Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi may be best known for smartphones such as the excellent Mi 5 Pro, but it makes a wide variety of other products,
from televisions to drones.
The majority aren’t sold outside Asia, but the Mi Band, its inexpensive fitness tracker, was one of the few we could grab from Xiaomi’s online store.
It was worth it too, thanks to the bargain price and cool style
.
Now we’ve got the Xiaomi Mi Band 2, a proper sequel to the Mi Band that combines the heart rate sensor introduced on the feature-bumped Mi Band 1S with a revised design and the introduction of a screen.
The simple Mi Band has gone all high-tech,
something that usually means an increase in price — but that’s not Xiaomi’s style at all.
We’ve been wearing the Mi Band 2 for a couple of weeks to test it out. Have all the new features made the tracker better than ever, or has the wonderful simplicity of the original been lost?
Design and comfort
The Mi Band 2 looks very similar to the original Mi Band. There’s a central core module that pops into a slim, silicone strap, allowing you to swap it out for straps in different colors.
Once the core is in place, it’s not going anywhere at all, and is more securely fastened in than the original Mi Band had been(its core would sometimes pop out unexpectedly).
Although soft, the silicone isn’t floppy and is secured with a pop stud and small loop. The strap is also super secure, with almost zero chance of it coming loose or falling off.
The Mi Band 2 is easy to put on with one hand, more so than bands like the Jawbone Up2, and it’s considerably more compact than the Fitbit Charge HR, which has similar functionality.
Because of this it’s suitable for all wrist sizes, and doesn’t look out of place on the thin-wristed.