Another year, another generation of Xiaomi fitness trackers.
This year, the Smart Band 9 is the brand’s affordable option for those logging the basics, replacing the Smart Band 8 released in April 2023.
With the global edition of the Smart Band 9 now officially available, you might wonder what the key upgrades are over the previous generation. That’s where this guide comes in.
As with each generation, the amount of changes is minimal – mostly coming through battery life and sensor accuracy – but they are still relatively significant. Some other areas, like the operating system and companion app support, are also completely unchanged.
Without further ado, then, let’s get into the full comparison.
Our full, individual reviews:
- Xiaomi Smart Band 9
- Xiaomi Smart Band 8
Price comparison and availability
There’s generally a slight bump for the new model while the last-gen device is available for a little less. Regarding RRP, though, the global edition of the Smart Band 9 is £34.99/€39.99.
This is a bit cheaper than what the Smart Band 8 arrived at (£39.99/€49.99), though this, as we say, is now available for less if you can still find stock.
The equation remains the same for US users; there’s no official way to buy either band through Xiaomi, but you can pick it up (usually for a bit of a premium) via third-party sellers.
Design and display
After Xiaomi refreshed the design through the Smart Band 8, we weren’t surprised to see the ninth-gen option feature roughly the same look and specs.
That means both feature the same highlights: a versatile design that can detach from the strap and be worn as a necklace or running pod (Pebble Mode), a buttonless and lightweight case, and a bright, 1.62-inch AMOLED display.
There are still slight differences to be aware of, though. The Smart Band 9, for example, has a much brighter display – pumping out 1200 nits, up from the Band 8’s 600 nits. Being such a big jump, this is noticeable in both day and night conditions.
Yet, while it’s a nice upgrade, it’s still not one we think makes a huge overall difference to the experience. After all, we never particularly struggled to view the Band 8 display even with its average peak brightness.
The Band 9 also has a slightly different case finish, with the aluminum alloy now brushed and available in silver, black, pink, and blue.
There’s also a more premium ceramic edition for those who don’t mind paying a little extra (though it’s still unclear whether this will be released outside of China).
Then there are also a couple of minor differences we don’t think are perceptible in actual wear. For example, the overall dimensions of Band 9 are slightly smaller (46.53 x 21.63 x 10.95 mm) than Band 8 (48mm x 22.5mm x 10.99mm).
The Band 9, Xiaomi also says, features an upgraded haptic feedback motor, but it’s a change we didn’t notice during our testing.
Winner: Draw
Activity and sports tracking
While no operating system or processor changes have been brought to the Band 9, Xiaomi claims significant upgrades have been made in some tracking areas.
The PPG sensor has been redesigned to boost blood oxygen saturation monitoring and heart rate tracking performance. According to Xiaomi, it should be 16% better off than equivalent tracking on the Band 8. Sleep tracking and stage analysis also benefit, with accuracy improved by 7.9% compared to the previous generation.
Did we see evidence of that jump in our testing? Sort of. The Band 9 performed very well in easier conditions (like indoor rides), matching a chest strap in overall/maximum figures on all occasions. However, it still suffered some issues during outdoor rides and running. So, while it’s better than the Band 8, it’s still only a tracker you can rely on to give a broadly accurate picture.
We will say that the insights appear to have been upgraded, though, and this extends to both models. During Band 8 testing last year, we found post-workout metrics like training effect and recovery hours suggestions were wildly out of sync with comparable data from other brands.
This time, these were more consistently in the right ballpark, meaning the data in Mi Fitness is much more actionable. This also extends to Pebble Mode, where our tests suggested last year’s bugs have been ironed out.
However, the upgrades only so far. GPS remains scarce on both models, meaning you’ll only get location tracking if your phone is connected.
Winner: Xiaomi Smart Band 9
Health and sleep tracking
Xiaomi boasts notable improvements in sleep tracking for Band 9 compared to last year’s model, suggesting that sleep stage accuracy has been improved by 7.9%.
However, given that the sleep stages still don’t include any awake time alongside deep, light, and REM estimates, we’re not convinced this is much of an upgrade.
Even the top wearable sleep trackers can only match polysomnography equipment with around 75-80% accuracy, and we suspect both of Xiaomi’s bands are much less than that standard.
The health-tracking insights aren’t much more useful, either. Despite Xiaomi’s claims of accuracy improvement, blood oxygen graphs are littered with sub-95% readings on both, while skin temperature data remains siloed from any other element of Mi Fitness.
Almost every insight in this area is also turned off by default, which, while easily fixable, is still pretty irritating when you first strap on either Smart Band.
Winner: Draw
Battery life
One major difference between these two trackers is in the battery life estimations. For Band 8, our testing showed that you could expect around 15-16 days from the tracker in regular use, with this dipping to five days with the always-on display and other power-intensive features enabled.
It’s impressive, but the improved battery unit (233 mAh in Band 9, up from 190 mAh) sees that estimation grow a fair chunk. With the newer mode, we found that around 21 days is possible in ‘normal’ use, with a more power-hungry setup (with all the 24/7 tracking features turned on and the AOD enabled) still able to achieve around a week.
Those who value battery are much better off with the Band 9, but the quick charging times (roughly taking an hour to go from flat to full for both models) means you’re never far from having either Smart Band able to track for a few more days.
Winner: Xiaomi Smart Band 9
Verdict: Which is best – and should you upgrade?
Though the differences between these two fitness trackers may be small, Xiaomi has upgraded just enough to make the Band 9 a clear winner. With the asking price also so low, the savings you might find by picking the Band 8 are also insignificant.
Whether you should upgrade, however, is a different question.
Unless you value the battery boost or want a slightly more accurate version of the Band 8, we don’t think it’s a necessary upgrade. And if you are considering an upgrade, you can also widen the net and consider some of the best cheap smartwatches or Xiaomi’s Smart Band Pro line.
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