There are no more popular bracelets than the Xiaomi Smart Band. They are cheap, comfortable, easy to use and very useful, above all, for those users who are looking for an additional device to the smartphone to be able to quickly see notifications or control their health and physical condition. The Mi Smart Band, however, have a small drawback; its screen is very small, so it is not possible to perform some actions on the device itself. This is precisely where the Xiaomi Smartband 7 Proan interesting alternative not only to its little brother, but also to some Fitbit or Huawei models.
One of the most curious details of this device, precisely, is its concept. It is not a smartband, nor is it a smartwatch with which Xiaomi can compete against the Apple Watch or the latest wearable from Samsung. It is a product that, in a way, remains halfway, since it has the most important functions of those also known as Xiaomi Mi Band, but with a look and screen size more similar to that of a smartwatch. Therefore, its battery is also larger -in terms of capacity- and it also has integrated GPS.
The rest of the features and sensors are exactly the same as what we see in the Xiaomi Smart Band 7, which makes us wonder the following. Does that extra size and screen, as well as GPS, really provide something differential compared to the company’s most popular smart band?
Design and screen: two key points of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro
As I mentioned, the design is one of the most important points of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro. Mainly, due to its size. It’s considerably larger than the conventional Smart Band 7, with dimensions more akin to a watch than a smart bracelet. Its finishes, yes, are not like those that, for example, we see in Samsung watches or any other manufacturer.
The case is completely made of polycarbonate.Even the top bezel, which has a glossy finish and tries to mimic aluminum, is plastic. This makes the Smart Band 7 Pro look less fancy than what Xiaomi actually sells in its promotional images. However, despite the appearance, the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro feels very good on the wrist. It is light, comfortable and its thickness is not exaggerated at all, so it looks good on any wrist. Something that is appreciated if we take into account that It is only available in one size.
This design allows to accommodate a larger screen. That of the Smart Band 7 Pro is 1.47 inches. It is an OLED panel with a resolution of 280 x 456 pixels that not only allows you to see the information more clearly compared to the Band 7, but also improves the interaction with the bracelet. That is, it is very easy to access settings, widgets or any other control. The keystrokes can also be less precise, since the elements on the panel, such as buttons, texts, etc., are larger.
This is the screen of the Mi Band 7 Pro
The screen, on the other hand, offers excellent quality even in brightly lit scenarios. It has a decent brightness level and the colors are quite saturated. They are, in fact, at a level that in a smartphone would be an inconvenience, or rather a negative point. But that in a watch is appreciated. Above all, taking into account that we see the content at a distance a little further than when we do it with the screen of a smartphone.
A larger screen, yes, implies an extra consumption compared to the Smart Band 7, despite the fact that the design also allows a larger capacity battery. The one of this Band 7 Pro, in particular, is 235 mAh, According to Xiaomi, it offers more than 12 days of use compared to the more than 14 days of the base model.
Functions for health and sport
The Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro has some interesting features for health and fitness. Specifically, it has 110 sports modes that allow you to record different parameters according to this type of activity. Some of these modes also make use of the integrated GPS. The use of GPS, precisely, another of the big differences compared to the Xiaomi Smart Band 7. In this case, it allows us to record the routes in a much more precise way and, moreover, without having to carry the smartphone with us.
Once again, the screen size provides a very differentiating feature compared to the Smart Band 7, since it is possible to see more detailed information on the screen and quickly and precisely control some options. It is especially something if we are doing a sport in which we are constantly moving, since it is not necessary to stop to be able to look at, for example, the time we have been doing that activity, the calories burned, etc.
Regarding health, the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro has some key functions, such as the blood oxygen meter (SpO2) or heart rate meter. The bracelet’s sensors also allow you to monitor your sleep or even your menstrual cycle. Something that I really liked is that all the records —including those related to sports— are stored in the app and are very easy to interpret. However, the information may be somewhat scarce for those users who are more fond of sports.
Is the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro worth it?
The Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro is available for a price of 100 euros in the Xiaomi online store, although it can be obtained for 90 euros on portals such as Amazon. They are, in particular, 40 euros more than the cost of the Smart Band 7, whose starting price is 60 euros. Currently, however, it can be purchased for about 47 euros. That is, for 53 euros less.
The Smart Band 7 Pro is, in general terms, a very round device. Its screen is excellent and, I repeat, that extra size compared to the Mi Band 7 makes the user experience considerably better. In addition, the different sports modes, as well as the options offered by the app, are more than enough for those who occasionally play sports or who want to control their physical activity on a daily basis.
However, Is it worth paying 50 euros more for this difference? It all depends on what you are looking for in a device. If, for example, you want to prioritize a larger screen or a design more similar to that of a watch, the Mi Band 7 Pro can be an interesting option. But you should keep in mind that both its functions and the interface features — with the exception of GPS — are very similar to the Band 7, so you won’t notice considerable differences in this regard.
Also, it is not a device that we are going to use so much. At least, not as much as those of Samsung or Apple. Above all, because the actions of the interface are very limited. For example, it is not possible to reply to notifications. There are no third-party apps either, only those from Xiaomi. So you should also take these limitations into account in case you were thinking of purchasing this 7 Band Pro to perform this type of action. In any case, it is a device that, in the same way as the Mi Band 7, will not leave indifferent those users who are not particularly familiar with sports, but want to start being so.