Redmi Band vs Realme Band: A Tough Strife In The Affordable Fitness Band Segment
Realme forayed into the fitness band market just last month with its first fitness tracker- the Realme Band. The brand following the footsteps of other Chinese smartphone brands put the tracker on the affordable price list. But before Realme’s new product could take its wings out, Xiaomi (domineer in the affordable fitness tracker segment) introduced an oppugner to cut through its path. Technically the part is played by its sub-brand Redmi who just launched its first-ever fitness tracker- the Redmi Band for a price of only Yuan 99.
The sub-brand is already into the smartphone business (most of them being cheap and decent-features packed devices) and with the debut of the new wearable, it has just expanded its affordable product catalog.
The new Redmi Band looks good (at least on paper) with an AMOLED panel, basic workout modes, decent battery backup, and the cheap price tag is just a cherry on top. The fitness band sports a bigger display compared to Xiaomi’s Mi Band 4.
The Redmi Band flaunts a big 1.08-inch color display while the Mi Band 4 has a 0.95-inch AMOLED (240 x 120 resolution) full-color screen. Like other Redmi products, the new fitness band has been launched on the home turf. But given Xiaomi’s sub-brand has brought its fitness tracker for such a cheap price, Xiaomi Redmi is clearly planning for a slugfest with its rival Realme.
READ: Realme Band vs Xiaomi Mi Band 4 vs Honor Band 5i
Redmi is expected to bring its new Redmi Band to India in the coming weeks. In case you were planning to buy the Realme Band for its affordable price but are now confused about whether to pick the Realme one or the new Redmi band here is a specs-based comparison between Redmi Band and Realme Band that can help you pick the one that suits your needs.
Redmi Band vs Realme Band: Specs Sheet
| Specifications | Redmi Band | Realme Band |
| Display | 1.08-inch OLED panel | 0.96-inch LCD panel |
| Display (Touch) | Yes | No |
| Android OS Compatibility | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | 5ATM |
| Heart Rate Sensor, Sleep Tracker | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | Up to 14 days | Up to 10 days |
| NFC | No | No |
| Sedentary Reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Weather Forecast | Yes | Yes |
Redmi Band vs Realme Band: Design, Features
The Redmi Band boasts a bigger display (with better color and visibility) as compared to the Realme fitness band. The fitness band features a rectangular design similar to the one seen on Honor Band 5i and even the Realme Band. From the front side, the design looks refreshing with the colored straps. But the thickness of the body that makes it appear wearing a tiny box rather spoils the minimalist design. Compared to the Redmi Band, the Realme Band has a more utilitarian design and it has got colorful straps too.
However, the Redmi Band has a touchscreen display that will enable swiping through activities with ease. On the contrary, the Realme Band has got just a capacitive button embedded below the display to switch between functions. To add to the sour taste, early reviewers have even complained that the display on the Realme band is not that bright and rather bedim outdoor visibility. The Redmi Band will surely take an edge over the Realme Band as it boasts an OLED display (the panel renders its light and color independently).
Both fitness bands come with water resistance. The Redmi Band is 5ATM water-resistant which means it can withstand pressure equivalent to about 50 meters. As for the Realme Band, it comes with IP68 rated water resistance hence you can wear it in a dusty or rainy environment and submerge the device in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for nearly half an hour.
Redmi Band vs Realme Band: Add-ons
Both the trackers can get the basic fitness band tasks done like- sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, calorie burnt, sedentary reminders, etc. But what’s the point of bringing a look-alike fitness band if it has nothing unique to offer.
Well, the new Redmi Band includes a bunch of add-ons like Auto Exercise Recognition (the functionality hasn’t been explained by the company yet), 24×7 real-time heart rate monitoring, and 72 personalized dial faces. The band has AliPay’s offline payment support as well which is barcode-based.
Even though the Realme Band shortfall in terms of display quality, it has one unique feature that you won’t find in any other fitness trackers. Yes, it’s the Cricket mode that shows detailed statistics if you are playing a cricket match. The band has a built-in gravity sensor as well that wakes up the screen when you lift your wrist to check notifications or data.
The Redmi Band offers just five workout modes including cycling, running, walking. While the Realme Band has nine sports modes like- running, walking, yoga, etc.
READ: Best Features of Realme Band You Want to Know!
Redmi Band vs Realme Band: Battery, connectivity
Redmi hasn’t shared any detail regarding the new band’s battery capacity. However, the company has claimed that Redmi Band will deliver up to 14 days of usage on a single charge. As for the Realme Band, the battery underneath has nearly a 4-day short usage cycle simply to say it can deliver up to 10 days of battery backup.
That said, both the fitness trackers have a built-in USB port which means instead of looking for the charging cable under your desk you can simply insert the body into your laptop or PC.
Both the Realme and Redmi Band don’t have NFC support. To recall, Xiaomi’s Mi Band 4 global variant didn’t have NFC support either. Bluetooth and other connectivity support options of the new Redmi Band are not known, however, Redmi is expected to release the entire spec list on the website once the Mi Smart Inn Festival is over. As for the Realme Band, it supports Bluetooth version 4.2
Redmi Band vs Realme Band: Price, Color Options
| Fitness Band | Price | Color options |
| Redmi Band | Appx. INR 1,000 (Yuan 99) | Black, Blue, Red, and Brown |
| Realme Band | INR 1,499 | Green, Yellow and Black |
Redmi Band vs Realme Band: Which one to pick?
The Redmi Band does bundle the basic fitness functions and for the price, you can surely pick the band if your preference is as simple as the offering. The Realme Band no doubt takes an edge with a few unique features, extra workout modes, and functional design.
But the band misses the shot when it comes to brighter and vivid colored display, longer battery backup, and a host of personalized watch faces. Realme did promise to bring more dial faces with the software update that can pick from the custom Realme Link app. But currently, you can fiddle with only five watch faces. The Redmi Band no doubt grabs the sweet cookie (72 watch faces to customize the look). If you don’t want to shell out the extra INR 500 for a tracker, the Redmi Band would be a suitable option for you (at least you won’t get disappointed with the display quality or durability).
