21 Sep
Blog

Fitbit Charge 5 Review: A Truly Advanced Fitness Tracker

Tap a Fibit Charge 5 awake.

Fitbit Charge 5: A Truly Advanced Fitness Tracker

RRP $ 180.00

"The new and improved Fitbit Charge 5 offers everything you could want from an advanced fitness tracker."

advantages

  • Stylish and comfortable design

  • Solid battery life

  • Loaded with advanced health metrics

  • Onboard GPS with multiple modes

  • Supports Fitbit Pay

disadvantage

  • Sometimes slow swiping of inputs

  • Some basic fitness / wellness tools are missing

  • Fitbit Premium is required for some functions

The last Fitbit Charge Tracker I used before the Charge 5 was the much less innovative Charge HR of the first generation. After wearing the Charge 5 non-stop for a week, I was impressed how drastic the experience is with Fitbit's most advanced tracker ever. Even when compared to the previous generation Charge 4, the Charge 5 takes the overall wearable fitness tracking experience up a few notches.

The new design makes this tracker more comfortable and appealing, but also offers an extensive list of functions that go with the brand's best-equipped smartwatches. Above all, the Charge 5 is the very first Fitbit fitness tracker that works with the Fitbit EKG app and thus joins the ranks of the Fitbit Sense smartwatch. For loyal Fitbit fans or first-time fitness tracker users, the redesigned Charge 5 has a lot going for it in a super portable and easy-to-use format.

Design and comfort

It's fair to say the Charge 5 has received a makeover. Unlike the box-shaped models in front of it, the Charge 5 takes up one side of the rounded angles of the Fitbit Versa 3 or the Apple Watch Series 7. These softer lines make the Charge 5 more current and desirable to wear day after day. The Charge 5 also increases the quality with higher quality materials than the synthetic resin and rubber of the previous model. You will find a more robust and better looking tracker made of aluminum, glass and resin with a silicone strap – and an aluminum buckle in the sports strap version.

The interchangeable straps are soft, flexible, and adapt to smaller wrists – as dainty as 5.1 inches – that I can't find firsthand on wearables. Both the standard and especially the sports band I tested felt like the first bands to fit my 5.5 inch wrist. I barely realized I was wearing the tracker because it was so light and fitted so well. I only took it off before taking a shower. It was also very comfortable to sleep due to the quick access sleep mode feature and the overall lightweight construction.

As for the display, Fitbit says the Charge 5 is twice as bright as the Charge 4 in daylight. While it suffers from the glare of the Corning Gorilla Glass case in direct sunlight, the screen quality is a significant step up from even at maximum brightness the grayscale touchscreens of past charge trackers.

I barely realized I was wearing the tracker because it was so light and fitted so well.

Despite the glare issue, the display is impressive. Although the screen is small with a 1.04 inch viewing area, it feels kind of spacious. It was easy to interact with and lacked major responsiveness issues. When wiping from left to right, I noticed very little inertia.

power

The Charge 5 is a dedicated fitness tracker, so expect support for some automatic workouts like running, walking, and biking that it offers. The Charge 5 supports a total of 20 training modes, seven of which have GPS tracking.

The Charge 5 proved to be a great motivator to schedule daily walks as my form of exercise while I dropped out of my almost daily running routine due to an injury. It automatically tracked several of my 30 minute to 1.5 hour hikes and walks with no issues. When I started running from the tracker, GPS tracking was slightly delayed, but it never took more than a minute or two to catch up.

Training days displayed on a Fitbit Charge 5.

Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

Reminder to move on a Fitbit Charge 5.

Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

Summary of the day view on a Fitbit Charge 5.

Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

I compared the tracking accuracy of my walks with a Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. The Active 2 is definitely more of a smartwatch, but it fits the fitness and wellness focus of the Charge 5. The Active 2 records GPS much faster than the Charge 5 and has a responsive start / stop function, which the Charge lacks, but the two were on track in terms of performance to record my daily walking workouts. The Charge 5 met the Active 2 step for step size, average heart rate and total time.

The Charge 5 has an ambitious list of wellness specs.

While trackers are much more wellness focused than smart features, I've found that the best fitness trackers combine the two in meaningful ways. The Charge 5 does this with features like Google Fast Pair with Android phones and contactless payments with Fitbit Pay. This tracker also offers notifications for calls, SMS and emails, as well as a quick reply feature for Android users. Notifications came instantly from my iPhone and were easy to see and clear with a few taps of the finger.

Advanced features

The Fitbit brand is arguably more about wellness than fitness alone, and the Charge 5 has an ambitious list of wellness specs. In addition to the usual 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep cycle tracking, and active minutes and zones that most Fitbits offer, this latest tracker also offers blood oxygen saturation (SPO2) monitoring and electrodermal activity (EDA) analysis of stress levels. While more basic features like climbing floors and manual heart rate tracking would have been nice too, the Charge 5 focuses on the latest wellness technology.

Charge 5 will soon have support for the Fitbit EKG app, which allows you to take heart rhythm measurements right from your wrist. It will also provide a new Daily Readiness Score for premium members. This score analyzes your sleep and heart rate variability and looks for signs of fatigue to let you know whether your body is ready to exercise or rest. The Daily Readiness Score seems to be similar to what I've seen on Garmin smartwatches targeting multisport and triathlon tracking, which I've found to be pretty accurate and helpful for training.

EDA scan runs on a Fitbit Charge 5.Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

software

The Charge 5 provides a clear summary of the daily statistics that is easy to see. However, like other Fitbit wearables, it is very tied to the companion app for insights into how you've slept, exercised, or moved according to the tracker. The app is also key for customizations like setting up Fitbit Pay, changing the watch face, and participating in challenges. Fortunately, the Fitbit app is very clean and not intimidating, though you may need to dive into a few hidden features if you're not familiar with the layout.

You can examine each data tile and learn more, or remove (hide) it if you are not interested in keeping track of it. None of the data appears overloaded with information. Sleep data can be particularly detailed without feeling inaccessible, and provides an overall assessment and breakdown of sleep stages. The app also offers tools to help you change your habits, such as: B. Setting a smart alarm (to wake you gently 30 minutes before the alarm clock) or assessing how stressed you feel.

Tap a Fibit Charge 5 awake.Yoona Wagener / Digital Trends

The premium subscription unlocks the deeper health data you may want to keep an eye on, such as: B. Your heart rate variability, skin temperature fluctuations and saturation of blood oxygen content (SPO2). It also gives you access to Premium's one-stop-shop wellness features, with everything from guided exercise programs to tips on how to get rid of sugar for good. Regardless of whether you pass on a premium membership or continue with it, the app interface is easy to navigate and offers the opportunity to be more concerned with your data and habits.

Battery life

Like the Charge 4, the Charge 5 also promises a potential one-week battery life. Using the dynamic GPS mode, which is based on your phone's GPS unless you have it with you, and turning off the screen that is always on are some of the battery saving features I took advantage of during my week of testing.

I experienced a solid 5.5 days which seems like a fair result as I've used the built-in GPS multiple times. While a full week would have been ideal, this battery power surely outperforms some smartwatches that only last two days. It also took about 90 minutes to charge. This charging time is tracked with Fitbit's estimate of up to two hours to charge the battery.

Price and availability

the 5. charge Retails for approximately $ 180 and ships in late September. It is available in a standard model in three different color options (black / graphite, moon white / soft gold and steel blue / platinum) and small and large ribbons.

Our opinion

The Fitbit Charge 5 is a stand-out fitness tracker that improves everything Fitbit trackers are good at. Its compact and fashionable design makes it an ultra-portable 24/7 accessory. But in addition to the modern and sleek look, it's packed with wellness features and data that you can immerse yourself in with the easy-to-use Fitbit app.

Is there a better alternative?

You will have a hard time finding a match at all of the same levels as the Charge 5. If you like the look of a traditional watch better and you're tied to a specific smartphone operating system, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 or Apple Watch SE might be compelling. If you're on a budget, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 better mirrors the look of the Charge 5, with a modest but helpful range of exercise modes, sleep tracking, and a possible 15-day battery life depending on usage.

How long it will take?

The Charge 5 is more advanced than any previous batch. Thanks to material upgrades, advanced wellness support and waterproof protection (for swimming up to 50 meters), you should be in good shape for several years. If something unexpected happens, the Charge 5 comes with a one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes, this is one of the best fitness trackers from a brand specializing in fitness and wellness. The Charge 5 is attractive, easy to carry, and a great choice for anyone looking for a tracker with the latest Fitbit innovations.

Editor's recommendations



14 Aug
Blog

Fitbit Ace 3 Review: Kids Tracker for the Fitbit Family

fitbit ace 3 tests lifestyle images from 4

"The Fitbit Ace 3 uses rewards and fun challenges to help children lead healthy lifestyles."

advantages

  • Easy to use

  • Comfortable fit in child size

  • Attractive, animated user interface

  • Fun, family challenges

disadvantage

  • The fastener can break

  • Works best with a parental Fitbit

Activity trackers are usually aimed at adults who want to get fit and stay fit. These trackers are designed for adults and have interfaces designed for adults rather than children. While they may not set the Fastest Known Times, kids can benefit from the health benefits of a fitness wearable.

Fitbit wants to reach these kids with its Ace 3 tracker, which has an animated user interface and a kid-friendly design. How does the Fitbit Ace 3 hold up to the demands of childhood? We tested it on a couple of elementary school children to find out.

Design: Small, but mostly robust

Although it's a kid's device, the Ace 3 isn't a problem. It has a triaxial accelerometer for step tracking and detailed sleep monitoring. There's even a heart rate monitor, but it's probably not turned on for privacy reasons. On the surface, it seems Fitbit has taken its adult tracker and reduced it for kids.

Fitbit Ace 3 is worn around a child's wrist with a hula hoop.

The touchscreen is small enough for a child's wrist, but not too small for a child's hand. My kids had no problem swiping or typing on the screen. The black and white display is big enough for kids to see their stats and bright enough to be seen from outside and inside. Unlike the Fitbit Ace 2, which is completely covered with silicone, the Ace 3 has recesses for the buttons so that they are easy to press.

The Ace 3 is reminiscent of Fitbit's early fitness trackers. It consists of a tiny fitness tracker unit that fits into a sturdy silicone strap. The bracelet is designed for smaller wrists with an easy-to-use standard watch clasp. My children, 8 and 10 years old, had no problem putting the band on and off themselves. It was comfortable to wear day and night and we had no problems with rashes. We took some preventive measures that minimized skin irritation. After a day outdoors, we took off the tracker and washed both my child's wrist area and the tracker.

A child playing tug of war while wearing Fitbit Ace 3.

While not as slim and slim as Fitbit's all-in-on trackers like the Charge 4, the Ace 3's modular design is perfect for kids who are electronics-prone. If the tape breaks, it's easy to replace. Simply pull out the tracker unit and place it on a new tape. Be prepared to replace the tape, especially if your child likes to take the tracker on and off. We broke one tie in our tests while the second stood the test of time.

Software: fun and kid-friendly interface

The user interface adheres to basic step counting and doesn't overwhelm your kids with advanced metrics like heart rate analysis or calorie consumption. It features a handful of fun watch faces that my kids loved. Our favorites were the animated ones that change with fitness stats. The missile, for example, was nearing launch as the step count neared its target. When they reached their target, the missile took off with a bang, much to the delight of my younger child. I found that the younger the child was, the more they enjoyed these animations.

The Fitbit Ace 3 harnesses rewards and fun challenges to help children lead healthy lifestyles.

Another feature we liked was the family competitions, where my kids could challenge family members and friends to do the most steps in a day. We often had to take an extra walk around the block to add that extra step count. The Fitbit Ace 3 judiciously uses more than one strategy to encourage your children to exercise, as not every child is motivated in the same way. My younger child enjoyed the rewarding animations, while my older child seemed more motivated by this competition than just achieving their goal.

Performance: Viewing fitness stats can be annoying

The Fitbit Ace 3 is a kid's device and, as such, has a parental component that you need to navigate through. Almost everything is done through the parent's Fitbit account under the My Family tab in the Fitbit app. How you view your child's daily fitness stats depends on whether or not they have their own mobile device. For older children, you can install the Fitbit app on the child's device and they can keep track of their stats for themselves. It's a little harder to see the stats with your younger kids.

Younger children who don't have a mobile device need to use the Fitbit app on their parent's phone or tablet to view their daily stats. You can switch between two views – the parent's view with their tracker information and a child's view with data from the child's tracker. This kids view is simplified so your kids can easily track their progress without being overwhelmed with too many numbers.

A girl holding onto a skateboard while wearing Fitbit Ace 3.

My kids looked forward to checking their stats on my iPhone several times a day and changing their watch faces frequently. Unfortunately, it was a pain to switch between the child's and the parent's views. Every time you return to the parent view, you will have to enter your password. I couldn't use a fingerprint or facial recognition for this authentication step, so I had to enter my randomly generated, 12-digit string. It was so annoying that I changed my Fitbit password to a shorter and easier to remember one, which is likely to compromise the security of my account for convenience.

Our opinion

The Fitbit Ace 3 takes the best features of its successful fitness tracker line and bundles them in a tracker that was developed exclusively for children. The Ace 3 has a vibrant user interface that encourages kids to exercise. It is especially effective for elementary school children who get caught up in animation and family-friendly competitions. Older kids, like the fast growing tweens, may find this tracker too childish.

Is there a better alternative?

The main competitor of the Fitbit Ace 3 is Garmin's Vivofit Jr. 2, which offers a similar playful user interface. Both are very powerful trackers for kids, so your choices should be made based on the platform. If you already own a Fitbit, or are planning on buying a Fitbit, then the Ace 3 should be your first choice. It integrates seamlessly with the Fitbit app and enables communication with and control of the child's device. Likewise, those with a Garmin device should stick with the Garmin ecosystem and get a Vivofit Jr.

How long it will take?

The Fitbit Ace 3 will last a few years, depending on your child's age and activity level. Your child can grow out of the device before it breaks. The weak point is the closure of the tape, which is made of plastic. However, since the tracker can be detached from the tape, you can easily replace the tape if it breaks. Fortunately, Fitbit offers a one-year limited warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use.

Should you buy it?

If you're looking for a new fitness tracker for your kids, the Fitbit Ace 3 should be at the top of your list. It has a comfortable fit and a fun user interface that will keep your child moving all day. If you already own the Fitbit Ace 2 or a competing kid tracker, there's no need to upgrade. The Ace 3 primarily offers an improved user interface that is not a compelling reason to upgrade.

Editor's recommendations



05 May
Blog

Apple AirTag Review: Tracker Leverages Billions of Devices

Apple Airtag rating 1

"AirTags are a great way to keep track of your belongings as they take advantage of the vast ecosystem of Find My products developed by Apple."

  • Very easy to use

  • Uses a huge ecosystem

  • Replaceable battery

  • Precision tracking works great

  • Accessories are expensive

  • Some privacy concerns

Apple's Find My app has long been a great way to keep tabs on your iPhone, Mac, or iPad. But what about your non-smart items? After years of rumors and leaks, AirTags are finally here to help you keep track of everything else you want to attach them to and bring everyday non-smart items to the connected world.

AirTags use some fancy technology to beat the competition in ways that only Apple can match. That said, Apple's Find My network is now available on every iPhone. This means that you can be informed of the location of your items in near real time, provided they are in a relatively well-populated area.

AirTags have a lot to offer. At first glance, they aren't overly expensive and are great to incorporate into Apple's walled garden. They're not perfect, but if you're a hardcore Apple user they get pretty close.

Design and furnishings

AirTags are small and portable, making them very easy to keep on a keychain or in a purse or wallet. In terms of base size, AirTags are 1.25 inches wide and 0.31 inches thick.

Of course, most of the time this won't be your actual size. This is because AirTags do not have a hole for a key fob. So if you want to keep an AirTag on your keys (or anything other than a sealed pouch), you'll need to purchase an accessory to hold the AirTag. Yes, accessories for your accessories.

It's a little frustrating that the key fob hole is missing. Sliding an AirTag onto a set of keys is perhaps the most obvious use for them, and while Apple wants to push AirTag accessories, it seems like a pretty basic feature that needs to be ignored.

AirTags look pretty good. They have white plastic on top and a silver back with the Apple logo. This back is perhaps surprisingly removable. Underneath is a button cell battery that you can replace yourself. It's a bit of an un-Apple step, but a very welcome one, though you don't have to remove the back more than once a year or so. And it's better than many other similar trackers that don't have a removable battery.

Apple's own AirTag holders are very nice, of course – although they are a bit pricey. I've used the AirTag leather keyring most of the time, the simplest offering that is $ 35. That's right, it's more than the $ 29 AirTag itself. Most people will go the more rational route – I found a pack of four similar holders on Amazon for $ 25. While I can't speak to the quality of these, let's face it, they're probably fine. Apple's accessories are of course very high quality – you just have to pay a lot for them.

As you'd expect from an Apple product, setting up an AirTag is easy. In this case, of course, you will need an iPhone with iOS 14.5 or higher. Simply unpack the device, pull out the plastic battery label, and place the device next to your iPhone. It should appear like a new pair of AirPods. Then you can connect it to your Apple ID, name it and give it a small symbol. Once you've set it up, you'll be able to see it along with everything else in the new Items tab of the My Search app.

Features and performance

As mentioned earlier, AirTags work on the Apple Find My network. This means that they can communicate with other Apple devices, even those that do not belong to you, to let you know where they are. When an iPhone is within Bluetooth range of your AirTag, its location is updated and you can see exactly where it is – without the owner of that accidentally passing iPhone ever knowing. This is an incredible way to take advantage of the number of iPhones in the world and an example of why AirTags work so well.

Competitors like Tile offer similar features – but will never be as effective. Tile trackers can communicate with any phone that has the Tile app installed. That's a far fewer number of people than those who have iPhones simply activated with Bluetooth.

If an iPhone is within Bluetooth range of your AirTag, its location will be updated and you can see exactly where it is.

If you lose an item with an AirTag, the Find My app has a number of features that you can use to quickly retrieve it. For starters, you can see the last known location of an item on a map. If you are in a populated area it is likely that the location will be nearly accurate. Once you're approximately 30 feet from the subject, you're within Bluetooth range – and that's where precise tracking comes in. Precision tracking uses the U1 chip in your iPhone and AirTag to get an accurate location. I have found that it is accurate to within a few centimeters. If you use this feature, you will see instructions on your iPhone for where your item should be.

If you still can't find it, or if you know you're around, you can set off a tone from your AirTag to help you find it. The alarm will be relatively loud, especially given the size of the device. All of the tools work relatively well together, making it easy for you to find your lost item.

AirTags also have a special "lost mode". If you lose an AirTag, you can turn on lost mode in the Find My app. You will then receive a notification if it is found by another device on the Find My network. There is an NFC chip in AirTags. If an AirTag is in Lost Mode, another iPhone user can tap an AirTag to find your contact information when you enable this feature.

Privacy concerns

Of course, there are some privacy concerns about AirTags – as with anything designed to be "tracked". However, Apple added some features to prevent problems from occurring. The first privacy concern is that someone could slip an AirTag into someone else's purse or pocket without them knowing where it is. If your iPhone detects that there is an AirTag with you on the way and the owner is not there, you will receive a notification on your phone. If after a while you still can't find the AirTag, it will start chirping, which is also useful for users with an Android device.

Unfortunately, these features may not work as quickly as they should. The notification will take a few hours to appear and the sound may not turn on for three days. In other words, someone could still use an AirTag to track someone else's location without them knowing if they are an iPhone user for at least a few hours or a few days if they don't have an iPhone.

Fortunately, your own location is no problem for AirTags. AirTags do not store location information locally – instead, this information is stored encrypted in the cloud. AirTags should be near the bottom of the list of anyone concerned about tracking, as the phone you carry with you everywhere is far better suited for this.

Our opinion

Apple AirTags are a great way to keep track of your belongings. They use the huge ecosystem of Find My products developed by Apple and can be seamlessly integrated into your iPhone.

At $ 29, the actual AirTag is also relatively cheap. However, if you want to use it for your keys or attach it to something else instead of tucking it in a secure pouch, you need to consider the cost of accessories. That can really add up when you buy multiple AirTags.

Are there any better alternatives?

If you are an iPhone user, there are no better alternatives. Apple has enabled third-party support for the Find My network, so better alternatives may eventually be released. However, Apple users who are prone to losing their keys or other items should stick to AirTags for the time being.

Of course, if you're not too keen on staying in the Apple ecosystem, there are other options. The most important of these is Tile's wide range of products, which include credit card size trackers, trackers with a hole in your keychain, and so on. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, Tile's trackers can't network half of US smartphone users like AirTags, but they're a great option for basic tracking.

AirTags and Tile-Tracker are similar in price. You can get a pack of four AirTags for $ 100. That's the same price as a 4-pack of Tile Pro trackers. While Tile Pro trackers offer a keychain hole, they don't have the same integration as the devices Apple designed themselves.

How long it will take?

AirTags should last for years. They have a replaceable battery that can be charged for a year and they are IP67 waterproof so they should withstand things like rain, the weird drop in the sink, etc. Don't get them wet on purpose, but if they get wet they should survive.

That doesn't mean AirTags won't get scratched. If you leave them on your keys over time, they will definitely get some scratches – but should still work just fine.

Should you buy it?

Yes. AirTags are the best trackers for iPhone users right now.

Editor's recommendations




22 Apr
Blog

Fitbit Charge 4 Review: The Fitness Tracker To Buy

Fitbit Charge 4 review 1

"The Fitbit Charge 4 is a great fitness tracker at an affordable price."

  • Excellent fitness tracking

  • Some intelligent functions

  • Good battery life

  • GPS installed

  • Solid value

  • Limited music support

  • Slightly outdated design

  • Ad could be better

It is important to me to keep track of my health. I use MyFitnessPal to track what I eat, Sleeptracker to monitor my sleep, and Apple Watch to track my fitness and activity. All of this information is linked in the Apple Health app. The Apple Watch even made me aware that I might have atrial fibrillation – a diagnosis that was later confirmed by cardiologists. In a world with all of these high-tech, artificially intelligent tracking systems, the humble Fitbit can feel a little old-fashioned.

While the Fitbit Charge 4 can't keep up with the Apple Watch in many areas, it's pretty much the best fitness tracker you can buy for the price. This is especially true since the device now finally offers integrated GPS and new heart monitoring functions.

Let’s take a closer look.

design

The Fitbit Charge 4 looks almost identical to the Fitbit Charge 3 – and although the Charge 3 offered an updated design, it still feels a bit dated at this point. That doesn't mean it's ugly. The device is small enough to look good on wrists of all sizes, and easily adaptable thanks to the wide range of straps.

There is a 1-inch monochrome OLED display with a resolution of 160 x 100 pixels on the front of the device. The display is pretty boring and sometimes frustrating to use. It is not always on and often does not wake up when you raise your wrist. In addition, it is not very bright and can sometimes be difficult to read in sunlight. An updated display would have been desirable here.

On the Charge 4 side there is a haptic button that activates the display and serves, among other things, as a home button in the device software. It works well, although sometimes you have to push harder to make it work. However, you will get used to it. The charging pins and a heart rate monitor are located on the underside of the device.

As you would expect from a fitness tracker in 2020, the device is waterproof up to 50 meters and therefore supports swimming tracking. I was unable to get to a pool due to the ongoing ban to test this.

In general, the overall design of the Fitbit Charge 4 could be described as "good". It does the job. It is not noticeable and the display is somewhat lackluster. After all, this is not a smartwatch, but a fitness tracker. And it looks like this.

Track fitness

Before you actually track your fitness, you should dive into the app and find out which activities you think will be used the most since the device contains only six shortcuts each. I actually thought the Charge 4 couldn't track tennis, but it can track a variety of activities – you just have to indicate which ones are most important to you. By default, the shortcuts include running, cycling, swimming, treadmill, outdoor training, and walking.

It's a little annoying that only six links can be included. I wouldn't call myself the most active person out there, but I'm still chasing walks, runs, weight training, and occasional tennis and swimming lessons. It's easy to imagine that someone has to do more than six types of activities on a regular basis.

New for the Charge 4 is the built-in GPS, a very welcome addition. With the GPS, you can finally leave your smartphone at home if you want to physically follow your run. I found the GPS accuracy to be pretty accurate – and even slightly more accurate than the Apple Watch.

The fact that the device has an integrated GPS surpasses most other trackers, especially in this price range. Most other GPS-enabled devices are fully functional smartwatches, with the exception of Garmin Vivosport, which deals with other features like swimming tracking and some other fitness metrics.

The workouts that use GPS track things like pace, speed, distance, time, and heart rate. Other workouts record time, calories burned, and heart rate. It's a good range of metrics, and these things can all be seen directly from the Fitbit app.

The Charge 4 can automatically track some workouts like running, walking, cycling, elliptical training and more. This has been useful more than once. During this period of social distancing, I try to take at least a few walks a day – and I may not remember starting a workout to follow them because I do not always see them as "workouts". The Fitbit Charge 4 covered me because I was pleasantly surprised to see all of my walks in the app.

You can also track your sleep with the Fitbit Charge 4. While wearing a device in bed takes a bit of getting used to, a lot of data is collected – and when you get Fitbit Premium, you'll see how Fitbit breaks down your score. It's hard to determine how accurate sleep tracking is without a dedicated sleep lab, but the results seem to match my attitudes toward my sleep and the rating I get from Sleeptracker.

Although I haven't tested it for obvious reasons, the Charge 4 offers menstrual cycle tracking. With the app you can log symptoms and moods and compare them with other users and previous months. The Charge 4 also helps with mental health – thanks to the integrated Relax app, which allows you to do breathing exercises.

Not quite a smart watch

Now let's get this out of the way. The Fitbit Charge 4 is not a smartwatch. If you want a smartwatch, you should look elsewhere.

That doesn't mean the Fitbit Charge 4 doesn't have intelligent features. On the contrary, it can do a number of things you would expect from a smartwatch. You can see many notifications on your wrist, including text messages, calls, and more. The device now supports Fitbit Pay, which makes mobile payment easier.

Another new feature is the ability to control music playback on your phone using Charge 4. Unfortunately, the feature is limited to Spotify and you cannot control the music during exercise. This makes the tracker function pretty useless for fitness purposes. You also cannot save music to your device. If you want to use GPS support to leave your phone at home but still want to listen to music, you're out of luck.

This essentially completes the Smartwatch-like list of functions in Charge 4. It does not have to be included in an app store. It cannot record audio. No calls are answered. GPS navigation cannot be provided. The local weather is not shown. And so on. The lack of this feature is not a real flaw on the Charge 4, as its focus on fitness undoubtedly adds to the tracker's reasonable price.

If you're looking for a real smartwatch, you should consider other options. If you're an Apple user, you can only pay a little extra for an Apple Watch Series 3. The Apple Watch is not quite as detailed in fitness tracking, but it is very powerful and offers all the other functions you would expect from a smartwatch.

The Fitbit app

Merging all the data the tracker collects is the app – and it's a home run. Fitbit has been working on his app for years and it is incredibly detailed. The app's dashboard shows things like the number of steps you've taken, the number of floors you've climbed, your heart rate, and more. Tap these metrics to see more detailed information.

During a run, you can see on a map where you ran, along with the “heart zones” reached on that map and your pace. Scroll down and you'll get an overview of your height, a breakdown of your heart zones, heart rate information, calories burned and much more.

The app is great for tracking and rewarding goals. You can find all types of goals on offer, including weekly and daily goals. Active Zone Minutes takes recommendations from the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association and converts these recommendations into minutes of training. It can be a little confusing, but the essence is that you give more credit to your goals for more intense training, which encourages users to push themselves.

You have to look in the settings to find some of the features offered. However, once you get used to the design of the app, it's easy to find out. For example, you can't just go to the Settings menu to tweak your device's settings, you have to tap your device first and then go to its own Settings menu. It makes sense if you think about it, but it can still be a little confusing.

Overall, the Fitbit app is fantastic. It is well designed and makes it easy to sort the huge amount of data that the Fitbit Charge 4 collects.

Battery life

The Fitbit Charge 4's battery life is up to an impressive week of use – but this largely depends on how often you use GPS. According to Fitbit, you only get five hours of operation when GPS is activated. In practice, the battery will be empty for a few days when you use the device to track workouts.

That's not bad. With “real” smartwatches, you can only work for a day or two.

Although battery life is good, the fact that you may be using this device to track your sleep means that you need to actively think about when to charge your charge. For some, it's in the shower or when you're sitting at your desk.

Our opinion

The Fitbit Charge 4 is the best fitness tracker on the market. Thanks to the built-in GPS, it's significantly better than the Charge 3, and the Fitbit app allows those who want to dive into their fitness metrics to do so.

However, the age of fitness trackers is coming to an end. If you're an Apple user, you can purchase a new Apple Watch Series 3 for just $ 50 more. If you can afford it, an Apple Watch Series 4 or 5 is even better. On the Android side there are watches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2.

On the fitness tracker side, the only competition comes from devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fit, the Huawei Band 4 Pro, and some Garmin devices – but in any case, you sacrifice either GPS or decent software. The Fitbit Charge 4 is the complete package.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're looking for a traditional fitness tracker, the Fitbit Charge 4 is the way to go, and competition is very little in the way. If you're looking for a versatile device that can do more than just fitness tracking, consider something like the Apple Watch.

Do you want more options? Check out the best fitness trackers for 2020.

How long it will take?

The Fitbit Charge 4 should last at least a few years under normal use. The body is designed to withstand a few bumps and has a water resistance of up to 50 meters.

Should you buy it

Yes. The Fitbit Charge 4 is a great fitness tracker, and the Fitbit app is an almost perfect companion.

Editor's recommendations




01 Apr
Blog

Wyze Band Review: Put This Tracker on Your Radar

Wyze band on the wrist

Wyze Band Review: Put this tracker on your radar

"The Wyze Band is an affordable fitness tracker that you can use to control your smart home."

  • Heart rate tracker at an affordable price

  • Sleep tracking also included

  • Incredible value

  • Alexa built in

  • The screen is a little shaky

  • Difficult to put on

Most people know Wyze as a company that makes smart home products such as the Wyze Lock and Wyze Smart Plug. The company not only wants to make your home intelligent, Wyze now also wants intelligent technology with the addition of Wyze band to his lineup. With so many fitness bands already on the market, Wyze faces tough competition. So it fits together

Alexa on the wrist

Wyze band on the wristAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

The Wyze Band's standout feature is the addition of Alexa. However, this is not the only fitness band with Alexa. It just seems that Alexa's uses are different in this particular band.

You feel a bit like James Bond when you walk through the door and then tell the watch to lock the door behind you.

While Fitbit's Alexa focuses on your body, Wyze Band's Alexa seems to focus more on controlling your smart home devices and more traditional applications. By holding your finger on the screen, you can activate Alexa and ask questions, or use the voice assistant to control your home devices like lights, locks, and more. You feel a bit like James Bond when you walk through the door and then tell the watch to lock the door behind you.

Unlike Fitbit, I couldn't use Alexa to tell me how many steps I took or other fitness information. By the way, Alexa doesn't talk about the Wyze Band. All answers are displayed as text on the screen. This could be a bonus if you hate Alexa's or a digital voice.

Features you'll love

Wyze band backAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

Aside from Alexa, the Wyze Band has a pretty good summary of the features. It records steps / distance, heart rate and sleep, and everything can also be tracked in detail in the Wyze app. The battery also lasts a remarkable 10 days. To compare how good this is, the Fitbit Inspire only lasts up to five days. The less you have to charge, the better. The Wyze Band is also water resistant up to 50m, which means you can swim, dive or just walk in the rain.

Great view, dubious note

I was quite impressed with the clear clarity of the AMOLED touchscreen, which is comparable to the more expensive fitness tracker Samsung Galaxy Fit. It almost looked like I was looking at the screen on my phone. The colors were bright and everything was super clear and easy to read.

Where the screen is neglected is its responsiveness. It has a function that should turn on the screen automatically when you lift your wrist. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. I usually had to move my wrist a little to turn on the screen.

In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Fit, it is activated when typing.

It was also not very touch sensitive. I think that's kind of good because it doesn't respond to accidental touches so easily. It was a little frustrating when I tried to access statistics. In contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Fit, it is activated when typing.

Band frustration

Snap Wyze BandAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

Attaching the band around your wrist is annoying. Instead of a buckle, the band has a small knob that is supposed to slip into a hole. It is frustrating and can take a minute to get that little knot into your preferred hole. If you have a handicap, such as carpal tunnel, arthritis, or tremors, securing the ligament may be next to impossible. I have a mild carpal tunnel and it took much longer than it took to get the Wyze band on my wrist.

Our opinion

At $ 25, the Wyze Band is cheaper than any other comparable brand fitness band on the market. While it's not perfect, it's a nifty tracker for the price. It lacks the ability to connect to your phone to check messages or track exercises other than running, but it can control your smart home devices. The Alexa capability is a great asset to such an affordable band.

Will it take?

The Wyze Band seems to break easily if it gets caught on something, but otherwise it seems robust. There is a one-year guarantee on material and workmanship.

Is there a better alternative?

For the price no. If you want more features, e.g. For example, the ability to use your phone with your tracker or to automatically track multiple types of exercises, the Fitbit Inspire HR for $ 70 is the next best choice.

Should you buy it

For $ 25, you really can't go wrong looking for a basic fitness and sleep tracker. The Wyze Band is a good choice. If you combine it with the also very affordable Wyze scales, you are on the way to a healthier lifestyle without spending a lot of money.

Editor's recommendations