Smartwatch or fitness band: which is better?

A fitness band is a slim device worn on the wrist that mainly tracks your body: steps, heart rate around the clock, blood oxygen, sleep and stress. A smartwatch measures the same things, but it has a bigger screen and features that go beyond fitness, such as its own GPS, calls from the wrist and music. At Xiaomi both work with the same app, Mi Fitness, so the difference between them is not in the measurements.

What is a fitness band and how is it different from a smartwatch?

The difference between a smartwatch and a fitness band comes down to three questions: do you go running without your phone, do you want to answer calls from your wrist, and how much does something on your wrist bother you at night. The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 and the Redmi Watch 6 show the difference well, because they come from the same company and the same year.

Running without your phone? You need built-in GPS

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has no GPS receiver of its own. It takes the location from your phone, so you only get an accurate route and distance when the phone is with you. The Smart Band 10 Pro and the Redmi Watch 6 have built-in GPS and record your route even when the phone stays at home. If you run with your phone in your pocket, you will not notice this difference.

Want to talk on the phone through your watch?

The Redmi Watch 6 has a speaker and a microphone, so you can answer a call from the watch when it is connected to your phone via Bluetooth. The bands show who is calling and let you mute the call, but you cannot talk through them. On the Redmi Watch 6 you can also store music on the watch and listen to it with wireless earbuds, but only with an Android phone.

A fitness band for sleep and all day long

The Smart Band 10 weighs less than 16 grams without the strap, compared with 31 grams for the Redmi Watch 6. If you buy a fitness band for sleep tracking, you will feel this difference at night more than any other spec. The band's screen is smaller (1.72 inches versus 2.07), so you read a long message on your phone.

How long does the battery last?

According to the importer, the Smart Band 10 lasts up to about 21 days with typical use and charges in about an hour. The Redmi Watch 6 reaches up to 24 days with basic use and 12 days with typical use. The Smart Band 10 Pro lasts up to 15 days with typical use. An always-on display (AOD) shortens this: the Smart Band 10 drops to 9 days and the Smart Band 10 Pro to 8.

A fitness band for iPhone? It works

All three work with iPhone from iOS 14 and with Android from version 8. Unlocking your phone from the band and storing music on the watch only work on Android. All of them are water resistant to 5 ATM and suitable for swimming in a pool, not for a hot shower, a sauna or diving.

So which is better, a smartwatch or a fitness band?

If you run without your phone or want to answer calls from your wrist, a smartwatch is the better choice. If you mostly count steps and sleep and want something light you will not feel at night, a fitness band is enough.