Fitbit Charge 5 Review

We think the Fitbit Charge 5 is an excellent choice for those who are fans of the Fitbit ecosystem. The Charge 5 adds a lot of new software updates. Most of these new features are included with Fitbit premium, which must be renewed after the first month of purchase. For those seeking a sleek design that gets the job done, the Charge 5 will be your cup of tea.

Fitness Impact

In our evaluation, we began testing fitness traceability, particularly this fitness tracker's ability to measure steps walked, cycling, workout intervals, and steps climbed. We also test the quality and engagement from the included community features. After compiling our results, we concluded that this fitness tracker performed slightly above average.

Our step traceability test produced average results from three separate trials; we found a 34-step differential between the tracker's step count and our own. Cycling was a little more dubious since the three metrics available, MPH, distance, and time produced inconsistent results. In some trials, the tracker could record top speed, while in other trials, it did not. Lastly, while tracking steps, the Charge 5 does not have an altimeter (a meter that determines altitude).

Health Impact

For this test, we analyzed the health performance of the Fitbit Charge 5 with five separate metrics. We tested the heart rate monitor, dieting features, lifestyle features, sleep tracking, and waking alarm. Here, the Fitbit Charge 5 performed remarkably well.

We were most impressed with the food diary feature because it is intuitive and easy to use. Logging food is as easy as scanning a barcode or entering a key phrase. The user can accurately adjust the amount of food as well.

On the other hand, our heart rate monitor test prevented the Fitbit Charge 5 from reaching a perfect score. We found that the monitor was not adept at responding to sharp fluctuations in heart rate. At one point in the testing, we retook a reading, which was still about 15 bpm off. With that said, the heart rate monitor is still accurate regarding most other activities that do not require sudden changes in heart rate.

Ease of Use

No matter how good a fitness tracker is, it is useless if the end user can not easily comprehend how to work it. Here we measured the Fitbit Charge 5 performance across battery life durability, ease in synching/pairing across devices, intuitiveness of the phone app, ease in navigating the menu, ease of equipping, and its water resistance. In this metric, the Fitbit Charge 5 performed relatively well.

Our testing found that the tracker's main menu was particularly user-friendly. When accessing the main menu, the user can easily swipe through the various options, making it effortless to find the relevant metric. Paring the device is quick and simple, taking only a few seconds. Battery life lasts around seven days, requiring 2 hours of charge.

Ergonomics

Next, we reviewed how the Charge 5 ranks in comfortability and profile design. This metric accounts for 15% of each fitness trackers overall score.

The Charge 5 has a similar design to previous models, except that the band follows the design of the Apple watch. We found that the band wrapped a little too tight, causing some pressure against our wrists and making it slightly uncomfortable to wear. Other than that, the Fitbit Charge 5 is rather low-profile, sleek, and smooth in design.

Display

Our last test was interested in the quality of the display. We measured screen visibility, responsiveness, smart notifications, extensive display, and time/date display. We were disappointed in the results as we thought they were below the standards of the Charge series.

Our greatest concern with the display is the lack of visibility in the sun. The small display makes it especially difficult to angle it correctly to make out the small font. Additionally, we found that it lacked responsiveness, especially with L/R movements.

Should you buy the Fitbit Charge 5?

We believe that the Fitbit Charge 5 is a solid all-around fitness tracker that falls short compared to what we are used to from the Charge series. There are indeed new features on the Charge 5, but we did not feel it warrants an upgrade. We recommend other options in our test lineup.

What other Fitness Trackers should you consider?