The Fitbit Charge 5 is a fitness wristband with such a rich feature set that it resembles a smartwatch. It takes a broad look at the wearer’s health, for example, by creating an ECG on the wrist or warning of abnormal pulse values. The wearable also assesses stress using heart rate variability (HRV) as well. A new feature introduced on the Fitbit Charge 5 is the so-called Readiness Score. Based on various data, the wristband assesses the condition of its owner and gives him training recommendations for the day ahead.
More than 20 activities can be recorded with the tracker and since it has integrated GPS, even outdoor routes are recorded. The waterproof fitness wristband achieves a battery life of up to seven days and offers compatibility with Android as well as iOS.
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The technical details of the Fitbit Charge 5
| Screen size | – |
| Wrist material | Silicon / Rubber, Synthetic Materials |
| Size watch case | – |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC |
| GPS | Yes |
| Battery life | up to 7 days |
| Supported systems | Android, iOS |
| Water resistance | bis zu 1 Stunde |
| Display | AMOLED |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, GPS, Pulse monitor, Pulse monitor without chest strap, Sleep monitoring, Ambient light sensor |
| Microphone included | No |
| Speaker included | No |
Trio with special features and room for individuality
The fifth generation marks the first time a wearable from the Charge range has an AMOLED display. The screen displays all content in color and offers an always-on mode if desired. It then remains permanently active and does not only turn on when the wrist is turned. As usual, numerous watchfaces – i.e. watch face designs – are available.
In general, people have many options to individualize the look of their tracker – doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a smartwatch for men or a smartwatch for women. Besides the backgrounds for the display, the wristbands can also be changed. As is usual for Fitbit, a wide range of options are available for this model. You can choose between different colors and materials like leather, textile or stainless steel.
The Fitbit Charge 5 comes in three different versions. One of the variants has a particularly neutral look, since the strap is black and the case is graphite. A version with a beige strap and golden bezel is primarily aimed at the female target group. The trio is completed by an option with a silver body and a steel blue band.
There are areas on both the right and left sides of the casing that contain sensors. If owners of this fitness wristband place their fingers on them, they can take an ECG reading. The Fitbit Charge 5 secures the status of being the first tracker of its kind with this feature. It is also enormously lightweight and, like its predecessor, waterproof, so swimming is no particular challenge.
Achieving goals with smart training: The Fitbit Charge 5
With its range of functions, the Fitbit Charge 5 is so broad that it can keep up with many a smartwatch or fitness watch. In fact, some of the Fitbit Sense’s capabilities have been transferred to this tracker. Among other things, ECG measurement is one of the useful features that owners can expect. The result appears immediately on the display and can be viewed in even more detail via the Fitbit app. The data can also be shared with a doctor if necessary.
The innovative heart rate monitor not only keeps a permanent eye on the heart rate, but also detects striking values. The Charge 5 then warns its owner. Furthermore, the oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the blood is measured.
The fitness wristband also tracks heart rate variability (HRV). It is one of several meaningful criteria about the wearer’s current condition. In this context, the Readiness Score comes into its own as one of the innovations introduced. For this purpose, the Fitbit Charge 5 also includes the sleep quality of the past nights as well as the intensity of the past workouts. Based on this, it gives a recommendation in the morning on how the next workout should be designed. In conjunction with the app on their smartphone, users can receive guidance.
The Fitbit Charge 5 supports around 20 different activities and records them specifically. Those who cover distances outdoors can rely on the integrated GPS.
Thus, the course of the tour is additionally recorded. The fitness wristband automatically registers different sports like running, walking or cycling based on typical movements. As with the previous generation, wearers of the Charge 5 also benefit from the so-called active zone minutes. This makes it easier for the fitness wristband to find the right intensity during a workout and thus, for example, increase endurance or burn fat.
Relaxed start to the morning – best equipped for everyday life
The Fitbit Charge 5 evaluates the night’s rest in detail and scores again with its smart alarm clock. It aims to wake the wearer up in a light sleep phase. We find that much more pleasant than being jolted out of a deep sleep. For this purpose, the owners of the tracker set a time window. The end is the latest time they want to get up. At this, the Charge 5 would vibrate at the latest if it does not register light sleep within this span. At night, the slim accessory also measures the body temperature to detect health problems early on.
In everyday life, the fitness wristband counts the steps taken and provides information about the distance covered. Typically, the calorie consumption is also calculated. To make dieting as easy as possible, users can enter their consumed meals into the app and thus see whether they are in a calorie deficit required for losing weight.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is also optimally equipped for everyday use. The tracker connects with both Android and iOS. If messages or calls are received on the smartphone, the owner is immediately notified on the wrist. Android users can even reply to messages with previously defined text modules. Like its predecessor, the Charge 5 supports contactless payment thanks to an NFC chip. The fitness wristband provides all these features with a battery life of about seven days.
