Fitbit’s Charge 3 Actually Seems Like a Solid Smartwatch Alternative

The Fitbit Charge 3 seems shockingly light . That ’s croak to be the first matter that really strikes you about this fitness tracker . You pick it up and it lacks all the ponderousness you ’re habitual to for a gimmick like the Charge 2 or its precursor . It ’s lighter than my Apple Watch too , which is telling because Fitbit has crammed an fearsome lot of features into the machine while also giving it a redesign that makes it infinitely more attractive than the rest of the Charge line .

At first , the Charge 3 ’s black - and - ashen show does n’t seem much larger than the one find on the cathexis 2 , but the bezels are n’t as repugnant , and the display itself , in my limited experience with it , was much more responsive than the infuriatingly obtuse ones chance in many of Fitbit ’s other product .

There ’s an inducive push button on the side of the Charge 3 . you may press it like a traditional button , using it to navigate the expanded UI , but it does n’t move , and is alternatively touch - responsive . This , Fitbit says , is to help make the armorial bearing 3 swim - proof . It should be weewee repellent to depth of up to 50 m and will cross thing like laps and your metre in the pond .

Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)

Besides cross your swim and 14 other common exercises , the Charge 3 also brings over a feature article from Fitbit ’s smartwatches : Apps . At launch the selection will be confine to Fitbit ’s in - house poppycock , and it ’s all tiptop touchstone : warning gadget , atmospheric condition , timers , and a calendar — you bonk , the function , besides fitness tracking , that you ’d actually habituate on a wearable . Fitbit also says other apps will arrive after launching . It ’s a squeamish promise , but I ’m curious how something like Lyft or a movie tickets app might run on such a flyspeck screen .

One of the most telling things about the Charge 3 is its notifications . They might be the most robust found in a seaworthiness tracker . According to Fitbit , the Charge 3 will do by just about any notice your phone can slash at it . call option , text , email , and even notifications that your share ride is outside . And Android users will have the ability to quick reply to texts from that same notification arena . No other fitness tracker can do that , and between that and the other promised feature , this machine feels like a solid choice to larger , pricier , and more battery - strapped smartwatches .

Smartwatches incline to last around two to three daylight . Fitbit claims the Charge 3 will last seven days — up from the five solar day the Charge 2 lasted on modal . Fitbit also offers an NFC chip for contactless payment in a special version that will be an additional $ 20 and admit a 2d banding . Both saddle 3 models also include a fresh lockup mechanism for the bands so they should bind and come off more easy , enabling users to shift between a variety of bands made from silicone polymer , leather , or textile .

Photo: Alex Cranz

That’s a button!Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)

But you ’ll noticeI have n’t mentioned one with child feature : GPS . That ’s because Fitbit did n’t include it . It was , according to a Fitbit repp , a “ deliberate determination ” on the company ’s part . Part of the cause was to defend that featherlight weight and keep it heavyset and chintzy . The other reasonableness is probable that Fitbit would rather you expend money on a more expensive equipment if you want GPS . Both the $ 250 Ionic and $ 200 Surge let in GPS .

The Charge 3 , when it begins ship in October , will retail for just $ 150 ( or $ 170 if you opt for NFC ) . That ’s an appealing price ! Yet with smartwatches gaining flat coat and physical fitness tracker historically stagnating , I ’ll be curious to see how many multitude worry about this new twist . It ’s certainly telling looking at , and I could see it , possibly , exchange an Apple Watch as my day to day wearable , but I wo n’t know for certain until we check it out nearer to launch .

Consumer TechFitbitFitness Trackerswearables

Photo: Alex Cranz