When you think of Apple's biggest rivals in the thriving wearable industry, the first names to come to mind are probably Samsung, Huawei, and Fitbit. But there's actually one company that consistently eclipses the sales numbers of all three aforementioned tech giants and (timid) challengers to Apple's throne.
We're talking, of course, about Xiaomi, which doesn't even sell full-blown smartwatches (at least not under its own name), instead focusing on low-margin activity trackers. If you're wondering how low, the answer is incredibly so, as last year's Mi Band 4 made its domestic commercial debut at the rough equivalent of $25 and up, and believe it or not, the same goes for the brand-new Xiaomi Mi Band 5.
As with previous Mi Band generations, there are no words on international availability at the moment, and although an official US release is not completely out of the question, you may not want to get your hopes up. Obviously, if the Mi Band 5 were to come to the US, its price point would undoubtedly increase as well.
After all, this is a colorful and relatively stylish fitness band you're looking at here that sports a large 1.1-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 294 x 126 pixels. That makes the ultra-affordable bad boy bigger and sharper than, say, the $130 Garmin Vivosmart 4, and just like its significantly costlier Western rival, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 comes with a built-in heart rate monitor, sleep tracking functionality, a waterproof design, and stellar battery life.
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In fact, Xiaomi touts an even higher battery endurance rating of 14 days compared to the likes of the Vivosmart 4, which is only said to last "up to 7 days" on a single charge. The Mi Band 5 can also work in 11 different "professional sports modes" to track the data that matters most for each activity while even catering to potential female wearers with a set of "women's health tools" that includes menstrual cycle and ovulation monitoring.
Incredibly enough, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 tips the scales at a measly 12 grams or so thanks to a not-very-premium plastic body, shipping alongside a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) strap coated in a swanky color of your choice.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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