Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse Review

Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse: First impressions

Aesthetically, Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse looks extremely neat and clean and best of all, it does not look like it’s a flimsy gadget because when we held it for the very first time, the band appeared to be extremely sturdy. One of the nicest things we have to say about the wearable is that Xiaomi has followed a ‘one size fits all’ approach because Mi Band Pulse has several cutouts present at equal lengths. Depending on the circumference of your wrist, the fitness tracker will easily be able to fit on to it.

When you look at it for the first time, you will notice that there is hardly any cosmetic difference between the original Mi Band and this one, despite the fact that Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse has increased by 0.9mm in thickness and by 0.5 grams in terms of weight (this is because of the optical heart rate sensor). Right now, the only gripe that we have over this nifty little gadget is that there is no display on it, but looking at the price tag, we have to say that it was very well warranted. The circuitry that is responsible for keeping a track of your health as well as your fitness habits can be detached with relative ease, so you will definitely won’t have to put extra effort in yanking it out.

Since this is a fairly new product, we decided to be extra gentle with it, and removed the tracker slowly. We are not quite sure how aggressive you happen to be with your gadgets, but this review did require us to take care our little product. The packaging for the product is nothing extraordinary, which is something that we were expecting from the sub-$30 Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse.

Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse: Functionality

Most wearables are limited to one operating system, but on this occasion, we were extremely happy to see that Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse provides support for not only Android, but iOS as well (even though Windows Mobile has been kept out of the loop). Despite the fact that we used an Android handset to carry out our tests, there are those who will not be looking to spend too much on a wearable despite being in possession of an expensive handset, and keeping that in mind, Xiaomi decided to make it compatible with iPhones as well. Keep in mind however, that Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse will only work with the following operating system updates.

• Any Android smartphone running version 4.4 or higher
• Any iPhone running iOS 7.0 or higher

You also have to keep in mind that since there is a heart rate sensor, you will not be able to get as much battery life as its predecessor, which is something that we found disappointing. The original Mi Band has been rated to last for 30 days, while Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse will run for a period of 10 days, assuming you do not abuse its usage. However, according to the company, this wearable does have a standby time of 30 days, so that’s something to look forward to.

The battery of Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse has been increased to 45mAh; a 20mAh increase over its predecessor in order to provide sufficient battery thanks to the heart rate sensor being present.

Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse: Its heart rate sensor

As stated time and time again, the heart rate sensor of the wearable is definitely its biggest highlights and will definitely give fitness junkies the time of their lives when they want to experience the best of what the company has to offer in just a small price tag.

In order to see how accurate the heart rate sensor, we decided to pit the wearable against Apple Watch and against the TOM TOM smart bracelet in order to see how accurate the sensor was. While we were not expecting close results, we were thoroughly surprised with what we got since there was a very small difference between the results obtained across all three wearables, which is really fascinating.

Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse: Monitoring statistics on your smartphone

The monitoring data has become more detailed thanks to the inclusion of the heart rate sensor, and users will be able to see their vital statistics in something called Live View. Live View updates your statistics in real time so that you can adjust your exercises accordingly on a daily basis.

While most of the interface has been given in Chinese, it was due to the lack of time we had in changing the interface language and in preparing this review so we apologize if you cannot make out anytime shown in the images. However, you can clearly see in the images that the statistics are highly detailed and individuals will be provided a complete insight on their daily physical activities.

Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse: Final words and conclusion

As a wearable for keeping a track of your health, Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse offers similar functions to high-end and expensive wrist-strapped devices such as smartwatches. As stated earlier, our only complaint was that there is no physical display present on the fitness tracker. However, in keeping a daily check and balance on your calorie count as well as how your heart rate, we have to say that we have yet to see a product as great and as affordable as this. That being said, Xiaomi Mi Band Pulse is a highly recommended product and we are confident that you will not be left disappointed by your purchase.