Xiaomi Mi Band 7 vs Smart Band 7 Pro: Which should you buy?

Xiaomi is well-versed in crafting affordable yet capable fitness trackers. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 is the latest testament to this, but it no longer stands as the only new Mi Band model worth considering. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro — known globally as the Smart Band 7 Pro — is the band’s larger, smartwatch-like cousin. But what are the differences between the two, and which should you buy? We explore this in our Xiaomi Mi Band vs Smart Band 7 Pro comparison below.

It’s usually tricky telling the Mi Band members apart, but there’s no such issue here. The Xiaomi Mi Band 7 retains the classic fitness band design popularized by its predecessors, while the Smart Band 7 Pro really wants to be a smartwatch.

Its biggest tell is its stretched screen. Xiaomi claims the Smart Band 7 Pro is 50% larger than the Mi Band 7, and this extra screen estate works wonders for displaying the time, fitness details, and menu items. We would’ve loved to see a crown for rotating through screens and selecting items, but Xiaomi’s swipe navigation system isn’t too underappreciated at this price range.

Alternatively, the Mi Band 7 retains the bean-like screen we’ve seen on previous gen models. Although it’s a little bigger compared to the Mi Band 6 and only slightly smaller than the Smart Band 7 Pro in raw dimensions, its longer aspect ratio makes it a better pick for slimmer wrists. The Mi Band 7 is 8mm narrower than the Pro, to add some context to that difference.

In terms of comfort, the Smart Band 7 Pro is more than 50% weightier than the Mi Band 7, but it still comes in at just over 20 grams. It’s not heavy at all. It also has a new band fastening mechanism that attaches to the tracker’s body like a smartwatch. The straps of the Mi Band 7 hugs a central bean that houses all the sensors and the display, much like the Mi Band 6 before it.

The Smart Band 7 Pro is a breath of fresh air for those clamoring for a more mature Mi Band. As for the Mi Band 7, it’s a classic design that Xiaomi hasn’t deviated from until now.

See also: The best smartwatches you can buy

So, are screen size and body shape the only core differences? Not quite.

Xiaomi has upped the Pro’s battery capacity to compensate for the larger display. It features a 235mAh cell versus the Mi Band 7’s 180mAh battery. Despite this upgrade, the Smart Band 7 Pro’s battery life is actually worse, coming in at just three days with heavy use. Notably, the GPS is the biggest battery drain, leeching 10% of the capacity during an hour-long stroll during our review. The Mi Band 7 has no such problems. It endured around a week during our test with its features switched on. It doesn’t have built-in GPS, so you needn’t worry about it.

But perhaps the lack of onboard GPS is the Mi Band 7’s biggest problem. If you want to track a run, walk, or cycle, you’ll need to have your phone on your person. The Pro doesn’t have this requirement, making it a better bet for active users. In a sense, the penalties of built-in GPS are well worth it for potential Pro buyers.

See also: The best running watches you can buy

This elegantly takes us to fitness and tracking features. On this front, there’s not much to differentiate the two trackers. The Smart Band 7 Pro effectively borrows the Mi Band 7’s kit entirely, from the heart rate and continuous blood oxygen tracking, to the workout modes baked in. You’re also looking at more than 120 sport tracking modes, many of which you probably won’t use. The Pro also packs the advanced training metrics that debuted on the Mi Band 7. This includes aerobic and anaerobic alerts, training load, recovery time, and Vo2 max calculations. But with GPS onboard, these features are more useful and make much more sense on the Pro.

Interestingly, both devices fall short in some areas. For one, sleep tracking is half-baked across the board with erratic measurements and the lack of helpful feedback to improve rest. We also don’t quite understand why some sports modes are included. You can disregard this comment if you plan to use the snowmobile or checkers mode.

What about smart features? While the Smart Band 7 Pro might seem like a smartwatch, it lacks several features you’d expect to find on one. In that sense, it’s effectively a Mi Band 7 with a bigger screen.

There’s no NFC on global variants, so contactless payment support is missing. This is also the case with the Mi Band 7. Neither device features third-party apps, nor can you take calls or bark at a voice assistant from your wrist. Both Xiaomi devices are fitness trackers first, even if one may look a little more capable.

• Xiaomi Mi Band 7 (Global): £54 / €59 / ~$46
• Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro: £84.99 / €99.99 / ~$80-$120

It took a while for Xiaomi to launch both the Smart Band 7 Pro and the Mi Band 7 globally, but you can now find both at retailers across most major markets.

The Smart Band 7 Pro is the pricier of the two devices owing to its larger size and slightly longer feature list. You can find it for $119 on Amazon in the US, even though the device isn’t officially available in the country.

Xiaomi’s Mi Band 7 is less than half the price. You can find one on Amazon in the US for ~$46.

As for colorways, the Smart Band 7 Pro comes in Light Gold and Graphite Gray or Pine Green and Moon Gray for leather lovers. As for the Mi Band 7, you can have it with ivory, orange, green, blue, black, pink, Neon Green, Neon Orange, Khaki Green, and Khaki Blue bands.

Beyond the differences in body shape and battery capacity, the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro and Mi Band 7 are incredibly similar devices. They offer the same breadth of fitness features, smart features, and wearer comfort. However, there’s one key difference between the two; and no, it’s not the screen.

If you want a smartwatch-like fitness tracker and don’t care too much about other features, the Smart Band 7 Pro is for you. More importantly, if you’re a runner or athlete and want more phone-free use when training, the built-in GPS of the Smart Band 7 Pro makes it a much better companion. Is that addition worth spending more than double? Probably not. Especially when the heavily-discounted Fitbit Charge 5 and new Fitbit Inspire 3 exist.

As for the Xiaomi Mi Band 7, it’s still a stellar budget fitness band. It undercuts plenty of its rivals and does so without a fuss. It offers a simple, beginner health tracker experience with a modest smart feature offering that should appease most users. It might not have built-in GPS, but Xiaomi fans now have an alternative if they desire.

More alternatives: The best cheap fitness trackers you can buy

The Mi Band 7 is arguably the better buy in terms of raw value, but do you agree? What’s your impression of the Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro? Is it a more attractive deal than the Mi Band 7? Let us know in the poll below.