Around a year ago fitness trackers were still a new idea in the market. They were mostly expensive and in India at least most people looking to get the fitness tracker functionality were opting to purchase smartwatches, instead. But then Xiaomi Mi Band happened, a fitness tracker sold at a price of Rs 999 in India.
At that time Xiaomi was the only company that sold a fitness tracker under Rs 5, 000. Rs 999 was a price tag none could match. Although it did lack features like heart rate monitor and a display that companies like GOQii and FitBit put in their fitness trackers.
that time Xiaomi was the only company that sold a fitness tracker under Rs 5, 000. Rs 999 was a price tag none could match. Although it did lack features like heart rate monitor and a display that companies like GOQii and FitBit put in their fitness trackers.
This year, Xiaomi is fixing it. The company has returned with Mi Band 2, and it has the features that the original Mi Band lacks. Xiaomi has launched the Mi Band 2 at Rs 1, 999 in India. It’s expensive compared to its predecessor but not so much. As for the Band, it is fantastic.
Design and build quality
The Mi Band 2 uses a design that is more or less similar to the last year’s Mi Band. Build quality too is same. However, it does add a small display panel on the capsule-shaped module. The OLED display panel has a layer of Gorilla Glass and it feels sturdy enough. But unfortunately, it is not as scratch resistant as the company claims. Unlike smartphones you can’t cover this panel with a scratch guard or a tampered glass, so we expect it to lose its shine with time.
The display shows the usual fitness data like footsteps, distance, calories, heart rate, and time. The module has a small button that cycles through this data when pressed.
On the underside of the capsule lies the heart rate sensor. We understand that there couldn’t be any other place to put this, but edges of the sensor can feel digging in the skin if the band is worn too tight. Solution? Don’t wear it too tight. We found that even when the Mi Band 2 was worn a bit comfortably it continued to track all the things, including the heart rate. But more on that later.
Xiaomi seems to have changed the material used in the fitness tracker because last year when I kept it tied for a few days continuously it caused some minor rashes. This time around there was no such issue. I had it on for over a week, even while taking a bath ( it’s water resistant) .
The silicone strap is soft to touch and doesn’t feel cheap, but still it looks cheap. The capsule has a charging point on one end, just like the earlier one.
The Mi Band 2 comes with some nifty features. The one I liked is the Idle Alert feature. The band will vibrate if you’ve been inactive for an hour or so
Performance
Before going further here, it is important to realise that this fitness tracker will likely cost less than Rs 2, 000. And you shouldn’t expect it to match a Rs 10, 000 tracker in finesse and some of the advanced features
That said, it does perform exceedingly well. The most basic feature is counting footsteps, and since its older sibling had no problem with that, I was not expecting this one to falter either. It counts steps accurately. But I did find it odd that it was counting steps even when kept inside the bag that I was carrying. Good thing? I guess
The new addition, heart rate sensor, still needs work. Most of the times it can’t register a heartbeat and you feel like a dead man walking. It requires you to be still, very still, to track your heart rate, which basically loses the whole purpose of having a heart rate sensor. Even while standing still or sitting, the position of the hand is important. The wrist needs to be straight and not in a tense posture. So yes, heart rate sensor needs work.
Should you buy it
It depends. Some people will love the functionality and features a fitness and some won’t care for it or even find wearing one all the time an annoyance. But if you do want a fitness band, the Mi Band 2, could be great purchase, mostly because of its price.
If you decide to buy Xiaomi Mi Band 2 you won’t be losing anything. You’ll get a wristband with a display, a heartbeat monitor, and of course, a fitness tracker. The Mi Band 2 works great almost all the time. It’d be better not to rely on the heartrate sensor though.
On the other hand, no puns intended, you can go for other fitness bands which are also pricier. But all the fitness bands in this price range come with a small display and all the things that Mi Band 2 has. So why spend extra money? Xiaomi Mi Band 2 is the fitness band you should get, if you decide to get one.