No we’re not going to tell you how popular smart bands have become for the health conscious (as well as those not so bothered about their health). What we want to say is, spend your money on the most bankable smart band available in the Nepali market and, at this moment, that can only be the Mi Smart Band 5. 

Recently launched worldwide by the Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi, the Mi Smart Band 5 has everything that can possibly feature in a gadget costing under Rs 5,000. For anything beyond what Mi Smart Band 5 offers, you’ll probably have to opt for a smartwatch worth over Rs 15,000. 

Already a popular product in the wearables category, the Mi Band 5 improves on the quality and dependability of in its predecessors. While the physical look remains similar to the fitness tracker—polycarbonate case with a TPU strap—the display area is BIG on this edition, 20 percent larger than Band 4’s display area, with 1.1-inch AMOLED display. The increase might not sound big on paper, but the change is significant, as the folks with specs will note.

But does the increase in size mean the band’s got heavy? No. The unit’s weight is around 11.9 g and it goes unnoticed once you get used to wearing it. Personally, a switch from Band 3 to Band 5 did not make the slightest difference in weight, but the user experience has improved many times. 

The black and white OLED of the Mi Band 3 now feels primitive compared to the Mi Band 5 and furthermore, the option of changing watch faces, with many options to choose from, just gives you a feeling of novelty all along. The Mi Band 5 also has a magnetic charger, which means you don’t have to remove the strap to charge it every time, again unlike its predecessors.

Tracking calories is also a lot easier in Mi Band 5 as you get 11 sports modes to help you keep count what you’re burning. The Band 5 adds jump rope, elliptical, rowing, and yoga to an old menu that included treadmill, outdoor walking, running, outdoor cycling, and other essentials. Also, sleep monitoring is updated to track REM sleep stages to help you learn of the quality of your rest.

Xiaomi also claims that the accuracy of the heartrate monitoring has been improved by up to 50 percent. Other additions to this latest smart band from Xiaomi include guided breathing exercises, menstrual cycle tracking, music control, and camera button.

The feature-packed Mi Band 5 comes with quality assurance of Xiaomi, which sets it apart from most generic smart bands in the Nepali market in the same price range. The product and its packaging feel sturdy, rather than cheap and plasticky. Mi Band 5 will stick with you through all weathers, tracking the calories you’ve burned, monitoring your heart rate and sleep, and if you want, constantly reminding you not to sit idle for long.