When it comes to fitness trackers, Fitbit is a name that needs no introduction. The company recently launched two new products: Charge 2 and Flex 2. Of these, the most expensive Charge 2 is an update to the Fitbit Charge HR, which is now almost two years old.
We tested the Fitbit Charge 2 for a few days, using it to track everything from sleep patterns to daily walks. So is the Fitbit Charge 2 and its promise of a healthier lifestyle good, especially at a starting price of Rs 14,999? Let's find out.
Design and build quality.
Fitbit Charge 2 essentially consists of two components: tracker module and bracelet. The wristband is made of a flexible elastomer material and comes with a stainless steel buckle to hold the Charge 2 around the wrist. The outer side of the band is textured, while the bottom is smooth. The wristband is removable and can be exchanged with one of the many designer bracelets, which must be purchased separately. As it is sweat resistant, the wristband does not irritate the skin, even when Charge 2 is worn on the wrist for an extended period of time.
As for the tracking module itself, its frame is made of stainless steel. At the top sits a slightly curved black glass, under which a large OLED screen hides (at least compared to the Charge HR). The left and right sides of the frame are chamfered and a navigation button is located on the left, the only button on the Fitbit Charge 2.
Flip the Charge 2 over and you will see the optical heart rate tracker with two flashing LEDs (one at the top and bottom of the tracking chip). There are also three charging contacts on the bottom, which work by making contact with the pins of the clip-on charger. Other important components include a 3-axis accelerometer, an altimeter, and a vibration motor.
Overall, we found the Fitbit Charge 2's design and build quality to be really good. While the tracking module is quite solid, the wrist band is flexible but strong enough to withstand daily wear and tear.
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Visualization and navigation
Fitbit Charge 2 comes with a touch OLED screen that automatically turns on when the user moves their wrist, although this functionality can be disabled in the Fitbit app. The display can also be turned on with a double tap or by pressing the navigation button on the side.
Although the screen displays the time and date by default, users also have the option to choose from the various styles available. To change the display style, simply select it in the "Clock display" option in the Fitbit app and sync the tracker with the app. The screen can be tapped over and over to review daily activity statistics such as calories burned and floors raised.
As for navigation, pressing the navigation button to the left repeatedly moves through various menu options (for example, heart rate, stopwatch). While a menu item is active, its related options can be navigated by tapping the screen. Finally, long pressing the side navigation button starts / stops the function associated with a menu item (for example, Run).
Interestingly, the on-screen options can also be shuffled by tapping anywhere on the bracelet.
Performance tracking and companion app
Fitbit Charge 2 works in conjunction with the Fitbit app (available on all platforms). You must also create a free Fitbit account (if you don't already have one) to sign in to the app. Account / profile creation includes entering essential body statistics such as weight and height, as these are required to set custom meal plans and weight goals.
Once you log in with your Fitbit account, it is generally easy to pair the Charge 2 with the smartphone via Bluetooth using the app. But sometimes the tracker takes a little trial and error to pair. After pairing, you can simply wear Charge 2 on the wrist (can be worn on either wrist) and it will start doing its thing. The tracker syncs with the smartphone via Bluetooth every time the app starts. It can also be synchronized manually. Also, the smartphone that Fitbit Charge 2 is paired with must be connected to a network in order for the registered data to be synchronized with your Fitbit account.
The "Control Panel" is the default landing section of the application. It displays a summary list of all the metrics tracked by Fitbit Charge 2, including steps traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, and sleep activity. Touching any registered parameter gives the registered values of the last days, with the data from the past week organized in the form of a bar graph.
The main daily goal is set in steps by default, but can be changed through the tracker settings in the app. All data records are automatically reset at the beginning of the next day (00:00 h).
During our extensive tests for almost a week (which included using the device almost 24×7), we discovered that the Fitbit Charge 2 is really good at recording different parameters. It detects activities like sleeping automatically, and heart rate tracking is reliable and accurate. In addition, the recording of steps is almost in real time.
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Fitbit Charge 2 comes with the function of "guided breathing sessions" (2 minutes or 5 minutes long). It allows you to practice relaxed breathing by guiding you through the inhale and exhale actions. This is something that we really liked.
There's also built-in multi-sport tracking. You can track activity when you're lifting weights, running on the treadmill, riding a bike, or even exercising in general. All this data is synchronized with the companion application. In our tests, multi-sport tracking worked as expected.
One feature we'd like to talk about is "move reminders." To help you stay throughout the day, Fitbit Charge 2 vibrates every hour, encouraging you to take at least 250 steps (roughly equivalent to a few minutes of walking). Of course, reminders can be customized from the tracker settings in the app.
Fitbit Charge 2's "Connected GPS" functionality uses GPS on your smartphone (as long as it is the same as the tracker) to track your route, helping you get real-time statistics like distance traveled. During our tests, the function worked quite well. That said, its accuracy depends on numerous factors, such as the quality of the GPS satellite lock and the connection between the smartphone and the tracker.
If any of your friends uses a Fitbit fitness tracker, you can compare your fitness stats and participate in challenges together. However, we were unable to test this feature.
A really useful feature of the Fitbit Charge 2 is smartphone notifications. These include alerts about calls, text messages (SMS, WhatsApp and Hangouts) and calendar events. In our tests, notifications worked exceptionally well. Consequently, we had to check our smartphone less frequently. But even with that, we found that the functionality of alerts is limited. Competitive products like Garmin vivosmart HR are much better in this regard, offering not only email and social media alerts, but also the ability to control music playback and some other devices.
As for the battery life, we found it very good. Fitbit claims that the Charge 2 can last up to five days on a single charge, and in fact the battery lasted for about four and a half days (even with 24×7 tracking) before needing to recharge.
Verdict
The new Fitbit Charge 2 meets almost all the requirements. It's comfortable to wear all day, supports real-time tracking of numerous activities, and notification alerts are good. But there are also some negatives, like the often inconsistent Bluetooth pairing and lack of music control functionality.
Priced at Rs 14,999, we would say Fitbit Charge 2 is a fairly solid and comprehensive fitness tracker and definitely recommended. For those looking for alternatives, the Garmin vivosmart HR is a great option.
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