Fitbit’s latest fitness tracker – the Charge 5 – has landed in the UAE. The Fitbit Charge 5 health tracker marks the largest design change to the Charge family since the original came out in 2015.
The Charge 5 now reduces the sharp angles of previous Charge trackers and is the first Charge to feature a color-AMOLED display.
The screen of the Charge 5 is 10 per cent bigger than that of the Charge 4 and can reach 450 nits brightness (compared to the Charge 4’s 200). This means the screen will be easier to see when outside in the sun. And you can choose to have the screen on all the time – this means that you don’t need to wait for it to turn on just to see the time.
Fitbit Charge 5 always-on display
The display is useful and can be very useful but it comes with a high-cost: battery. Fitbit claims that the Charge 5 has a seven-day battery life. However, this is with the Charge 5’s always-on display off. It’s only two if you turn it on.
However, the design is certainly a major boon to the series. The Charge 5’s sleeker look is a far cry from the old Charge trackers with their hard edges and geometric shapes. Everything on the Charge 5 is smoother than before.
The Charge 5 is also buttonless, which means you can interact with it entirely via the touch screen, just like Fitbit’s more style-savvy Luxe. Although the silver side of the Charge 5 look like buttons they are actually sensors that allow you to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) or electrodermal activity readings to assess your body’s stress response.
Fitbit Charge 5: Introducing Daily Readiness
The Charge 5 is similar to other Fitbit devices and can monitor your heartbeat, sleep, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels. Fitbit has also introduced a new “Daily Readiness Score”.
Your Daily Readiness Score is based on how active you are, how much sleep you get, and your heart rate variability. Fitbit will recommend harder workouts if your score is higher than normal. However, Fitbit will recommends a shorter workout if your readiness score is lower than usual.
Now the bad news: that Daily Readiness Score is locked behind a US$10 per month subscription. However, the Charge 5 will include a complimentary six-month subscription to the service, if you’re interested in trying it out.
The Charge 5 allows you to use Fitbit Pay to pay with your Charge 5. If your Fitbit is paired to an Android device, you’ll be able see notifications and respond to them with fast replies.
The Charge family has been a big hit for Fitbit; they have sold over 40 million devices so far. And the new Fitbit Charge 5 is a welcome addition to the family (although it will face stiff competition from the likes of Apple’s Watch)
The Charge 5 is available right now from all good gadget shops starting at AED800.
