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There’s no such thing as “same difference”… or maybe there is? Case in point: the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 and the Xiaomi Mi Band 5.

Namesake aside, the similarities between the two make it difficult for consumers to decide on whether to push through with the upgrade, or just let this one slide for the time being. After all, it was only last year that the Chinese tech giant officially rolled out the Mi Band 5, so it may feel too little, too early for consumers to cash in on the Mi Band 6.

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 6 to give you a guide in deciding on your next #GadgetGoals.

Design and Display

Mi Band 6 (left) and Mi Band 5 (right)

Overall aesthetics may be a tad similar when compared side by side. Both the Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 6 share the same OS support, materials used, and perhaps a number of functions such as the 5ATM water resistance mark, Bluetooth connectivity, and brightness capacity.

Perhaps the biggest change in this department is the size difference between the two – the Mi Band 6 measures at 47.4 × 18.6 × 12.7mm compared to Mi Band 5, which stands at 46.95 × 18.15 × 12.45mm.

In terms of display, the Mi Band 5 is fitted with 126 x 29 display resolution with 16-bit color depth glassed in a 1.1-inch AMOLED Color Touchscreen. The Mi Band 6 on the other hand, showcases an increase in display size at 1.56-inch using the same AMOLED Color Touchscreen, and resolution which registers at 152 x 486 with a color depth of 24-bit and pixel density of 326 PPI.

Health Features 

Mi Band 5 (left) and Mi Band 6 (right) Image Credit: wearable.com

All health-related features including the 24-hour heart rate monitoring, sleep monitoring, women’s health tracking, stress tracking, breathing tracking, goal setting, and PAI vitality index assessment are present on both Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 6. The big difference between the two is the Mi Band 6’s SpO2 Sensor, which allows users to track sleep breathing quality and blood oxygen saturation.

Sports Features

This is where the Mi Band 6 prevails, and perhaps the most noteworthy and beneficial add-on feature on this device. The Mi Band 6 highlights its massive 30 Fitness Modes, as compared to Mi Band 5’s miniscule 11 Professional Sports Modes. For an in-depth comparison, here’s a table list of the included Fitness/Sports Modes for both devices:

Mi Band 6 Mi Band 5
Outdoor Running
Walking
Cycling
Pool Swimming
Freestyle
Indoor Cycling
Elliptical
Jump Rope
Yoga
Rowing machine
Treadmill
Dance
Indoor Fitness
Gymnastics
HIIT
Core Training
Stretching
Bowling
Badminton
Boxing
Stepper
Pilates
Basketball
Volleyball
Table Tennis
Cricket
Ice Skating
Kickboxing
Street Dance
Zumba
Outdoor Running
Outdoor Running
Power walking
Cycling
Indoor Running
Pool Swimming
Freestyle
Indoor Cycling
Elliptical
Jump Rope
Yoga
Rowing Machine

Mi Band 6 (left) and Mi Band 5 (right) Image Credit: wearable.com

Smartwatch Features

Mi Band 6 also shares the same smartwatch features as that of Mi Band 5. Both health trackers are supported on Android 5.0 and iOS 10.0 and above. Other features present on these two devices include messaging & call notification alerts, music playback, find my phone, idle alerts, phone unlocking for MIUI device, weather forecast, phone muting, calendar & event reminder, and weather forecast.

Battery

Carrying over the same promise Xiaomi gave on the Mi Band 5, the Mi Band 6 is also equipped with the 125mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery that could last for up to 14 days under the band’s Normal Mode at full charge.

The Score Card

Mi Band 6

 

This is a clear win for Mi Band 6. As little as it may seem, the updated features included on the Mi Band 6 are imperative and nothing short of functional. The addition of 14 more Sports Features and the SpO2 tracker is reason enough to consider upgrading to Mi Band 6 if you’re coming from Mi Band 5; all the more if you’re coming from Mi Band 4, but that’s a totally different #TechTopic altogether.

Want to see the hottest and latest gadgets and gizmos at the comfort of your home? Be sure to #CheckCyberzone all the time.

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