The Fi Mini is a sleek and lightweight GPS tracker designed for small pets, offering a range of features that make it a standout choice in the market. However, it's not without its quirks and limitations, which are worth exploring in detail. In my opinion, the Fi Mini is a solid option for pet owners seeking a reliable and compact tracking solution, but it's not without its flaws. Let's dive into the details and uncover what makes this device tick, or not, as the case may be.
Design: Sleek and Discreet
The Fi Mini is a masterpiece of minimalism, measuring just 1.65 by 1.18 by 0.49 inches and weighing a mere 0.56 ounces. This makes it significantly lighter and smaller than its predecessor, the Fi Series 3+, which is a welcome change for pet owners. The all-black design is sleek and modern, but it may be a bit noticeable against lighter fur or hair. Nonetheless, the Mini is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance, ensuring it can handle the elements without a hitch.
One of the standout features of the Mini is its compatibility with collars of varying sizes. It comes with two simple rubber bands that allow you to secure it to any collar measuring 0.37 to 1.25 inches wide. This flexibility is a boon for pet owners with different-sized pets or those who prefer to switch collars. However, I found the Mini to be a bit too noticeable on my Bernedoodle, Mya, even though she barely noticed it herself. This may be a deal-breaker for some pets, but I think the Mini is minimal enough for most small and medium-size dogs.
Battery Life: Long-Lasting, But It Depends
According to Fi, the Mini offers up to six weeks of battery life per charge, depending on usage. The determining factor is the amount of time the device spends connected to your home Wi-Fi versus the cellular radio. In my experience, the battery life was impressive, lasting over four weeks per charge. However, it's important to note that the battery life can vary depending on how you use the device. For instance, if you want to extend the battery life, you can add a Fi Base for an additional $39, which can extend longevity to up to three months. However, the Mini can't charge on the Base like the Series 3/3+ can, which is a minor inconvenience.
Subscription: Cellular Tracking Included
The Fi Mini costs $99 with a six-month Verizon cellular service subscription, or $189 for 12 months of service. At the yearly length, that comes out to $15.75 per month. If you want to save some money, you can opt for a two-year prepaid plan for $339 (about $14.15 per month). The hardware is included with the membership fee. The subscription includes cellular connectivity, which enables live GPS tracking in Lost Mode, as well as activity and sleep monitoring, 24/7 support, and unlimited replacements of the Mini if it’s damaged.
One of the standout features of the subscription is the one-month free trial. This allows you to try the tracker and service for 30 days, alleviating any concerns about whether Verizon service is available in your area or about sizing. However, I found the subscription to be a bit pricy, especially considering the limited features of the AI bot and social feed, which are easy to turn off.
Mobile App: Smart Features, But AI Still Feels Like a Work in Progress
The Fi mobile app is polished and easy to navigate, offering a range of features and settings that make it a breeze to configure and use. However, I found the minimum home boundary size to be a bit of a pain, as it required me to extend the boundary behind the backyard fence. The app also has an integrated AI bot and a social feed, which are easy to turn off, but I found them to be forgettable and mostly uninteresting right now. The AI bot is a bit of a buzzword, and I could only come up with a few questions to test the feature, so I would like to see it become more proactive.
Escape Alerts: Most Arrived Within Two Minutes
The main reason to get a GPS pet collar is for location tracking, and the Fi Mini performs very well in this regard. I tested the response time daily for over four weeks, and the alerts about Mya leaving the safe zone arrived on my phone within one to nine minutes. Most of them were around two minutes, and the nine-minute delay occurred only once. This is faster overall than the Fi Series 3, which took an average of three to five minutes to deliver an escape alert after a dog exited the safe zone.
Health and Sleep Tracking: Accurate for the Metrics That Matter Most
While most people will want the Fi Mini to provide peace of mind around a pet’s location, it also tracks health, offering insights into rest, activity (steps), barking, eating, drinking, licking, and scratching. For Mya, the rest and activity stats were relatively accurate, but the eating and drinking were way off. Since Mya doesn’t bark much, that area was less meaningful in my tracking of her stats. However, I found the health tracking to be a bonus feature alongside the location tracking, and the rest and activity are probably the most important, and those were the most accurate of the bunch.
Conclusion: A Solid Option, But Not Without Its Flaws
In conclusion, the Fi Mini is a solid option for pet owners seeking a reliable and compact tracking solution. It offers a range of features that make it a standout choice in the market, but it's not without its quirks and limitations. The design is sleek and discreet, the battery life is impressive, and the subscription includes cellular connectivity and 24/7 support. However, the minimum home boundary size, the pricy subscription, and the limited features of the AI bot and social feed are deal-breakers for some. Overall, I would recommend the Fi Mini to pet owners who are looking for a reliable and compact tracking solution, but with some caveats.
