re extra demanding, it is best to check out the competitors, together with Fitbit, or test the Withings ScanWatch 2 (review)Â out. Though the latter will not be explicitly labeled as a health tracker, it presents very complete well being options, particularly with the subscription service.
What else did I miss? Oh sure, the vibration motor will get on my nerves once more this time. I’d have preferred to have the ability to modify the depth degree. Personally, I am happy that Xiaomi appears to have gotten the app chaos underneath management. You’re additionally prominently knowledgeable within the Mi Health app that you could switch all of your information from Zepp Life to Mi Health.
Other than that, I’ve the sensation that Xiaomi ought to slowly embody a couple of good options right here and there. Sure, you possibly can management your music in a rudimentary method, obtain notifications and the climate show, however that is about it. There aren’t sufficient apps for me and, in contrast to the Chinese language model, there is not any NFC and subsequently, no cashless cost. Please step it up a notch, Xiaomi!
Health and well being features
Xiaomi presents over 150 sports activities modes with the Good Band 8 Professional, a few of them even that includes a “3D coach” for warming up, interval coaching, and all of the bells and whistles. Functionally, nevertheless, not a lot has modified. I imagine that some measurements resembling sleep monitoring have change into rather more correct.
Execs:
- Over 150 sports activities modes supported.
- Extra exact sleep monitoring.
- AI pacer and “3D coach” for warming up for chosen sports activities.
- Can be utilized with no smartphone due to GNSS and GPS.
Cons:
- What’s fallacious with the “rise up” operate?
- Little or no change in comparison with its predecessors.
Actually? I’ve some beef with Xiaomi on this part. For example, I’ve an issue with how Xiaomi’s health trackers generally differ ever so barely from machine to machine. Ought to I now reward GNSS/GPS effusively, despite the fact that it was already obtainable on the Xiaomi Good Band 7 Professional, or philosophize about an astonishing 150 sports activities modes that we already know of within the fundamental mannequin, the Good Band 8?
Do I would like to elucidate the guts price and SpO2 sensors, which we additionally know are current in earlier fashions? Today, the well being features of health trackers are simply as necessary and complete because the health features, so these sensors naturally play an necessary position. Nonetheless, it is usually about precision. No tracker or smartwatch (not even an Apple Watch) can substitute a health care provider. This implies the displayed coronary heart price, measured deep sleep section, or pre-calculated menstrual cycle are solely tips. This leaves us someplace between a medically correct measurement and a guesstimate always.
After all, the producers know this as effectively, so it is good type to elucidate with each new mannequin that operate XY now measures much more precisely than earlier than. For instance, Xiaomi lets us know that we will measure the guts price ten p.c extra precisely and that the precision in measuring oxygen saturation has additionally elevated by 5 p.c. This brings me to a different downside: I haven’t got the technical means to confirm this utilizing such measurements.
For me, recording all of the values—pulse, oxygen saturation, stress degree, and even the vitality rating, works very effectively on this sense: Yep, it sounds practical. Earlier than you make your buy choice, do not anticipate me to let you know that, as an example, your coronary heart price might be displayed simply as reliably as on a high-priced health tracker with a chest strap.
What I do know methods to do and do effectively is that this: sleep! I can lie awake with out sleeping, nap for an excellent very long time, and the whole lot in between. I’ve generally struggled with health trackers, together with these from Xiaomi, as a result of they simply did not work for me. On this case, nevertheless, my sleep was really tracked rigorously and differentiated between mild sleep, deep sleep, the REM section, and even my ‘waking up and going to the bathroom a number of occasions’ motion which escape the eye of my good companion.
Do remember the Good Band 8 Professional retains providing options and measurement choices that you must manually activate. For example, computerized pauses whereas operating, everlasting monitoring of oxygen saturation, and in addition the recording of REM phases. Please bear in mind this earlier than you complain to Xiaomi that some promised operate will not be measured in any respect.
What’s new however only a gimmick for me is the “3D coach”. This characteristic prepares you on your workouts through a couple of sports activities with warm-up workouts. You could find this for operating, for instance, by going to the settings for the related sport. There additionally, you will discover the AI Pacer, which units the tempo and motivates you to carry out higher.
As somebody who opinions client electronics, I’d be joyful if Xiaomi supplied me extra innovation and new or improved options. As an everlasting sofa potato who at finest walks a couple of laps, the vary of features is, after all, completely ample for me.
p.s. Xiaomi, what is going on on along with your “stand up” characteristic? I’ve set it to remind me to stand up after I’ve been sitting on my butt for an hour. That does not work in any respect. Typically I’ve heaved myself as much as the third flooring of my new residence, solely to be requested to stand up two minutes later. Typically the reminder even notifies me whereas I am standing.
Battery life
The battery capability has grown to 289 mAh however fluctuates relying on use. Sadly, Xiaomi nonetheless does not help wi-fi charging nor embody a charger within the packaging.
Execs:
- Completely ample battery life.
Cons:
- No wi-fi charging supported.
- Brief charging cable.
Not a lot has modified since its predecessor launched. This is applicable to the charging cable, which is as soon as once more too brief for me, to the shortage of a charger, and much more so, the shortage of wi-fi charging help. Nonetheless, I think about the battery life has improved in comparison with the Good Band 7 Professional.
As soon as once more, I’ve merely switched on the whole lot that may be activated when it comes to features, have the whole lot measured, all notifications pop up, and wore the tracker 24/7, ensuring I’m continually linked to my smartphone through Bluetooth. Because the icing on the cake, the All the time-on Show was additionally lively all the best way. By doing so, I obtained roughly six days from this battery earlier than I had to search for an influence socket once more.
Positive, that is considerably lower than the expected 14 days. However for those who do not allow the whole lot, don’t measure your blood oxygen degree continually, and disable AOD, I feel the said battery life is definitely achievable. Thumbs up for the battery life.
Technical specs
| Â | Technical specs |
|---|---|
| Gadget | |
| Picture |
 |
| Show | 1.74 inch AMOLED 336 x 480 px (336 ppi) 60 Hz refresh price max. 600 nits Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Dimensions | 46 x 33.35 x 9.99 mm (with out coronary heart price sensor) |
| Weight | 22.5 g (with out wristband) |
| Colours | Black, Gentle Grey |
| Battery capability | 289 mAh Quick charging help Charging cable included, mains adapter not |
| Safety | 5 ATM |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth BLE 5.3 |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Gyroscope Optical coronary heart price sensor and pulse oximeter Ambient mild sensor |
| Different options | Appropriate with Android 8.0 (or increased) iOS 12.0 (or increased) greater than 150 sport modes |
Conclusion
Actually? After the primary one or two days of reviewing the machine, I used to be really in a little bit of a nasty temper and was already contemplating whether or not I ought to select one thing like “Xiaomi—we put the professional in problematic” because the headline for my assessment. The rationale? I merely miss notable enhancements. Every little thing that was good concerning the predecessor continues to be good right here. There are many sports activities modes to select from, it appears to be like good, has a pleasant show, is intuitive to make use of, has GPS/GNSS, and you’ll’t complain concerning the battery both.
On the flip facet, the shortage of wi-fi charging and NFC help proceed to stay, and Xiaomi does not unleash slew of latest options. What’s extra, the discharge was too late for me: we’re getting a model new product that was launched in China final August. I used to be questioning whether or not I ought to give it 3 or 3.5 stars and write a grumpy assessment.
Nonetheless, looking on the price ticket proved me fallacious. The Good Band 8 Professional prices simply $79. This permits me to price it 4 stars with a transparent conscience, even when I nonetheless want Xiaomi would not less than give me NFC within the subsequent era! It could actually’t be that tough, rattling it!
