Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 7

A comparison of Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7

If you are looking for a budget-friendly fitness tracker, you might be interested in comparing the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 and the Mi Band 7. These are two popular models in the Mi Band series, which offer a range of features for monitoring your health and activity. But how do they differ, and which one should you choose?

In this post, we will compare the global versions of the Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7. There are other versions of both bands that come with different features, mainly having Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The Mi Band 7 also has a pro version that differs greatly from the standard version.

Let’s get started!

Here is a brief overview of their main similarities and differences.

 Mi Band 5Mi Band 7
Display – Size1.1 Inch AMOLED display1.62 Inch AMOLED display
Resolution126 x 294 pixels, 291 PPI192 x 490 pixels, 326 PPI
Brightness≥ 450 nits, adjustable≥ 500 nits, adjustable
Body Dimensions46.9(H) × 18.2(W) × 12.4(D) mm46.5(H) × 20.9(W) × 12.3(D) mm
Body Net Weight11.9 g13.5g
Battery Capacity125 mAh180mAh
Sensors33
ProcessorDialog 14697Dialog 14706
Wireless connectionBluetooth 5.0 BLEBluetooth 5.2 BLE
Supported systemsAndroid 5.0+, iOS 10.0+Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+
FeaturesAlarms, notifications, watch faces, widgets, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, step counting, exercise trackingAlarms, notifications, watch faces, widgets, heart rate monitoring, SpO2, sleep tracking, step counting, exercise tracking, menstrual cycle tracking and more customization options
Fitness Modes11110+
PricingCheck Pricing on Amazon
Check Pricing on AliExpress
Check Pricing on Amazon
Check Pricing on AliExpress

Display

Display of Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 7

The display size is the main feature that sets apart the Mi Band 5 and the Mi Band 7. The Mi Band 5 has a 1.1 inch AMOLED screen, while the Mi Band 7 has a 1.62 inch AMOLED screen. This means that the Mi Band 7 has a 47% larger screen size, but an even more impressive 87% more display area than the Mi Band 5.

The Mi Band 7 display appears much bigger than the Mi Band 5 display, thanks to the larger font size and the uncluttered watch faces.

I prefer the default watch faces on the Mi Band 5, which are smaller and more packed with information. I can customize them to show what I want to see. The default watch faces on the Mi Band 7 are less data rich: they usually don’t show the battery level or the Bluetooth connection status.

Design

Design of Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 7

Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7 designs are very similar. Both are pill shaped, thought the Mi Band 7 is about 5% wider than the Mi Band 7. They come with similar comfortable silicone bands that are interchangeable.

One of the main differences between the Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7 is the lack of the single touch button on the Mi Band 7. It takes a while to get use to the lack of this button if you upgrade from Mi Band 5 to 7, and that’s because you get used to using the one touch button on the Mi Band 5 as a back button. On the Mi Band 7 you have to swipe to the right to go back in the menu.

Charging ports are present at the back of the bands, and you can use the same cable to charge Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7. Also located at the back of both bands are a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope and a PPG heart rate sensor.

In my opinion, the design of the Mi Bands is one of the best fitness band design. I do wish though they were a little thinner and lay flat on my wrist!

Battery

Battery of Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 7

The Mi Band 5 comes with a 125mAh battery while the Mi Band 7 comes with a 180mAh battery. So the battery on the Mi Band 7 had 44% more capacity than the Mi Band 5.

You would expect that the Mi Band 7 would have a longer battery life.

Nope.

USAGEMi Band 5Mi Band 7
Heavy Use7 Days5 Days
Normal Use14 Days10 Days
Power Saving20 Days14 Days
Charging Time2 Hours2 Hours

Based on my experience, the Mi Band 5 has a battery life that is 40% longer than the Mi Band 7. The battery life of Mi Bands can vary depending on the features that are turned on. For example, if you have the Always On feature turned on for your Mi Band 7, you will need to charge it more often.

Here is a table that summarizes the battery life of Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7

As you can see, the Mi Band 5 has a longer battery life than the Mi Band 7, even in power saving mode. However, the Mi Band 7 has a more powerful but less efficient processor (Dialog 14706 vs Dialog 14697) and a larger display, which lead to shorter battery life.

Ultimately, the best way to choose a Mi Band is to consider your own needs and preferences. If you are looking for a band with a long battery life, the Mi Band 5 is a good option. If you are looking for a band with more features and a larger display, the Mi Band 7 is a good option. Here is a dedicated post with some tips on how you can extend the battery life of your Mi Band.

I normally charge my Mi Bands every couple of weeks as I do turn off most of the feature that drain my battery life on my Mi Band.

Features

Features of Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 7

Continuous blood oxygen saturation or SpO2 is the main feature that is in the Mi Smart Band 7, but is not present in the Mi Band 5. Both bands comes with a step tracker, heart rate monitor, alarm, timer, stopwatch, and a few more – all of these are easy to use. The Mi Band 5 also lacks the menstrual cycle tracking feature.

Mi Bands need to be paired first with an app, Mi Fitness or Zepp Life, to work. And the companion apps are the main way to control and customize your Mi Band.

In this regards, the Mi Band 7 is an improvement over the Mi Band 5 in several ways, including the ability to display more information and customize more features on the band itself. For example, on the Mi Band 5, you had to open the Mi Fitnees/Zepp Life app on your phone, connect the band to the app, and then sync the band in order to add an alarm. On the Mi Band 7, you can simply add a new alarm directly on the band.

The other big difference between the Mi Band 5 and the Mi Band 7 is the number of fitness modes. Mi Band 5 comes with 11 fitness modes, and the Mi Band 7 comes with 110+ fitness modes. Personally I find the additional features to be gimmicky.

Artistic swimming, really?

I highly doubt that Xiaomi has engineered specific algorithms to track the numerous fitness modes on the Mi Band 7. But I have not tested them out, so I don’t know how accurate they are.

On the subject of accuracy, having worn both Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 7 for a couple of weeks, I have noticed that Mi Band 5 is more accurate when it comes to tracking steps and heart rate. For instance, whenever I knead dough – which is often, my Mi Band 7 adds about 400 steps for every 2 minute knead.

That’s a lot! For a 10 minute sourdough knead, that’s 2000 additional steps on the Mi Band 7 and 0 steps on the Mi Band 5.

While, you can get more accurate sleep data with the Mi Band 7 by turning on the high accuracy sleep monitoring, but at the expense of your battery life

Pricing

Pricing of Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 7

The Mi Band 7 and Mi Band 5 are both affordable fitness bands, but their prices may vary depending on the online/local store you purchase them from. For the most up-to-date pricing, I recommend checking your favorite online stores, such as Amazon, Aliexpress, and others.

However let me give you an idea of what I’d consider to be decent bargain price for the Mi Band 5 and the Mi Band 7 at online/local store.  $20-$25 is a good price for the Mi Band 5. If you are a budget shopper, the Mi Band 5 is a good choice at these prices. But definitely don’t pay more than $30 for the Mi Band 5, Mi Band 6 or 7 are better options at that price.

I’d consider buying the Mi Band 7 at the $35-$40. Depending on your location, you can find it for a cheaper price – I did find it on Aliexpress for $31. So, shop around. You may find either of these bands at a great price. 

Wrap up

Would I recommend the Mi Band 5 over Mi Band 7?

Nope.

If you are a new to Mi Bands, get the newer Mi Band 7. My main gripe with Mi Band 5 is the troubles I’ve had pairing it with my Android phones. It’s such a struggle that I’d not wish it on my worst enemy. So, unless you can get it for real cheap – below $20, I wouldn’t buy it.

For Mi Band 5 owners, should you upgrade to Mi Band 7?

Maybe.

The Mi Band 7 and Mi Band 5 are very similar fitness bands: there is nothing that really sets the Mi Band 5 apart from Mi Band 7.  However, the Mi Band 8 is a radical shift from the Mi Band 5 and 7, and it has its limitations. So, if you are looking for a similar user experience to your Mi Band 5, get the Mi Band 7.

That’s it for this post and thank you for reading my blog post! If you have found it useful, let me know in the comments section below. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

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Mark

Hi, I’m Mark. I’m here to help you make the most of your Mi Band with our useful guides and tips. Please note that if you decide to purchase any of the products we suggest based on our research and testing, we’ll earn some money from the retailer as an affiliate commission when you place your order. You can learn more about this here.