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When Xiaomi launched their first product in India – Redmi 1S – it was one of the finest smartphones that time. One thing that nobody knew was where was Xiaomi was going with this. Few years later, Xiaomi is everywhere – Smartphones, Selfie Sticks, Action Cameras, Smart Products, Smart Health products et al. If you’ve been following my blog, you already know that I am using a lot of Mi products. Right from the Redmi 1S, Redmi 2 Prime, Redmi Note 5, Mi Band 1, Mi Band 3, Mi Bluetooth Selfie Stick, Mi Powerbank. And the newest entrant to my Mi family is the Mi Band 4. So is it the Best Budget Fitness Band ? Mi Band Review.
Mi Band 4 – The newest Fitness Band
One thing that Xiaomi’s does is launches their product late in India. And I’m sure many would agree to this too. This one was launched in India on September 20 in India while the it was alread released in China few months earlier. I have been using the Mi Band 3 and was satisfied with it. (Lost one in Munnar, so bought the same one again) So when Mi Band 4 was announced, I wanted to get it. Read on for my Mi Band 4 Review.
New Packaging Mi Band 4
I bought the Mi Band 4 from Ali Express and it took exactly 2 weeks to reach me. The packaging (if it isn’t the same they are selling in India) was different from the earlier ones. Xiaomi decided to use a larger box this time around. The contents however were almost the same.
The box contained the Mi Band 4 itself, their new charger and some paper work in Chinese. In their earlier packages, the fitness tracker and the band would be packed separately. This time it wasn’t though. So the packaging is quite simple.
Mi Band 4 Specifications
The Mi Band 4 is a good upgrade if you are using the Mi Band 3 or earlier versions. The newer version comes with a Color AMOLED full-touch display which is a huge improvement from the previous one. The display also allows watch faces to be used. In fact you can also create your own watch face ! That’s something new. The battery life has been considerably improved and company claims battery live of upto 20 hours.
Further, I’ve seen that the new Mi Band 4 also has alarm, DND, settings, brightness control, lock and reboot options which weren’t there in the earlier one. Also, since I bought the Chinese version, it has AliPay option to embedded in it.I doubt if that would work in India. Overall, the specs look great on paper. How does it work in real life ? Read on for my Mi Band 4 Review.
Mi Band 4 – Real Life Review
Out of the box, the Mi Band does have some battery so you can use it right away. Pairing it to your phone is quite easy. Simply install the MiFit app and begin the pairing process. It will automatically install the newest firmware and updates that are required. The process is quick and hassle free.
Coming to the daily use of Mi Band 4, I haven’t see much of a difference when it comes to performance. I’m not a fitness freak and don’t do anything apart from walking. The steps counter is a little improved from the previous one, but it still counts erroneous steps. The heart rate sensor works as expected and Mi Band 4 provides an option for 24 hr heart monitoring. You also get music control options on the Mi Band 4 which I haven’t used. It doesn’t work with the Airtel Music app I have.
Few things that I loved about this one was the watch faces, it allows the user to have a different UI. The the color screen is refreshing and the brightness option is a boon. Also the option to lock your back is quite helpful and a welcomed one. I suggest using the Notify & Fitness App instead of the official MI App to get more out of your Mi Band 4.
How to get huge discount on Mi Band 4
Like I said I purchased this from AliExpress. The stores listed there have two variants of Mi Band 4. One if the global version in English and other is the local version in Chinese. The Global Version costs just under Rs 2000 incl shipping and the Chinese Version costs about Rs 1800 incl shipping. The price of the Mi Band 4 in India is Rs 2300. So if you order it from AliExpress, you can save almost Rs 600 !
Now, I bought the Chinese variant of Mi Band 4. The band comes in Chinese language out of the box. Even all the box, paper work is in Chinese. The best part is that the moment you pair your Mi Band 4 with your smartphone, it will automatically update to English ! And all we want is that language to be English. As far as the warranty is concerned, I don’t worry much on that front. So at Rs 1700, the Mi Band 4 I got is a steal deal for sure. Click here to buy the Chinese Version.
Final Verdict: Best Budget Fitness Band Mi Band 4
Even considering the price of Rs 2300, the Mi Band 4 has managed to hit the right spot for the Indian market. The fitness band offers a considerably update from the previous counterparts. The build quality is decent, but the band quality is a little flimsy. I still feel they could have used the earlier charging cable 🙁 However at Rs 1700, I have no complaints about this one. Moreover with the Notify Fitness App, this is simply amazing. That’s about my Mi Band 4 Review. What are your thoughts ? Would you buy this from China at a discount or from India ? Share your thoughts in the comments below or tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj.
