REASONS TO BUY
Lots of trackable activities
Decent heart rate monitor
Solid sleeping trackability
REASONS TO AVOID
No internal GPS
No altimeter
Difficult to put on
Xiaomi Mi Band 6 Review
There are a couple of key features missing and poor fitness tracking that made this product miss the mark in our testing
Credit: Xiaomi
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Our Verdict
If you are in the market for a fitness tracker but do not want to break the wallet, the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is a product to consider. For the price, this low-cost option offers plentiful trackable activities and health features. Its rectangular display is fairly good, and the interface is easy to understand. This device missed the mark — it was not the best value fitness tracker since there are cheap alternatives that outperform it. The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 is a good choice for the casual user, but those seeking more features and pinpoint accuracy will likely be disappointed.
Our Analysis and Test Results
We can summarize the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 with one word — mediocre. This budget-saving tracker may do well with the bank account but is average in delivering accurate health information. Very little has improved compared to the previous model except for a larger display and a few new features.
Performance Comparison
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Fitness Impact
Our initial round of tests ranks the fitness and workout tracking abilities of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6. We scored this tracker based on its cycling tracker, stair climbing tracker, step tracking accuracy, workout tracking features, and the quality of the community features.
Our walking test found that this tracker is great for measuring steps walked but rather average regarding distance. We compared counts with a manual count with an average of a 21-step difference and a .12-mile difference. Although our distance test was somewhat accurate, the lack of a GPS makes this tracker unreliable compared to others on the market.
Our trials found that the Mi Band 6 does a decent job at accurately counting steps.
Credit: Jason Peters
The lack of GPS is a huge downgrade for those who love cycling and lack a good phone GPS. We also found workout tracing lacked important information during exercise, such as interval number and calories burned. Perhaps the saving grace is the plentiful other activities like Zumba and bowling, but this did little to affect this metric's overall score.
This tracker can collect a variety of data from different workouts.
Credit: Jason Peters
Health Impact
Our next set of tests measures health-related statistics such as heart rate monitoring, diet-related features, lifestyle features, the efficacy of the waking alarm, and sleep tracking. Our test results placed the Mi Band 6 slightly above average.
The Mi Band 6 did not perform particularly well in this category due to the lack of dieting features. In particular, the heart rate monitor performed rather well but could not make a lasting impression due to the band's inability to adjust quickly.
This tracker may not be ideal for those seeking more in health tracking performance.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The sleep tracker was another feature we enjoyed, accurately recording the time we slept. There is also an option to add naps, allowing the user to comprehensively understand their sleeping habits. We were disappointed in the waking alarm since it can only vibrate, making it nearly useless for heavy sleepers.
Ease of Use
Our next set of evaluations measures the Mi Band 6 performance in terms of user-friendliness. In this test, we examine the battery life, pairing/syncing speed, mobile app interface, tracker interface, ease of putting on, and water resistance. Overall the Mi Band 6 had a middling performance.
Battery life lasts up to 14 days with only 2 hours of charge, making the Mi Band 6 one of the more battery-durable fitness trackers. We were not impressed with the magnetic battery since it can be somewhat difficult to connect to the tracker's small port.
The small port on the Mi Band 6 makes charging more burdensome than it needs to be.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
By far, the metric that tanked the overall score the most was the ease of putting on. Putting on the Mi Band 6 can be a rather annoying process. The user must secure the band along the wrist's circumference while maintaining enough tension to fasten the band together.
The band on the Mi Band 6 was sorely lacking.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ergonomics
This next test evaluated the Mi Band 6 comfort and profile design, ranking a little about average.
The Mi Band 6 slim design and smooth edges make this fitness tracker comfortable and easy to wear. Bulkier fitness trackers tend to make movements feel more sluggish. Although, the long vertical length of the watch often gets caught when taking off a jacket or backpack.
This light and low-profile tracker will not slow down your movements.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Display
For our last metric, we tested the Mi Bands 6 screen visibility, responsiveness to input, smart notification functionality, extensive display options, and time/date display.
The Mi Band 6 display is a little larger than the previous Mi Band, making it much more convenient to read data while exercising. Besides this upgrade, other aspects of the Mi Band 6 seem identical to its predecessor. Although this fitness tracker's display can compete with others on the market, we found it was merely above average.
As you can see, the display on the Mi Band is quite small and slim.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should you buy the Xiaomi Mi Band 6?
For those seeking a slim, stylish design that offers reliable data for the most basic exercises, the Xiaomi Band 6 might be for you. Its interface is intuitive and easy to use and is particularly friendly to casual consumers eager to join the fitness tracker community without breaking the wallet. However, other affordable options work considerably better.
What other fitness trackers should you consider?
The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 may be cheap, but it comes at a quality cost. If you are looking for a fitness tracker that does not break the bank but also provides solid tracking capabilities, you should consider the Fitbit Charge 5. Maybe you have some money to spend and want an all-around fitness tracker that is accurate and feature-filled, then you should consider the Apple Watch SE.
—
Jared Eastlick and Jessica Riconscente
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