Fitbit’s Charge series is no stranger to the fitness trackers world, and this year, it’s back with an upgraded version, the Fitbit Charge 5.
The new Charge 5 is positioned as the most advanced tracker in the lineup packed with premium features, an AMOLED display, ECG and EDA sensor and GPS, incased in an aluminum case.
Design and display
The Charge 5 is a big step up from the the Charge 4. The addition of the color AMOLED display is immediately noticeable. The display is brighter, more vibrant and visible in bright daylight situations.
The screen itself is wrapped in an aluminium case which comes in graphite, gold or platinum paired with with a silicone strap. The screen is an AMOLED 0.86” X 0.58” (21.93mm x 14.75mm) display, at 326ppi.
The entire watch is touched controlled, and there’s no physical button to be seen anywhere. To wake the screen, you only need to tap (which sat times can be unresponsive). The Charge 5 does have an always-on option, which can put a dent in the battery life, but we opted to use that to overcome the occasional lags.
Gestures wise, swiping left or right will access apps and exercises, while swiping down would bring the settings and swiping up would brings your health and fitness stats.
The optical heart rate sensor sits flush under the body of the the Charge 5, with the charging pins located at the end as well.
Capabilities and performance
The Fitbit Charge 5 comes with all the options which you would expect from a fitness tracker. There’s heart rate tracking sensor, sleep tracking capabilities, step tracking and automatic exercises with 20 different modes. Moreover, the Charge 5 is packed with an electrodermal activity app (EDA), which measures your stress level, along with SpO2 blood oxygen monitoring, skin temperature, and breathing rate.
Swiping right twice from the main screen navigates to exercise tab, which from there will open options for around 20 modes to choose from. Tapping the screen while on a specific mode would start it. There are 6 models pre installed (Run, Bike, Swim, Weights, Treadmill and Interval Work), while other modes can be installed though the mobile app easily. Sleep tracking is absolutely great in our experience, and performed much better than other trackers for sure.
Additionally, there’s also built-in GPS for built-in tracking, water resistance up to 50-metres, NFC for Fitbit Pay, and capable to display smartphone notifications too.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is very good in terms of performance and probably one of the best fitness trackers out there. Data provided is generally pretty reliable and accurate during our test period.
Battery life
The Fitbit Charge 5 promised battery life of up to seven days, and it delivered. The battery life drops to more or less 5 days with constant GPS use, and around 2 days with the always-on display mode turned on.
Verdict
Fitbit Charge 5 is a simple yet powerful fitness tracker that ticks all the right boxes.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is available for AED 799, which includes a six-month Premium membership (for new or returning customers). It is available online and in-stores in the UAE this fall through Amazon, Noon, Namshi, Virgin Megastore, GO Sport, Sharaf DG, Jumbo Electronics, LuLu, E-max, Dubai Duty Free, and other retailers.
