One of the arguments I’ve heard the most in debates about whether the Apple Watch is worth or not compared to competing alternatives is the battery: having to charge the watch daily or almost daily is not appreciated by those who are more accustomed to carrying one of the calls smart bands.
These bracelets can contain several days of autonomy, so you don’t have to think too much about your load. Personally, I’m one of those who thinks it costs nothing to put the Apple Watch above its base every night or when you prefer, but I took the opportunity to try a Xiaomi Mi Band 7 to make a comparison and see for myself the differences between this and my trusty Apple Watch Series 4.
Mi Band vs Apple Watch: it’s not just a question of autonomy
What caught my attention the most about the Mi Band 7 was its size. Accustomed as we are to the Apple Watch Series 8 (not to mention the Apple Watch Ultra), this smart bracelet
Now it’s small but that’s not why we can defend its comfort. The Mi Band 7 is a small bracelet, but its large pill shape does not fit the shape of our arm and I feel like it is sticking out of the edges. It’s not the end of the world, but contrasts a lot for the comfort offered by the shape of the Apple Watch and its bracelets. And speaking of the bracelet, it was difficult for me to figure out how to quickly put on the Mi Band 7 bracelet.
About the screen, nothing to complain about. That of the Mi Band 7 offers more than sufficient brightness, and the interface passionately inspired on watchOS watch faces is easy to learn. The only change is the longer shape of the screen and the app on iOS that you have to install from the App Store to be able to configure everything.
Yes, it’s very comfortable not having to worry about the Mi Band’s battery for several days, but there are several sacrifices to be made.
But what I want to get at is: is such a bracelet worth it to be able to enjoy better autonomy? After spending several days testing the Mi Band 7, I must say that yes, it is very comfortable to be able to forget to charge it for several days. But it didn’t change the way I use the Watch at all, did not result in substantial improvements
I usually charge my Apple Watch at night (I don’t monitor my sleep), and the effort I have to do for it is so low that I don’t mind putting the watch on its charging base every time I go to bed. I don’t care if I have to do it every night instead of once every five or six days.
And assuming I monitored my sleep and charged the Apple Watch while I shower and get ready in the morning, I have a feeling the problem would only get worse. A modern Apple Watch charges in around 45 minutes using the 20W USB-C adapter, while the Mi Band 7 takes around two hours. I could live without my Apple Watch for 45 minutesbut two hours is something more serious.
Other sacrifices must also be named. The first, the commodity. Wearing an Apple Watch is much more comfortable, you forget you have it on you. With the design of the Mi Band, you always realize that you have something attached to your wrist. And I mention again how uncomfortable it is to put the strap on, although it may just be getting used to it.
The second, Privacy. The My Fitness app on the App Store collects data related to my identity, including my own health data and information about my location, content, contact details, and even financial information. Too much data and what do you want me to tell you: no, I don’t trust what Xiaomi can do with this data. I’m also not saying that Apple is perfect, but at least they encrypt this data from my terminal and guarantee that no one will have access to it.
Do I mean with all this that the Mi Band 7 is a product that does not work? Nothing could be further from reality. It can be a perfect first bracelet for those who start with the idea of quantifying their physical activity, measuring their sleep or simply having a watch with a few extras.
But even if it has several times more autonomy than the Apple Watch, in my case I will continue to use the Watch mainly for a question of comfort, integration and privacy. Its battery lasts less, no doubt, but putting it to charge is so simple that it’s not something I bother doing every night.