Fitbit Versa 4 Review

The Fitbit Versa 4 impressed us with its accurate distance tracking, wide screen, and community features — but it suffers from inaccurate step count and poor heart rate monitoring.

Fitness Impact

In terms of fitness impact, the Fitbit Versa 4 impresses across multiple submetrics. Its community features shine, offering extensive groups and challenges for users to engage in. The walking performance is decent, while the step count falls consistently short. However, the device excels in distance precision, accurately recording distances.

Cycling tracking is commendable, providing elevation and map views. The workout tracking offers great app visuals, with the app breaking down interval exercises. The heart rate (HR) tab showcases personalized HR zones and visual graphs. With a wide variety of trackable options, including popular sports, users can choose from 41 different activities.

Health Impact

The Fitbit Versa 4 offers a range of health features that contribute to its overall health impact. Starting with the heart rate monitor, it falls short in accuracy, taking over 30 seconds to adjust and failing to track spikes in heart rate during workouts. This compromises its reliability as a fitness-focused smartwatch, especially for intense cardio sessions.

In terms of dieting, the Fitbit Versa 4 excels with its intuitive and easy-to-use food journal feature. Users can conveniently input their meals, adjust portion sizes, and even utilize the barcode reader for quick and accurate logging. This feature provides valuable support for individuals managing their nutrition.

The additional health indicators on the Fitbit Versa 4 include standing/inactivity reminders, a mental/stress detector, a progress bar, and blood oxygen monitoring. However, it lacks ECG and skin temperature features. While these indicators contribute to a holistic health profile, the absence of ECG and skin temperature measurements is a notable limitation.

Sleep tracking on the Fitbit Versa 4 yielded mixed results. While it accurately captured major wake-ups and provided insights into sleep duration, there were instances of misalignment in tracking sleep hours and recording false wake-ups. However, it did capture significant wake-up events accurately, showcasing its potential to monitor sleep patterns effectively.

Ease of Use

When evaluating the ease of use of the Fitbit Versa 4, several factors come into play. The battery life, with a duration of up to six days depending on usage, is above average and offers convenience. The charging setup, although not as robust as some smartwatches, is commendable for its ability to lay flat and connect with just one hand. The magnetic connection is strong and secure.

In terms of the app, Fitbit utilizes a familiar interface across its devices. The layout is clean and intuitive, with a “today” tab and additional options in the bottom menu. While it may not display as many numbers initially, users can easily access graphs and detailed information.

Navigating menus on the Versa 4 resembles a smartwatch setup, with a drop-down menu for quick settings and notifications accessible by pulling up. However, some testers found the abundance of functions and tracking options in the left and right swipe menus to be less efficient for a fitness tracker, especially when compared to a dedicated smartwatch.

Display

The screen quality of the Versa 4, which carries the highest weight in this metric, impressed testers with its clean and clear visuals. Additionally, when using watch faces depicting art pieces, the display showcased the fine details with remarkable clarity.

In terms of responsiveness, the larger screen size of the Versa 4 seemed to contribute to its fluid and accurate touch recognition, allowing users to navigate menus and perform quick flicks with ease. As for smart notifications, the wider screen not only provided a more enjoyable viewing experience but also supported the display of emojis, adding a touch of fun and expressiveness to notifications.

Ergonomics

When it comes to ergonomics, the Fitbit Versa 4 excels in both comfort and profile design. Testers noted that the device feels comfortable on the wrist, with the increased surface area of the display spreading out the sensor area underneath, providing a gentle and pleasant experience. Despite its weight, the Versa 4 feels lighter than it actually is, enhancing the overall comfort. In terms of profile design, the watch boasts a thinner wide square display and a wide band, contributing to a lower-profile look that doesn't rise excessively on the wrist.

Should You Buy the Fitbit Versa 4?

The Versa 4 is an overall solid fitness tracker but does not stand out relative to its competition. There are a number of options that are better at the price point.

What Other Fitness Trackers Should You Consider?

Paying only a bit more for the Apple Watch SE Gen 2 will give you an overall superior experience in every regard. If you are an Android user, another option that runs laps around the Versa 4 is the Garmin Vivoactive 5.