Fitbit Charge 5: A Truly Advanced Fitness Tracker
MSRP $180.00
“The revamped Fitbit Charge 5 gives you everything you need in an advanced fitness tracker.”
strength
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Stylish and comfortable design
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Solid battery life
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Packed with advanced health indicators
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Onboard GPS with multiple modes
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Fitbit Pay support
weakness
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Sometimes input swiping is slow.
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Lack of basic exercise/health tools
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Some features require Fitbit Premium.
The last Fitbit Charge tracker I used before the Charge 5 was the much less innovative first-generation Charge HR. After wearing Charge 5 non-stop for a week I was impressed with a very different experience with Fitbit’s most advanced tracker ever. Compared to its predecessor, the Charge 4, the Charge 5 slightly enhances the overall wearable workout experience.
The new design makes this tracker more comfortable and attractive. But it also comes with a robust feature list that matches the brand’s most decorated smartwatches. Most notably, the Charge 5 is the first Fitbit fitness tracker to work with the Fitbit ECG app, joining the Fitbit Sense smartwatch for loyal Fitbit fans or first-time fitness tracker users. The revamped offers a lot to offer in a super wearable and easy-to-use style.
Design and comfort
It’s fair to say that the Charge 5 has been revamped. In a departure from previous out of the box models, the Charge 5 takes the lead from the rounded corners of the Fitbit Versa 3 or Apple Watch Series 7. These soft lines make the Charge 5 more current and desirable to wear day after day. Charge. 5 also enhances the quality with premium materials than the plastic inserts and rubbers of the previous generation. You’ll find a stronger, better-looking tracker made of aluminum, glass, and resin with a silicone band. and aluminum clasp in the Sport Band.
The swappable bands are soft, flexible and support smaller wrists — as small as 5.1 inches — that I know wearables are hard to find. Both the standard and especially the sport bands I tested felt like they were the first straps that fit my 5.5-inch wrist. I recently noticed that I have a tracker because it’s so light and fits so well. I’ve only taken it off before taking a shower. It’s also comfortable to sleep in, thanks to the quick-access sleep mode feature and overall light generation.
As for the display, Fitbit says the Charge 5 is twice as bright in daylight compared to the Charge 4. While it resists the glare of the Corning Gorilla Glass case in direct sunlight, even at maximum brightness, the quality of the screen is top notch. important episode Up from the grayscale touchscreen of the past charge tracker.
I just noticed that I have a tracker because it’s light and fits so well.
Despite the glare problem But the impressions are impressive. even though the screen is small But with a 1.04-inch viewing area, it feels spacious. It’s easy to interact with and there are no major issues with responses. I felt the least inertia by sliding my finger left and right.
efficiency
The Charge 5 is a dedicated fitness tracker. So you’d expect support for some automatic exercises, such as running, walking, and cycling, which is included. In total, the Charge 5 supports 20 exercise modes, seven of which include GPS tracking.
The Charge 5 became a great inspiration to schedule a daily walk as my form of exercise as I was excluded from my near-daily running routine due to injury. It automatically logs my many 30-minute to 1.5-hour hikes and hikes without issue. When I start walking exercise from the tracker Slightly delayed GPS capture But it never takes more than a minute or two to catch up.
I compared my walking tracking accuracy with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, while the Active 2 is definitely more of a smartwatch. But it fits in with the Charge 5’s fitness and wellness focus. The Active 2 captures GPS much faster than the Charge 5 and features a responsive start/stop feature that the Charge doesn’t, but both are effective at strides to record daily walking workouts. My Charge 5 follows an Active 2 step for distance strides. average heart rate and overall time
The Charge 5 has an ambitious list of health requirements.
Although the tracker is geared more towards well-being than smart features. But I’ve noticed that the best fitness trackers mix the two in a meaningful way. The Charge 5 does this with features like Google Fast Pair with Android phones and contactless payments with Fitbit Pay. There are also notifications for calls, texts, and emails, and a quick reply function for Android users. Notifications arrive right from my iPhone and are easy to view and clear with just a few taps.
advanced features
The Fitbit brand is more about health than just fitness, and the Charge 5 has an ambitious list of health specs. In addition to monitoring your heart rate 24/7 sleep cycle tracking and most active minutes and zones are available on Fitbits. This latest tracker also offers blood oxygen saturation (SPO2) monitoring and electrode activity stress level analysis. While more basic features like climbing floors and manual heart rate measurements would be nice too, the Charge 5 focuses on the latest in wellness tech.
Charge 5 is coming soon to support the Fitbit ECG app, which lets you assess your heart rhythm directly from your wrist. It will also provide a new daily availability score for premium members. This score analyzes sleep and heart rate variability. And look for signs of fatigue to let you know if your body is ready for training or rest. Daily readiness scores appear to be similar to those I’ve seen on Garmin smartwatches aimed at multisport and triathlon tracking. which I find quite relevant and useful for practice.
software
The Charge 5 provides a streamlined daily stats summary that’s easy to view. However, like other Fitbit wearables, it’s heavily tied to companion apps to understand how you sleep, exercise, or move around. follow The app is also a key to customizations such as setting up Fitbit Pay, changing watch faces, and taking part in challenges. Thankfully, the Fitbit app is clean and not intimidating. Although you may have to delve into a few hidden features. If you are not familiar with the layout
You can drill down to every tile and learn more or delete (hide) them if you’re not interested in following. None of the data appeared to be overloaded. Sleep data can be particularly detailed without feeling inaccessible. by giving the overall score and the division of sleep The app also includes tools to help you change your habits, such as setting a smart alarm. (to wake you up softly 30 minutes before your alarm) or rate how stressed you are.
A premium subscription unlocks deeper health metrics you may want to track, such as heart rate variability. fluctuations in skin temperature and blood oxygen saturation (SPO2) levels. It also gives you access to Premium’s comprehensive health features, with everything from guided workout programs to tips for kicking off sugar for good. Whether you pass on or continue as a Premium member, the app’s interface is intuitive and offers more opportunities to engage with your data and habits.
Battery life
Like Charge 4, Charge 5 offers up to a week of battery life using dynamic GPS mode, which relies on your phone’s GPS unless you’re not carrying it. And disabling the always-on display are a few battery-saving features that I took advantage of during the week of testing.
I have a solid 5.5 days of experience, which seems to work fine as I have used the built-in GPS many times. Even if it takes an ideal week But this battery performance is best with some smartwatches that only last for two days. It also takes around 90 minutes to charge. This charging time is tracked by Fitbit’s estimate of up to two hours to fill the battery.
Price and availability
N.S. charge 5 It retails for about $180 and ships in late September. It comes in one standard model in three color options (Black/Graphite, Lunar White/Soft Gold). and steel blue/platinum) and small and large bands.
our tech
The Fitbit Charge 5 is a fitness tracker that elevates everything Fitbit trackers do well. Its compact and sleek design makes it a 24/7 wearable accessory. But besides the sleek and modern look It’s also packed with health features and information that you can dive into with the easy-to-use Fitbit app.
Are there any better alternatives?
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a match on the same level as the Charge 5. If you prefer the look of a more traditional watch and you associate it with a dedicated smartphone operating system, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 or Apple Watch SE might be worth it. If you’re on a tight budget, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 will more closely mirror the look of the Charge 5. And comes with a mode of exercise that is just right. sleep tracking and battery life of 15 days depending on usage
How long will it last?
Charge 5 is more advanced than the previous charge. with material upgrade advanced health support and water protection (For swimming up to 50 meters), you should be in good shape for many years. Should the unexpected happen, 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 beautiful, easy to wear, and a great choice for anyone who wants a tracker packed with the latest innovations from Fitbit.
Editor’s recommendation
