Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 vs Huawei Band 8: two very similar offerings

Launched just a day apart in April 2023, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8 have quickly garnered attention for their blend of style, functionality, and affordability. Designed to cater to a broad audience, they are budget-friendly options in a market that’s increasingly becoming diverse and competitive.

Chinese-based Xiaomi is renowned for its diverse range of affordable, high-quality electronics, including wearables. Huawei is another prominent Chinese tech giant. It excels in innovative consumer electronics and telecommunications, with a strong focus on wearables, particularly smartwatches.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 or Huawei Band? Which of these wins the race? In this article we dissect the two popular fitness bands.

Key takeaways

Priced as budget wearables, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8 stand out for their unique features: Xiaomi’s band impresses with its customizable straps, superior display, and extended battery life, making it ideal for those who value versatility and screen clarity. The Huawei Band 8, on the other hand, attracts with its slim profile, physical button for ease of use, and a range of vibrant color options. As far as fitness tracking ability – there is little to separate the two.

View on Xiaomi / Huawei; View on Amazon (Xiaomi Smart Band 8, Huawei Band 8).

Jump to

Hardware
Technical specs
Features
Bottom line

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 vs Huawei Band 8: Hardware

Design & display

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 maintains the brand’s signature fitness tracker look, featuring a detachable core unit that can be paired with various accessories. This versatility allows users to wear the band in different styles, including as a necklace or strapped to their shoes. The default band is made from high-strength fibre polymer, paired with a TPU wristband, emphasizing durability and comfort.

The Huawei Band 8 also adheres to the typical fitness tracker design. However, it stands out with its light and thin build, being the company’s most feature-rich smart bracelet to date. The thing weighs only 14 grams and has a thickness of 8.99mm, promising a comfortable and stylish experience.

In terms of user interface, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 opts for a sleek, button-free design, relying entirely on touch-display and gestures for navigation. This choice enhances the band’s minimalist aesthetic. The Huawei Band 8, however, includes a single physical button, offering a tactile option for users who prefer a more traditional way of interacting with their device.

Display, colour options, water-resistance

Both devices boast impressive displays. The Mi Smart Band 8 features a 1.62-inch AMOLED. It has a resolution of 192 x 490 pixels, offering vibrant colors and sharp visuals. The Huawei Band 8’s display comes in at 1.47 inches but still provides a clear and bright AMOLED coloured 2.5D display with a resolution of 194 x 368 pixels. The fact that the display is wider means that it is actually larger than the on one Xiaomi.

It’s worth noting, Xiaomi Mi Band 8 features an ambient light sensor. This is a notable addition absent in the Huawei Band 8. This sensor enables the Mi Band 8’s display brightness to automatically adapt to the surrounding light conditions. Which means it eliminates the need for frequent manual adjustments. Additionally, the Mi Band 8 boasts a brighter display at 600 nits compared to the Huawei Band 8’s 450 nits, along with a more vibrant color palette.

As far as case colour options, Xiaomi offers the Mi Smart Band 8 in Black and Light Gold. Huawei, on the other hand, presents a wider range of color options for the Band 8, including Emerald Green, Magic Night Black, Cherry Pink, and Vibrant Orange. These choices reflect Huawei’s focus on personalization and style.

Both the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8 are equipped with a water resistance rating of 5 ATM. This feature ensures 24/7 wearibility, making them suitable for swimming and other water-related activities.

Sensor technology

Moving below the surface, the duo offers a range of sensor technologies and connectivity features. Starting with the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8, it packs a 6-axis sensor comprising a low power-consumption 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope, along with a PPG heart rate sensor and an all-day SpO2 sensor. This setup is quite similar to its predecessor, the Mi Band 7, indicating a continuation of Xiaomi’s reliable sensor technology. The Huawei Band 8 also comes equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, blood oxygen saturation sensor, and a heart rate monitor. It features the Huawei TruSeen 5.0 sensor for continuous monitoring of heart rate and blood oxygen saturation, promising enhanced precision over its predecessor’s TruSeen 4.0.

Both devices support Connected GPS, allowing them to leverage the GPS of a connected smartphone for accurate location tracking during outdoor activities. So no built-in GPS.

Regarding NFC capabilities, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 offers NFC functionality, as does the Huawei Band 8. But this only works in China. Neither of the bands offers music storage. If that is something you require, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Battery life

Continuing in the tradition of its predecessors, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 impresses with its battery life. It conjures up to 16 days on a single charge, a slight improvement over the Mi Band 7. This extended battery life is attributed to its 190 mAh battery. Even with the always-on display feature activated, the Mi Band 8 can last for about 6 days, and it only takes an hour to recharge fully.

The Huawei Band 8 also boasts a commendable battery performance. With normal use, it can last approximately two weeks, thanks to its 180mAh battery. Even under heavy usage, the Band 8 can sustain for about nine days, making it a reliable companion for those who prioritize long battery life in their wearable devices.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 vs Huawei Band 8: Technical specs

Here’s a detailed tech specs comparison table for the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8:

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 vs Huawei Band 8: Features

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8 are both designed to cater to a wide audience. These devices blend the functionality of a fitness tracker with some smartwatch-like features. They are good options for those who want to stay connected and track their health and fitness without the need for a full-fledged smartwatch.

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8, with its detachable design and customizable straps, appeals to users who value versatility and personalization in their wearable tech. Its large AMOLED display and intuitive touch interface make it ideal for those who prefer a sleek, modern look and feel. The Huawei Band 8 is the company’s lightest and thinnest smart bracelet to date. So it targets users who prioritize comfort and a minimalist design.

In terms of fitness and health tracking, both devices offer a similar set of features. This is comprehensive and includes most things the average person wants to track. The one omission is an altimeter for floors climbed.

The bands also support a wide range of sports modes. Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 offers over 150 sports modes, including new additions like boxing training. The Huawei Band 8 supports 100 sports modes, covering popular activities like running, cycling, and swimming. This makes both devices suitable for a variety of fitness activities, from casual workouts to more intense training sessions.

Smartwatch features

While neither device can fully replace a smartwatch, they do offer some smartwatch-type features. The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 allows users to receive notifications and alerts from their connected smartphone, enhancing its utility as a daily wearable. The Huawei Band 8 also offers smart features like message notifications, camera remote control, and music playback control from a connected smartphone.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 vs Huawei Band 8: Price

The pricing of the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8 is a significant factor in their appeal. That’s because these devices are positioned as budget-friendly options in the wearable tech arena.

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 is offered at a typical retail price of $45, making it an accessible choice for those seeking a feature-rich yet affordable fitness tracker. Retailing around $65, the Huawei Band 8 maintains a competitive edge in pricing.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 vs Huawei Band 8: Final thoughts

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 and Huawei Band 8 both offer an attractive mix of features, style, and affordability. However, their similarities make choosing between them a challenging task.

The Mi Smart Band 8 distinguishes itself with a versatile design that supports multiple wearing styles, coupled with an impressive display and extended battery life. Its touch-based interface and comprehensive sensor array position it as an ideal choice for those seeking a smooth and user-friendly experience. On the other hand, the Huawei Band 8, known for its slim, lightweight design and the convenience of a physical button, provides comfort and a variety of color choices. Sensor-wise, it closely matches the Xiaomi offering. Price-wise, both bands are similarly positioned, offering good value.

Brand loyalty plays a significant role in this decision. The Huawei Band 8 might appeal more to existing Huawei smartphone users and those who favor a smartwatch-like appearance. Conversely, if you’re inclined towards a superior display, more options for wearability, and a slightly longer battery life, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 could be the better choice.

View on Xiaomi / Huawei; View on Amazon (Xiaomi Smart Band 8, Huawei Band 8).

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