Xiaomi Smart Band 9

If cost is the main barrier to getting started, the Smart Band 9 removes it almost entirely. Its large, sharp 1.62-inch AMOLED display is genuinely lovely for the money, bright enough to read outdoors and smooth in use, and the standout feature is battery life of roughly three weeks in typical use, so charging rarely interrupts your routine. It covers the essentials well — continuous heart rate, blood-oxygen readings, sleep and stress tracking, plus more than 150 sport modes — and 5ATM water resistance means you can take it swimming. The trade-off is software: the Mi Fitness app is functional but does less hand-holding than Fitbit's, with fewer motivational nudges and a busier layout. For a confident beginner watching the budget, though, nothing else offers this much hardware for the price.