Review of Mi Band 3 - the most popular smart bracelet of this year

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We will tell you why this gadget is worth buying, even if you are indifferent to sports.

Everyone writes that the Mi Band 3 is a fitness bracelet. That is, a device for fans of morning jogging, healthy eating and other components of a healthy lifestyle. Actually this is not true. The new bracelet from Xiaomi is also intended for those who are indifferent to fitness.

Appearance

To begin with, the Mi Band 3 doesn't look very much like a sports bracelet even in appearance. They are usually brightly colored, symbolizing speed, energy and youth. Mi Band 3 looks like a real aristocrat against this background.

The soft black silicone strap will not attract attention even in combination with a formal business suit. The streamlined capsule looks elegant and discreet. In general, lovers of the classics will be satisfied.

However, no one has canceled the interchangeable straps. If you wish, you can turn Mi Band 3 into a trendy teenage gadget, a stylish bauble or an "army" bracelet.

Main functions

In reviews of gadgets of this kind, first of all, it is customary to describe how well they count steps and calories. However, the main purpose of the Mi Band 3, in our opinion, is not at all this.

First of all, everyone uses call and message notifications. It is very convenient - you can see who is calling or what they are writing without taking the device out of your pocket. The vibration of the bracelet is felt well, the Cyrillic alphabet is displayed correctly in notifications.

In addition, it is possible to set up a reminder of an important event. At the appointed time, Mi Band 3 will display a preset message on the screen. Another useful feature is the inclusion of silent mode on the phone directly from the bracelet. It is useful if you are sitting in an important meeting and suddenly remember that you forgot to turn off the sound.

Pupils, students, office workers and anyone who has to get up early will love the built-in alarm clock. He will definitely wake up his master at the appointed time, without alarming all those close to him. And before leaving the house, you can clarify what the weather is outside. Mi Band 3 is able to show the current meteorological conditions and forecast for several days.

The bracelet can also help you out in the event that you cannot find your smartphone in any way. It is enough to press one button on it for the lost device to start emitting loud signals. The gadget also has a built-in stopwatch and several formats for displaying the time on the screen.

What about sports?

Sports functions, of course, have not gone anywhere. Mi Band 3 is capable of recording steps, distance traveled and calories burned. The software algorithms themselves are able to distinguish between slow walking, fast walking, running and some other types of activity. Data for other sports will have to be entered manually.

However, one should soberly assess the capabilities of the bracelet in this area. Since the Mi Band 3 lacks GPS, the accuracy of estimating the speed and distance traveled leaves much to be desired. Such accuracy is enough for ordinary users, but it will not be enough for serious sports.

Much the same can be said for sleep tracking and heart rate monitor readings. Mi Band 3 gives a rough understanding of sleep quality and heart rate. But it is necessary to draw any conclusions on their basis with great caution. It should be remembered that objective data can be obtained only with the help of special medical equipment, and Mi Band 3 is by no means included in its number.

Autonomy and protection

As we said in a recent comparison, the screen in the new version of Mi Band has become a little larger, the backlight is brighter, and the number of functions has increased. Therefore, one could expect that the autonomy of the Mi Band 3 will be slightly lower than that of its predecessor.

These fears were only partially justified. The battery capacity in the new bracelet is 110 mAh, which provides up to 20 days of operation on a single charge. Recall that the lifespan of Mi Band 2 could reach a month. So there is some deterioration in this parameter, but not catastrophic. All competitors work much less anyway.

But the water resistance in the new bracelet has become better. The protection of Mi Band 3 corresponds to the IP68 class, which allows not only wetting it in the shower, but even swimming without removing the bracelet.

We can’t say anything about resistance to impacts and falls - we didn’t check it. But it is known for sure that the convex shiny surface of the Mi Band 3 capsule is scratched. Therefore, we immediately advise you to stick on a protective film.

Optional accessories

The smart bracelet is always in a high-risk area. The owner can hit or scratch him at any time, the strap can break, and the charging wire can fail.

If you bought a bracelet from another manufacturer, then you will have to work hard to find accessories for it. In some cases, this is very expensive or not possible at all.

Xiaomi products are very popular, so there are a lot of accessories for Mi Band 3 on the market: protective films, chargers, interchangeable straps of all sizes and colors. Some of them are in no way inferior to the original products, but at the same time they cost a penny.

Output

Summing up, we want to once again emphasize the main idea of this review.

Mi Band 3 is a great gadget worth every penny of its price. However, it is not entirely correct to perceive it exclusively as a fitness bracelet. In addition to sports features, it has a host of convenient features that will come in handy whether you're exercising or not. First of all, we are talking about displaying notifications, a reliable alarm clock, weather forecast and finding a smartphone. And it's curious to look at the number of steps from time to time.

At the time of this writing, the cost of the Mi Band 3 is 1,894 rubles. You can buy matching accessories here.