In this article, we will explore the similarities and differences between two popular Xiaomi fitness trackers, the Mi Band 6 and the Mi Band 7. The Mi Band 7 came out in 2022, a year after the Mi Band 6. How do they compare in terms of features and performance? Which one is better for you? And is it worth upgrading from the Mi Band 6 to the Mi Band 7?
In this blog post, we will answer all of these questions, review the main aspects of these two health trackers, such as design, display, battery life, and functionality and give our thoughts on the right Mi Band for you.
Let’s get started!
Here is a brief overview of their main similarities and differences.
| Mi Band 6 | Mi Band 7 | |
| Display – Size | 1.56 Inch AMOLED display | 1.62 Inch AMOLED display |
| Resolution | 152 x 486 pixels, 326 PPI 30Hz Refresh Rate | 192 x 490 pixels, 326 PPI, 30Hz Refresh Rate |
| Brightness | ≥ 450 nits, adjustable | ≥ 500 nits, adjustable |
| Body Dimensions | 47.4(H) × 18.6(W) × 12.7(D) mm | 46.5(H) × 20.9(W) × 12.3(D) mm |
| Body Net Weight | 12.8g | 13.5g |
| Battery Capacity | 125 mAh | 180mAh |
| Sensors | 3 | 3 |
| Processor | Dialog 14697 | Dialog 14706 |
| Wireless connection | Bluetooth 5.0 BLE | Bluetooth 5.2 BLE |
| Supported systems | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ |
| Features | Alarms, notifications, watch faces, widgets, heart rate monitoring, SpO2, sleep tracking, step counting, exercise tracking | Alarms, notifications, watch faces, widgets, heart rate monitoring, SpO2, sleep tracking, step counting, exercise tracking, menstrual cycle tracking and more customization options |
| Fitness Modes | 30 | 110+ |
| Pricing | Check Pricing on Amazon Check Pricing on AliExpress | Check Pricing on Amazon Check Pricing on AliExpress |
Display and Watch Faces
The Mi Band 6 introduced an edge-to-edge display – a feature that allows the display to fill up the entire front of the tracker pill, without any borders or bezels around it, with a 1.56 inch AMOLED screen. The Mi Band 7 has a slightly larger edge-to-edge AMOLED screen of 1.62 inch. Xiaomi claims that this results in a 25% increase in the viewable area on the Mi Band 7 compared to Mi Band 6.
The other difference between the displays of the two band is the Mi Band 7 comes with a slightly higher resolution display 192 x 490 pixels compared to the Mi Band 6 display that comes with a 152 x 486 pixels resolution display. And a slight bump up in the maximum brightness of the screen 450nits vs 500nits.
Truth be told, Mi Band 6 display is very similar to the Mi Band 7 Display.
The two band have very similar watch faces in terms of appearance and functionality. They can be personalized, have quick access features, and display a lot of information. The icons have been refreshed on the Mi Band 7 to a more modern look, but that’s about it.
The Always on Display (AOD) feature is what distinguishes the Mi Band 7 from the Mi Band 6. The Mi Band 7’s Always on Display feature lets users glance at the time and other vital information without touching the screen. The only downside is that it does quickly drain the battery on the Mi Band 7.
Overall the Mi Band 7 has better display and watch faces than the Mi Band 6 – though not by much.
Design and Strap
The Mi Band 7 and the Mi Band 6 have a similar oval-shaped pill design. They come with a single strap that covers the module, and is interchangeable between the two bands. So if you upgrade, you can use your old Mi Band 6 band on the Mi Band 7.
While they are similarly sized, the Mi Band 7 is wider than the Mi Band 6. The dimensions of the Mi Band 6 are 46.5 × 20.9 × 12.3mm while the dimensions of the Mi Band 6 are 47.4 x 18.6 x 12.7mm.
Both trackers are light and comfortable to wear,
Both the Mi Band 6 and the Mi Band 7 have charging ports at the back. And again the chargers are interchangeable; you can use your Mi Band 6 charger to charge your Mi Band 7.
The back of both bands also has a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope and a PPG heart rate sensor.
In my opinion, the design of the Mi Bands is awesome and there is not much that sets the Mi Band 7 apart from the Mi Band 6.
Battery Life and Charging
The Mi Band 6 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 6. You would expect that the Mi Band 7 would have a longer battery life.
Nope.
Based on my experience, the Mi Band 6 has the same battery life as the Mi Band 7. That’s probably because it has a less bright, smaller display and a more power-efficient processor (Dialog 14697).
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.
| USAGE | Mi Band 6 | Mi Band 7 |
| Heavy Use | 7 Days | 7 Days |
| Typical Use | 14 Days | 14 Days |
| Power Saving | 19 Days | 20 Days |
| Charging Time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours |
Here is a table that summarizes the battery life of Mi Band 6 and Mi Band 7
Ultimately, there is little difference in the battery life of Mi Band 6 compared to Mi Band 7. And how long it lasts depends on how often you use the features and settings of your device, such as always on display (AOD), SP02 and heart rate monitoring, notifications, etc.
Functionality, Features, and Interface
While the functionality, features, and UI interface are very similar on the Mi Band 6 and Mi Band 7, there were lots of small changes made on the Mi Band 7.
I’ll highlight some of them.
We have already mentioned the Always on Display.
But another feature that’s new on the Mi Band 7 is the battery saver mode and battery manager. Feature that are geared toward managing your battery life.
The brightness adjustment feature has also been upgraded on the Mi Band 7. You still have to manually change the brightness of the screen, but on the Mi Band 7, the stepping has been increased and you have more granular control of the screen brightness.
When you slide down the home screen on the Mi Band 7, you now get notification, as opposed to the looping app menu on the Mi Band 6.
Also, time and date format settings were added to Mi Band watch faces setting. So you can now set your time and date format on your Mi Band 7 without having to go to the paired app.
Speaking of paired apps, you can pair both bands with Mi Fitness app and the Zepp Life app. And both the Mi Band 6 and the Mi Band 7 use the Zepp OS.
Both bands have many common features, such as step tracker, heart rate monitor, alarm, timer, stopwatch, and more – they are all user-friendly.
I have yet to notice a difference in the sleep tracking. Though now you can continuously measure SpO2 levels on the Mi Band 7. You can only measure SpO2 levels on the Mi Band 6 while sleeping. And you set now set an alert for SpO2 levels. Personally, I don’t use the SpO2 feature a lot – it’s a feature for more serious trainers.
The Mi Band 7 has the same flaw that’s on the Mi Band 6 – it registers steps when you are not walking but moving your hands! This makes the pedometer on the Mi Band 6 and Mi Band 7 unreliable for people who work with their hands.
The Mi Band 7 offers some minor enhancements in the user interface that make it more user-friendly than the Mi Band 6. However, there is no major UI enhancement, function, or feature that distinguishes it from the Mi Band 6.
Pricing
When shopping for either model, keep in mind that the prices may vary depending on where you buy them and their availability. To get the latest prices, I suggest checking your preferred 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 6 and the Mi Band 7 at your online/local store. $25-$30 is a good price for the Mi Band 6. The Mi Band 6 is a really popular band with lots of demand. So, it’s hard to find and you may have to pay a little bit more. However at $35 or more, you are better off getting a Mi Band 7; similar to Mi Band 6 but with more availability.
I’d consider buying the Mi Band 7 at a price lower than $40, depending on whether it’s the Chinese – usually $5 – $15 cheaper than the global version. The only big difference between the Chinese and Global version is the number of languages supported. The global version supports more languages than the 3 languages (simplified, traditional and English) the Chinese version supports.
Depending on your location and online store, you can get a good deal on the Mi Band 7 CN version – I did find it on Aliexpress for $31. So, shop around. You may find either of these bands at a great price.
Wrap up
The Mi Band 7 has always on display, a slightly brighter and bigger screen, and is cheaper. That’s what sets it apart from the Mi Band 6.
Would I recommend the Mi Band 6 over Mi Band 7?
No.
While the Mi Band 6 is similar to the Mi Band 7, it’s currently very expensive – I’ve not been able to find it online for less than $45, and that’s for a 2 year old Chinese version. But, it’s readily available in local stores for about $30. I do hope that its price will come down to about $25 in the near future. But until it drops down in price, I wouldn’t recommend it. At about $30, I’d seriously consider the Mi Band 7.
For Mi Band 6 owners, should you upgrade to Mi Band 7?
No.
If you own a Mi Band 6, you have a great band. There is no feature on the Mi Band 7 that I miss on my Mi Band 6 – I don’t ever use the AOD. But, currently the Mi Band 6 is overpriced and has low availability. So, if my Mi Band 6 broke and I had to replace it, I’d consider replacing it with a Mi Band 7- especially if I can find the global Mi Band 7 for around $35. The Mi Band 6 is very similar to 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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