This article is based on an article from the Japanese edition of Engadget and was created using the translation tool Deepl.

China's general consumer electronics manufacturer Xiaomi has been steadily increasing its user base since entering the Japanese market. Like last year, the new Mi Band 5 smart band was announced this year on June 11, and it was released in China on June 18. I pre-ordered it right after the announcement and managed to get the initial lot. It arrived in my hand on June 23 with no problems in transportation.

▲Pre-ordered at the Xiaomi online store upon announcement. Like last year, the initial lot of belts are only available in black. The price is about 2,900 yen. It's still hard to find, and even if a small amount comes in, they seem to have sold out quickly.

▲The package size is the same as the Mi Band 3 and 4. The box is now one color tone. In the past, the color of the box has changed to match the color of the band, but we're still not sure what will happen with the 5. I don't know.

It's been exactly one year since the Mi Band 4 was announced. It seems to have sold well around the world, and according to a study by IDC, its global wearable device market share in Q1 2020 was 14.0%. It has increased its market share from last year and holds the second place in the ranking. Incidentally, Xiaomi shipped 7.3 million wristband devices last year alone.

Related Articles (Japanese):

Review of Xiaomi's latest Mi Band 4 smart band for about $2,500, with color LCD and payment support

HUAWEI Band 4 review: fitness band with direct USB charging support

Smartly improved charging style!

Well, it is Mi Band 5 that the difference is not understood visually even if it compares with Mi Band 4, but the main body size has been increased just slightly. At the same time, the display has been enlarged by about 20%, from 0.95 inches to 1.1 inches, the resolution was also increased from 120 x 240 pixels to 124 x 294 pixels. The full-color AMOLED is the same as the Mi Band 4.

▲Mi Band 4 (left) and Mi Band 5 (right) core units, with the Mi Band 5 being slightly wider. You can see that the display area is clearly larger.

▲The backside of the core unit of Mi Band 4 (left) and Mi Band 5 (right). For some reason, it's easy to see the difference in size on the back side. There is a heart rate sensor in the center. There is a terminal for charging at the bottom.

▲The difference between the bands of Mi Band 5 (left) and Mi Band 4 (right). Both are made of TPU, but Mi Band 5 is a little softer and more flexible.

▲The fit is not that different from the previous model. The brightness of the display has been increased slightly, but it is still hard to see outdoors in sunny weather. The coating on the display surface may have improved, and the finger slippage is very good.

The Mi Band 5, like its predecessor, is made up of a two-piece core unit and band. Previous models could not be charged without removing the core unit, but with the Mi Band 5 it has been changed to a special connector with a magnet so that it can be connected without removing the band. This charger is exclusive for Mi Band 5. By the way, the water resistance level is the same as the Mi Band 3 or later models at 5 ATM (equivalent to 50m depth).

▲The charger has been changed from the holder type to the magnetic type. You don't have to remove the core unit from the band to charge it. There is no need to worry about the band stretching and becoming too loose due to frequent removal of the core unit.

The core unit is only available in black, but the belt is available in a total of eight colors. However, right after its release, black is the only option currently available. Once the supply is stable, a color package will be available. The belt has 13 adjustment holes for wrist thickness, with a 5mm pitch. The material is TPU, which is moisture resistant and can be washed in its entirety even if it gets dirty.

The belt, which was shared by the Mi Band 3 and Mi Band 4, has been dedicated to the Mi Band 5 due to the increased size of the core unit, and the shape has changed slightly. You can attach it to the belt of Mi Band 4 if you push a little too hard, but the fit is slightly off.

▲The color lineup on the official website. From left to right: Active Yellow / Deep Blue / Bronze Purple / Space Blue / Baby Pink / Light Green / Dynamic Orange / Graphite Black (The colors of expressions not found in Japanese are interpreted by me)

Improved accuracy of heart rate measurements and accurate measurements during various types of exercise

The Mi Band 5's heart rate sensor has the same photoelectric volume pulse wave (PPG) type as the Mi Band 4. The data sampling algorithms have been improved, especially in terms of monitoring accuracy. The accuracy of monitoring and detecting abnormal heartbeats has been improved by about 50%, and the accuracy of detection during wakefulness and sleep has been improved by about 40%. Improved heart rate analysis algorithms for accurate measurements during various sports. So, in addition to the standard sports, rowing machines, yoga and jump ropes have been added to the list, making a total of 11 sports. It is increasing.

▲Standard supported training menu. From top left: Rowing Machine / Cross Trainer / Yoga / Outdoor Jogging / Outdoor Bicycling / Swimming / Indoor Bicycles / Jump Rope / Treadmill / Walking / Freestyle Training.

Built-in triaxial acceleration sensor and triaxial gyro for the same measurement accuracy as the Mi Band 4 But, as with the heart rate, the built-in software improvements seem to have reduced the pedometer's measurement error considerably. With the Mi Band 4, if you use multiple modes of transportation such as walking and train/bicycle, the pedometer's Counting could be incorrect at times, but these have been improved in Mi Band 5.

While there aren't many major changes in terms of hardware other than the charging mechanism, the Mi Band 5 is also notable for its health care, which makes thorough use of heart rate data. The heart rate data, which is constantly monitored 24 hours a day, quantifies not only the abnormal state of your heart, but also your exercise, sleep, and stress levels.

▲The heart rate monitor operates constantly 24 hours a day, but it can also be measured manually. You can scroll through the data to see how your heart is doing and how much load it has been under so far. The data is for one day and is reset at midnight every day. Past data can be viewed on your smartphone.

▲Newly added stress level meter. It is analyzed during the heart rate measurement and expressed as a number from 1 to 100, starting at midnight and ending at that point It shows you the stress content up to and including. A deep breathing guide has also been added for when stress levels are high. That will guide you from 1 minute to 5 minutes.

Mi Band 5 combines heart rate data with other sensors and gyro data to quantify your body's activity, monitor your exercise status, and give you advice on exercise intensity with the addition of PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence).

It also adds support for menstrual cycles for women, and combined with the earlier PAI, it allows for appropriate health care for your condition. Because of these additional features, there are more items than on the Mi Band 4, but the simplicity of the display remains the same as before because you can change the contents to suit your lifestyle.

The dedicated app is already compatible with Mi Band 5

For setting up and managing the Mi Band 5 and utilizing the data, you will use the same genuine Mi Fit app as before. If you have been using the Mi Band series, you can transfer your data and measurement settings to Mi Band 5 as it is. Just pair your Mi Fit with the new Mi Band 5 during setup. Version 4.2.1 is already compatible with Mi Band 5 and can be used in Japanese.

▲The Mi Fit is fully translated into Japanese so you can use all its features fully. The latest version is also compatible with Mi Band 5, so all you have to do is pair it up. It can be paired with multiple bands, but only one can be used.

When combined with the Mi Fit app, you can see the various data collected by the Mi Band 5 on the wide screen of your smartphone. You can also view historical data. You will be able to integrate with Health Care on iOS and Google FIt on Android, which will allow you to use your data in a wider range of ways.

▲It takes advantage of the wide screen to visualize your heart rate for 24 hours, so you can check your heart rate changes and load throughout the day.

▲It also shows 24 hours worth of stress levels. When I'm sleeping, I'm relaxed, and when I'm busy with work, my stress load is higher. It was indeed true.........

▲REM sleep has been added to the sleep monitor, allowing for more detailed analysis and scoring. REM sleep is a state in which the brain waves are awake despite being in a deep sleep state. Much of this is said to be when you are dreaming.

▲The PAI, which helps you stay fit by training with the right amount of cardiorespiratory load, records and reflects the status of your workout for the week. It shows you your goals for how much exercise you need to do now, but it's quite demanding.

Previously, the language of Mi Band was dependent on the language display on the smartphone side. However, from Mi Band 5, Chinese (Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese) and English will be available on the device. Previously, if you purchased the mainland China version, you could only use simplified Chinese characters in the Japanese environment, but now that the English version is available, it's much easier to use.

▲A modest but happy function is the switching function of the language display. Switching can be done from the Mi Fit side.

The connection between Mi Band 5 and your smartphone is Bluetooth 5.0 LE. iOS 10.0 or later and Android 5.0 or later are supported. When we asked Xiaomi about sales in Japan, we were told that the company plans to launch it in Japan by the end of the year.

An NFC-equipped model would offer enhanced functionality, but...

The Mi Band is also available in a model with built-in NFC. You can use various services via Mi Band by registering a public transportation card such as bus or train, a key for a security gate, or a credit card in advance. However, it has been limited to use in China so far, and since there was no particular change this time There doesn't seem to be anything available in Japan. An update is scheduled for August in China, so we'll see how it goes for now.

▲The official website informs us that the use of NFC has expanded, but it's all within mainland China. There's little hope of using it outside of China, but it would be a pretty interesting feature if it becomes available.

▲Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 4 specs comparison.

As for the Xiao AI, which has been included since the Mi Band 4, the model with built-in NFC has a built-in microphone, so you can launch the assistant with your voice and perform various operations. You can also get weather information, start and end your workout from your connected smartphone, and It also supports the configuration and operation of Xiaomi's IoT appliances. However, input is only available in Chinese and English.

Other useful features include the audio remote control feature adopted from the Mi Band 4 and the shutter button function that has been added to the device. The audio remote control, as the name implies, allows you to control the music being played on your smartphone with the Mi Band. Mi Band will also display the song titles. Shutter button is for releasing the shutter of your smartphone. It seems to be useful for group photo and solo shoot.

▲Audio remote control function. The screen is small, but it can be operated in a general way.

▲The shutter button function is enabled when the smartphone's camera is activated.

The simplicity of the Mi Band is its selling point, but it has evolved into a more serious wearable tool than its price tag would suggest. If you want to monitor your health in a casual manner, I can confidently recommend this device.

▲Every time some collaboration models are released, this time SpongeBob SquarePants, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Detective Conan and Hatsune Miku packs will be released.

The Mi Band 5 equipment used in this review was used after notifying the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of the establishment of the "Establishment of a Special Exception System for Experiments Using Equipment Not yet Acquired for Technical Regulations (Article 4-2, Paragraph 2 of the Radio Act)".

This radio equipment has not been confirmed to be in compliance with the technical standards of the Radio Law and is not subject to the special conditions stipulated by the law. The use of the equipment is only permitted under the terms of the law. Use of radio equipment in violation of these conditions is subject to the penalties and other measures prescribed by law.

This article is based on an article from the Japanese edition of Engadget and was created using the translation tool Deepl. The Japanese edition of Engadget does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of this article.