Xiaomi launched the Mi Band 7 alongside the Redmi Note 11T series in China today. The latest Mi Band 7 boasts new features and quality-of-life improvements for Xiaomi’s popular fitness tracker. Here, we compare it with its predecessor, the Mi Band 6, to help Mi Band 6 users decide whether an upgrade is worthwhile. Let’s delve into the comparison.
Mi Band 7 vs Mi Band 6: What’s New (2022)
Display
Mi Band 7 features a larger 1.62-inch AMOLED display.
Regarding the form factor, Xiaomi maintains its Mi Band design with rounded edges for the Mi Band 7. This time, it features a larger 1.62-inch AMOLED display, a 0.06-inch increase from the previous 1.56-inch display.
Despite the futuristic wraparound display leak from last year not materializing, sticking to the same pill-shaped design isn’t necessarily a drawback. It provides the compact wearable experience users anticipate from a fitness band in the Mi Band lineup.
The display offers a 192 x 490-pixel resolution with 326 ppi and up to 500 nits of peak brightness. An always-on display is available on select watch faces. To recall, the Mi Band 6 features a 1.56-inch AMOLED display with 152 x 486-pixel resolution, 326 ppi, and up to 450 nits of peak brightness. For those interested, the dimensions of the Mi Band 7 and Band 6 are 46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25mm and 47.4 × 18.6 × 12.7mm, respectively.
Over 100 Sports Modes
Xiaomi annually updates its Mi Bands with new sports modes. While the Mi Band 6 offers 30 modes, the Band 7 boasts 120. This comprehensive range caters to diverse fitness routines. Popular modes on the Mi Band 7 include stretching, mixed aerobics, tennis, HIIT, aerobics, and kickboxing.
Furthermore, Xiaomi has improved the blood oxygen monitoring on the Mi Band 7. It now provides continuous SpO2 monitoring throughout the day, automatically checking every five minutes and issuing vibration alerts for low blood oxygen levels.
Speaking of exercise modes, it’s worth mentioning that Mi Band 7 still uses assisted GPS. Consequently, you need to carry your smartphone for tracking workouts. We’ve been hearing about the in-built GPS on the Mi Band series for years, but it’s skipped this year too.
Sports Data Analysis
While it’s nice to have various sports modes, data is useless without actionable steps to improve fitness using insights. To assist you, Xiaomi introduces four sports data analysis modes. These modes provide feedback on progress in athletic ability, indicating if you exceed general limits in an activity, advising rest periods, and offering goal-oriented training suggestions.
Improved Battery Life
Another significant improvement this year is the enhanced battery life. Compared to the 125mAh battery in the Mi Band 6, Xiaomi has integrated a larger 180mAh battery into the Mi Band 7. The company pledges 15 days of usage with the Band 7, just one day more than promised for the Mi Band 6. It’s possible that the addition of new features like continuous blood oxygen monitoring could have offset the battery size upgrades.
Mi Band 7 vs Mi Band 6: Specs Comparison
Here’s a quick comparison of the specifications between the Mi Band 6 and Mi Band 7:
| Mi Band 7 | Mi Band 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 46.5 x 20.7 x 12.25mm | 47.4 × 18.6 × 12.7mm |
| Weight | 13.5 grams | 12.8 grams |
| Display | 1.62-inch AMOLED | 1.56-inch AMOLED |
| Heart Rate Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| SpO2 Blood Oxygen Monitoring | Yes, continuous | Yes |
| Sports Modes | 120 | 30 |
| Water Resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Battery Capacity | 180mAh | 125mAh |
| Battery Life | 15 days (regular) 9 days (heavy use) |
14 days (non-NFC) 12 days (NFC) |
| Price | Starts at CNY 249 (~Rs 2,899) | CNY 229 (Rs 2,699) |
Mi Band 7 vs Mi Band 6: Just an Incremental Upgrade!
Should you upgrade to Mi Band 7 from Mi Band 6? It depends on your use cases. Like last year’s minor upgrades in Mi Band 6 vs Mi Band 5, Xiaomi brings incremental improvements this time too. Despite rumors, Xiaomi skips built-in GPS support on Mi Band 7.
If you don’t use many sports modes, Mi Band 5 will suffice. Besides, you’ll miss a larger display with AOD, sports data analysis-based guidance, and improved battery life. However, Mi Band 7 is a solid upgrade for those moving from older Mi Band versions like Mi Band 3 and 4.
Regarding price, Mi Band 7 sees a 20 yuan increase for non-NFC and NFC variants, making it CNY 249 (~Rs 2,900) and CNY 299 (~Rs 3,499) respectively. Wondering about Mi Band 7’s India launch date? Expect it in late August or early September 2022. So, planning to upgrade or buy Mi Band 7? Let us know in the comments.
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
