Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch Review
The Fitbit Versa 2 smartwatch earns a Best Buy recommendation in Consumer Reports’ tests, and that’s because it performs well across the board and offers an array of smartwatch features at a price that’s more typical of a fitness tracker.
The Versa 2 can be bought for just a little over $100, which is less than half the price of another budget-minded smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE. The Versa 2 is also significantly cheaper than Fitbit’s newer Versa 3, while not giving up much in the way of important functionality to its pricier sibling.
That said, the Versa 2, which was introduced in late 2019, is an older model so it does require a few sacrifices, compared to its newer and costlier smartwatch competitors. For example, it lacks stand-alone GPS, so you’ll need to bring your phone along to track your distance and location while you’re on a run or a bicycle ride.
- Sleep tracking: Like the company’s fitness trackers, Fitbit’s Versa 2 features a robust array of sleep tracking features, delivering everything from sleep duration to a breakdown of your nightly REM periods.
Equally important, the battery life is sufficient to let you can wear the Versa 2 all day and all night for at least a couple of nights in a row.
- Alexa voice assistant: The Versa 2 is kind of an Echo smart speaker . . . without a speaker. It has a mic, but no speaker, so when you summon the digital assistant, the response isn’t spoken but instead pops up on the screen in text. Voice control is useful for setting timers, reminders, and getting basic info like a weather report, although many users will find the Versa’s onscreen menus just as easy to use.
- Heart rhythm monitoring: The Versa 2 can detect abnormal heart rhythms that can potentially be a sign of cardiac issues like atrial fibrillation, aka AFib. However, doctors are divided about whether these kinds of features on a smartwatch are accurate enough to provide a real benefit.
- Fitbit Pay: This Apple Pay-like feature allows you to link a credit card to your account and pay using the device, which is especially handy for buying a post-ride energy drink or cappuccino.
- Spotify compatibility: The Versa 2 can pair via Bluetooth with a set of wireless earbuds, and you can link it to your Spotify account. That allows you to download your favorite Mountain Goats playlist to power a workout without your phone in tow.
- Fitbit Premium: This is a bit of a double-edged sword: FItbit’s smartphone app is super-detailed and easy to use. However, to get access to its most advanced features—like readiness scores and mindfulness routines, as well as more detailed breakdowns of your sleep scores and health metrics—you need to buy a subscription to Fitbit Premium for $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year after a 90-day free trial. You don’t have to be on the short list for mathematics’ Fields Medal to realize that in less than two years you’ve spent more for the recurring app subscription than you did for the watch itself.
Photo: Fitbit
Photo: Fitbit
Our trained testers put the Versa 2 through its paces in our dedicated laboratory, and we did some additional real-world evaluation on a separate sample also purchased at retail.
When unboxing the Versa 2, you’ll notice that the first entry in the skimpy printed “Product Introduction” contains this caution: “Some users may experience skin irritation with this product” and follows up with four basic care tips: 1) keep it clean; 2) keep it dry; 3) don’t wear it too tight; 4) give your wrist a rest by removing the band for an hour after extended wear.
The reason behind this warning? In 2014, an earlier Fitbit model was subject to a recall because some consumers were suffering from rashes and skin irritations. (There was also a more recent recall on the now-discontinued Fitbit Ionic smartwatch because the battery overheated and caused burns.) We didn’t experience any of these issues with the Versa 2 during our relatively brief evaluation period.
Setup of the Versa 2 is all done through Fitbit’s smartphone app, which works well for both Android phones and iPhones. The process is reasonably straightforward, though the “add a device” function is hidden inside a menu.
Our lab testers give the Versa 2 top marks across the board, notably in step count accuracy and heart rate monitor accuracy. They also find it ease to use, to pair with headphones, and to read in bright sunlight.
Fitbit, which is owned by Google, made its name as a manufacturer of fitness trackers, so it’s no surprise that, in use, the Versa 2 feels a lot like a fitness tracker on steroids. Notably, its 1.3-inch AMOLED color touchscreen is vibrant and easy to read even in sunlight. Its larger size makes the menus easy to read and navigate. This represents a pretty significant advantage over a Fitbit fitness tracker, where workout info is sometimes truncated to fit the minuscule screen size.
The Versa 2 lacks the stress monitoring sensors that are found on the more expensive Fitbit Luxe and the newer (and more expensive) Charge 5 fitness tracker. It’s a peripheral function, so it’s probably not a huge loss in an inexpensive smartwatch.
As you might expect from a smartwatch, the Versa 2 allows for notifications when you get an email, a text, or a phone call.
But fielding phone calls is a bit of a challenge. Even though the Versa 2 has a mic for its Alexa functionality, you can’t use it while answering a phone call because the watch lacks a speaker. You can “answer” the call by touching the Versa 2’s display, but you have to fish out your phone to actually talk, which is more than a bit of a pain.
Battery life can be a make-or-break function for many smartwatches, especially if you plan to use it for sleep tracking (which gives you little time for charging). Fitbit promises more than six days of battery life for the Versa 2. I found that estimate to be a little optimistic—I got around three days of battery life before it needed to be charged, having worn the device all day, and using it for one night of sleep tracking. The Versa’s dedicated charger leaves a lot to be desired—it feels a bit fragile and, worse, unless you’re careful it’s quite easy to attach the watch upside down so that it doesn’t actually charge.
The value-priced Versa 2 works for anyone who’s intrigued by the idea of a smart watch, but isn’t ready to make a big investment.
It’s also for a fan of Fitbit’s fitness trackers who wants a bigger, better display and a bit more everyday functionality—a device that you can wear all day instead of tossing it in your gym bag with your sweaty t-shirt at the end of a workout.
Our trained testers test dozens of smartwatches in our dedicated labs in Yonkers, NY. They begin with the basics, evaluating “ease of interaction” (how fast a watch’s display responds to our inputs) and “ease of pairing,” as well as generating an overall “ease of use” score. Our techs then work up a sweat when they test step counts and heart rate monitoring, in which the data from the devices are compared to medical grade monitors.
We also test watches for ruggedness. We evaluate any claims that models make for water-resistant, using a pressure tank that can mimic submersion in deep water. For instance, based on the claims made by their manufacturers, some watches are tested at the equivalent of 164 feet for 10 minutes. Our testers also employ specially designed instruments to test the display for scratch resistance.
Allen St. John
Allen St. John is a senior tech editor at Consumer Reports. He has been with CR since 2016, focusing on digital privacy and covering smartwatches, wireless speakers, and headphones. Previously, Allen was a senior editor at Condé Nast and a contributing editor at publications ranging from Road & Track to the Village Voice, and his work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and other national outlets. He is a New York Times bestselling author, and lives in Montclair, N.J., with his wife and his dog, Rugby.
Best Buy sale knocks up to $150 off fitness trackers — save on Garmin, Fitbit and more
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The unofficial start of summer is just a few weeks out. For many, that means ditching the gym for the great outdoors. Whether you’re training for you first 5K or just looking to spend more time under the sun, Best Buy is slashing the price of numerous fitness trackers during its latest sale.
For a limited time, Best Buy is taking up to $150 off Garmin devices and up to $50 off Fitbit devices. This is one of the biggest sales we’ve seen on fitness devices from any retailer. It’s worth noting that Memorial Day sales will begin soon and you may be able to save a few bucks more come May 29, but the chances of these items being significantly cheaper are slim. That said, below are the best deals you can buy right now.
It’s worth noting that no Apple Watches are on sale right now at Best Buy. However, we expect the retailer to discount multiple models in the coming days as we approach Memorial Day. (Make sure to check out our guide to this month’s Best Buy Memorial Day sales for the season’s top deals).
Fitbit
Fitbit Luxe: was $149 now $89 @ Best Buy
There’s no doubt about it, this is one of Fitbit’s most stylish fitness trackers. It’s got a lightweight, attractive design, a color touchscreen, and Fitbit’s health management tools.
There’s no in-built GPS, but if that doesn’t bother you, it’s a great buy. In our Fitbit Luxe review, we called it a capable fitness tracker that can be worn from the gym straight to dinner.
Fitbit Charge 5: was $149 now $118 @ Amazon
The Fitbit Charge 5 is a brilliant little tracker, with a bright color screen and a number of features usually reserved for Fitbit’s more premium watches — including an electrodermal activity sensor (EDA) and an electrocardiogram sensor (ECG). We named it the best Fitbit you can buy out of the company’s entire range of trackers. Best Buy has it for $129, but Amazon is undercutting them with a slightly lower $118 price.
Fitbit Versa 4: was $199 now $159 @ Best Buy
The Fitbit Versa 4 has dropped to $159 in this early Memorial Day deal. This is the cheapest price we’ve seen for the smartwatch. In our Fitbit Versa 4 review, we said its one of the best cheap smartwatches you can buy (when it’s on sale).
The watch also comes with six months of Fitbit Premium for free. It’s just $10 shy of its all-time price low, which we saw on Black Friday.
Fitbit Sense 2: was $299 now $249 @ Best Buy
This advanced fitness watch has built-in GPS and can track everything from your activity and workouts to stress and your sleep. Its bands are interchangeable, so you can swap between silicone, metal, or leather bands. In our Fitbit Sense 2 review, we called it a fantastic fitness- and health-tracking smartwatch. Note: Amazon has select colors on sale for a few bucks less at $244.
Garmin
Garmin Forerunner 45 (GPS): was $169 now $129 @ Best Buy
Want to get a running watch, but don’t want to spend a lot? Then the Forerunner 45 is your best option. It has great battery life and a nice big screen. It’s perfect for new runners as well as veterans. In our Garmin Forerunner 45 review, we said it delivers all the basics at an affordable price.
Garmin Vivoactive 4: was $349 now $199 @ Amazon
With built-in GPS, on-demand health metrics, and offline Spotify playback, the Vivocactive 4 is a total score. This well-rounded, fitness-focused smartwatch improves upon the Vivoactive 3 with more bells and whistles for tracking health stats and workouts. In our Garmin Vivoactive 4 review, we called it an near-perfect workout companion.
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar: was $449 now $349 @ Best Buy
This is the Solar version of the Garmin Instinct 2 watch, which boasts an infinite battery life — yep, it has the power to last forever, charging with the sunlight. On the wrist, it’s hard-wearing (with a Military Standard 810 rating against extreme environments and temperatures), waterproof up to 100m, and it’s display is bright and easy to see, even in direct sunlight. In our Garmin Instinct 2 review, we called it a near-perfect GPS smartwatch for outdoor sport enthusiasts.
If you don’t mind re-charging your watch every 21 days, the Garmin Instinct Solar 2 is also on sale for $249 ($100 off).
Garmin Venu 2 Plus: was $449 now $399 @ Best Buy
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is one of the rare smartwatches that’s good for both Android and iOS users. In our Garmin Venu 2 Plus review, we said it offers a thorough suite of fitness- and health-tracking features that makes it practical for everyday use. Note: This is a good price, but it’s been as low as $349 in the past.
Samsung
Galaxy Watch 4 (40mm/WiFi): was $199 now $169 @ Best Buy
Best Buy has the 40mm Galaxy Watch 4 on sale for just $169. The Galaxy Watch 4 has a sporty aesthetic, plus a cool body composition analysis feature, and revamped Wear OS software. In our Galaxy Watch 4 review, we named it one of the top Samsung smartwatches.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: was $279 now $229 @ Amazon
This fifth-generation Galaxy smartwatch boasts a suite of Google Watch OS functionality and extra Samsung features.
Benefit from advanced sleep coaching, body composition analysis, daily workout memory and more. In our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review, we said despite being excellent for fitness, the Watch 5 also performs brilliantly as a smartwatch with longer-lasting battery life and a clean stripped back look in a range of pastel colors.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: was $449 now $315 @ Amazon
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro packs an 80-hour battery life, ultra-durable design, and more outdoor sports-specific features than the Galaxy Watch 5. For instance, you get GPX, which makes it possible to share geographic information with others and keep a reliable track of your routes. A dedicated return feature also shows you how to track back your journey, if you get lost along the way. In our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review, we said it’s great for those who want a substantially sized smartwatch, several days of battery life, and enjoy occasional outdoor sports.
By comparison, Best Buy has it for $399.
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As deals editor at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.
Fitbit Versa 4 and Versa 3 – comparison, price and specifications
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i from poco available for purchase new fitbit models, including fitbit versa 4 along with Sense 2 and Inspire 3. A Fitbit Versa 4 vs Versa 3 understand which direction the company went after Google’s acquisition of .
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Therefore, we expected good news about this update, especially from the software side, and to some extent it was.
Fitbit Versa 4 and Versa 3 specifications
| size | 40.5 x 40.5 x 11.2 mm | 40.48 x 40.48 x 12.35 mm |
| Materials | Aluminum case combined with silicone strap | Aluminum case combined with silicone strap |
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
1. 58″ |
1.58″ | |
| Screen resolution | 336 336 pixels x | 336 336 pixels x |
| Weight | 40 grams | |
| Button | physical | Tactile |
| Senso | Accelerometer a 3 axis 3 axis gear Scope Optical heart rate monitor Altimeter Ambient light sensor Vibration motor Relative SpO2 sensor temperature NFC Built-in microphone |
Accelerometer 3-axis 3-axis gyroscope Optical heart rate monitor altimeter Ambient light sensor Vibration motor Relative SpO2 sensor temperature NFC Built-in microphone |
| Connettività | Built-in GPS/GLONASS | Built-in GPS/GLONASS |
| Exercise method | 40 | 20 |
| Water resistant | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| battery life | 6+ days. Charging time (0-100%): two hours. 12 minutes to get a day of battery life. |
6+ days. Charging time (0-100%): two hours. |
| colors | Black/graphite, cascade blue/platinum, sand pink/copper pink, beet juice/copper pink | Clay pink/soft gold, black/black, midnight/soft gold |
| Introductory price | €229.90 | €229.90 |
| Current price | €229.90 |
Amazon prices
– 21%
Amazon.it
Fitbit Versa 4, Black/Graphite, Unisex Adult Smartwatch, Black/Gray Aluminum …
€179.99
229.95€
See offer
– 30%
Amazon.it
Smartwatch Fitbit Versa 3 for wellness and fitness with six months …
€159.99
229.
95€
View offer
Last updated: July 11, 2023 1:52 AM
Differences between Fitbit Versa 4 and Versa 3
Although detailed specifications were not provided, iron is essentially identical to except for the implementation of physical button instead of tactile, which was not very successful and in fact this solution is more practical , However Versa 4 is a millimeter thinner. and in comfort it is appreciated.
all sensors remained the same as , but from this point of view the Fitbit Versa 3 was already “well equipped” and there was probably nothing to improve, especially wanting to keep the lag with Fitbit Sense, which differs in this particular aspect.
La battery is the same as the theoretical autonomy. Also in this case, one would think that there is no need for an update, given the maximum autonomy of 6/7 days and quick charge present in both.
So basically the differences that we will notice when moving to a new model are in the software, but in the current state. they are not all positive .
Le training modes doubled , now there are 40 of them, and they include almost every sport in existence. The application menu has also changed and is displayed in the form of a list that can be called up with a button, rather than icon screens. I did not notice any other “news”.
It certainly stays, and they share excellent automatic sports detection, sleep monitoring (advanced with a premium subscription), resting heart rate detection, and personalized alarms.
Obviously, the flaw in is the notification management which allows you to read messages in full, but above all to reply.
With emojis, predefined responses, and even speech-to-text.
So far so good, but something is missing.
Introduction to Google Maps e Google Wallet which will have broader bank compatibility than Fitbit Pay (you can use CURVE to use unsupported banks), but currently these are features that are not yet available. They will be released for free with an update, but no one knows when.
Absurdly Google Assistant has been removed and probably won’t be reintroduced. Fortunately, it is present and works great. assistant Alexa also with voice feedback.
Also with the current version of the application software and smartwatch , The app store does not work and you can not add new third-party applications, only watch faces. Also, this was the removal of the watch face change feature right from the watch, but you have to use the Fitbit app.
Finally removed the touch activation on the display. It can only be activated by twisting the wrist or pressing a button.
Fitbit Versa 4 vs Versa 3 – Conclusions and Price
Fitbit Versa 4 vs Versa 3 is a comparison that currently leaves no doubt. The only news is software and it hasn’t arrived yet. On the contrary, I found several flaws, some of which are also important, which are incomprehensible.
It is possible and likely that with updates the situation will improve, but so far the gap between the two models is zero or even in favor of the Versa 3, which is 9The 0004 remains one of the few smartwatches that offers notification response, wrist calls, voice assistant, NFC payments without the need for bulky Google WearOS.
Given that even the price of stands for Fitbit Versa 3 costs 168 euros. vs i €229 for Fitbit Versa 4
For whom already owns a Fitbit Versa 3 There is no point in thinking about an upgrade, and for those who are looking at this product for the first time or own Versa 2, you can evaluate the purchase, expecting a significant upgrade to fill in the gaps.
Price updated: July 11, 2023 1:52 AM
Review Fitbit Charge 5 fitness tracker with inflated ambitions – Reviews TehnObzor
Author Pavlina Pandora Reading 12 min Abstract
- Fitbit Charge 5 specifications
- What you need to know about Charge 5?
- Design: Strong Step Forward
- Fitness & Training
- Heart Rate Control
- Step counting
- Sleep, SpO and skin temperature monitoring
- Stress tracking
- GPS sensor operation
- Fitbit app
- Fitbit Charge 5 smart features
- Total
- Fitbit Charge 5 fitness bracelet – video
9029 1 Should I buy
Fitbit Charge 5 is a good fitness tracker that should be the best, but too expensive for a fitness bracelet and not functional enough when compared to a smartwatch.
Since the introduction of the first Fitbit Charge in 2014, Fitbit’s annual releases have featured simple designs and monochrome displays.
What has changed with the release of Charge 5 and whether the price of the new tracker is justified can be found in my review.
Read also: Amazfit GTR 3 Pro review: improved smartwatch with many fitness features
Fitbit Charge 5 specs
OLED color touchscreen, 14.7×21.9 mm, refresh rate 60 Hz
Autonomy
Claimed: up to 7 days
In practice: 3 days with maximum settings 900 06
Tracking
Heart Rate
EDA
SpO2 Workout for
Sleep Skin Temperature
Bluetooth, NFC
Navigation
GPS, GLONASS
Water resistant
Apps
Yes
Smartphone notifications 9000 6
Read only
Sensor
Accelerometer, body temperature measurement, built-in heart rate monitor, ECG
Colors
Steel blue, platinum, black, graphite, moon white, gold
Price 90 006
20 thousand rubles
What you need to know about Charge 5?
The Fitbit Charge 5 release date is August 25, 2021.
The tracker has retained most of the features of previous models, including heart rate monitoring and SpO 2 , pedometer and sleep quality assessment. Unfortunately no altimeter. But for the first time in the Charge line, an EDA (electrodermal activity) sensor appears to determine the level of stress in the body and monitor skin temperature. The novelty includes some smart watch features, including receiving notifications from the phone, the ability to read messages, and more.
Support for the Fitbit Pay payment system allows you to use NFC to pay for goods at the checkout of stores. Music control, however, is missing. It should be noted that for free you get access only to the basic functions of the tracker. The good news is that you get a six-month free trial of Fitbit Premium with purchase.
The Charge 5 is available in stainless steel and is available in three color options: Graphite with black strap (used for this review), Soft Gold with a white strap (Lunar White), and Platinum with a blue strap (Steel Blue).
Design: a strong step forward
The main difference from the Fitbit Charge 4: the monochrome display has been replaced by a bright full-color AMOLED panel that is easy to read in bright light.
The display is even larger than the first model with Luxe color display, making it much easier to navigate using only the touch screen. In earlier models, you had to press small indentations on the bracelet case to navigate. At the same time, the Fitbit Charge 5 is smaller than the Charge 4: it is thinner and more elegant.
The silicone strap that comes with the device is similar to that of the Sense smart watch. There is also a larger strap in the box for people with wider wrists. Unfortunately, straps for older models, including Charge 4, are not compatible with Charge 5.
However, the color display and downsizing significantly reduce battery life. With the maximum of features enabled (always-on display, maximum brightness and vibration, etc.
), the Charge 5 used up about 90% of the battery in 72 hours, including sleep, three workouts, several bike rides, alarm and timer settings. Not a very good result, for comparison: the operating time of Xiaomi Band 6 in a similar mode is more than a week.
Fitbit ditched the bulky clip-on charger (like the Charge 4) in favor of a magnetic charger. The package includes a magnetic charging cable, but no wall adapter. Wireless charging, unfortunately, is not provided.
Fitness & Workout
The new Fitbit Charge 5 tracker supports 20 workouts including running, swimming, cycling, yoga and more.
However, only six can be displayed at all times, like the Charge 4. To track more types of workouts, you have to manually change them using the Fitbit app, which does not add convenience. Sense and Versa 3 do not have this limitation.
The Charge 5 also lacks two important features. First, unlike the Charge 4, there is no altimeter.
Without this hardware feature, it’s impossible to keep track of the number of floors you’ve climbed, and it’s also not very accurate to monitor climbing and descending workouts such as hiking. An unfortunate omission.
Second, there is no real-time recording of training laps. Fitbit Versa 3 and Sense allow you to add a dedicated button to your display for circuit training. This is not possible with the Charge 5, but you can manually add laps after your workout in the Fitbit app. For an expensive fitness-focused device, the feature seems like a must-have.
Heart rate monitoring
Fitbit Charge 5’s all-day heart rate accuracy is the same as its predecessor.
Mean resting heart rate measurements were consistent with finger-clamp pulse oximeter readings. However, at the beginning of training, the tracker sometimes registered a pulse much higher than the real one. Even at rest with a heart rate of about 50 bpm, the tracker overestimated the readings, sometimes exceeding 100 bpm.
After a few minutes, the readings slowly decreased, approaching the real pulse.
The Fitbit team explained that the Charge 5 ticks a certain number of times per hour to get average heart rate data, and much more often during a workout to improve accuracy. Perhaps a short-term jump is caused by a regime change (rest / training), and so far the cause has not been found. It is possible that this is a one-of-a-kind issue, as a non-retail device was used for the review.
Otherwise, the heart rate recording during exercise is good. The graph below compares the results obtained while cycling with the Charge 5 and the Wahoo Tickr X chest strap: The graphs are very similar. Even recorded average and peak heart rate values are very close.
Step Counting
Fitbit is notorious for inflating step counts with its devices.
Wearing the Fitbit Charge 5 (on the right wrist) and Fitbit Sense (on the left) at the same time confirmed this: Charge 5 recorded several hundred more steps every day.
Therefore, step tracking with the Charge 5 will be less accurate than with a dedicated foot pod. However, this accuracy is sufficient for most people.
Sleep, SpO and skin temperature monitoring
Fitbit Charge 5 sleep monitoring data is accurate and easy to understand. The daily sleep score tells you how well you slept the night before.
Interestingly, this score does not always correlate with sleep duration, and the score may be higher for shorter periods of sleep. Overall, the Fitbit app’s sleep scores were fairly consistent with how they felt.
Fitbit recently introduced a way to track snoring with Sense and Versa 3 devices. The Charge 5 doesn’t have this feature because it doesn’t have the microphone needed to monitor snoring.
Ability to monitor SpO 2 (blood oxygen saturation). Comparison with the readings of the pulse oximeter confirmed the sufficient accuracy of the measurements.
The Charge 5 can also track skin temperature. Due to the lack of special equipment, this is possible only in automatic mode during sleep. However, information about sharp fluctuations in the average skin temperature may indicate that you are getting sick.
Stress Tracker
EDA sensors are new to Fitbit’s Sense smartwatch line. The Fitbit Charge 5 uses the Luxe beat-forbeat system.
A light finger pressure on the two thin metal strips on the sides of the case triggers a scan, during which the tracker monitors your perspiration for several minutes.
Daily scans at different activity levels (pre-workout, post-workout, before bed, etc.) provide insight into normal and elevated stress levels. The accumulated stress level data is for the Fitbit app’s new “Daily Readiness Assessment” feature, discussed below.
GPS sensor operation
Unlike the Fitbit Luxe, the Charge 5 has built-in GPS.
To save energy, it is also possible to receive location data from the smartphone’s GPS. You can choose between these two types of GPS tracking for all workouts, or dynamic GPS, which allows the tracker to switch between its own sensor and the phone’s sensor depending on the quality of the connection.
The quality of the Charge 5’s GPS tracking did not disappoint. Comparison with the Wahoo Tickr X chest strap GPS showed almost identical results. At first, it took Fitbit quite a while to connect to GPS, but this is typical of wrist trackers due to their small size compared to smartphones and chest straps.
So if you’re a fan of GPS tracking, the Fitbit Charge 5 will suit you.
Fitbit app
The release of Fitbit Charge 5 hasn’t changed the look or feel of the app. Overall, this is a well thought out software with an intuitive interface.
However, one of the main features of the Charge 5 is not yet available in the Fitbit app.
Namely, the Daily Readiness Score (DRS), which was an important aspect of Fitbit’s advertising campaign for the new tracker. Fitbit just announced that DRS is coming soon, and that the feature will be coming to other trackers, including the Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Luxe, and Inspire 2.
DRS is supposed to collect all the data that the tracker receives – sleep quality, workout, stress levels, and more – and combine them into easy-to-understand blocks. For example, if you didn’t get enough sleep the night before, you will be advised to skip your morning workout, and if your stress level is high, not to strain for the rest of the day. Conversely, if you slept very well, you will be advised to intensify your workout in order to achieve maximum results.
This type of reporting has been successfully implemented by other companies, for example Garmin’s Body Battery has been around for several years. In this sense, Fitbit was late in advertising a tracker that, in theory, works with this system.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for Fitbit to release products without promised features.
So there is nothing really new in the app yet related to Charge 5. One last note: DRS features will only be available with a Fitbit Premium subscription. In addition to DRS, a Fitbit Premium subscription provides deeper sleep analytics, meal plan support, workout guides, and more.
However, none of the hardware features are tied to Premium, so it’s a good idea to wait until DRS is available before buying the Charge 5 so you don’t lose your six-month free DRS trial.
Fitbit Charge 5 smart features
The arrival of the full color display made the Charge 5 look like a smart watch. Let’s see what he can do.
You can receive notifications from your smartphone. The device displays emails, text messages, and phone calls. On the bracelet, you can read most of the text message or remove it from the notification list of both the tracker and the smartphone (at least on Android).
However, you will not be able to reply to messages.
Includes expected features like setting alarms and timers, as well as Fitbit Pay to pay for purchases at the checkout of stores without a smartphone, thanks to built-in NFC. What can he no longer do?
No music control function, although Charge 4 had access to Spotify control. You can’t store music on your wrist either. No built-in digital assistant, no weather, no third-party apps. The good news is that the Fitbit Versa 3 has all of these features and costs almost the same.
Summary
The Fitbit Charge 5 is a good fitness tracker with features most other competitors don’t have, like an EDA scanner and NFC payment support. Equipped with a bright full-color OLED display, which makes it aesthetically and functionally better than its predecessor.
However, a noticeable price increase does not give you a better overall fitness tracker. A color display is better than a monochrome one, but you have to sacrifice battery life and an altimeter for that.
And how much does an EDA scanner need an ordinary person?
Is it worth buying
For the price, the Fitbit Charge 5 should be the best fitness tracker with all the features you need to track any type of workout. Battery life and health tracking performance are not good enough. All promoted features are not yet available at launch, so the Charge 5 does not meet these requirements.
In my opinion, it’s better to get a good Versa 3 smartwatch. Or spend several times less on the Xiaomi Band 6. The Charge 5 sits in a strange middle ground, and it’s hard to recommend it to anyone other than Fitbit fans.
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Fitness bracelet Fitbit Charge 5 – video
Peacock Pandora
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