Having already hit store shelves in China on 18 June, Xiaomi is now bringing its latest and greatest fitness tracker – the Mi Smart Band 5 – to new markets, including the UK.
Once again manufactured by Xiaomi subsidiary Huami, the Mi Smart Band 5 follows in the footsteps of its predecessors with extraordinary battery life claims of up to 14 days on the model destined for the UK and Europe.
How much does the Mi Smart Band 5 cost?
Pricing is as attractive as ever with the Band 5 coming in at £39.99/€39.99 in the UK and Europe.
In China there are two variants, one with the addition of NFC costing ¥229 (around £26 / US$32 / AU$47 / €28) and one without at ¥189 (around £21 / US$27 / AU$39 / €23).
New features in Mi Smart Band 5
The original Mi Band was released way back in 2014, a relatively basic sleep and fitness tracker. Since then, with the Mi Band 1S, Mi Band 2, Mi Band 3 and Mi Band 4, we have seen a slew of game-changing feature updates – from a colour OLED screen, digital clock and notifications to sleep, swim and heart-rate tracking that position Xiaomi’s fitness tracker as a true rival to the likes of Fitbit.
This updated fitness tracker brings a slew of new features, including a larger 1.2in (126×294) AMOLED touchscreen (up from 0.95in), a magnetic charging system that is still proprietary but no longer needs you to remove the tracker from the band before charging, 11 new sports modes (including yoga, rowing machines and skipping) and the ability to track menstrual cycles.
Heavily-rumoured Alexa integration didn’t make the cut but while not present on the Chinese models either, the company’s own AI assistant – Xiao Ai, does.
You can choose from eight silicon bands, and personalise the Mi Smart Band 5 further with more than 100 supported themes.
Where to buy Mi Smart Band 5 in the UK
Mi Smart Band 5 is already up for pre-order direct from Xiaomi’s UK website, where you can be notified about its availability.
Those who simply can’t wait any longer can, however, pick up the Chinese version from GearBest at £32.52 / US$39.99 / AU$58.99 / €36.32. Geekbuying comes in slightly cheaper (again, for the Chinese model) at £32.39 / $39.99 / AU$58.91 / €35.35.
Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director, International, Foundry
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she's worked in tech media for almost 20 years, covering all types of consumer tech from smartphones and their accessories to smart home gear. These days she manages our international editorial teams and leads on content strategy, having witnessed first-hand Foundry's transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.