Xiaomi Smart Band 4 NFC vs Mi Band 3: How much did the screen grow and what does it give the user?

Introduction: Why is screen size important for a fitness bracelet?

Choosing between the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 and Xiaomi Smart Band 4 NFC often boils down to one key question: How comfortable is it to work with the new model's enlarged display? The manufacturer claims "significant" screen growth, but what's behind this marketing term? In this article, we'll accurately calculate the percentage increase in display area, compare resolution, pixel density, and assess how these changes affect everyday use.

Arguing that “more is always better” is pointless in the case of wearables: the balance between informativeness and compactness is important. OLED-0.78 inch screen became the standard of minimalism, and Smart Band 4 NFC It's a 0.95-inch display, an attempt by Xiaomi to expand functionality without compromising ergonomics. But how justified is this.

Technical characteristics of screens: numbers without embellishment

To objectively compare screens, let’s start with the “dry” technical data. – Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitted OLED-diagonal 0.78 inch and resolution 128×80 It's successor, the Smart Band. 4 NFC, screen 0.95 resolution 120×240 At first glance, the difference seems small, but let's count the screen area and the pixel density.

Formula of the area of the circle (and the screens of the bracelets are close to it in shape) - S = πr², where r is the radius. Let's translate diagonals into radii:

• 📏 Mi Band 3: diagonal 0.78″ → radius ≈ 0.39″ → square ≈ 0.48 square inches
• 📏 Smart Band 4 NFC: diagonal 0.95″ → radius ≈ 0.475″ → square ≈ 0.70 square inch

Now calculate the percentage increase: (0.70 - 0.48) / 0.48 × 100% = 45.8%. The screen Xiaomi Smart Band 4 NFC is larger than its predecessor by 45.8% in area, not by 20-30%, as you would expect from the difference in diagonals. This is a significant jump that directly affects the amount of information displayed.

pixel resolution and density: why more doesn’t always mean clearer

The increase in physical screen size is only half the story, and it's important how the resolution and, by extension, the pixel density (PPI) has changed.

It would seem that the Smart Band 4 NFC should lose in clarity due to the larger screen at a lower horizontal resolution (120 vs 128 pixels in the Mi Band 3). However, due to the change in the aspect ratio (from 16:10 to 1:2) and increase the vertical resolution to 240 pixels, the density increased from ~200 to ~260 PPI. This means that the text and icons on the new bracelet look clearer, despite the larger physical size.

⚠️ Attention: Pixel density (PPI) — The key parameter for wearable devices. PPI Below 200 pixels can be noticeable to the naked eye, especially in light backgrounds.Smart Band 4 NFC 260 PPI crosses this threshold of comfort.

The practical consequences: what gives the user +45.8% of the area?

Abstract percentages don't tell you much about real-world use, so let's look at how screen augmentation affects key scenarios:

• 📊 Display notifications: On Mi Band 3, the incoming message was displayed in 1-2 lines with cropping. Smart Band 4 NFC It can show up to 4 lines of text, which often allows you to read the entire message without having to pull out your phone.
• 🏃 Training: The 0.95 screen simultaneously fits time, distance traveled, heart rate and calories burned. The Mi Band 3 required a swipe.
• 🎵 Music management: The buttons “pause”, “next track” and the name of the composition are no longer superimposed on each other, but are placed comfortably.
• 🔋 Settings menu: Icons and text on the menu have become larger, which reduces the number of random clicks.

But there's a downside: the increase in screen size has led to a body growth. If the Mi Band 3 weighed 20 grams and was suitable even for children's wrists, the Smart Band 4 NFC weighed up to 22.9 grams, and its body became wider by 2 mm. For most users, this is uncritical, but owners of narrow wrists may seem uncomfortable.

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If you are important to the maximum compactness, pay attention to the straps with a "breathable" structure - they visually reduce the dimensions of the bracelet.

Comparison with competitors: how Xiaomi is held against the background of other brands

To assess how significant the screen increase Xiaomi, look at similar devices from other manufacturers (data for 2026):

The Smart Band 4 NFC is on par with the Honor Band 5 and Samsung Galaxy Fit in terms of pixel density. However, the Amazfit Bip U with a diagonal of 1.43′′ and a resolution of 320×302 breaks out, offering almost 1.5 times the display area. This puts Xiaomi in the middle of the market: the bracelet is not the most advanced, but not lagging.

⚠️ Note: When choosing between Smart Band 4 NFC And for competitors, consider that screen size directly affects battery life. Larger displays (like the Amazfit Bip U) require more battery capacity or more frequent recharging.

How did the screen increase affect autonomy?

The logical question is, if the screen got bigger, did it shorten the time of operation from one charge? According to tests, the Mi Band 3 held a charge for 20–25 days on average with moderate use, while the Smart Band 4 NFC held a charge for 15–20 days.

• 🔋 More powerful processor for processing NFC-payment.
• 📶 Improved Bluetooth 5.0 (more stable communication, but power consumption).
• 🌡️ Additional sensors (for example, to measure blood oxygen levels).

However, the screen increase alone added ~10-15% to power consumption (estimated by Xiaomi engineers), offset by firmware optimization and energy saving modes, such as turning off the “raise your hand to activate” feature and reducing the brightness to 50%, the difference in autonomy between models is reduced to 2-3 days.

NFC and Screen: Why hasn’t the NFC display changed?

Many users are wondering why the Smart Band 4 and Smart Band 4 NFC have the same screens when the second model is marketed as a premium.

1. The NFC module requires additional space inside the body, and it was impossible to enlarge the screen without changing the dimensions of the bracelet.
2. Xiaomi has unified production lines to reduce costs, and using the same display for both models simplifies logistics.
3. The main difference NFC-version - in software firmware (support for payments, transport cards), and not in hardware».

So, buying a Smart Band 4 NFC just for the screen doesn't make sense -- it's identical to the standard version. But if you want contactless payments, the overpayment is justified: the NFC module is integrated neatly and doesn't affect ergonomics.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about the screens Xiaomi Smart Band

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45.8% increase in screen makes Smart Band 4 NFC It is much more convenient for reading notifications and managing training, but did not affect the basic functionality (stepmer, pulsemeter). NFC-Version – Support for contactless payments, not a display.