Xiaomi Mi Band 6 Review: A Budget-Friendly Fitness Tracker with Notable Upgrades

Xiaomi’s Mi Band 6 delivers a meaningful update to the popular budget fitness tracker lineup, introducing a larger 1.56-inch AMOLED display and blood oxygen monitoring. While these additions enhance the user experience, the design and some health features lag behind competitors such as the Honor Band 6.

The display upgrade is the most noticeable change, moving from a modest 1.1-inch screen to a taller 1.56-inch AMOLED panel with 326 PPI. Texts and icons appear crisp, and the vibrant colors benefit from excellent contrast. However, the elongated form factor doesn’t fully solve readability issues at a distance, and the interface lacks a dedicated control center button. Users can choose from over 130 watch faces, though many lean toward a cartoonish style. The band supports up to six watch faces stored on device, along with basic emoji integration, though Nepali Unicode fonts display incorrectly.

Design remains unchanged from earlier models, with a lightweight, pin-hole strap system that some users find prone to accidental detachment. The band is comfortable to wear daily and carries a 5 ATM water-resistance rating. The companion Mi Fit app hasn’t evolved significantly, still missing a dark mode despite being a standard expectation in 2021.

Health tracking sees notable improvements, with the addition of SpO2 monitoring and expanded to 30 workout modes, including automatic detection for six activities. On-demand SpO2 readings are reliable, but overnight breathing quality analysis remains in beta, offering only a basic score without detailed insights. Sleep tracking performs well, accurately recording sleep stages and generating a quality score. Heart rate monitoring works consistently, with customizable alert thresholds, while stress monitoring occurs every five minutes without adjustment options.

Battery life holds up well, delivering around seven days of use with continuous monitoring enabled, and up to 14 days under lighter use. A full charge takes approximately 1 hour and 43 minutes. The band also offers practical daily features such as call alerts, music control, weather updates, and a Mi UI-exclusive phone unlock bypass.

Despite its strengths, the Mi Band 6 struggles to stand out against rivals. The unusual screen shape and incomplete overnight SpO2 analysis limit its appeal. However, at NPR 5,999, it remains a compelling option for users seeking essential fitness tracking at a budget price, especially as an upgrade from the Mi Band 5.