Fitbit Charge 5, the bracelet that measures stress without sacrificing autonomy
The Fitbit company has become one of the most important in the world, which is why it is already a reference for many technology brands. This time, he has surprised his customers with the new Fitbit Charge 5 bracelet, which is considered one of the most advanced on the market.
Although the Fitbit Charge are distinguished by their great quality and added value, the truth is that the last of them has impacted many through its specifications. That is why, it is of great interest to know its most important points and thus, carry out a good analysis of this wearable.
Learn in detail what the Fitbit Charge 5 offers
Here are the most relevant specifications of the latest Fitbit Charge bracelet that is considered the most powerful on the market so far:
An aluminum and stainless steel design
One of the biggest leaps the Fitbit Charge 5 has made is its unmatched design. Since, instead of using plastic, it has opted for an anodized aluminum and stainless steel capsule. Thanks to this, its quality is appreciated from miles away.
Added to this, in terms of size, the Fitbit Charge 5 is very large. In other words, it is the brand's most colossal bracelet to date. Mainly, because its capsule is quite wide and so it looks. However, it should not be overlooked that the accessory is very comfortable due to its weight that does not exceed 15 grams.
Indeed, despite being a huge bracelet, the truth is that it is thin and does not bother in the least even though you wear it all day. This being one of the most surprising aspects, since the amount of sensors it has should make it much heavier, but it is actually very light.
Now, at the bottom of the Fitbit Charge 5, there is the optical heart pulse sensor along with its green LED, as well as the charging pins and the SpO2 sensor that only works during sleep hours. So, in this part, everything is quite simple.
While, in the upper part, a slightly curved screen is observed. Additionally, it has two metal plates on the sides that are EDA scanner sensors (one of the great implementations of this new bracelet); therefore, they are not a simple ornament.
As for the strap, this Fitbit wearable has two straps of different sizes.
The largest is suitable for 170-210 millimeters wrists and the smallest is suitable for 130-170 millimeters diameter wrists. On the other hand, it is made of silicone, is extremely pleasant to the touch and has a resistant aluminum closure that is proprietary or unique (that is, it cannot be used with just any strap).
But, unfortunately, in its design the main cons are based on the fact that the device does not have a microphone or a speaker. Indeed, there is no possibility of invoking a voice assistant or answering calls directly from the wrist. Rather, notifications can only be responded to by default messages.
Powerful yet simple performance
Beyond the physical characteristics of the Fitbit Charge 5, its interior specifications are more important to discover how it performs and how this wearable will behave.
To begin, let's mention that it has compatibility with both Android and iOS and can be synchronized with the smartphone through its app.
However, in terms of performance, the Fitbit Charge 5 provides smooth navigation through the menus, the experience is optimal and the opening times of the apps are truly effective.
As for the operating system, it is intuitive and allows you to reach any corner with just a couple of gestures.
However, the pre-installed applications are few and as these are almost all that the device supports, its catalog of apps is small compared to others. Even so, it is efficient to exploit the functions of the Fitbit bracelet to the maximum possible level.
In this sense, it should be noted that there are applications that cannot be handled manually (such as SpO2). But, in any case, the apps that this bracelet gathers are:
Setting.
Alarms
Chronometer.
EDA scanner.
Notifications.
High / low heart rate
Exercise.
SpO2.
But, unfortunately, it does not have a music control app, unlike its predecessor that even had the Spotify application installed. It does not even have a remote control for the mobile phone camera and this minimizes its performance a bit.
On the other hand, in the case of mobile notifications on the wrist, it is certainly possible to receive and view them. However, the Fitbit Charge 5 does not guarantee the ability to respond to such alerts on iOS (or answer calls on any operating system). Unlike Android, because in these devices it is possible to reply to some by means of predetermined quick messages.
Optimal functioning in terms of health
In the case of its health-based functions, it should be noted that the bracelet offers quality heart rate monitoring, since it is quite accurate compared to the other Fitbit Charge. Additionally, it issues notifications in the event that the frequency increases or decreases by a certain level and allows you to see how much time the user has spent in the exercise areas through the app.
To monitor sleep, the Fitbit Charge 5 perfectly detects the exact time that a person goes to sleep and wakes up. Added to this, it provides very accurate reports based on the user's mood and also allows to know an average of the blood oxygen level based on each sleep phase.
If you want to know the variation of the heart rate during sleep, it is also possible with this accessory. But, for this it is necessary to pay the subscription to Fitbit Premium that also provides data about the restlessness or in other words, the time you spend tossing and turning.
However, other of the functions that it offers from the subscription to Fitbit Premium, are the following :
Stress : With a score from 0 to 100, it helps to know how is the stress level of each person (0 is highly stressed and 100 is very relaxed). Thanks to this, it is able to analyze the responsiveness of the autonomic nervous system, sleep patterns and effort (depending on daily activity). Without the subscription, a full breakdown of this cannot be accessed.
Physical response of the body to stress : To provide this function, the bracelet uses the EDA scanner that has the ability to discover the electrical variations of the skin when performing a 3-minute mindfulness session. Without the subscription, you can only know the score, but there is no possibility of watching relaxation videos or having guided breathing sessions.
Apart from all this, the Fitbit Charge 5 app also offers the option to view a complete breakdown of other interesting metrics such as : Heart rate variability, resting heart rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation (during sleep) and respiratory rate.
An attractive color display
Unlike its predecessor, which simply had a low-resolution monochrome screen, the Fitbit Charge 5 preferred to take action on the matter rather than flaunt a more advanced proposal in one of the most important elements: the screen. Therefore, it has a color AMOLED screen with a good resolution.
This screen has a greater amplitude than the Fitbit Charge 4, although the space on the sides has had to be reduced a bit to be able to insert the EDA scanner sensors. Therefore, the company is pending to improve this detail in the next versions.
For its part, the screen of this bracelet has a high enough brightness level to see perfectly in broad daylight, even on the sunniest days. To adjust this, the user can choose between three levels of brightness and without a doubt, the best of all is the intermediate one.
Although it no longer has the very useful side button of the Fitbit Charge 4 that improved interactions with the bracelet, luckily, the panel responds very well to gestures and this is more striking. However, in order to see the time, you need to tap the screen twice.
In view of the good size of the screen, users can place larger text and icons in order to navigate more comfortably in each of the menus and select the necessary apps. Taking into account that, the resolution of the screen is ideal for not observing pixels of any kind.
However, it can be somewhat uncomfortable to read the notifications. Due to the fact that it is tedious to read longer messages of the account, due to the size of the screen of the Fitbit Charge 5. Therefore, it does not guarantee the best user experience in this case.
On the other hand, in reference to the level of customization, the Fitbit app allows you to select between 23 different covers with a style that adapts to the tastes of any user and that, by default, changes the applications on the screen. However, many experts point out that the most beautiful of all is the one that comes pre-installed on the bracelet.
A quality autonomous battery
Among the most important pros of this wearable, we find the characteristics of the battery. Basically, it has a lithium-ion battery of an undetermined capacity, but which guarantees an autonomy of up to 7 days. This, as long as the Fitbit Charge 5 receives normal and not excessive use.
Indeed, with all the sensors activated and doing one or another sport session during the week, it is possible to use the bracelet without having to charge it during that time interval. However, the final autonomy will depend on how you use the bracelet, that is, if the SpO2 sensor and GPS are used a lot.
For its part, regarding the load, the latest Fitbit bracelet receives this through a base with POGO pins. Which is compatible with other bracelets (such as the Fitbit Luxe, for example) and to complete the charge, a minimum of two hours is required. Although it is not the fastest, its autonomy certainly rewards this particularity.
Fitbit Charge 5 Final Opinion: Pros and Cons
For a price of 180 euros, the Fitbit Charge 5 is a bracelet that has been accepted in the best way by the public. Emphasizing that, it is a beautiful accessory to the naked eye that offers comfort and has an optimized screen to improve the user experience. In addition, its power is also efficient.
However, it should be noted that it still has room for improvement. Well, it does not have the useful button of the Fitbit Charge 4, it does not allow to control the music player, and it requires a subscription to be able to enjoy all the advantages of the device.
Advantage:
Although it is a great accessory, it is light and comfortable.
All its measurements guarantee high precision.
It made the leap to the color AMOLED screen to improve the user experience.
Disadvantages:
It does not offer the ability to manage music playback.
It imposes a greater expenditure of money by having to pay a subscription to squeeze its functionality to the fullest.
There are still several interesting features that are not available after launch.
Through this exhaustive analysis, you will be able to reveal if it really is convenient for you to buy the latest version of the Fitbit Charge bracelets. Since, with each of its functions, its pros and cons, you will confirm if this device suits your needs today.
