Xiaomi Smart Band 10 vs Mi Band 9: Is it worth upgrading in 2026?
Xiaomi’s activity trackers are the best-selling wearables under €50. But with the Smart Band 10 now available, should you upgrade from the Mi Band 9 — or is the previous model still the smartest buy? Here’s a side-by-side comparison.
The quick answer
The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is better in every measurable respect — a brighter display, longer battery life, more accurate sensors and improved software. But the Mi Band 9 was already excellent, and if you can find it on special offer for under €30, it could be a good alternative.
If you buy a new one at a price close to the official price: Get the Smart Band 10. At the same price, the Smart Band 10 is the obvious choice thanks to its technical improvements.
Full specification comparison
| Feature | Xiaomi Smart Band 10 | Xiaomi Mi Band 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Tenerife) | 39,99€ | 39,99€ |
| Screen | 1.62″ AMOLED, 490×192 | 1.62″ AMOLED, 490×192 |
| Shine | 600 nits | 450 nits |
| Heart rate | ✅ (improved sensor) | ✅ |
| SpO2 (blood oxygen) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sleep tracking | ✅ (stages + REM) | ✅ (stages + REM) |
| Stress monitoring | ✅ | ✅ |
| Menstrual tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Training modes | 150+ | 120+ |
| GPS | ❌ (GPS connected) | ❌ (GPS connected) |
| Water resistance | 5ATM (50m) | 5ATM (50m) |
| Battery life | 14 days | 12 days |
| Battery capacity | 233 mAh | 190 mAh |
| Charge | Magnetic, pogo pin | Magnetic, pogo pin |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| NFC | ❌ (some regions) | ❌ (some regions) |
| Weight | 15.8g (without strap) | 15.2g (without strap) |
| Belt width | 16 mm | 16 mm |
| Strap compatibility | New design | Mi Band 9 straps |
| App | Xiaomi Fitness (Mi Fitness) | Xiaomi Fitness (Mi Fitness) |
| Phone compatibility | Android + iOS | Android + iOS |
Screen: Brighter, same size
Both watches use the same screen 1.62-inch AMOLED with the same resolution (490×192 pixels). The screens look sharp, the colours are vibrant and the text is easily legible.
The difference lies in the shine: the Smart Band 10 achieves 600 nits compared to the Mi Band 9’s 450 nits. In practical terms:
- Inside: Both are perfectly legible. There is no significant difference.
- Outdoors in the shade: Both are good. The Smart Band 10 has a slight edge.
- In direct sunlight: The Smart Band 10 is noticeably easier to read. Checking your heart rate or a notification whilst out for a run in the sunshine in Tenerife is much more convenient with the new model.
The Smart Band 10 also features slightly improved always-on display options — more watch face designs and more attractive AOD styles.
Verdict: Same size, same clarity, but the Smart Band 10’s brighter display is a real advantage for outdoor use. If you exercise outdoors regularly (and in Tenerife you certainly will), the brighter screen makes the upgrade worthwhile.
Health monitoring: Developmental progress
Heart rate
Both bracelets offer 24/7 continuous heart rate monitoring with high and low alerts. The Smart Band 10 uses an upgraded optical sensor which Xiaomi claims is more accurate, particularly during high-intensity exercise when movement can cause errors.
In our tests, the Smart Band 10 consistently ranked within 3–5 BPM compared to a benchmark Apple Watch for running and cycling. The Mi Band 9 was within 5–8 BPM — still usable, but with more spikes and occasional cuts during vigorous movement.
For casual fitness tracking: Both are acceptable. The difference is minor. For serious training monitoring: The improved accuracy of the Smart Band 10 is noticeable.
Blood oxygen (SpO2)
Both measure blood oxygen saturation on demand. Their accuracy is similar — within 2–3% of a medical pulse oximeter for both. Useful for detecting trends, but not for clinical diagnosis.
Sleep tracking
Both track sleep stages (light, deep, REM) and provide a sleep quality score. The Smart Band 10 offers slightly more detailed data in the app — respiratory quality metrics and more detailed sleep stage transitions. In practice, the difference is negligible.
Both are effective for gaining a basic understanding of your sleep: how much you slept, how well you slept and whether your sleep patterns are consistent.
Training tracking
Smart Band 10: 150+ workout modes. Running, cycling, swimming, hiking, yoga, strength training, the elliptical trainer, rowing and dozens more.
Mi Band 9: 120+ workout modes. It covers all the main activities, with fewer niche options.
Both track heart rate zones, duration, calories and intensity during workouts. Neither has built-in GPS — they use GPS connected from your phone to track distance and routes outdoors. This means you need to carry your phone with you whilst running if you want accurate distance and route maps.
Automatic detection Common workouts (walking, running, cycling) work on both models. Start walking and the wristband will suggest you start tracking within a minute or two.
Health verdict: The Smart Band 10 is measurably better in terms of heart rate accuracy and offers more training modes. The improvements are incremental, not revolutionary. If you already own a Mi Band 9, the health features alone do not justify replacing it. If you’re buying a new one, the Smart Band 10 is the best tracker.
Battery life: 14 days vs 12 days
Smart Band 10: To 14 days on a single charge (typical use with heart rate monitoring, notifications and sleep tracking).
Mi Band 9: To 12 days with the same usage pattern.
The Smart Band 10’s larger battery (233 mAh vs 190 mAh) provides around 2 extra days’ battery life despite the brighter screen. Both wristbands are charged via magnetic pogo-pin connectors — you remove them from the strap, connect the charger, and they’re fully charged in around 2 hours.
Actual battery life depending on usage. With an always-on display, SpO₂ monitoring and frequent workouts:
- Smart Band 10: 8–10 days
- Mi Band 9: 6–8 days
Compared with smartwatches:
- Apple Watch Series 11: 18 hours (with daily charging)
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: 40 hours (charges every 2 days)
- Xiaomi Smart Band 10: 14 days (charged every two weeks)
This is the killer feature of the activity tracker. You charge it, forget about it for two weeks, and it just works. No need for a nightly charging routine. No worrying about the battery level. No need to take a charger on holiday. For a trip to Tenerife, you could charge the Smart Band 10 before leaving home and not need a charger for the whole trip.
Design and comfort
Bracelet design
Smart Band 10: Slightly revised capsule shape with a slightly curved screen. Available in various colours: Black, Blue, Green, Pink, White. The strap design is new — not compatible with Mi Band 9 straps.
Mi Band 9: Similar capsule design. Available in black, blue, pink and limited-edition colours. The straps are compatible with the Mi Band 8 but not with the Smart Band 10.
Weight: The Smart Band 10 weighs 15.8g without the strap (compared to 15.2g for the Mi Band 9). Both are so light that you forget you’re wearing them.
Comfort
Both wristbands are remarkably comfortable for 24/7 wear, including whilst sleeping. The silicone straps are soft and do not irritate the skin. Weighing 15–16 grams, they are lighter than the buckles on many traditional watches.
Swimming: Both have water resistance: 5 ATM (50 metres). Swim with them, shower with them – no worries. The automatic swim tracking on both models works for pool lengths – counting laps, detecting strokes and estimating calories.
Spheres
Smart Band 10: Over 100 watch faces are available via the Xiaomi Fitness app, including animated and interactive designs. You can also create custom watch faces using your own photos.
Mi Band 9: A similar range, but with slightly fewer options. The Smart Band 10 has more AOD (always-on display) watch face designs.
Software and apps
Both wristbands use the app Xiaomi Fitness (formerly Mi Fitness), available for Android and iOS. The app is practical and free — no subscription is required for any of its features (unlike Fitbit, which restricts access to some analytics behind a paywall).
What the app does:
- Detailed health dashboards (heart rate trends, sleep analysis, stress patterns)
- Training history and analysis
- Setting targets and monitoring progress
- Sphere management
- Wristband settings (notifications, alarms, display preferences)
- Exporting data to Apple Health and Google Fit
App quality: Decent but not exceptional. The data display is clear, the interface is functional, and everything you need is easily accessible. It’s not as polished as Apple Health or Samsung Health, but it does the job without charging any subscription fees.
Notifications: Both wristbands display notifications from your phone — calls, messages, WhatsApp, email and social media. You can read the notification, but replies are limited to pre-set quick replies on some Android phones. Notification management is basic compared to the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch, but for a wristband costing less than €40, it’s adequate.
Who is the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 designed for?
Buy the Smart Band 10 if:
- It’s your first activity tracker — it’s the current model with the best features and the longest support period ahead of it
- Do you exercise outdoors regularly? — the brighter 600-nit display makes a real difference in sunlight
- Heart rate accuracy matters — the improved sensor is measurably more accurate during training sessions
- Do you want the biggest battery? — 14 days versus 12 days makes a significant difference over several months of use
- You’re on holiday in Tenerife — At €39.99 from Macys Digital, it’s one of the cheapest and most practical tech buys you can make. Charge it before you set off, and track your sleep, steps and swims throughout your holiday without needing a charger
Buy the Mi Band 9 if:
- You can find it at a special discount — If there’s a one-off offer or a clearance sale, it could be a valid option, although they’re currently the same price at Macy’s Digital. The differences compared to the Smart Band 10 are real but minor
- Mi Band 9 straps are now available — The Smart Band 10 features a new strap design. If you’ve invested in several straps, sticking with the 9 means you won’t have to replace them
- Do you want the cheapest option possible? — Every euro counts, and the Mi Band 9 does 90% of what the Smart Band 10 does
Do you need a fitness tracker or a smartwatch?
That’s the big question. At €39.99, the Smart Band 10 is tempting — but should you save up for an Apple Watch SE 3 (€259 at Macy’s Digital) or a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7?
| Need | Smart Band 10 | Smartwatch (SE 3 / Galaxy Watch 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Step count | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heart rate | ✅ (good) | ✅ (better) |
| Sleep tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Training progress | ✅ (GPS via mobile phone) | ✅ (Built-in GPS) |
| Notifications | ✅ (read only) | ✅ (read + reply) |
| Telephone calls | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payments (NFC) | ❌ | ✅ |
| ECG | ❌ | ✅ (Series 11 / Galaxy Watch) |
| Apps | ❌ | ✅ |
| Battery | 14 days | 6.00 pm–4.00 am |
| Price | 39,99€ | 259€-469€ |
Buy the Smart Band 10 if: You want to track your health and fitness, you don’t need apps or payments on your wrist, and you value weeks of battery life over daily charging. It’s the 80/20 solution — 80 per cent of what a smartwatch does for 15 per cent of the price.
Buy a smartwatch if: You want to reply to messages, make calls, use apps and pay with your wrist, and you don’t mind charging it every day. The extra €200–350 buys you a fundamentally different experience.
The smart strategy for Tenerife: Buy the Smart Band 10 now for €39.99 to see if you really do use a wearable on a daily basis. If you love it, upgrade to an Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch next year, safe in the knowledge that it’s money well spent. If it ends up in a drawer after a week, you’ll have lost €40 instead of €400.
The price advantage in Tenerife
| Model | Price in the UK | Price for mainland Spain | Price in Tenerife | You save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Band 10 | £34,99 (~41€) | 39,99€ | 39,99€ | ≈ price on the mainland |
| Mi Band 9 | £24,99 (~29€) | 29,99€ | 39,99€ | - |
Both are well below the customs allowance of €430 — no delivery charge, full savings. At €39.99, the Smart Band 10 is the ultimate «add-on». Buying an iPhone and AirPods? Add a Smart Band for the gym for next to nothing.
*Prices published on macysdigital.com (IGIC included). Enquiries macysdigital.com for up-to-date prices and availability.
Final verdict
Xiaomi Smart Band 10 — 8.5/10 The best fitness tracker you can buy. A better display, longer battery life, more accurate sensors and more training modes than the Mi Band 9, all at a price that makes smartwatches seem ridiculously expensive. At €39.99 at Macys Digital, it’s one of the smartest tech buys on the island.
Xiaomi Mi Band 9 — 7.5/10 It’s still an excellent activity tracker that does 90% of what the Smart Band 10 does. As it’s currently the same price as the Smart Band 10 at Macy’s Digital, there’s no reason to choose it if you’re buying new. The Smart Band 10 is the obvious choice.
Our recommendation: Buy the Smart Band 10 unless you can find the Mi Band 9 at a significant discount. At the current price, the Smart Band 10 offers a brighter display, 2 extra days’ battery life, more accurate heart rate monitoring and 30 additional training modes. There’s no reason to choose the Mi Band 9 when buying new.
Both models are available at Macy’s Digital in Parque Santiago 3, Playa de las Américas (subject to stock availability). For other smartwatch options, see our Samsung Galaxy Watch vs Apple Watch: a comparison. Take a look at our a comprehensive guide to smartwatches.