Xiaomi Mi Band 3

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Overview

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 is the fourth generation of smart wristbands of the Chinese brand. The gadget got a full touch screen, full waterproof, support for notifications and an NFC chip for contactless payment. All these features are available just at the price of 26 USD for the basic version and 31 USD for the version with NFC. Xiaomi Mi Band 3 has already been called the best budget wristband of the company, and in China during the first week of sales already 650 thousand people placed a pre-order for it. The advanced model with the chip has not even appeared yet — it was announced to be released in September 2018.
It is not known yet when XIaomi Mi Band 3 officially goes on sale outside of China, but all the details can be considered now. In Chinese stores wristbands are sold in three colors: black, blue and red. Capsules everywhere are black, only straps are different. Changeable straps can be bought in addition.

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 design and construction

The overall design is very similar to Xiaomi Mi Band 2. It is still a central capsule that is attached to a removable strap made of a thermoplastic elastomer. There is a heart rate monitor in the back of the capsule. For accurate work, it should fit the skin tightly — it is important to fasten the strap tightly for this. If you have not had smart wristbands before, it will take 1-2 days to get used to it. Especially if you do not take it off at night. But in general, the ergonomics and convenience of the gadget are excellent, and buyers like the design even more than one in the familiar Mi Band 2.

The display is monochrome, it has OLED matrix and a touch screen. The screen is covered with a 2.5D glass, so it protrudes from the strap — this can be a bit unusual. Remember that in the previous version the display was flat. You can now control the device with touches, swipes and a button: one tap — return back, long press — action confirmation. Thanks to the sensor in the new model, you can now read messages, receive and reject calls, check weather and other notifications.

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 in terms of design retained the convenience of past generations and added a base for new functions.

Main functions of Xiaomi Mi Band 3

• Heart rate monitoring. The wristband has an improved sensor certified according to ISO-10993-5/10. It is more accurate than the heart rate monitor in Mi Band 2, and the results are displayed directly on the screen.
• Steps counting. A pedometer shows the number of steps taken, distance covered and the walk duration. In the training mode, statistics are more detailed than just in the background.
• Sleep observation. The battery lasts up to 20 days and allows you not to take off the wristband at night. Sleep data is only basic — duration, time of falling asleep, division into phases.
• Notifications showing. The touch screen now shows not only time, steps and pulse, but also text messages, information from applications, training modes and weather.
• Call management. From the wristband screen, you can accept and reject an incoming call. But you cannot talk — there is neither a microphone, nor a speaker.
• Contactless payment (?). Until the version with the NFC chip does not appear, it is impossible to confirm this function definitively. The main question is if it will work with phones without built-in NFC?

Pros of Xiaomi Mi Band 3

Touch screen. It is the main advantage of a new model. The sensor allows you to work with the entire display at once, and not just with a button. There is notifications management and viewing of statistics. Xiaomi clearly makes the wristband closer to a smart watch. And although the set of functions cannot be compared, the trend is obvious.
Waterproof IP68. The gadget is completely dust resistant and can be submerged to a depth of 50 meters and for longer than half an hour. You cannot go diving with Xiaomi Mi Band 3, but for the shower and pool the device is suitable.
A capacious battery. The capacity of 110 mAh allows the wristband to work up to 20 days or 480 hours. Charging is normal, not accelerated. Important! The Mi Band 2 charger is not suitable for a new model.
Low cost. The starting price in China for the version without NFC is 26 USD. Unofficially the wristbands are already sold in some countries, but they are twice as expensive as ones in China. It is better to wait when official sales start — the price will fall.

Cons of Xiaomi Mi Band 3

There is no built-in GPS. There are training modes in the wristband and application, including running and biking. But for tracks you have to use smartphone’s GPS — it's not very convenient.
You cannot answer calls. One more difference from a smart watch is that using Xiaomi Mi Band 3 you cannot talk on the phone. There is an option only to accept / reject an incoming call, but for a conversation you will need to get a smartphone.
Limited compatibility. The gadget works only with smartphones on Android 4.4 and higher or iOS 9.0 and higher. Older models are not supported.

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 packaging and arrangement

The gadget is packed in a white box with a transparent cover, on the back side are technical information and device certificates. Immediately under the lid is a Xiaomi Mi Band 3 capsule. Then there are also the following items in the box: a silicone strap, a charger and instruction. While there is no international version, all documentation is in Chinese. The box is small, but everything is fastened securely inside. There will be no additional features, and the kit contains only the most necessary items for the work of the wristband.

Users’ complaints about Xiaomi Mi Band 3

Since the wristband was just recently released, it is not possible now to check it out at a long distance. Most of the problems appear after 1-2 months of its active use, so for greater objectivity and impartiality you should wait for some time. In the beginning, Xiaomi Mi Band 3 looks almost flawless. With software the situation is the same. The official application works without complaints, but bugs and conflicts can appear in new firmware versions.

Recommendations for Xiaomi Mi Band 3 usage

Xiaomi provided official rules of use, warnings and some advice in the instructions. In addition to them, we can outline the following:

• Do not submerge the gadget in salt water. The portable piece of technology is vulnerable to salt, so you cannot swim in the sea while wearing the wristband. If the salt still got onto the device, rinse its body with fresh water and take it to a service center.
• Wear it carefully during the first days. Owners of Xiaomi Mi Band 2 will understand it. Because of the convex screen, the wristband can be beat against walls, doors, protruding surfaces. The glass is strong enough, but scratches and edge splinters are unwanted anyway.
• Check the Mi Fit settings. There are good opportunities for personalization, so we advise you to understand how the application works. Especially useful are notification settings — you can select applications and put widgets.
• Watch the contact of the heart rate monitor. For accurate data, it should fit the skin tightly. Failures also affect long-term statistics. But the worst situation is when the contact goes away during training — it can disrupt results and goals.
• Use compatible straps and charger. Accessories from Xiaomi Mi Band 2 are not suitable for the new generation, although they may look very similar. Straps cost even less than 1 USD, and the cable is included in the kit.

Reviews of Xiaomi Mi Band 3

The owners of Xiaomi Mi Band 3 are delighted with the smart wristband. The touch screen with messages, water protection, usual 20 days without recharging, all the important functions for fitness and tracking — what else can you wish.
Disputes unfold around the NFC. Chinese users are more relaxed — they were assured that the chip of contactless payment will work exactly. Other users are not so optimistic. Xiaomi's tech support in China has already answered that versions with NFC are only designed for that country. There is a questionable insider from the company headquarters — one of the staff claims that NFC will be international and even will support Google Pay and Android Pay. We can check it only in September.

Another complaint from buyers is about the design. There are more stylish and beautiful goods on the market of budget wristbands. The previous Mi Band models were not particularly remarkable or striking in their design either, but the convex screen with the bulky glass in the new version predictably caused a wave of discontent.

Despite the shortcomings and complaints, Xiaomi Mi Band 3 is really one of the best budget trackers in the world. Taken into account that the past generation was released two years ago, you can try to upgrade, although it is better to wait when the official sales start, when the price outside of China falls.

Apps for Xiaomi Mi Band 3

Since the gadget was just released, there are no user software assemblies for it yet. In China, Xiaomi Mi Band 3 works with the local version of the official Mi Fit application, it is available through the Xiaomi online store. An international Mi Fit version is available abroad through Google Play and the App Store.

The set of functions of the application is almost the same. A number of screens show steps taken, distance covered, pulse, sleep data. There are also settings for notifications and reminders. In the profile, you can set goals and tasks for training, here there is also synchronization with other Xiaomi gadgets.

It is not known yet, whether users will update their applications for Mi Band 2 and optimize them for a new version.

The main competitors of Xiaomi Mi Band 3

In the segment of budget trackers, Xiaomi Mi Band 3 faces the risk that there will be no competition at all — taken into account the price and loyalty of the audience. But while in the international sale the new version costs from 50 USD, and there is no information about NFC, you can pay attention to its equivalents:

• Huawei Honor Band A2. It is the best alternative as for brand recognition, quality and price. The wristband constantly measures pulse, monitors activity, turns on training modes, monitors sleep and shows notifications. The screen is OLED, the diagonal is almost 1 inch, it has a sensor. The battery lasts up to 9 days. The price is from 30 USD.
• Elephone ELE Band 5. All the main functions are in place: time, pedometer, heart rate monitor, sleep monitoring for phases, notifications on the screen. You can control the smartphone’s camera from the wristband. The display is a familiar OLED. The strap is not removable. The battery is designed for 10 days. The price is from 24 USD.
• Alfawise S9. The basic features are similar to the previous gadget, but there is no camera control. As for unusual functions, there is measurement of blood pressure and oxygen level in the blood. The display here is a LCD with a rather weak brightness. The strap is not removable either. The battery holds the charge during 10 days. The price is from 18 USD.
• Lenovo HX06. The main difference from Mi Band 3 — USB connector with the help of which the wristband is charged and attached. The screen is a touch screen, a monochrome OLED, too. There are notifications, a pedometer, a smart alarm clock, an AntiSleep alarm for drivers. However, water protection is only IP67 and there is no heart rate monitor. The price is from 18 USD.

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 - Comparison

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