Why Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Is Among the Best Budget Fitness Trackers

Aside from a smartphone, laptop, and headset, another gadget that quietly pulls its weight in everyday life is the smartwatch. At first glance, it might look like just another digital wristwatch, but smartwatches today do so much more than tell the time. They can track your health, remind you to move when you’ve been sitting too long, monitor your sleep, and even mirror notifications from your phone. In short, they’re the kind of companion that makes daily life feel a little more organised.

One of the most talked-about new releases in this category is the Xiaomi Smart Band 8. It’s the latest in Xiaomi’s popular fitness band series, which has built a reputation for being affordable yet has so many features. 

On paper, the Band 8 looks like a small upgrade over the Band 7, but in reality, it feels like Xiaomi has smoothed out the edges to make it more stylish, more comfortable, and more fun to use. Let’s dive into the details.

Inside the box, things are kept simple. You get:

• The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 itself.

• A magnetic charging dock.

The band itself weighs just 27 grams, which makes it light and comfortable for all-day wear. It has a slim, pill-shaped body with a metallic frame that comes in two colours: graphite black and champagne gold.

Unlike older Mi Bands that had a one-piece strap, the Smart Band 8 uses a two-piece detachable strap system. You can easily swap out straps for silicon, leather, stainless steel, or even more stylish designs. Xiaomi also introduced playful alternatives, so you can clip it onto your running shoe for better running analytics or wear it as a pendant necklace.

It’s also durable as the screen is covered with Gorilla Glass 3 to resist scratches, and it’s water resistant up to 50 metres, so you can swim, shower, or sweat without worries.

One of the standout upgrades is the display. The Smart Band 8 has a 1.62-inch AMOLED screen with a 490 x 192 resolution and a smooth 60Hz refresh rate. This means scrolling feels fluid, text looks crisp, and colours really pop.

It’s also brighter than the Band 7, with up to 600 nits of brightness. It also has a light sensor that automatically adjusts brightness depending on your surroundings, which can save you from fiddling with settings.

The interface is simple and intuitive. You swipe up for apps, swipe down for notifications, and swipe left or right to move between widgets like weather, music controls, or fitness stats. Everything can be customised in the Mi Fitness app (available on Android and iOS).

Its watch faces are another fun feature it has. The band comes with a few pre-installed options (digital, analogue, fitness-focused), but you can download hundreds more from the app, from minimal designs to playful animated faces. Each watch face also has a matching always-on display option.

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Fitness bands are all about health and exercise, and the Band 8 doesn’t disappoint. It supports over 150 workout modes, ranging from everyday exercises like running, cycling, swimming, and yoga to quirky options like tug of war, hula hooping, and even eSports (this means it can even track your gaming sessions).

For running, you can use the optional running clip to attach the band to your shoe to give you a more accurate stride and posture analysis. Swimmers will also appreciate stroke-style recognition and lap tracking.

The health tracking features include:

• 24/7 heart rate monitoring.

• SpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking.

• Sleep tracking (including deep, light, and REM stages).

• Stress monitoring with guided breathing exercises.

The accuracy it gives is impressive for a budget device. Reviewers noted that the heart rate and SpO2 results were close to those of premium smartwatches like the Apple Watch, although the readings can take longer to appear.

The only real limitation is distance tracking during outdoor runs. Since the Smart Band 8 doesn’t have a built-in GPS, it relies on your phone’s GPS for accuracy.

Additionally, the sleep tracking feature is useful if you want to see how much rest you’re actually getting. Just be prepared because the Band 8 might shame you for going to bed late and waking up too early.

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Beyond fitness, the Smart Band 8 packs in everyday conveniences such as:

• Notifications for calls, messages, and apps (you can read them but not reply).

• Music controls, so you can skip tracks or adjust volume without grabbing your phone.

• A camera remote, which is useful for taking photos without holding your phone.

• Weather updates and forecasts.

• Timers, a stopwatch, and a flashlight.

• A vibrating alarm that serves as a gentle wake-up method without disturbing others.

However, it’s worth noting that while the Chinese version supports Near Field Communication (NFC) payments via WeChat Pay or AliPay, the international version sold in Nigeria does not come with this feature. Don’t expect to tap your wrist to pay at Shoprite just yet.

Xiaomi claims up to 16 days of battery life under light usage, and around 6 days with heavy use (always-on display, 24/7 heart rate tracking, and frequent workouts). That’s still excellent compared to many pricier smartwatches that struggle to last beyond two days.

Charging it is also quick, as the included magnetic dock powers it from 0% to 100% in about one hour. The only downside is that the charger isn’t very strong magnetically, so you need to place it carefully to avoid disconnecting.

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One of Xiaomi’s strongest selling points has always been price. It’s currently sold out in many Nigerian stores, but you can get the bands in different colours for when you want your watch to match your outfit for the day. Get this Army green and orange Xiaomi Mi Band 8 and 9 band for 4,250 on Jumia.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 isn’t a massive leap forward, but it refines what already worked well in the Band 7. You get a brighter, smoother display, a more stylish and flexible design, and all the health features you’d expect at a price that’s still accessible.

Although it’s not perfect, with no built-in GPS, limited notifications, and the NFC not working in Nigeria, the Smart Band 8 is a solid buy if you're looking for an affordable, feather-light, and reliable fitness tracker that looks good both in the gym and at work.