The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active is an exceptional budget-friendly fitness tracker that tows the line between offering essential features and keeping things simple. The watch is essentially a hybrid between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch, which makes it an interesting option for people looking for basic smartwatch functionality without the premium price tag. The standout features of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, such as its performance in fitness tracking, battery life, and usability, make it an excellent choice for newcomers to wearable technology.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active presents a simple, slim design emphasizing functionality over flashy aesthetics. At first glance, it may appear like any other fitness band, but it offers a solid, no-frills user experience that works well for those who don’t need an overly complicated smartwatch. The 1.47-inch large display supports a 60Hz high refresh rate for an ultra-smooth experience with vibrant colour and sharp text. It’s easily visible even under direct sunlight, which has been a problem for many smartwatches, but Xiaomi has optimized brightness levels effectively. The display lacks an anti-reflective coating, which can occasionally cause minor glare, but overall, it holds up well across various lighting conditions.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active features an auto-brightness setting that ensures the screen is legible regardless of your environment. There are also 11 pre-loaded watch faces and a seemingly endless catalogue of third-party options to download. While the display is narrow and tall, it offers enough customization options to suit a range of user preferences. For example, I used an option that showed me the time, battery level, and steps. Everything else I could still see if I wanted to dive into menus, but for the most part, those were the only three things that I cared for regularly.
“The standout features of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, such as its performance in fitness tracking, battery life, and usability, make it an excellent choice for newcomers to wearable technology.”
When it comes to fitness tracking, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active has a solid range of features that cater to users just getting into fitness tracking or those who prefer straightforward monitoring without getting bogged down by excessive details. The device comes equipped with an optical heart rate sensor that Xiaomi claims is 16% more accurate than its predecessor. The band can also track SpO2 (blood oxygen levels) and stress, with a feature that offers breathing exercises designed to help alleviate stress.
These are handy features, especially for those who want to monitor their health but don’t need medical-grade precision. The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active also includes an accelerometer and gyroscope for movement tracking, ensuring accurate step count and activity detection. It also features an ambient light sensor.
Arguably, the most impressive part of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active is its battery life. The device features a 300mAh battery that Xiaomi claims can last up to 18 days on a single charge. This is a significant advantage over many other smartwatches in the same price range, which tend to require charging every few days, if not every day. During my time with it, the band consistently lived up to its 18-day promise, even while using it for fitness tracking, sleep tracking, and constantly just checking the battery in general in awe.
“Arguably, the most impressive part of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active is its battery life.”
Its battery life makes it ideal for users who want a minimal-maintenance wearable. Unlike many smartwatches that need to be recharged frequently, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active allows you to focus on your activities without worrying about running out of power. This long battery life is handy for those who don’t want the hassle of charging their device every night.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active is a basic smartwatch-lite, offering features like notifications, weather reports, music control, and an essential alarm function. It connects to the Mi Fitness app, the central hub for managing health data and adjusting settings. The Mi Fitness app is easy to navigate and offers a straightforward layout for tracking your fitness goals, changing device settings, and monitoring your health statistics.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active is an exceptional value for the price, offering a blend of fitness tracking, basic smartwatch features, and impressive battery life. While it may not offer the full suite of features found on higher-end smartwatches, it excels in the areas that matter most—fitness tracking, health monitoring, and long-lasting battery performance.
If you’re new to fitness wearables or are simply looking for an affordable device to track your activities without all the bells and whistles, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active is an excellent choice. Its simplicity and well-rounded set of features make it an ideal entry-level wearable for those looking to dip their toes into the world of fitness trackers without spending a premium.
- 1.47-inch large display,60Hz high refresh rate,Enhanced viewing experience
- Super-light design,Almost weightless: 16.5g lightweight design, 9.99mm slim body
