Fitbit Charge Review | 171 Data compared

The Fitbit Charge replaces the recalled Fitbit Force, retaining its predecessor's core functionality while introducing upgraded features like caller ID notifications and automatic sleep tracking. Priced at $129, this fitness tracker features a sleek, texturized rubber design that hides blemishes effectively. It provides real-time tracking for steps, distance, calories burned, and floors climbed using a built-in altimeter. Fitness stats and incoming call details are immediately accessible on its bright, slightly expanded 0.75-inch OLED display, which also features an intuitive double-tap gesture to quickly view the clock and date. Despite these improvements, the tracker carries over several noticeable downsides from older models. A major con is the device's poor sleep tracking accuracy and the fact that it is only water-resistant (splashproof) rather than fully waterproof. Furthermore, Fitbit sticks to a slightly modified version of its notorious two-pronged clasp, which is still prone to coming undone unexpectedly. On the positive side, the device boasts cross-platform compatibility with iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, a functional caller ID, and a skin-safe design that successfully avoided the irritation issues of the previous generation during testing.

The Fitbit Charge ($129.95) is a slim, comfortable, wrist-worn fitness tracker that acts as a direct, skin-safe replacement for the recalled Fitbit Force. Design pros include a sleek textured band with a secure two-prong clasp, an easy-to-read OLED display with a physical navigation button, and effortless automatic data syncing via an included USB dongle. On the feature side, it benefits from Fitbit’s highly intuitive mobile app and website, which seamlessly integrate with third-party apps like MyFitnessPal and allow users to log detailed health metrics such as calorie intake, blood pressure, and sleep history. However, a major design con is that the device is only water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, meaning it cannot be worn while swimming. Performance and functionality cons emerge when comparing the Charge to more advanced smartwatches and fitness trackers of its era. While it introduces basic caller ID, it completely lacks support for text messages, calendar alerts, or any other smartphone notifications. It also lacks a built-in optical heart rate monitor and skin temperature sensors, preventing it from gathering advanced biometric data. Consequently, its sleep tracking features...

Fitbit Charge Review Summary The Fitbit Charge is a comfortable, wrist-based tracker that builds upon the design of the older Fitbit Force while resolving its notorious skin-irritation issues. It effectively tracks daily steps, distance, active minutes, estimated calories burned, and sleep patterns. Unlike cheaper alternatives, it features a built-in altimeter to record flights of stairs climbed and a small OLED display that shows data metrics and smartphone caller ID alerts. It also includes a USB wireless dongle for easy computer syncing and connects seamlessly with a well-designed mobile app that integrates with third-party platforms like MyFitnessPal and Strava. However, the reviewer notes that the device faces stiff competition that has surpassed its core features. Key drawbacks include an insecure lugged clasp that can easily unfasten, and a display that requires a physical button press to activate rather than supporting a quick glance. Furthermore, the Charge lacks idle vibration alerts to encourage movement throughout the day, and its food tracking database is quite limited for UK users. Ultimately, while it is a decent basic fitness tracker if found at a discount,...

The Fitbit Charge is a sleek, wrist-worn fitness tracker that earns an "Excellent" 4.0 rating for its superb basic tracking features and stellar companion software. Positioned as a direct replacement for the recalled Fitbit Force, it boasts a lightweight, textured rubber band design equipped with a beautiful and sharp OLED display and a physical side button. The core strength of the device lies in its ability to accurately track basic health metrics like steps, distance, stairs climbed, calories burned, and sleep durations. Additionally, it features automatic wireless syncing via a tiny included USB dongle for computers, supports cross-platform compatibility across Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, and offers silent vibrating alarms alongside a new caller ID notification system. The entire experience is backed by Fitbit's best-in-class, highly intuitive mobile app and website ecosystem, which easily integrates with third-party applications like MyFitnessPal. Despite these solid capabilities, the review highlights that the tracker is relatively basic and lacks the advanced features demanded by veteran self-quantifiers. Its most notable limitation is the total absence of an optical heart rate monitor, meaning it cannot track...

The Telegraph review highlights the Fitbit Charge as a significant upgrade over the Flex, featuring a comfortable design, clear OLED display, and a seven-day battery life. Key advantages include accurate activity tracking with an altimeter, automated sleep monitoring, and a secure clasp. Conversely, the review identifies the overly sensitive side button as a major flaw, leading to accidental tracking activation. Additionally, its smartwatch functionality is limited, offering only caller ID, whereas competitors provide broader notification support. The Telegraph

The Fitbit Charge is a wrist-mounted fitness tracker released at the end of 2014, priced at $129 (often discounted to $99), that tracks steps, distance, floors climbed, and sleep data. The reviewer highlights several key advantages, noting that it features an exceptionally clear LCD screen easily readable in direct sunlight, and boasts an impressive seven-day battery life with a quick recharge cycle. Furthermore, its automatic sleep tracking is highly accurate, eliminating the need to manually toggle sleep mode. The device also integrates a practical date, time, and chronograph display, allowing it to easily replace a traditional watch, while its reinforced band clasp ensures comfort and security without causing skin irritation. However, the review outlines two major drawbacks to the device. First, it is only water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, meaning it cannot be submerged or worn safely in the shower. Second, it utilizes a frustrating proprietary charging cable, forcing users to carry an extra wire rather than a universal microUSB cable. Despite these minor issues, the reviewer considers the device to be highly accurate—matching the step counts of the belt-mounted...

Fitbit Charge & Charge HR Review Summary The Fitbit Charge and Charge HR are capable wrist-based activity trackers that excel at daily tracking but offer mixed performance for intense athletic use. On the positive side, both models leverage Fitbit’s industry-leading software ecosystem, providing seamless Bluetooth syncing to iOS, Android, and Windows Phone apps, alongside strong social features to compete with friends. They deliver highly reliable automatic sleep tracking without requiring manual mode switching. Additionally, the steps, distance, and calorie metrics are solid for daily trend analysis and can be accurately calibrated for standard walking or running paces. The Charge HR adds functional 24/7 continuous heart rate monitoring and integrates cleanly with the Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi weight scale. However, both units suffer from notable hardware and feature limitations. A major drawback is the lack of proper waterproofing, as both devices are rated only as "splash-proof," falling behind competitors that offer 30-meter depth ratings. The optical heart rate sensor on the Charge HR is thin and prone to light leakage, making it highly inaccurate for tracking rapid heart rate changes during gym...

The Fitbit Charge is a comfortable fitness band that successfully acts as a rebirth of the discontinued Fitbit Force, addressing previous design flaws with a vastly improved, secure snap-on wristband. It features a small, bright OLED readout that displays the time, steps, estimated calories burned, distance, and flights of stairs climbed via a built-in barometer. Its main strengths (pros) include a highly comfortable design, automatic sleep tracking, and useful silent vibrating alarms. Furthermore, it offers wireless syncing across iOS, Android, and Windows Phone platforms, and provides basic smartwatch functionality through incoming call notifications. It also boasts a standard one-week battery life per charge. However, the tracker suffers from several notable limitations (cons). Most significantly, it lacks heart-rate tracking, which is particularly disappointing given that the upgraded Charge HR model is available for just $20 more. The device is not water-resistant enough for swimming or showers, and its distance tracking can be slightly inaccurate during treadmill workouts. Additionally, the Fitbit app is starting to feel dated, lacks the intelligent, insight-based coaching found in competitor apps, and explicitly refuses to integrate with...

The PCMag review characterizes the original Fitbit Charge as a superb, basic tracker with a slim, comfortable design and an industry-leading software ecosystem for tracking steps, distance, and calories. It is highlighted as an excellent entry-level, everyday companion that functions well for casual users. However, the tracker lacks advanced features, such as continuous heart rate monitoring, skin temperature tracking, and built-in GPS, making it unsuitable for power users or those seeking detailed sleep metrics. Additionally, smart capabilities are limited to basic call notifications, offering no significant upgrade over older, more specialized trackers.