Fitbit Inspire 3 vs. Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Which Fitness Tracker is Right for You?

## Fitbit Inspire 3 vs Xiaomi Smart Band 9: Detailed Comparison

Choosing the right fitness tracker can seem like a marathon in itself. You have to consider features, price, and how it will fit into your daily life. Today, we’re going to compare two popular contenders: Fitbit Inspire 3 and Xiaomi Smart Band 9. Both devices are designed to help you manage your health, but their approaches are slightly different. Let’s put them to the test and find out which one is right for you.

Design and Display

Fitbit Inspire 3 has a slim, lightweight design that is comfortable to wear all day and while sleeping. The bright color AMOLED display provides a vivid image and easy navigation and is a significant improvement over previous models. However, some users may find the small screen a bit difficult to read, especially in direct sunlight.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9, on the other hand, offers a much improved display brightness, reaching 1600 nits. This makes the screen easy to read even in bright ambient light. The Smart Band 9’s display is also more responsive and navigation is smooth and comfortable.

Fitness Tracking

Both trackers offer comprehensive fitness tracking, but with some differences: the Fitbit Inspire 3 tracks steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate, sleep duration, blood oxygen levels, and even skin temperature. The amount of data this little device collects is impressive. However, during high-intensity workouts, your heart rate can fluctuate a bit, and sleep tracking can overestimate how long you’re awake.

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 also offers a wide range of workout modes (over 150) with detailed analysis of common activities. The heart rate sensor has also been improved and is more accurate than previous models. However, step counting may not be as accurate and sleep phase tracking may be less reliable. Both models use a connected GPS and rely on cell phone GPS for outdoor activities.

Battery Life

Battery life is an important factor for any wearable device, and the Fitbit Inspire 3 has a pretty impressive battery life of up to 10 days of standard use. However, this time can be reduced to 5-7 days if you enable features such as an always-on display.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 leads the pack in this category, offering up to 21 days of battery life with light use and around nine days with heavy use. This is a great advantage for those who don’t want to charge their devices frequently.

Additional Features and Ecosystem

The Fitbit Inspire 3 requires a Fitbit Premium subscription to unlock all features, including the Daily Readiness Score and detailed wellness reports. Even though it’s an out-of-the-box fitness tracker, a subscription will definitely improve its features, albeit in the long run.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 9, on the other hand, doesn’t require a subscription and offers a lot of features at an affordable price. However, the storage of watch interfaces is limited (only 13 at a time) and NFC support is limited to the Chinese market; while Fitbit’s ecosystem is generally considered more sophisticated and user-friendly, Xiaomi’s apps are functional but some but may be unintuitive for some users.

Pros and Cons of Fitbit Inspire 3

• Pluses:
  • Affordable price compared to other fitness trackers with similar features.
  • Bright, crisp color AMOLED display that is easy to read even in direct sunlight.
  • Long battery life - up to 10 days with standard use.
  • Slim, lightweight design that’s comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
  • User-friendly interface and easy navigation.
  • Extensive fitness tracking capabilities, including blood oxygen tracking and stress analysis.
• Cons:
  • Heart rate tracking may be inaccurate during high-intensity workouts.
  • Sleep tracking may overestimate wakefulness time.
  • A Fitbit Premium subscription is required for full access to features such as daily readiness assessments.
  • No built-in GPS, so outdoor tracking depends on your cell phone’s GPS connection.
  • Text may be hard to read due to small screen size.
  • Does not transmit heart rate data to other devices.

Pros and Cons of Xiaomi Smart Band 9

• Benefits:
  • Display brightness has been greatly improved (up to 1600 nits) for better outdoor visibility.
  • Improved heart rate sensor for better detection during workouts.
  • Extended battery life (up to 21 days with light use, about 9 days with heavy use).
  • Lightweight and comfortable design.
  • Wide selection of training modes (over 150) and detailed analysis of common activities.
  • Excellent value for money, lots of features at an affordable price.
• Cons:
  • The accuracy of step counting can be inaccurate.
  • Sleep stage tracking is not very reliable.
  • Heart rate tracking may be unstable for some activities.
  • Limited storage for watch faces (only 13 at a time).
  • No built-in GPS, so requires a cell phone for accurate distance tracking.
  • NFC support is limited to the Chinese market.

Final Thoughts

Fitbit Inspire 3 and Xiaomi Smart Band 9 are great fitness trackers, each with their own pros and cons. Fitbit Inspire 3 offers a polished user experience and extensive feature set, but full access requires a subscription. A subscription is required for full access. The Xiaomi Smart Band 9, on the other hand, is cost-effective, with a bright display and long battery life, but it lacks accuracy.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on individual needs and priorities. If you value an advanced ecosystem and don’t mind subscriptions, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a great choice. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a budget tracker with great battery life and a bright display, check out the Xiaomi Smart Band 9.