Looking for a cheap fitness tracker? Xiaomi is bringing three to the UK this week

Date:
Wed, 15 Dec 2021 11:17:31 +0000

Description:
The Mi Smart Band NFC, Redmi Smart Band Pro, and Redmi Watch 2 Lite are all arriving very soon.

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Xiaomi is bringing three of its most affordable fitness trackers to UK
shores, just in time for Christmas. The Mi Smart Band NFC, Redmi Smart Band Pro, and Redmi Watch 2 Lite are all scheduled to launch here on December 16.

Xiaomi's announcement was light on details, but the three devices already have listing pages on Xiaomi's online store. The links aren't easy to find through the company's homepage, but we've done some digging and found that
the Redmi Smart Band Pro is priced at 44.99 , the Mi Smart Band 6 NFC is
49.99 , and the Redmi Watch 2 Lite is 59.99 . 2 days until it's time for change!#RedmiWatch2Lite #MiSmartBand6NFC #RedmiBandPro are coming to the UK
on December 16th! pic.twitter.com/f41jJ1Zitn December 14, 2021 See more Effortless contactless

The Mi Smart Band 6 NFC is an updated version of the original Mi Smart Band 6 , which we reviewed earlier this year. It was built in collaboration with MasterCard, and allows you to make contactless payments on any MasterCard terminal. That gives it a real edge over Fitbit Pay, which is built into most of the company's current lineup of fitness trackers, but is only supported by a small handful of UK banks.

The Mi Smart Band 6 NFC also has a microphone, with support for Amazon Alexa so you cancontrol your smart home devices.

The original Smart Band 6 costs just 40, and includes several features you'd expect to find on devices several times the price, such as all-day stress tracking, a pulse oximeter for monitoring blood oxygen saturation, and a
great looking AMOLED display.

We found its workout tracking a little lacking (its heart rate measurements were disappointing), but it gives you a lot for very little money and is a good choice if you're looking for a watch that'll nudge you to make healthier choices like going to bed earlier, or walking to the shops rather than driving.

It went on sale for 55 when it launched in Italy recently, so its UK price of 49.99 is what we'd expect. One for the runners

The Redmi Watch 2 Lite is another affordable fitness tracker , and has a 10% larger display than its predecessor, the original Redmi Watch Lite.

Like the Mi Smart Band 6, it offers all-day heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, and stress monitoring, but there's one key difference that'll
appeal to anyone who's interested in tracking sports. (Image credit: Xiaomi)

Unlike the Mi Smart Band 6 NFC, which piggybacks on your phone's GPS, the Redmi Watch 2 Lite has its own satellite positioning chip, which provides
more accurate location tracking during runs, walks, and bike rides. It supports four of the biggest positioning systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BDS), allowing it to pinpoint your location more accurately.

It landed in Germany, Italy and Spain earlier this week priced at 69.99,
which lines up neatly with its 59.99 UK price tag. The cheapest option

Rounding out the set, the Redmi Smart Band Pro is very similar in terms of features to the Mi Smart Band 6, but with a wider and shorter display. That makes it easier to read text such as phone notifications on screen, though you'll need to scroll a little more to view lists.

It has all the same sensors as the Smart Band 6 (including an accelerometer, optical heart rate monitor, and SpO2 sensor), plus connected rather than on-board GPS.

It's the cheapest of the new trio, but at 45.99 a little more expensive than the Smart Band 6, so if you're on a tight budget than you may prefer to opt for the slimmer screen and save yourself 5. Analysis: Watch out, Fitbit

The name 'Fitbit' is synonymous with fitness trackers in the UK, but Xiaomi
is clearly aiming to steal a chunk of the more established company's lunch and there's a chance that it may succeed.

The trio of Xiaomi watches coming on the 16th are clearly aimed at the budget end of the market, but they're very impressive for the price. A 50 Redmi device isn't going to come with a stylish stainless steel case like the
Fitbit Luxe or Charge 5 , and you're not going to get access to workouts led by Will Smith , but if your needs are simple then the cheaper option is well worth investigating.

As we mentioned earlier, Xiaomi also has a major advantage over Fitbit in the UK, thanks to its contactless payment system. You can use Fitbit Pay with pretty much any credit card connected to Curve, but Xiaomi's partnership with MasterCard takes out this extra step and makes NFC payments much more convenient. We've tested and ranked the best cheap running watches



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/looking-for-a-cheap-fitness-tracker-xiaomi-is-b ringing-three-to-the-uk-this-week/


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