[Review] Xiaomi Mi Band 9 Pro Review - Elevating Fitness Tracking

The Xiaomi Band 9 Pro. Photos by Jep via Flickr

I accidentally smashed my Xiaomi Mi Band 8 early last month. Although it did not scratch it, it did pop out the back cover of the unit (I bought the Mi Band 8 and the Mi Band 8 Active in January 2024 for me and my mom, so my band only lasted for about a year). Fearing that the band won't retain its water resistance, I decided to shop for a replacement. Fortunately, the new Mi Band 9 series just came out a few months back, so I decided to check it out.

The specifications of the Mi Band 9 looked like a huge improvement over its predecessor, particularly on the battery life, so I was really intrigued. On paper, the stated battery life was 21 days, a far cry from my experience with the Mi Band 8, which averaged for only about 2 weeks before warning that it needed to be plugged in. I have opted for the bigger screen, albeit more expensive, Mi Band 9 Pro.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 9 Pro was announced in the Philippines towards the end of 2024. Some pros and cons that I considered when I was deciding to buy it based on the official website and press releases (I have been using Mi Bands ever since I switched from a Garmin activity tracker a long time ago, so I didn't really consider other brands except maybe for some Redmi smart watches).

Pros:

Bright AMOLED Display: The 1.74-inch AMOLED screen with a peak brightness of 1200 nits ensures excellent visibility even under direct sunlight.
Long Battery Life: With a 350mAh battery, the Mi Band 9 Pro offers up to 21 days of battery life with normal use.
Accurate Health Monitoring: Equipped with dual LED and dual PD sensors, it provides precise heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring.
Comprehensive Fitness Tracking: Supports over 150 sports modes and includes built-in GPS for accurate tracking.
Comfortable Design: The lightweight and water-resistant design, along with customizable straps, make it comfortable for all-day wear.

Cons:

Price: At PHP 3,799, it is more expensive compared to its non-Pro counterpart.
No Built-in Speaker: The absence of a speaker or microphone means you can't take calls directly from the band, unlike a full-fledged smartwatch. It is also more difficult to find it using the app since you will have to rely on just the buzzing sound of the vibrations.

If you care for this sort of thing, here are the full technical specifications of the Xiaomi Mi Band 9 Pro:

Feature	Specification
Display	1.74-inch AMOLED touch display (336 x 480 pixels), 1200 nits peak brightness
Material	2.5D reinforced glass, aluminum alloy frame, high-strength fiber polymer
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass, optical heart rate sensor, pulse oximeter, ambient light sensor
Water Resistance	5ATM (50 meters)
Battery	350mAh, up to 21 days battery life with normal use
Charging	Magnetic charging, ~75 minutes to fully charge
Connectivity	GNSS (BeiDou, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS), Bluetooth 5.4
Compatibility	Android 8.0 or iOS 12.0 and above
Dimensions	43.27 x 32.49 x 10.8 mm
Weight	Approx. 24.5g (without strap)
Strap Material	TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), various colors available
Operating System	Compatible with Mi Fitness app
Sports Modes	Supports over 150 sports modes, built-in GPS
Sleep Tracking	Advanced sleep tracking, all-round sleep monitoring
Health Monitoring	Dual LED and dual PD sensors for accurate heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring

So, what is the real-world experience so far? So far, I like the bigger screen, and I noticed the longer battery life. It may be too soon to tell but based on actual usage, it has been 11 days since I have fully charged my unit, and it is now at 56% battery. Do note that the settings are at a minimum power consumption mode. My specific settings are: always on display turned to off, continuous heart rate monitoring set at Smart, sleep advanced monitoring and sleep breathing rate monitoring turned on, blood oxygen all-day tracking turned off, and all of the notifications are turned off except for messaging apps. All the rest of the experience is similar to my Mi Band 8 watch and the software experience is more or less the same.

Conclusion:

The Xiaomi Mi Band 9 Pro is a solid upgrade from its predecessors, offering a bright display, long battery life, and accurate health monitoring. While it comes with a higher price tag, its comprehensive fitness tracking features, easy-to-read screen, and comfortable design make it a worthy contender in the fitness tracker market. Whether you're a fitness enthusiast or just looking to monitor your health, the Mi Band 9 Pro is something to seriously consider if you are in the market to upgrade your existing smart band or are just starting on your health-tracking journey.

Some unboxing photos: The parcel arrived looking a bit squished.