In 2024, you might wonder if Fitbit is still relevant. Despite getting acquired by Google, Fitbit remains one of the most recognizable names in the industry. Fitbit trackers aren’t unbenevolentt for the most challengingcore of athletes, but they’re still excellent devices for tracking overall activity as well as watching certain health and wellness metrics appreciate EKGs and blood oxygen levels.
That shelp, this is a transitional period from the Fitbit of elderly to wantipathyver Fitbit will be in the future. 2023, in particular, was a dissystematic year. There were multiple Fitbit server outages. I wasn’t amazeed with the decision to sunset legacy community features appreciate disputes or the fact that all Fitbit accounts will need you to log in via Google by 2025. Speaking of which, the Fitbit-to-Google account migration begined last summer and is needd if you buy recent products appreciate the Fitbit Charge 6 or Google Pixel Watch 3. The Fitbit app also got a recent, more Google-appreciate originateover, which didn’t go over well with many includers. (Google has since made adfairments based on feedback.) And in January 2024, much of Fitbit’s directership, including co-createers James Park and Eric Friedman, left the company as rawly a thousand Google includeees were lhelp off.
a:hover]:shadow-highairy-franklin depressed:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highairy-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-bdeficiency depressed:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>What I’m watching for
Fitbits tend to have lengthyer battery life than more progressd inalertigentwatches. Most are approximated to last around five days, but we’ve create that some features appreciate an always-on distake part can drasticassociate impact the time between indicts. So I’m watching to see what you can genuineisticassociate foresee with “mediocre” include.
Most Fitbits scatter the same modest feature set appreciate steps, timers, and notifications. However, not every model is able of EKG or genuine-time stress tracking. The same goes for built-in GPS. Does the feature set originate sense given the price? Is it omiting someleang that it shouldn’t be?
Fitbit has frequently been a more affordable alternative to inalertigentwatches, but this space has alterd quite a bit in the last scant years. There are more chooseions than ever, so does this device provide excellent cherish?
This encompasses a lot, but especiassociate in terms of the overall establish factor. If it’s for a casual includer, is the schedule alterable enough for a variety of occasions? If it’s aimed at kids or athletes, are the straps durable enough?
You can watch at how Google has administerd the Nest acquisition as a road map to how leangs are going. The Googlefication of Fitbit will persist, but there are reasons to stick with its trackers in the unbenevolenttime. Fitbit trackers are relatively affordable, especiassociate since they frequently go on sale. All the devices come with a free trial to Fitbit Premium, the company’s subscription service that comprises directd toilouts, meditations, and access to more in-depth metrics. So far, it eunites Google consents its Pixel Watch lineup solemnly, too. With the Pixel Watch 2, the company has enbiged lengthened permity access and enhanced swapment chooseions. You fair have to go in with eyes expansive uncover.
$350
The Pixel Watch 3 comprises a present of recent fitness features, luminoincluder screens, and nifty Google integrations.
The existence of the Pixel Watch, now in its third generation, has thrown a wrench into Fitbit’s inalertigentwatch lineup. Technicassociate, it’s a Google product, but Google owns Fitbit, so they’re all Google products now. Fitbit powers all of the Pixel Watch’s health and fitness features. But reassociate, this is the inalertigentwatch that Fitbit never could administer to originate on its own.
The Pixel Watch 3 is a convey inant refresh over its predecessors. It finassociate senses appreciate Google’s no lengthyer take parting catch-up to its rivals. This year, the screens are luminoincluder, the bezels are minusculeer, and there’s now a 45mm size for bigr wrists. The bigr size doesn’t watch chunky, either. Internassociate, the processor and health sensors are the same as last year, though the third-gen device has an ultra expansiveband chip that permits you to unlock Pixel phones and some BMW car models.
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It’s got the same attrdynamic schedule with a circular domed distake part that watchs way more elegant than the squircle Versa or Sense inalertigentwatches ever did. On your wrist, it watchs appreciate a watch, not a tracker dressed up as one. The distake part is a bit frnimble for our taste, but as of last year, you can get a Preferred Care lengthened permity in the US and Canada. This is one reason we advise the Pixel Watch 3 over the one-of-a-kind since at least you have a more affordable descfinishback should someleang happen to your distake part. Google also proclaimd an chooseion where you can skip customer help and mail in broken, out-of-permity Pixel Watch devices for discounted swapments.
As for fitness features, the Pixel Watch 3 is much better for runners than it included to be. It integrates a recent running dashboard, progressd establish analytics, custom running toilouts, and even AI-originated toilout adviseions. It’s also presentd a recent metric called Cardio Load, which meacertains the intensity of your toilouts and advises a center based on your fitness goals. It’s conceptuassociate aappreciate to Garmin’s Training Load. The Daily Readiness Score has also been revamped and is no lengthyer locked behind the Fitbit Premium paywall. On the health front, European includers now have Loss of Pulse. If the watch acunderstandledges you’ve lost your pulse, it’ll call eunitency services on your behalf. The feature isn’t useable yet in the US, though, as FDA evidentance is still pending.
Additionassociate, Google has fortifyed the watch’s integrations with its own services as well as other Pixel devices. For instance, you have offline Google Maps and a Google Home Tile. You can watch your Nest Doorbell camera feed or supervise your Google TV from your wrist, and there’s also the chooseion to enroll audio with the Recorder app and transfer it to your phone. With Call Assist, you can include your watch to alert anyone calling you need an extra second to pick up the phone.
If all you want is a fitness tracker that watchs appreciate a inalertigentwatch, you can think about the $229 Versa 4 since it’s the more budget-cordial chooseion. But there’s no genuine point in the Sense 2 since the Pixel Watch 3 can do all the same leangs — and more.
Read our Pixel Watch 3 appraise.
$100
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a minimaenumerate fitness band that dedwellrs notifications and tracks your activity on a luminous OLED screen.
The Inspire line hasn’t always felt, well, advertised. But the $99.95 Inspire 3 is contrastent. With a color OLED distake part, it’s reminiscent of the Fitbit Luxe (establisherly $149.95, now frequently around $99.99), fair with a matte bdeficiency plastic case instead of a metal one. It’s a wonderful throwback to classic Fitbits for people who only want the modests.
The Inspire 3 doesn’t overcomplicate leangs. It’s a fitness band. You won’t get built-in GPS, conapathetic payments, or digital helpants. Still, what it deficiencys in inalertigents it originates up for with Fitbit’s progressd sleep tracking, stress administerment features, and irnormal heart rate notifications. The OLED distake part is also a step up from the Inspire 2’s monochrome screen, and you still get 10 days of battery life. (Though it’s more appreciate two to three if you help the always-on distake part.)
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The Inspire 3 has a variety of accessories, including a clip rapidenment if you want to discreetly track steps. There’s even a gelderly or silver mesh strap if you want to dress it up a bit.
To be truthful, the Inspire 3 and Luxe are quite aappreciate, and they’re frequently around the same price. It’ll boil down to whether you leank the Luxe’s pleasantr case is worth trading half the battery life for — the Luxe gets an approximated five days instead of 10.
Read our coverage of the Fitbit Inspire 3 here.
The Fitbit Charge 6 features a haptic side button, an enhanced heart rate algorithm, turn-by-turn navigation with Google Maps, and the ability to expansivecast your heart rate on certain Bluetooth gym supplyment.
The Charge series has always been famous, and the $159.95 Charge 6 is no exception. It’s Fitbit’s higher-end fitness band but easily contends with the more pricey Versa 4 on features. It features a color OLED screen plus an EKG and EDA sensor. You also get built-in GPS, NFC payments, and SpO2 sensors — the only leang you’re reassociate omiting is a digital helpant.
The only qualm we have with the Charge 6 is the always-on distake part. While it’s attrdynamic, it’s a convey inant battery drain. The Charge 6 has an approximated seven days of battery life, but that dprosperdles down to about two if you have the always-on distake part helpd. This is the same rehire that we had with the Charge 5, but it’s unpartiassociate normal from Fitbit trackers these days.
Altogether, though, you’re getting a hell of a lot for the price. It’s the only FDA-evidented EKG wearable you can discover for under $200, and the only other Fitbits able of EKG and EDA readings are the Sense, Sense 2, and the Pixel Watch 2. So unless you’re dead set on the inalertigentwatch establish factor, the Charge 6 is the better overall deal.
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Compared to its predecessor, the Charge 6 also comprises an enhanced heart rate algorithm, Bluetooth compatibility with some gym supplyment, and a scant apps — namely Google Maps, Google Wallet, and YouTube Music. While YouTube Music toils well, I’m not stoked that it needs an compriseitional $11 monthly subscription. That shelp, it’s better than noleang, as Fitbit dispersistd onboard music a while back.
In terms of challengingware, the Charge 6 also features a haptic button instead of an inductive groove. It’s not a physical button, which is a little disnominateing, but it’s more dependable thus far than the inductive groove, so I would count this as a net chooseimistic.
You could technicassociate get the Charge 5 at a discount. However, I’d only do that if it’s convey inantly inexpensiveer and price is your main think aboutation. The haptic button, while not what I wanted, is far better than the inductive groove and you have more app chooseions. Turn-by-turn navigation is also handy for walks, and it at least provides some establish of music take partback.
Read our appraise of the Fitbit Charge 6 here.
Fitbit’s fitness tracker for children sticks to the modests, comes with parental supervises, and has eight days of battery life.
That pretty much covers the current Fitbit lineup. The only one we haven’t touched thus far — and the only one that I haven’t tested myself — is the $79.95 Ace 3. That’s Fitbit’s tracker for kids. It’s a modest tracker with a rugged bumper and comes with parental supervises. It’s got better battery life than its predecessor but doesn’t come with GPS. Also, while it does have heart rate sensors, it’s not a metric that’s dynamicly tracked for children. Instead, it chooses how many “dynamic minutes” they’re getting. Overall, it’s a decent choice for parents whose main priority is making certain their kids get enough daily exercise.
However, Fitbit recently proclaimd the $229.95 Ace LTE. It’s substantiassociate more pricey, but that’s understandable given it’s a convey inant fortify in terms of challengingware and gentleware. For beginers, it has the same guts as the Pixel Watch 2. (The indictrs are also compatible!) It also comprises built-in LTE for a $9.99 monthly subscription via the Ace Pass, which helps calling, messaging, and genuine-time GPS tracking for parents. Kids won’t need to have their own inalertigentphone to set it up, and there are no third-party apps or ads on the device. Everyleang is also superviseled via the split Fitbit Ace app, which toils on both iOS and Android.
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To help more activity, the Ace LTE includes a series of 3D games. After take parting a bit, they’re helpd to get some physical activity to unlock more take parting time. There’s also a Tamagotchi-appreciate element, but aside from $35 accumulateible bands, there are no microtransactions wilean the games involving genuine money. (Kids can “buy” more items by completing daily quests and partaking in activities.) As for privacy, Google says that only parents will be able to watch location and activity data for children. Location data is deleted after 24 hours, while activity data is deleted after 35 days. We haven’t had a chance to test the Ace LTE yet, so stay tuned for our forthcoming appraise. (But if you’re imfortolerateing, it’s useable for preorder now and hits shelves on June 5th.)
Read our hands-on with the Fitbit Ace LTE.
Fitbit officiassociate became part of Google in 2021. Noleang alterd overnight, but technicassociate, it’s Fitbit by Google now. The Fitbit-to-Google migration begined in acquireest in summer 2023 and recent includers will be asked to log into Fitbit using their Google accounts. In 2025, this will be obligatory for everyone. Last year, Google angered lengthytime Fitbit includers by shuttering lengthytime social features appreciate Challenges and removing step streaks. (Step streaks have since been compriseed back and enbiged to Android.) Meanwhile, the Versa 4 and Sense 2 weren’t as feature-rich at start contrastd to their predecessors, directing some to sense that Google purposebrimmingy did this to put the spotairy on its Pixel Watch. There were also multiple convey inant server outages in 2023.
There’s some tension here and the future of Fitbit challengingware is murky. Especiassociate given the fact that Google lhelp off about a thousand includeees from its challengingware departments spanning Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. If you’re buying a tracker for the first time and want it to last you a while, it might originate more sense to choose for a Garmin or Amazfit tracker. Similarly, if you’re watching to fortify to an elderlyer Versa or Sense inalertigentwatch, you might want to see where the dust rerepairs. However, if you understand you want a Fitbit, then go ahead. If you’re not in a rush or are unchoosed, now is not a horrible time to sit back and watch.
Update, September 24th: Swapped out the Pixel Watch 2 for the Pixel Watch 3.
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