Comparison Xiaomi Mi Band 8 vs Xiaomi Mi Band 6

The main way to connect a wearable gadget with external devices. For smartwatches and fitness bands (see "Type"), this refers to a connection to a smartphone or tablet, while in the case of watch-phones, it usually refers to headsets.

— Bluetooth. Wireless technology for direct communication of various devices with each other. This is the most popular interface in smartwatches and bracelets: Bluetooth modules can be made very tiny, the communication range even in the earliest versions reaches 10 m, and different generations of Bluetooth are mutually compatible in terms of basic functionality. Specifically, the versions nowadays are as follows:

• v2.0. The earliest standard used in modern wearable gadgets. The possibilities of such a connection are more modest than those of more advanced versions, but they are often quite enough.
• v3.0. A standard that combines classic Bluetooth v 2.0 and a high-speed “add-on” for transferring large amounts of data.
• v4.0. Further, after 3.0, improvement of Bluetooth: in addition to the classic and high-speed format, this version added Bluetooth Low Energy technology. Support of this technology is especially useful in fitness trackers, which usually transmit small amounts of data, but constantly.
• v4.1. Modification of the 4.0 standard described above with improved protection against interference while working with LTE mobile communications. ...i> v4.2. Another improvement of the 4.0 standard, which introduced, in particular, improved data protection and increased connection speed.
• v5.0. The fifth generation of Bluetooth, released in 2016. One of the most interesting improvements is the introduction of two special modes of operation for Bluetooth Low Energy: extended range (by reducing speed) and increased speed (by reducing range).

— USB. Wired connection to a computer/laptop using a USB cable. A rather specific option, found in some fitness trackers and children's beacons. During working hours, such a gadget functions completely independently, and the USB connection is used only occasionally, for some special tasks: transferring collected data to a computer, charging the battery, changing some settings, etc. This is not as convenient as a permanent connection via Bluetooth, therefore, in wearable gadgets, USB is rarely used as the main connection method.

— 3.5 mm (mini-Jack). Another wired connection method, almost completely similar to the USB described above and differing only in the type of connector. Also, the 3.5 mm plug is designed mainly to work with smartphones and tablets, and not with computers. However, it is also extremely rare.

The number of types of sports training supported by the smartwatch. The more of them, the wider the coverage of the potential audience is provided by a wearable gadget on the wrist.

The most common sports modes include running, walking, cycling, swimming, elliptical exercise, and so on. The quantity and quality of data for different sports depends on the technical level of equipment of a particular device. While some models only record heart rate and roughly calculate the number of calories burned, other smartwatches evaluate the effectiveness of a workout using a detailed list of data and even draw a conditional run track based on information from GPS satellites.

The size of the display installed in the gadget; for round screens, respectively, the diameter is indicated.

A larger screen, on the one hand, is more convenient to use, on the other hand, it significantly affects the dimensions of the entire device, which is especially critical for wearable gadgets. Therefore, manufacturers choose the display size in accordance with the purpose and functionality of each specific model — so that there is enough space on the screen and the device itself is not too bulky.

It is also worth mentioning that screens with a similar size may have different aspect ratios. For example, traditional smartwatches are usually equipped with square or round panels, while in fitness trackers, screens are often made elongated in height.

Screen size in dots (pixels) horizontally and vertically. In general, this is one of the indicators that determine the image quality: the higher the resolution, the clearer and smoother the picture on the screen (with the same size), the less noticeable are the individual dots. On the other hand, an increase in the number of pixels affects the cost of displays, their power consumption and requirements for a hardware platform (more powerful hardware is required, which itself will cost more). In addition, the specifics of using smartwatches is such that there is simply no need to install high-resolution screens in them. Therefore, modern wrist accessories use displays with a relatively low resolution: for example, 320x320 with a size of about 1.6" is considered quite sufficient even for premium watches.

The density of dots on the screen of the gadget, namely, the number of pixels that are on each inch of the panel vertically or horizontally.

The higher the PPI, the higher the detail of the screen, the clearer and smoother the image is. On the other hand, this indicator affects the price accordingly. Therefore, the higher the density of points, the more advanced, usually, this gadget is in terms of general capabilities. However, when choosing a screen, manufacturers take into account the general purpose and functionality of the device; so that even a small number of PPIs usually does not interfere with comfortable use.

The maximum brightness in nits that the screen of the device produces.

The high-brightness displays remain legible under intense ambient light, which is important for quickly retrieving information from the dial outdoors on a clear sunny day. However, a large margin for this parameter affects the cost and power consumption of the display, which reduces the battery life of a wearable device.

Bezel-less are displays in which the case or bezel does not occupy the usable area of the front panel, or it is minimized. In terms of design, bezels have both pros and cons. One of the most important reasons for adding substantial bezels to your screen is physical protection. The bezel-less display is very easy to scratch or damage when dropped. On the other hand, the frame takes up space on the screen, and this is one of the reasons why the frames in modern smartwatches are minimized, making the gadget more compact and stylish.

The amount of random access memory (RAM) installed in the gadget.

This parameter is one of the key ones for the overall performance of the system: the more RAM, the faster the device works, the easier it is to handle tasks with high hardware requirements and the wider the set of applications that the gadget is able to run. Note that a large amount of RAM can compensate for even a relatively weak CPU. At the same time, you need to remember that different operating systems (see above) have different requirements for RAM and features of its use; therefore, only models on the same software platform can be compared by this indicator.

The amount of own storage provided in the design of the watch/bracelet. This memory is used for permanent storage of various information: call log, received SMS and other messages, additional applications, data on physical activity for a certain time, etc. The larger its volume, the more data can be stored in the device without the need to clean it to free up space. On the other hand, in the operation of smartwatches, large volumes ( 64 GB, 32 GB, 16 GB, even 8 GB and 4 GB) are not always required, capacious drives are quite expensive, and replaceable cards installed in corresponding slot (see below).