Upgrading from Xiaomi Mi Band 1S to Mi Smart Band 5
I started using a fitness tracker only when I received it as a gift at the Mi MIUI 3rd Anniversary Gathering & Christmas Celebration, which was held in Kuala Lumpur in December 2015. The Xiaomi Mi Band 1S has travelled everywhere with me since then, mainly to track my step count.
Compared to the two fitness apps that I have installed on my phone, the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S actually tracks my steps slower, with a difference of at least 4K steps every day. Nonetheless, I only take the step count of Mi Band into account, because it means I have to walk more in order to achieve my daily target of 12,000 steps.
Recently, I won a Mi Smart Band 5 in a contest conducted on Facebook by Mi Store Official Global – Malaysia. Participants had to publish a photo of their current fitness tracker, and mine was selected as one of the three winners.
It is a huge jump from the first generation Xiaomi Mi Band 1S to Mi Smart Band 5 in terms of features and technology. After using it for just overnight, frankly, I am still exploring its functions.
From no display in the first gen band to having the largest dynamic display of its series, there’s so much to see from this 1.1″ Amoled colour display. This size is approximately 20% larger than Mi Smart Band 4, so this is a pretty good excuse to upgrade!
The mega advantage of Xiaomi Mi Band 1S is its extremely long battery life. It doesn’t have a display, you see. However, Mi Smart Band 5 boasts 14 days extra-long battery life. It’s not too shabby, right? I’ve enabled 24-hour heart rate as well as sleep monitoring. These will certainly zap battery life. Luckily, its magnetic charging is so much more convenient!
Oh yes, you might be delighted to know that Xiaomi actually encourages users to wear their Mi Band 24/7, hence the 24-hour monitoring. With 50-metre water resistance, we can even shower or swim with the Mi Smart Band 5!
Besides using it to track my step count during my morning power walks, Mi Smart Band 5 tracks ten other sports, from rowing to cycling, swimming, rope jumping, yoga and more.
Another outstanding feature of Mi Smart Band 5 is its menstrual cycle tracking and notification, which is set up via the Mi Fit mobile app.
My personal favourite, at this point, has got to be the remote camera button, that takes photos remotely with just a single click. It makes taking selfies so much easier, if I don’t have my selfie stick with me. I used to have a Bluetooth shutter but the battery is dead and I never bothered replacing it, so this is a timely upgrade.
Mi Smart Band 5 has six straps in refreshing colours, to suit any occasion. Out of the box, the default colour is black. I am thinking of getting another colour, perhaps yellow or red, as a bright colour would certainly cheer up my day considerably.
Over the next few days, I’ll surely further explore my Mi Smart Band 5. I’ve already tested its music player control. There are still more functions available, such as alarm clock, stopwatch, timer and world clock.
As a watch addict, I think my Mi Smart Band 5 can amuse me for quite a long time, between swapping straps and watch faces! Apparently, we can even make our own watch face using our selfie. That needs to be done ASAP!
Let me know what model fitness tracker you are using, and will you consider this Mi Smart Band 5?
