On the 18th of April 2023, Xiaomi released the much anticipated Mi Band 8 in China. It succeeds the very popular Mi Band 7 and like you would expect it welcomes a new frame, redesigned straps, and a longer battery life. In this post, we’ll be looking at the differences between the Mi Band 7 and 8 to help discerning minds make well-informed decisions.
Mi Band 7 vs 8 Full Specifications
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MI Band 7 vs 8 Features Review
Design – Mi Band 8 is more stylish and durable
The Mi Band 7 looks exactly like the Mi Band 8, however, for the first time ever since the release of the first Mi Band, there’s a change in build quality, and the strap has also been designed.
All older Mi Band models always had a plastic build, the Mi Band 8 also has a plastic back but the frame has an NCVM coating that leaves it with a shining metal appearance. As a result, it looks more stylish and is actually sturdier.
Moreover, while Mi Band 7 is 12.25 mm thick, the Mi Band 8 is slimmer at 10.99mm. Meanwhile, both smartbands are very lightweight and going by the sizes, each of these two is also very compact. So you have two smartbands that are very comfortable to wear which is totally inline with what a fitness tracker should be.
The straps of older Mi Band models always came in a hollow design that engulfs the device, however, for the first time, the Mi Band 8 has a detachable strap. You can easily attach the straps to a hook on the device. Xiaomi also advertised that the Mi Band 8 can be worn as a pendant or attached to your shoes while running. Moreover, the straps of the Mi Band 8 come in different styles. The straps come in TPU, leather and nylon.
The Mi Band 8 like the Mi Band 7 is also rated 5ATM. This represents up to 50 meters of water resistance. So it’s safe to wear the Band to the shower or even while swimming.
So in terms of design, the Mi Band 8 has a more durable and comfortable build.
Display – Mi Band 8 has a brighter display
In the display department, the Mi Band 8 has the same display size as Mi Band 7. It spots the same 1.62 AMOLED display. However, going by the specs, the Mi Band 8 has up to 600 nits of display brightness which is slightly brighter than the 500 nits of the Mi Band 7. Moreover, unlike the Mi Band 7, Mi Band 8 is equipped with an ambient light sensor that will auto-regulate the brightness of the display.
Navigation on both smartbands is via touchscreen. You also get loads of preloaded watch faces to choose from.
Activity tracking – Mi Band 8 has more sports modes
Nothing much has changed in the activity tracking section. The Mi Band 8 like Mi Band 7 will track your sleep in four stages, blood oxygen, and heart rate. It will also monitor your stress level throughout the day. And like Mi Band 7, the Mi Band 8 still doesn’t have an inbuilt GPS. To map your routes with any of these two, you must carry your phone along during an outdoor workout.
However, the Mi Band 8 features more sports modes. While Mi Band 7 features 120 sports modes, the Mi Band 8 spots over 150 sports modes.
Managing Notifications – Nothing much has changed
Managing your notifications is still very easy with the Mi Band 8. Just like the Mi Band 7, it will alert you when you receive a message on your phone. You need to enable notifications for your preferred apps, and when notifications arrive, you can reply to messages with the quick replies function. However, I noticed that you need to connect to the Zepp Life app to be able to reply to messages. That function isn’t available on the Mi Fitness app.
Note that both Mi Fitness and Zepp Life apps will allow you to pair any of these smartbands with your phone. However, while the Mi Fitness app is now the official app, Zepp Life has more features.
Like Mi Band 7, apps like the timer, remote camera control, alarm and weather apps are also available in Mi Band 8.
Battery Life – Mi Band 8 has a longer battery life
The Mi Band 8 is equipped with a 190mAh battery capacity which is slightly bigger than the 180mAh of the Mi Band 7. As a result, Xiaomi claims it can last up to 16 days with mixed usage. This is a slight increase from 14 days battery life of Mi Band 7.
Another interesting new addition to the Mi Band 8 is that it has fast charging. From my experience, my Mi Band 7 takes just an hour to fully charge. Though on paper, it’s stated it takes 1-2 hours to fully charge.
Mi Band 7 vs 8 Which is better
Without mincing words, I honestly think the Mi Band 8 is a better smartband than its predecessor. It has a more durable build, a brighter display, more sports modes, and a redesigned strap. It also has a longer battery life. Indeed, it’s actually worth upgrading to the Mi Band 8.
The Mi Band 8 retails for CNY 249 which converts to $36. Meanwhile, the NFC version retails for CNY 299 ($43). This is almost the same price as the Mi Band 7 despite having more features.