Xiaomi Smart Band 10 The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it makes meaningful upgrades where it counts, including added training tools and a slightly larger display. For budget-conscious buyers who want reliable tracking, a polished aesthetic, and up to 21 days of battery life, it's a no-brainer.
I’ve long tipped my hat to Xiaomi’s Smart Band line (a.k.a. Mi Band in some regions), which nearly always punches above its weight. The latest device, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, continues the reign as a leader in the budget fitness tracker space. The latest model also doubles down on style, adding polish to performance, and nudges the band even further into smartwatch-lite territory, all without messing with its core formula or pushing up the price tag. It’s not a revolutionary update, but with a global price tag of $49, it has definitely left me wondering about the exorbitant prices of other popular devices.
A familiar look with welcome refinement
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Affordability doesn’t translate to a cheap aesthetic. Instead, the Smart Band lineup features a consistent design language: unobtrusive build, pill-shaped tracker, colorful display. This year, Xiaomi upgrades the experience with a noticeable display bump, measuring in at 1.72 inches, thanks to trimmed bezels that are now symmetrical all the way around the AMOLED screen. It’s sharp (326 PPI), bright (up to 1,500 nits), and as attractive as many of my top smartwatch displays. I found it big enough to read notifications at a glance and clue into my workout stats, but not so large that it loses its identity as a band-style tracker (rather than a watch).
One of the quickest ways to personalize any wearable is with a watch face, and here Xiaomi delivers more than 200 options ranging from classic to downright fun. I couldn’t love the dynamic Pet series more, as represented by the adorable otter trying to burst out of the screen in the image above. For the childish among us (me), the display is also the perfect size to dive into simple but fun mini-games built into some of the brand’s newest picks. I got a shameful amount of entertainment out of the Fighter watch face that lets you test the strength of your punch, like some kind of virtual carnival game.
Between the excessive watch face designs, the metal and ceramic frame options, and eleven different band styles, including a pearl-chain pendant, it’s also clear Xiaomi is all-in on the fashion-forward fitness tracking angle. I tested the white ceramic build and found it very sleek. It also rinsed off easily after a dusty trail run, which eased my fears about white holding up. I also really like the alternative magnetic band Xiaomi sent me, with subtle texture, elevated metal lugs, and a very comfortable fit.
The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 leans into the fashion-forward angle, with a ceramic option and a wide range of band materials.
The included fluororubber band is comfortable as well, but lining up the pin and hole closure isn’t seamless one-handed and it’s more sporty than upscale. There are plenty of other new band styles as well, ranging from leather to a pastel colorblocked one that’s giving Eras Tour, and a chain necklace for wearing the tracker around your neck. I’ve yet to get behind the necklace form-factor, and the product imagery reminds me of Hermione Granger’s Time-Turner, but the concept is unique for anyone who prefers a naked wrist (scandalous).
Consistent capabilities
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