Xiaomi Mi Band 3i Vs Mi Band 3: Which One Should You Buy?

Xiaomi recently unveiled its affordable Mi Band 3i fitness band, which is a lite version of the Mi Band 3. The latest iteration of the Mi Band retails for Rs. 1,299, making it Rs. 300 cheaper than the Mi Band 3. Here is an in-depth comparison between the two to find out which band suites your needs, especially with a minimal price difference.

Design And Build Quality

Both Mi Bands come with a replaceable soft silicone strap and they are interchangeable with one another. These bands are also water-resistant with up to 5ATM and can be used while taking a bath or swimming. From a distance, both bands look identical and one has to look beneath the band to differentiate between the two.

Display Features

The Mi Band 3i and the Mi Band 3 have a 0.78-inch monochrome OLED display with 120x80 pixel resolution protected by a 2.5D curved tempered glass. Both bands support touch-input and there is a multi-function button as well. So, with either of these models, you will have a similar display user-experience.

Fitness Features

Both models offer a range of fitness-related features like sleep monitoring, step counter, real-time activity tracking, idle alert, and weekly exercise progress. The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 does offer real-time heart-rate measurement, as it has a PPG heart rate sensor and the Mi Band 3i does not have one.

Smartphone Connectivity

These bands use Bluetooth 4.2 LE technology and can be paired with both Android and iOS devices with Bluetooth 4.0 or newer standard via Mi Fit app.

Additional Features

The Mi Band 3i and the Mi Band 3 has also offers an additional set of features like vibrating alarm, notification display, phone unlocking, event reminder, phone locator, and message display with both models.

Battery Life

Though the Mi Band 3i and the Mi Band 3 has a 110 mAh battery with a promised battery life of 20 days, the Mi Band 3i is likely to last a bit longer than the standard model. Both bands have a pogo pin connector for charging.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3i and the Mi Band 3 looks identical and even the feature set is similar. I would suggest picking the Mi Band 3 over the Mi Band 3, as it comes with a heart rate sensor and costs just Rs. 300 more.