It’s almost 2024 and most of us are probably cramming their 2023 health goals. Fear not, you can still clutch the to-dos on your list by keeping a handy tracker close to you—a smart watch.
However, choosing the right smart watch for yourself can be a little tricky especially when you’re trying to be a wise-spender.
If you want to be fit in both areas of your life, hit those two birds with one stone with the help of the Xiaomi Band 8.
Priced at P2,000, this 1.62” Amoled smart watch delivers a smoother refresh rate and offers over a 120 of exercise modes.
It has a real-time heart rate monitor, a 24/7 Blood Oxygen level monitor, sleep tracker, stress monitor, sports tracker, VO2 Max, step counter, meditation guide, phone finder, camera control, music, and weather forecast.
Minimalism is in
The aforementioned features are not really an upgrade from the Xiaomi Band 7. However, if you’re looking for something more on the design aspect, then you might consider looking at the Band 8.
The new strap design features two quick-release buttons for the user to be able to switch strap colors to their liking. With the metallic frame, the watch’s overall design leans toward a minimalistic style.
On another note, its Amoled display allows the user to see vibrant colors and sharper details. With an adjustable brightness up to 600 nits, the user can have no problem viewing data or notifications when under direct sunlight.
The Band 8’s pre-installed multiwatch faces are more than just for the user to know the time—it’s also for self-expression. The user can choose among the seven faces by just long pressing on the screen.
To have access to more than 150 watch displays, the watch needs to be connected to the Mi Fitness app.
The smartwatch also has an always-on display option, which means users can easily access apps without double-tapping the screen or raising the wrist.
Vast range of exercises
Underneath the watch, there’s also the magnetic charging port and two circular sensors for the heart rate and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring. Its monitoring functions are really helpful when you’re out on a run or doing intensive workouts.
Last October, Xiaomi PH brought all local health enthusiasts and its fans together for this year’s installment of the Xiaomi Pop Run, where some of the attendees got to test out the Band 8.
The watch was able to record my performance. It gave a summary of the activity, which consists of the duration, calories burned, steps, average pace, average cadence, training load, recovery time, and vitality.
There may be only a few minute delay with its time-recording so users really need to start as soon as the timer began for more accurate recording.
It is also necessary for users to end the timer when they are done with the workout as it cannot stop on its own. If the user’s unable to do so, it will continue tracking—which may lead to inaccurate summarization of your activity.
Another problem I encountered with the touch screen is that it is not sweat-proof. So, it may not be ideal to navigate through the apps when you’re sweating.
However, the Band 8 can withstand up to five atmospheres of water pressure, which means you’re good to go if you’re doing swimming exercises.
Aside from running, walking and swimming exercises, the watch can also track hiking, outdoor cycling, treadmill, jump rope, or freestyle workouts.
It covers 16 water sports, 10 outdoor sports, 40 training sports, 14 dances, 12 combat sports, 26 ball sports, 11 winter sports, 14 recreational sports, 5 card/board games, equestrian sport, athletics, and auto racing.
Considering?
For beginners, the Band 8 might be sweet deal. For those looking to upgrade from the Band 7, there is not much to look forward to. Especially that the Band 7 already has the Bluetooth 5.2 BLE, while the Band 8 downgraded to Bluetooth 5.1 BLE.
If you need a tie breaker, we can look into the battery life. The Band 7 promises 14 days of usage, while the Band 8 has 16 days of battery life. It’s longer and probably more advantageous for athletic or active users.
Investing on health wearables can largely impact how we integrate an active lifestyle into our lives. If keeping a close tracker next to us while we walk or move around, then it can help us become more conscious in how we keep our minds and body active.
We can start by helping ourselves build that discipline into our daily routines. It’s never too late for that new year’s resolution you made to become the healthier version of you today.
