Fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band vs Honor Band: a detailed comparison of 2026

Choosing between Xiaomi Mi Band and Honor Band fitness bracelets is not just a matter of preference, but a deliberate decision that affects your daily comfort, health and even budget. Both brands offer devices with impressive functionality at an affordable price, but the approaches to implementing key features are radically different. For example, the Mi Band is traditionally famous for record autonomy, while Honor relies on premium design and advanced sports modes.

In this article, we will not just list the specifications – we will analyze real-world use cases, compare the accuracy of sensors in tests, evaluate the convenience of branded applications and even take into account the nuances of compatibility with different smartphones. Particular attention will be paid to the current models of 2023-2026: Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, Mi Band 7, Honor Band 6 and Honor Band 8. If you hesitate between these devices, after reading you will know exactly which bracelet will suit you best.

1. Design and Ergonomics: Which is more comfortable to wear 24/7?

The first thing that people pay attention to when choosing a fitness bracelet is the design and comfort of the socks. Here, Xiaomi and Honor approach are radically different. Mi Band bracelets are traditionally compact and lightweight (weight). ~10-12 g), with a minimalistic polycarbonate body and a silicone strap. For example, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 is only 9.99 mm thick, making it almost invisible on the hand. AMOLED-screen and strap with texture "under the skin".

However, the premium side has the opposite: Honor Band 6/8 weigh 30-40% more (about 18-20 g), and their dimensions can seem bulky users with thin wrists. But Honor has a unique feature – a rotating crown (like a smart watch), which makes it easier to navigate the menu. In the Mi Band, control is carried out exclusively taps on the touch screen, which is not always convenient during training.

• 🔹 Xiaomi Mi Band: ultra-lightweight, minimalist design, but plastic case can look "cheap"
• 🔹 Honor Band: Premium materials, rotating crown, but more massive and heavy
• 🔹 Straps: Both brands support interchangeable straps (20–22 mm), but Honor has more texture options (including leather straps")
• 🔹 Protection: Both have 5 ATM (You can swim, but the Honor Band 8 can withstand falls from a height of 1.5 m

⚠️ Note: If you are allergic to silicone, look out for fluoro rubber straps (available for Mi Band) 7/8) Textiles for the Honor Band 6. Standard silicone straps can cause irritation when wearing long-term.

2. Screen and Control: AMOLED vs TFT, which is better?

Screen quality is one of the key factors that influence usability, and here Honor is clearly taking the lead: all the current models (Band) 6/7/8) fully equipped AMOLED-displays with high brightness (up to) 450 support for Always-On Display (AOD). For example, the Honor Band. 8 has 1,47-inch-screen 194×368 pixels, which provides clarity of text and bright colors.

Xiaomi in the basic models (Mi Band) 7) still uses TFT-Matrices that Lose AMOLED However, the flagship Xiaomi Smart Band is the flagship of the Xiaomi Smart Band. 8 Pro got 1,74-inch AMOLED permittingly 336×480 And the gap with Honor is almost gone, and it's a big nuance: Xiaomi has a flat screen, and the Honor Band has a flat screen. 8 — curved 2.5D, which improves ergonomics, but can distort the display at the edges.

Critical: If you plan to use the bracelet outdoors in bright sunshine, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro with a brightness of 600 nits will be the best choice – the text on it can be read even in direct sunlight, whereas the Honor Band 8 can have glare.

Functionality and sensors: what do bracelets do?

In basic functionality, both bracelets cover 90% of the average user's needs: pedometer, sleep monitoring, notifications, music control. But the devil is in the details. For example, the Honor Band has built-in GPS (in Band 6/8) models that allows you to track routes without a smartphone. Xiaomi only has GPS in the Smart Band 8 Pro, and the basic models (Mi Band 7) rely on connecting to a phone.

In terms of sensor accuracy, independent tests (e.g. from TechMoan) show that the Honor Band 8 is better at measuring heart rate in dynamics (when running), while the Xiaomi Mi Band 7 more accurately captures heart rate at rest. Xiaomi algorithms (developed with Huami) analyze sleep phases more deeply, including: REM-The phase, while Honor is limited to basic metrics.

• 🏃 Sports modes: Honor Band 8 – 96 modes (including rowing and climbing), Xiaomi Mi Band 7 – 120, but many of them are duplicated
• 🩺 Health: Both measure SpO₂, Stress, female cycle, but only Honor Band 8 has a skin temperature sensor
• 📱 Smart features: Honor has control of the smartphone camera (selfie / timer), Xiaomi has a search for the phone by sound
• 🔋 Autonomy: Mi Band 7 holds up to 15 days, Honor Band 8 - up to 14 days AOD The difference is reduced to 2-3 days

Compatible with your smartphone (Android/iOS)

Availability of the right sports regimes

Screen type (AMOLED/TFT) and brightness

Weight and size (if you plan to wear around the clock)

Support NFC (contactless)-->

4.Software: Mi Fitness vs Huawei Health

Branded apps play a key role in the work of fitness bracelets: Xiaomi uses Mi Fitness (formerly Zepp Life), and Honor uses Huawei Health (despite the separation of brands, the software remained common), both applications support Russian, but they have different approaches to analytics.

Mi Fitness is more data visualization-oriented: sleep and activity schedules are more detailed, there is a PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) feature, which measures your fitness on a scale of 0 to 100. However, the interface is sometimes overloaded with advertising (in the Chinese version). Huawei Health, on the contrary, is minimalist and more stable, but sleep analytics are less deep.

⚠️ WARNING: If you have a Huawei or Honor smartphone, the Honor Band bracelet will sync faster and more stable thanks to ecosystem optimization. POCO It is more logical to choose Mi Band – binding to the Mi Account makes it easier to restore data when changing your phone.

Another important point is iOS compatibility, both of which work with iPhones, but with limitations:

Mi Fitness for iOS does not have Unlock phone (unlocking the phone with a bracelet).

Huawei Health on iOS does not support notifications from third-party apps (calls and SMS only).

5. Autonomy and charging: who will live longer without an outlet?

Traditionally, the Xiaomi Mi Band is the leader in autonomy: the Mi Band 7 on a single charge lasts up to 15 days (with AOD disabled and rare notifications). Honor Band 8 in the same mode lasts about 14 days, but if you activate Always-On Display, the difference is reduced to 1-2 days. However, in real conditions (with constant notifications and training), both bracelets require charging every 7-10 days.

The charging speed is also different:

Xiaomi Mi Band 7/8 charges from 0 to 100% in 1 hour (magnetic dock standard).

Honor Band 8 - in 1.5 hours (proprietary connector).

An important nuance: Honor has a longer cable (50 cm vs. 30 cm in Xiaomi), which is more convenient for charging from powerbank.

6.Price and availability: where is the best place to buy?

The pricing policies of both brands are aggressive, but Xiaomi is traditionally cheaper.As of the update (June 2026), prices in Russia look like this:

Important nuances when buying:

AliExpress often comes across "global" versions without Russian in the firmware.

In official stores (Xiaomi Store, Honor Russia) give a guarantee of 12 months, on marketplaces - often only 14 days.

- Honor Band 8 is sometimes sold bundled with Honor Choice wireless headphones on the promotion (savings up to 2,000). ₽).

💡

Before buying, check the serial number of the bracelet on the official website of the brand - this will protect you from counterfeiting. For Xiaomi, use the Mi Verify service, for Honor - Honor Authentication

7. Who is suitable: expert recommendations

Choosing between Xiaomi Mi Band and Honor Band depends on your priorities.

• 🏃 For athletes: Honor Band 8 (built-in) GPS, 96 sports modes, skin temperature sensor)
• 💤 For sleep monitoring: Xiaomi Mi Band 7/8 (A deeper analysis of sleep phases, including REM)
• 📱 For iPhone owners: Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro (best compatibility with iOS, despite restrictions)
• 💰 For savings: Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (the most budget option with acceptable functionality)
• 👔 For office style: Honor Band 6/8 (premium design, metal body, straps "under the skin")

If you want maximum autonomy, take the Xiaomi Mi Band 7, which will last 2-3 days longer than the Honor Band 8 under the same settings. If design and premium are important, then the Honor Band 8 looks more expensive and stylish, especially in the leather strap version.

💡

For most users, the best choice is the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, which offers the best balance of price, functionality and autonomy. However, if you are critical to integrated GPS or premium design, you should pay extra for the Honor Band 8.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi and Honor fitness bracelets