FitBit is back with an updated version of its ubiquitous fitness tracker. Does it still offer enough features to be considered as one of the best in the business?
What we love — Vibrant display, and plenty of fitness and health features for a tracker
The first upgrade you’ll notice over the FitBit Charge 4 is the screen; while previous models in the series offered just a dull greyscale display, this one boasts a vibrant colur AMOLED panel and is much the better for it, especially for when you need to check the watch under bright sunlight.
Despite this notable surface-level change, this wearable is still packed with the same features that made FitBit such a hit in the first place and more; basic functions like step counting and sleep tracking make a return, but there’s also an SpO2 monitor, a skin temperature sensor, plus GPS and GLONASS for accurate exercise mapping.
What we don’t like — Some promised features still missing
While the addition of an ECG is good news, and even potentially live-saving, it hasn’t actually been enabled yet (at the time of writing). What’s more, some features are barred unless you pay an extra monthly fee for FitBit Premium membership. This includes Daily Readiness Scores, and some other health insights.
On top of that, there are a couple of minor issues with the features that are present. GPS takes a while to lock on and isn’t as accurate as the likes of Garmin running watches, while that attractive new screen isn’t always as responsive as you’d like; the good definitely still outweighs the bad, but the raise-to-wake function can be temperamental, and swiping isn’t always that responsive.
Verdict
The FitBit Charge 5 packs in just enough upgrades to give it an ideal level of versatility as a fitness and health aid. There’s still room for improvement, notably to features that were promised but not implemented at launch, but it’s still a winner of a wearable.
Our Recombu reviews are created using data collected by Trusted Reviews Labs, utilising their testing expertise to bring you an easy-to-read, short-form review.
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