Xiaomi is one of the most popular wearable manufacturers around, which is entirely down to the Mi Band series of fitness trackers. With its latest model, the brand is looking to kick things up a notch. The Mi Band 3 has made its debut alongside the Mi 8, offering a heart-rate sensor, a larger 0.78-inch OLED screen (up from 0.42 inches in the Mi Band 2), and NFC connectivity.
The OLED screen now offers a resolution of 128x80, and the 110mAh battery is also considerably larger than last year's model — Xiaomi says it lasts for over 20 days between charges. The Mi Band 3 is water resistant up to 50 meters, so you can easily use it in a pool (or go diving) without any issues.
The Mi Band 3 connects over Bluetooth 4.2 LE, and the larger screen allows more information to be displayed on the band for incoming texts and notifications. The band is available in three color options at launch, and Xiaomi will undoubtedly make more colors available in the coming weeks and months.
Affordability has been a core tenet of the Mi Band series, and the Mi Band 3 continues that tradition. The fitness band will go on sale in China for just ¥179, or the equivalent of $30. That's for the version with NFC connectivity, and there's also a standard variant without NFC that will retail for around $25.
For now, we don't know when the Mi Band 3 will make its way to international markets, but the product is one of few that Xiaomi sells globally, so we should know more soon. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the Mi Band 3?
