If you’ve been reading my blogs about smartwatches, you’d notice how I would often comment about the size and how it’s hard to find a small one that has features I need for work, workouts, and wellness tracking. This is why I was so excited to test out the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, which was launched in the Philippines last July. Xiaomi has been marketing it along with accessories that would make it look presentable – may you be at the gym, at a formal event or at a casual hangout. It’s not just a smart band; it can also be a smart necklace or a tracker on your shoe if you have the accessory for it!

I’ve been using it for over a week now, and it’s honestly become that lowkey overachiever on my wrist that keeps things organized, healthy, and a little more stylish. It does the usual things you’d find in a smartwatch — tracking your sleep, monitoring your heart rate, counting your steps, and keeping your phone in check with call and message alerts, to name a few. Let me take you through what it’s like using it across my daily life: From early morning work to late-night workouts

Inside the Box

Unboxing the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is straightforward: You get the Smart Band 10 itself with a flexible and comfy silicone strap (mine’s in Mystic Rose color), a magnetic charger, and a quick start guide. But don’t be fooled by the minimalist contents! What’s inside this tiny device is anything but basic.

Design and Display

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 looks sleek and subtle, with a 1.72” AMOLED display that is big enough for someone with small wrists. It’s the largest screen in the Smart Band lineup so far, offering crisp visuals and ultra-thin symmetrical bezels that make swiping through widgets, notifications, and data a breeze despite its size.

What I like most about it is its interchangeable straps. You can personalize the look with a colorful one or even style it with optional accessories like a necklace attachment, more elegant bands or even a running clip for shoes, making it feel more like a fashion accessory than a fitness tracker. I haven’t received the accessory I ordered yet but I can already imagine how great it would look like with a blazer when I’m wearing a flowy dress for a shoot. The necklace accessory already got sold out before I was able to get my hands on them but definitely eyeing that for next time!

And of course, the look wouldn’t be complete without the right watch face. There are over 200 available in the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, including some with built-in mini-games like 2048 (a numbers puzzle) or Fighter (which tests your punch strength)! I switch between minimalist black for work hours and playful animated designs on weekends. The only downside? You have to manually delete a watch face when you’ve reached the max installable on the device.

Functions and Features

While the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has a lot of features, let me focus on the ones that really helped my day-to-day activities:

For Work

As someone in the media and advertising industries, having real-time access to alerts from my phone right on my wrist is a game changer. I don’t miss messages, call alerts, or scheduled reminders even as I’m in important meetings. Quick replies (customizable, btw!) let me stay responsive even when my hands are tied. Pairing it with the Mi Fitness app made setup and customization super easy, too.

For Play and Workout

With over 150 sports modes, the Smart Band 10 is more than ready for my workout mix: aerial arts a la circus training, flexibility, Pilates, and casual walking. It auto-detects popular workouts like running and walking, which is perfect for people like me who often forget to hit the “start workout” button.

For those into esports, I think it’s also worth mentioning that the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 has an “esports” workout mode to track your heart rate even as you play. It even has a dedicated mode for board games! They also have pole dance, but none are available yet for aerial workouts.

Although there are a lot of things I find useful, my favorite addition would the on-wrist running course guide, which lets you follow structured training sessions based on your pace and recovery needs. Metrics like recovery time and training load provide real-time insights that are typically only available in more expensive fitness trackers. There are also app suggestions for interactive sensory courses that you can follow at home when you can’t hit the gym.

And yes, it’s 5ATM water-resistant so I don’t worry about sweating buckets or accidental splashes. For swimmers, the lap count accuracy is up to 96% which is quite impressive for such a compact device.

To make things even more rewarding, you can start a competition under the Profile tab so you can compete with friends whom you’ve invited via the Mi Fitness app. This way, you can keep tabs on each other’s progress even if you’re miles apart.

For Relaxation

After a long day that ends with late-night workouts (and overthinking routines I could’ve done better), sleep becomes a luxury. The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 tracks not just how long I sleep, but also sleep efficiency, REM cycles, and sleep distribution.

Backed by the World Sleep Society, it gives credible tips via the app like improving your pre-bed routine, breathing exercises, or keeping screens away 30 minutes before sleeping. I’ve actually been able to stretch my sleep to 5–6 hours now from a tragic 3-hour sleep routine that the watch clocked me for.

It also tracks stress levels, SpO₂, and has a menstrual cycle tracker — something handy for the ladies as it syncs with the intensity of your workouts and helps plan lighter days.

For an Organized Life

From grocery lists to creative pegs for blog shoots, the Smart Band 10 had also become my digital post-it. I use its reminder and alarm functions religiously, especially for short power naps or when I need to switch from blog-writing mode to work duties.

The linear vibration motor with upgraded haptics means I don’t miss alerts, too, even when my phone is on silent during meetings or yoga breaks.

Battery

With up to 21 days of battery life, this has been the least demanding gadget in my tech arsenal as of this writing. I’ve been using it on typical settings (no Always-On Display) and haven’t needed to charge it since the first full charge. A full recharge only takes about an hour, so even if you’re in a rush, you’ll never be without it for long.

Price and Availability

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is now available in the Philippines for Php 2,499, but you can get it at a discounted price via their official e-commerce pages like Mi Online Mall via Shopee. Last time I checked, it was at Php 2,274 after vouchers! Accessories can also be purchased in stores and online.

Overall, I can say that the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is what happens when fitness trackers grow up to become style-savvy personal assistants. It’s recommendable for young professionals who need one less thing to worry about in their jam-packed lives. Whether you’re crunching deadlines, curating content, pushing your physical limits, or just learning how to rest better, this smart band gets it and looks good while doing it.

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