When smart wearables first launched on the scene they brought with them – as with all cutting edge tech – high prices and limited features that put them squarely in the sights of only first adopters with money to burn.

Thankfully that was several years ago and, today, the smart wearable market has matured significantly.

One of the best examples of this is the Redmi Smart Band 2 which is not only packed with features to help you live a healthier life, but also comes with a price that would have been frankly unbelievable just a few years ago.

That price is the RRP of R699 and let’s take a moment to appreciate just how affordable that is not only in the world of tech and expensive health products, but just in general. The last few years of the pandemic, economic downturn, record interest rates, increased cost of living and weakened Rand make this price even more impressive. 

We recently went shopping for some new gym gear and R699 doesn’t even buy you something simple like shorts to work out in from a big name brand, so for a smart wearable to come with this price is very much appreciated when everything is so expensive. 

And with this lower price Redmi has punched above its weight class once again. For your money you get a sleek black wearable with a 1.47 inch display. The construction here is solid to survive even the most hectic of workouts and even the odd dip in the pool with 50 metres of water resistance. 

The screen makes the most use of the space thanks to the vertical rectangle design which, unlike the circle-face wearables, is more akin to your smartphone so content has an easier time being visible. It’s a delicate balancing act of giving you the biggest display possible while still remaining as small as possible so you forget you’re wearing it.

The impressive hardware doesn’t stop there as there are sensors galore to track just about everything. The PPG sensor checks your heart rate all day, every day and blood oxygen levels are also tracked thanks to the SpO₂ sensor. These can also be used for sleep tracking with data collected from both long sleeps and naps turned into detailed reports which can even help you maximise the parts of your life where you’re not awake.

The compact size of the Redmi Smart Band 2 and its focus on seamlessly disappearing into your life again pays dividends here as you can easily fall asleep while still wearing it.

Powering all of this is a 210mAh LiPo battery that pulls off some very impressive stretches of use. You can look forward to up to 14 days of regular use or up to six days of intense workout use. With the spectre of loadshedding following all South Africans, any device that can last multiple days without a trip to the plugs is much appreciated. If only we could go up to 14 days without loadshedding… When it’s finally time to charge up that’s seamless too thanks to the magnetic charging port system included in the box. 

Impressive hardware is matched by the quality of the software as the Redmi Smart Band 2 is designed to fit into your life to improve it. On that front this wearable works with both Strava and Apple Health so you can plug in and get tracking no matter your choice of platform. You also get the Mi Fitness app for even more choices on how and where you track your life. This variety also means that, if you’re new to the world of fitness tracking, you can explore these choices to find the platform that works best for you. 

Couple this with the ability to track just about all kinds of workouts with support for more than 30 sports modes and you have a complete package that won’t break the bank while still providing features that would have been inaccessible at this price in the past.

If you’ve been on the fence when it comes to smart wearables, or you still want to use the rest of 2023 to reach your fitness goals, then this is the perfect entry point.

The Redmi Smart Band 2 is available in South Africa right now, and again we have to mention that super affordable RRP of just R699. We bet if you tried to find another wearable with these specs, quality of construction and great fit and finish, you simply won’t be able to, even if you tried secondhand. 

But you can pick it up brand new in person or online from your favourite retailers such as Takealot, Incredible Connection, HiFi, and Makro.

These stores also stock the rest of the fantastic smart wearables offered by Xiaomi.