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Yesterday, Fitbit announced the new Fitbit Charge 5, which integrates some of the features found on their flagship Fitbit Sense but with a steep increase in price compared to the previous Charge 4.
What is for the Charge 5 vs Charge 4
Fitbit has made quite a few changed to the Charge 5. This includes:
- A new AMOLED color touchscreen display that is twice as bright as the Charge 4.
- The display now has an always-on display mode
- Touch-sensitive side button
- Adds EDA (Electrodermal Activity) measurement for stress tracking
- Adds ECG sensors/functionality but this is not available at launch
- Adding AFIB detection, PDF export for doctors. Also not available at launch because it uses the ECG function
- Daily Readiness Score for premium users only
- Snoring & Sleep Noise Detection Tracking – also not available at launch but will be available this year
- 10% thinner than Charge 4
So, the main two hardware changes are a new display and the EDA/Ecg sensory that was used on the Fitbit Sense.
The ECG sensor enables a variety of software features such as the AFIB detection
Fitbit is then pushing the new Daily Readiness Score which is a new metric from them. The Daily Readiness Score should identify if the owner is ready to exercise or should stick to more lightweight activities and recovery.
To determine the Daily Readiness Score, sleep, heart rate variability and past activities are taken into account. This feature will be available to Fitbit Premium users only – at least in its full glory.
I assume this will be similar to the recovery time devices like Garmin use which factor in things like sleep.
How much more does the Fitbit Charge 5 cost vs the Charge 4 or even the Fitbit Sense?
A lot more.
The Fitbit Charge 4 launched at £129.99 and has now dropped to £99.99
The Fitbit Charge 5 is launching for a massive £169.99, which is pushing into smartwatch territory.
While it is quite a bit more expensive, the Fitbit Sense is just £239 and has basically the same features plus more but won’t have the Daily Readiness Score.
The recently announced Samsung Galaxy Watch4 is just £249, which has the Samsung BioActive Sensor that can do body composition, monitor blood pressure, detect an AFib irregular heartbeat, and measure your blood oxygen level.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Watch4 40mm Bluetooth Smart Watch, Black (UK... | £114.96 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Garmin Venu, GPS Smartwatch with Bright Touchscreen Display,... | £281.69 | Buy on Amazon |
The Fitbit Charge 5 comes with 6-months free premium but to get all the features out of the tracker, including the new Daily Readiness Score, you will then have to pay £7.99/mo or £79.99/yr.
So in 18-months you will have paid close to £250, which is more than the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 or the Garmin Venu (Garmin Venu 2 is £290).
While I appreciate that Fitbit Premium offers some functionality competing brands don’t, that is a tough sell.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs Charge 4 vs Luxe vs Inspire 2 Specifications Compared
| Fitbit Charge 5 | Fitbit Charge 4 | Fitbit Luxe | Fitbit Inspire 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | Colour | B&W | Colour | B&W |
| Optical heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | No, uses phone | No, uses phone |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| ECG / EDA Scan App | Yes | No | No | No |
| Blood Oxygen | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Skin Temerature | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Battery | 7-days | 7-days | 5-days | 10 days |
| Water Resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Memory | 7 days | 7 days | 7 days | 7 days |
| Band Size (circumference) | Small: Fits wrist 130mm - 170mm Large: Fits wrist 170mm - 210mm | Small Fits wrist 140 mm - 180 mm in Large Fits wrist 180 mm - 220 mm | Fits wrist 135mm - 190.5mm | Small: Fits wrist 140mm - 180mm in circumference Large: Fits wrist 180mm - 220mm in circumference |
| Materials | aluminium, glass and resin. Band is silicon | plastic resin case and silicon | Stanless steel and silicon depending on bracelet | Plastic and Silicon |
| Price | RRP £169.99 | RRP £129.99 originally £99.99 (new lower price) | RRP £129.99 | RRP £89.99 |
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
