Xiaomi Mi Band 5: Test, Battery, Data Protection, Price – buy or not?

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is the successor to the popular Mi Band 4. The test clarifies what the cheap tracker offers for fitness fans and where its sensitive weak point is.

 Das Display des Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 leuchtet nur, wenn man es antippt oder den Arm hebt.

Test Conclusion: You have to Know that

Xiaomi has loosened the handbrake: The Xiaomi Mi (Smart) Band 5 now automatically recognizes training. If you have your mobile phone with you, you can record the route while running; when jumping rope, for example, the tape counts the jumps. There are also a few clever functions on board: users control the camera and playback on the mobile phone remotely and read incoming messages on the bracelet. The Mi-Fit app for the smartphone remains a bit confusing, the writing on the bracelet is too small. And the user data is not legally protected in the app.

Editor’s Test Grade:  3,1 – SATISFYING

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• Detects workouts automatically
• Detects heart rate exactly
• Bright color display
• Mirrors news
• Controls music and camera remotely
• Waterproof
• Long running time[/symple_accordion_section][symple_accordion title=”CONS”][symple_accordion_section]
• Data protection poor
• Font too small
• GPS only via mobile phone
• No payment function
• Material looks a bit cheap
• No apps installable
• No voice assistant
• No reply to messages[/symple_accordion_section]

The screen grows a bit, the charging cable is magnetically attached to the case: the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 apparently only differs in detail from the predecessor Xiaomi Mi Band 4. But the real finesse is in the software. TECHNOLOGY BUTTON has buckled up the affordable fitness band and tested what the new version brings – and whether the manufacturer has improved data protection in the meantime!

More Screen, but Small Font

At first glance, the screen scores with high-contrast and colored AMOLED technology. At second glance, the sometimes very small text in the menus is annoying, as some people cannot decipher without reading glasses. And it doesn’t help that the screen has grown from 24 to 28 millimeters (mm) compared to the previous model. If you look at the display outside, you have to manually set the brightness to the highest level in order to recognize something – but the battery can cope with it. The strap is still light at 23 grams, the case with a height of 1.2 centimeters slim. It is comfortable to wear, but the locking mechanism – push it through the flap and then into the eyelet – is cumbersome. If you tighten the strap during training so that it cannot slip, you will feel the pressure of the pulse sensor. Regarding operation, it should be noted: The screen reacts to swiping and pressing the touch button below the display. Xiaomi has now integrated more submenus into the bracelet, which fortunately explain themselves.

• Display Size: 1.1 inch / 28 mm (previous: 0.95 inch / 24 mm)
• Display Technology: AMOLED
• Resolution: 126×294 pixels

Symbols are easy to recognize, and small fonts require good eyes.

 

All-Round Program for Fitness Fans

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 offers much more than its predecessor for fitness fans. The functions in detail:

• More sports: The tape records eleven sports: pool swimming, rowing, exercise and cross trainer, jumping rope, running, treadmill, hiking, cycling, yoga and the “Exercise” mode. Practical: In the jump rope mode, the bracelet adds up the jumps – that also worked in the test. When swimming, the tape counts the moves and recognizes the swimming style. The housing is protected up to 5 ATM and is therefore not suitable for diving.
• Smart automatic: thanks to automatic training detection, the motion sensors detect a walk, for example. In the test, the tape then vibrated and asked if it should record the unit. Other manufacturers, including Fitbit, Apple and Samsung, have integrated such an automatic for a long time. In direct comparison with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, the Xiaomi band took a little longer to recognize a work-out.
• Fitness value: Xiaomi determines the “PAI”. The manufacturer understands this to mean physiological activity and, in principle, counts how active the user is, measured primarily in terms of sporting activities during which the heart rate rises. However, it does not take into account how high your personal maximum heart rate is (depending on your age or congenital). With other apps, such as from Polar, Huawei or Fitbit, users can enter this value.
• Heart rate measurement and warning: The band warns if the heart rate is too high – this value can be set in the app. Whether in everyday life or during sports: In the test, the Mi Band 5 determined the heart rate precisely enough.
• Sleep analysis expanded: In the test, the sleep recording worked superficially and the analysis is more extensive than before, even if some waking phases went undetected. According to the manufacturer, the tracker also recognizes during the day when you sleep and adds your afternoon nap – a novelty.
• Cycle tracker: This function logs the female cycle. Good: After initial entries in the app, users record their period by entering it on the tape. The tape predicts menstrual bleeding and fertile days, which can also be read on the wrist.
• Stress level: The Mi Band now calculates the stress level of its wearer from the heart rate data, either automatically or on command.

To close, users pull the flap through the eyelet and attach the plug.

Quite clever, but dumber than the China edition

Users control the smartphone camera remotely using a wristband, and music can be controlled with Volume 4. This works regardless of whether the paired device is an Android mobile phone or iPhone and regardless of the app for playback. The tape shows the weather by receiving the information via the mobile phone. The display also shows incoming messages from the smartphone (without providing a response option) and calendar reminders entered in the Mi-Fit app, but not calendar entries from the conventional calendar app on the smartphone. Tip: If you do not receive any SMS on the tape, check the Mi Fit settings to see whether the Incoming SMS option is active and also (only for Android) the messaging app you are using is activated under App notifications. An alarm clock is on board. It can be set up in the app and switched on and off on the belt. The band wakes up by vibration and without sound and offers a snooze mode. A sleep phase alarm clock is not set up. Xiaomi has developed dozens of watch faces, some of which can still be customized by allowing users to choose which information they should display. The Asian version of Volume 5 houses far more functions: the Xiao Ai voice assistant and payment functions via Mi Pay.

Xiaomi Mi Band 5: Akku

According to the manufacturer, the device with its 125 mAh battery lasts up to 14 days on a single charge, depending on use. In the TECHNOLOGY BUTTON test with activated notifications and heart measurement, the tape came to eleven days. Charging has become easier: with the previous models, users had to remove the tracker from the armband and put it in a holder, the charging cable is now held magnetically on the back.

Charging Made Easy: A magnetic connector is attached to the back of the case.

Mi-Fit app: Insufficient data protection!

And now comes the big catch on the cheap tracker: The bracelet requires a compatible smartphone with the “Mi Fit” app to set up and use. It runs on iPhones from iOS 10 and on Android phones with at least version 5.0. Fitness bracelets collect sensitive user data, including personal data such as email address, height, birthday and weight, and health data. Therefore the subject of data protection is important. TECHNOLOGY BUTTON had the data protection conditions (as of June 24, 2020) of the Mi-Fit app checked by an independent law firm. Nevertheless there is the grade “poor” (school grade 5). Because Xiaomi reserves the right to use the data, including cycle data of women, for direct mail. The manufacturer passes on data to third countries outside the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) without clarifying how the data is protected. There are no references to important consumer rights, including the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

The app shows fitness analyzes and manages many settings.

Price: An affordable fitness tracker

Xiaomi unveiled the tracker in China on June 11, 2020 and started selling there a week later. The ribbon is mainly available in black in stores in this country. It also appears in orange, yellow, green, blue and petrol.

[symple_button url=”https://www.amazon.com/Xiaomi-Mi-Band-5-Black/dp/B08B1MGGYY” color=”green” button_target=”_blank” btnrel=”nofollow”]Buy For $ 39[/symple_button]

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 comes in these colors.

 

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5: Conclusion and Alternatives

Xiaomi has made some improvements: users no longer have to disassemble the tape to charge, more sports can now be recorded and even recognized automatically. In connection with the mobile phone, the tracker also offers a few clever functions for music and camera control as well as receiving news and weather display, albeit less than the Chinese version that comes with a voice assistant and payment function. The Mi Band still has some weaknesses. The font remains too small, data protection is poor, the setting options in the app are sometimes confusing. The Mi Band 5 has manageable competition in its price range – and it comes mainly from within its own ranks: The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 is now even cheaper, but does without new functions such as automatic training. Another competitor recently appeared with the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 (2020). Honor Band 5 and Huawei Band 4 are further alternatives.