November is the perfect time to get those devices you’ve been eying for the year. Black Friday is around the corner and many retailers – including South Africa’s favourite online store, Takealot – have already started their sales. With so many savings to be had and the holidays coming up to enjoy your new purchases, it’s time to turn that wishlist into a checkout.

Takealot’s Blue Dot countdown sale to Black Friday is live right now and it’s packed with devices from Xiaomi. South Africans know that Xiaomi already offers the best value on electronics all year round, but now you can combine the company’s already exceptional value with deep sales so you can win twice.

Let’s look at some standout Xiaomi products that have received big discounts.

Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active – On sale for R499

While the end of year holiday season is a time for rest and relaxation, it’s also the perfect time to stay active, either with your existing workout routine or with fun new activities like surfing, skiing, open water swimming and more.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is one of the few smart wearables that can track these kinds of holiday activities and more. Using an array of sensors including blood oxygen monitoring and accelerometers, this device has support for activity tracking in more than 50 sports and workout scenarios. You can keep going and keep track of your life thanks to 50 metre water resistance, sleep health tracking and a battery that lasts up to 14 days.

When the calendar rolls over into 2025, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active is also the perfect partner for New Year’s resolutions. If you’re the kind of person who can’t stand the standard gym workout, this wearable is the perfect partner to count those calories and get toned using any kind of physical activity you like.

All of this is wrapped up in a body that is just 9.99 millimetres (yes, under one centimetre!), complete with a comfortable and stylish strap and priced to be on your wrist today.

See more of what the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active can do in our feature article.

Xiaomi TV Stick Media Player – On sale for R799

While it’s the perfect time to buy new tech, it’s also the perfect time to upgrade what you already have. The Xiaomi TV Stick Media Player is a one-step upgrade to any TV: simply plug it in and that screen instantly becomes an up to date Android-based smart TV with access to the latest streaming apps, Google Assistant, Chromecast, and more. In the box you get the Xiaomi TV Stick Media Player as well as a physical remote control, but you can also control this device with voice commands.

This is also the perfect travel companion no matter where you go this holiday season. At just 30 grams it easily slips into your pocket so you can take your downloaded content and streaming profiles with you – no need to waste time re-logging into those profiles when you arrive or, even more time consuming, having to use the profile of someone else.

See more of the Xiaomi TV Stick Media Player and what it can be by clicking here.

Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd Gen – On sale for R999

If you love the idea of the Xiaomi TV Stick Media Player, but need 4K, the Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd Gen is the way to go. Not only do you get an increase in raw resolution, but also access to picture and audio quality improvements thanks to technologies from Dolby built into the device.

To dig more into the feature of the Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd Gen, see our full article on it.

Xiaomi Smart Speaker – On sale for R899

Every home needs a smart speaker and this option from Xiaomi does it all at a fraction of the cost. To hear your commands the Xiaomi Smart Speaker has a pair of far-field microphones to hear you no matter where you are. Give commands through Ok Google to listen to your favourite content through the loud but crystal clear 12W speaker.

Again we have to think about the upcoming holiday festivities and this is a great choice to play music during your family and friend get togethers over the holidays.

We also love the sleek white chassis of the Xiaomi Smart Speaker which is complimented beautifully by the silver speaker grill that wraps around the body. We also have to mention the touch sensitive buttons on the top of the speaker which give you easy access to basic controls. Many companies are ditching physical controls these days but we always love the option to directly interface with our tech, even on devices like this which are so focused on voice control.

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 5 – On sale for R699

From smart speakers in your home to smart wearable headphones for your head, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 5 are for anyone who wants to keep active over the holidays, get started on that New Year’s resolution or just wants to spend their free time with premium audio.

No matter what you’re listening to, enjoy 46dB wide active noise cancellation which is enough to even tune out the cabin noise of an airplane – essential for those grabbing flights for local or international travel. Three different transparency modes also give you the ability to still be aware of your surroundings with noise cancellation activated.

The 12.4mm dynamic driver delivers fantastic sound replication and bass so everyone from heavy metal enthusiasts to deep house lovers and even those who tune into classical stations will all enjoy the sound stage here. Even non-music content like podcasts and audiobooks are replicated flawlessly with this tech.

Combine all of this with more features like a 10-hour listening time battery, a charging case which gives you up to 40 hours, Google Fast Pair and even double microphone AI-based noise-cancellation for calls and you have a pair of in-ears that are simply unbelievable at only R699.