The fifth generation of the popular fitness tracker from Chinese giant Xiaomi was a landmark event for the wearable electronics market. AMOLED-It's a dynamically changing display that's changed the way you see it, and it's brighter, more contrasted and more informative, allowing users to not just look at the time, but to interact with the gadget.
Many smartphone owners are wondering if a budget gadget can replace expensive smartwatches, the answer lies in the detailed analysis of the functionality offered by Xiaomi Mi Band 5. It is not just a pedometer, but a complex set of sensors and algorithms that can track the physical condition of a person in 24/7 mode.
Unlike previous versions, it has magnetic charging, which has saved users from having to remove the capsule from the strap. The built-in light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen, ensuring that information is read comfortably in any light. Let's take a look at what else this compact device is capable of.
Display and interactive features
The model’s main advantage is the 1.1-inch color display, which occupies most of the front panel. The 126×294 pixel resolution provides high-definition fonts and icons. The screen brightness is up to 450 nits, making information readable even under direct sunlight.
The user can customize the interface. Unlike the black and white predecessors, there are thousands of dials available. You can set family photos, animated pictures or a minimalist watch. You can control the capacitive touch button at the bottom of the screen that responds to light touches.
How do I change the dial?
It's important to note that there's a light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the light to the surrounding conditions, not only saves battery power, but also protects the user's eyes during the dark, the interface is more responsive, and navigation on the menu is intuitive.
- 🔆 Automatic adjustment of screen brightness
- 🎨 Support for more than 100 dials and custom photos
- 📱 Controlling brightness through the app or automatically
- 🖐 Touch button for navigating the menu
Monitoring of health and sleep
The fifth version has seen significant improvements in health tracking, with 24-hour pulse monitoring being the main innovation, the second generation PPG sensor being more accurate and energy efficient, and taking readings automatically at a given interval, allowing you to plot your heart rate throughout the day.
The system now recognizes not only the phases of deep and REM sleep, but also short daytime breaks (sleeping), and the app generates detailed statistics that help adjust rest patterns, and the PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) feature, a unique measure that measures weekly physical activity and provides recommendations for exercise to maintain heart health.
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For a more accurate pulse measurement during exercise, try not to tighten the strap too tightly, but also do not let the sensor hang around on your wrist.
The female version of the app has expanded functionality to track the menstrual cycle, the gadget will warn you in advance of the approach of critical days or ovulation, which allows you to better plan the schedule of training and rest, all data are synchronized with the smartphone and stored in history.
⚠️ Attention: Health data is informative in nature. Medical diagnoses or treatments require qualified professionals to be consulted rather than relying solely on tracker readings.
Sport and physical activity
The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 supports 11 professional sports modes, including running, walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, elliptical trainer and rowing. The device automatically recognizes the start of a workout if you forgot to turn on the manual mode. The 5 ATM waterproofness allows you to swim in the pool and shower without taking your gadget off.
When you exercise, you're going to display key metrics like your current heart rate, distance traveled, calories expended and activity time. When you're done, you're going to generate a performance report. For runners, you're going to need to support your smartphone GPS, and you're going to use the tracker to geolocate your phone to make a precise route.
☑️ Preparation for the marathon
Smart algorithms analyze the effectiveness of training, and if your pulse goes beyond the safe zone, the vibrator will signal, which helps control the intensity of your workouts and avoids overtraining, and the monitoring becomes a personal trainer on your wrist.
| Regime. | Tracked parameters | Waterproofness |
|---|---|---|
| Running outside | Pulse, pace, distance, calories | Yes (5 ATM) |
| Swimming | Style, SWOLF, pulse underwater | Yes (5 ATM) |
| Cycling | Speed, distance, time. | Yes (5 ATM) |
| Walking | Steps, calories, pulse | Yes (5 ATM) |
Notification and communication
One of the main features of any wearable device is working with notifications. Mi Band 5 displays messages from social networks, messengers, SMS and incoming calls. Text messages are displayed in full, Cyrillic and emoji are supported. You can quickly glance-up on your wrist to understand the importance of the message without taking out the phone.
Notification management is flexible. Mi Fit (or Zepp Life) allows you to choose which apps to receive alerts from and which to ignore, and the Do Not Disturb feature is also available, which turns off the vibration and backlight of the screen at a given time, such as at night or during meetings.
When an incoming call arrives, the bracelet vibrates and shows the contact name or phone number. You can't reject a call with the bracelet, but you can quickly find the phone in your pocket or bag. For Android, you can send quick answers (pre-set phrases), which is convenient when your hands are busy.
If communication is lost, notifications accumulate in the phone's memory and arrive on the bracelet after the connection is restored, and the range of confident communication is about 10 meters without obstacles.
Autonomy and charging
The issue of autonomy is always acute for wearable device owners. Mi Band 5 is equipped with a battery capacity of 125 mAh. Under the standard use case (constant monitoring of pulse, notifications, 3 workouts per week), the device works up to 14 days. In the mode of only hours and pedometers, the service life is extended to 20 days.
The charging process is much more convenient thanks to a magnetic charger. The capsule does not need to be removed from the silicone strap. The charger has two contact pins on the back and joins the tracker on the front side. The status indicator shows the charging process: flashing orange is charging, permanent orange is charged.
⚠️ Warning: Before connecting to a charge, be sure to wipe the back of the tracker and charger contacts with dry cloth. moisture or sweat can cause contact oxidation and charging problems.
To save energy, you can turn off constant monitoring of the pulse or reduce the frequency of measurements, and also save energy by automatically turning off the screen when the hand is lowered (Raise to Wake function), using static dials instead of animated ones also prolongs the life of the battery.
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Magnetic charging is the main improvement in ergonomics: the capsule no longer needs to be removed from the strap, which reduces the risk of latch loss or breakage.
Additional functions and settings
In addition to its basic features, the tracker has a number of useful things: a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope allow you to implement the function of an alarm clock with vibration, Vibromotor is more powerful and pleasant, it will not wake up the neighbors, but will definitely wake the owner, and a pomodoro timer, a reminder to warm up and a weather forecast is also available.
Controlling music on your smartphone is another convenient option: You can pause the tracks, switch them or adjust the volume right from your wrist, and this is especially true when you're running when your phone is in your waistband or on your hand.
For those who like order, there's a phone search feature available, and when you press the appropriate button in the wristband menu, the smartphone starts ringing loudly, even if it's in silent mode, which helps you quickly find the gadget in the apartment.
- 🌤 3 Day Weather Forecast (requires Internet connection)
- 🔔 Vibration alarm and timer
- 🎵 Managing music reproduction
- 📱 Searching for a phone by sound signal