Hands-on review: Fitbit Charge 5

Earlier this year, Fitbit introduced the Charge 5, a health and fitness tracker. With a sleek and slimmer design, the device keeps track of fitness, stress, heart health, sleep and overall well-being.

We got the product for a hands-on review and noticed that the device has some convenient features.

Design and display
Charge 5 is fully touch-operated with an aerodynamic design. The device features a new AMOLED colour display and is Fitbit’s first tracker with an always-on display option. The always-on display is convenient to check stats on the go or while training. In addition, the screen offers decent brightness both indoors and outdoors, and users can choose between three modes from the inbuilt settings – dim, normal, and max. Furthermore, the device is waterproof and can be submerged up to 50 metres.

Features
The Charge 5 is easy to navigate and use. When I swiped down from the top of the display, it let me access settings and Fitbit Pay. A swipe up from the bottom showed me daily statistics, while and a sideways swipe took me to notifications, EDA scans, alarms and exercise shortcuts.

Charge 5 is loaded with new features such as Daily Readiness Score and EDA scanner. The Daily Readiness Score assesses energy levels each morning and advises on activities relative to your status. In addition, it considered what impacted my score and provided activity recommendations and advice. For example, if your readiness score is high, you’ll be given an ambitious Active Zone Minutes target and workout suggestions. In contrast, if you have a low readiness score, the device will offer recommendations for yoga or meditation sessions and tips for improving your sleep.

The smart band also includes built-in GPS, 20 exercise modes, automatic exercise recognition. Additionally, if you opt for the premium, you can access more than 200 workouts from certified trainers.

With the amount of stress we handle every day, Charge 5 quickly included a stress management score in the Fitbit app. An EDA sensor on the device measures how the body responds to stress through tiny changes in the sweat glands on the fingers. In addition, premium offers 300 meditation and mindfulness sessions.

Nowadays, Heart rate variability (HRV) is gaining more traction in wearable devices. Charge 5 tracked my heart rate 24×7, providing notifications when I was above or below my range. In addition to this, it also offered a holistic view of other key wellness metrics such as breathing rate and skin temperature variation.

Battery life
While Fitbit promises seven-day battery life, it lasted shorter than four days for me with regular use. However, this is still a decent battery life, considering the device’s brighter and always-on display feature.

Pricing and availability
Charge 5 is suitable for those looking to track everyday fitness and health score. The device is now available online and in-stores in the UAE for Dhs799.