Xiaomi Smart Band 11 vs Band 10: Is the improve price it?

Xiaomi Smart Band 11 doesn’t mess an excessive amount of with what already labored, however the upgrades are extra helpful than the spec sheet first suggests. The display is brighter, the physique is thinner, sleep HRV lastly arrives and Xiaomi has improved the well being sensor, whereas battery life stays at as much as 21 days.

If you have already got a Smart Band 10, this isn’t an computerized improve. But if you’re selecting between the 2 immediately, the newer mannequin is fairly clearly the one to get until the older band is considerably cheaper.

The design barely modifications, however the Band 11 will get thinner

Put Smart Band 11 and Smart Band 10 subsequent to one another and there may be not a lot to separate them at first look. Xiaomi has caught with the identical elongated 1.72-inch AMOLED format somewhat than making the display bigger once more, which might be the precise resolution after the leap from 1.62 inches on Band 9.

The massive change is peak brightness. It rises from 1,500 nits on Smart Band 10 to 2,000 nits on Smart Band 11.

The precise physique has additionally turn out to be slimmer. Smart Band 11 is 9.99 mm thick and begins at 15.58 grams, in contrast with 10.95 mm and 15.95 grams for the usual Smart Band 10.

That weight distinction is principally irrelevant, however dropping nearly a millimetre of thickness is extra helpful. These bands are already tiny, and having one sit a little bit flatter ought to assist throughout sleep and usually make it disappear on the wrist.

Xiaomi has additionally expanded the selection of finishes. Alongside the common model and Ceramic Edition, Smart Band 11 now will get an All-metal Edition with a unibody aluminium building, giving the vary a barely extra watch-like possibility.

I spent fairly a little bit of time with the earlier technology in my Xiaomi Smart Band 10 overview, and its dimension was by no means actually an issue. So the design modifications listed below are refinement somewhat than one thing you’ll instantly discover from throughout the room.

Main specs comparability

Sleep HRV is the improve most individuals will discover

There are some fascinating modifications on the well being facet. Smart Band 11 provides HRV monitoring throughout sleep, filling one of many extra apparent gaps within the earlier mannequin.

That omission stood out after I reviewed Band 10 as a result of Xiaomi was already monitoring coronary heart price, stress, SpO2 and a reasonably detailed set of sleep metrics. HRV offers the software program one other helpful sign for restoration and the way your readings change relative to your regular baseline.

Xiaomi can also be pairing that with AI-based sleep interpretation and proposals. That is extra fascinating than merely dropping an HRV quantity into Mi Fitness, though how helpful it turns into will rely upon what Xiaomi really does with the information over a number of weeks.

The optical sensor itself has been upgraded too. Xiaomi says Smart Band 11 makes use of a higher-precision sensor for coronary heart price and blood oxygen readings, though there are nonetheless no ECG, skin-temperature or EDA sensors on the usual mannequin.

Band 10 already carried out surprisingly properly for me throughout train. In my testing towards a Garmin and chest strap, common and most heart-rate readings had been persistently very shut, so the brand new sensor has an honest start line somewhat than fixing one thing that was clearly dangerous.

Fitness monitoring is generally acquainted

You nonetheless get greater than 150 sports activities modes, 5 ATM water resistance, heart-rate broadcasting and the same old mixture of exercise, stress, sleep and blood-oxygen monitoring. Xiaomi has not immediately turned the common Smart Band right into a miniature sports activities watch.

The greatest omission remains to be built-in GPS. Both Smart Band 11 and Smart Band 10 depend on related GPS out of your cellphone, so anybody who desires to go away the cellphone behind and document an out of doors route might want to transfer as much as one thing just like the Smart Band Pro line.

For most individuals shopping for such a health band, that in all probability is smart. Built-in GPS provides value and energy consumption, whereas loads of customers carry a cellphone anyway.

HyperOS 4 brings some much less apparent modifications

Smart Band 11 launches with Xiaomi HyperOS 4, and that is the place a few of the quieter variations seem. Xiaomi is pushing deeper integration with its wider ecosystem, together with Xiaomi Home controls and higher interplay with different Xiaomi units.

There can also be stronger assist for Apple customers. Xiaomi advertises dual-device notifications involving Android and iPhone, plus Apple Shortcuts integration, which makes the Band 11 rather less tied to Xiaomi’s personal ecosystem than you would possibly count on.

That just isn’t essentially a cause to improve by itself, but it surely does make the brand new mannequin extra versatile. Smart Band 10 already labored with Android and iOS, whereas Band 11 seems to be placing extra effort into what occurs when you really pair it with an iPhone.

The NFC model additionally continues as a separate mannequin, with funds, entry playing cards and different options relying closely on area. Xiaomi’s Chinese characteristic record is way broader than what usually makes it to worldwide fashions, so I’d not purchase one based mostly on Chinese NFC options until Xiaomi confirms assist in your market.

Battery life principally doesn’t transfer

Xiaomi has stored the identical 233 mAh battery capability utilized by Smart Band 10. The headline battery declare additionally stays at as much as 21 days, whereas charging takes round an hour.

That would possibly look disappointing till you take into account the brighter show and thinner physique. Xiaomi has managed to extend peak brightness by a 3rd and shave nearly a millimetre from the casing with out giving up the lengthy battery life that continues to be one of many predominant causes to purchase a Smart Band.

With Band 10, I discovered battery drain modest even with frequent heart-rate sampling, sleep monitoring and exercises enabled. Xiaomi’s most figures are clearly based mostly on lighter utilization, however that is nonetheless a really totally different charging expertise from a smartwatch that wants consideration each couple of days.

There is not any apparent cause to improve for battery life alone. The two generations are successfully tied right here.