We’ve reviewed a whole host of fitness trackers but here are ten of the best, collectively covering the needs of all manner of athletes, from dedicated runners to those who just want to keep a step count or track their health stats.
If you are looking for something with a little more functionality, why not check out our best smartwatches roundup too.
Happy tracking.
1. Fitbit Charge 5
- Top fitness features
- GPS
- Colour display
Cons
- Occasionally laggy
- Some features missing
The Charge 5 is easily Fitbit’s best tracker, which is enough to make it a safe choice for anyone looking for an activity band.
It covers all the basics – tracking steps, distance, calories burned, hourly activity, heart rate, swim-tracking and advanced sleep; not to mention it has most of the company’s exclusive top-end exercise features too, including Active Zone Minutes.
Its built-in GPS and health measurements mean it closely matches the more expensive Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatch too, though bear in mind that the most comprehensive tracking features are locked behind the paid Fitbit Premium plan.
Our only complaints are very occasional performance stutters, the removal of an altimeter (to count floors climbed) and a few features that Fitbit has been slow to add, but those shouldn’t put you off grabbing the Charge 5, as it’s constantly getting improved upon (thanks to frequent software updates from Fitbit).
If you don’t mind a monochrome display, you can also always check out the older Charge 4 and save some money too.
Read our full Fitbit Charge 5 review
2. Xiaomi Mi Band 6
- Good battery
- Solid performance
- Colour display
Cons
- Strap build quality
- Sluggish raise-to-wake
- Unreliable syncing
Xiaomi’s latest budget fitness tracker isn’t only affordable, it packs in a range of features from basic step counting and heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking and app notifications, plus new features such as bloody oxygen tracking that take the fight to fully-fledged smartwatches like the Apple Watch.
On top of the 30+ workout modes supported, five now come with automatic workout detection and the Band 6 is rated for swimming and other water-based activities too.
The underwhelming quality of the TPU bands is somewhat at odds with the quality of the tracker itself, but an expansive new 1.5in AMOLED touchscreen makes for a more premium and insightful user experience too.
You will not find better value for money, anywhere – not even in the new Mi Band 7, which we’re currently reviewing, but has jumped in price from its predecessor.
Read our full Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 review
3. Withings Move
- Elegant design
- Well-rounded app
- 18-month battery life
Cons
- Limited feature set
- No continuous heart rate
When it comes to design, the Withings Move is so classic and simple that it could pass as an everyday watch. It has the longevity of one too, using a standard watch battery that will last for a whopping 18 months.
On the fitness tracking side, the companion Health Mate app does almost everything you need it to and more, combining basic fitness tracking with sleep tracking too.
If you love the sound of the Move but want that little bit extra, check out the Move ECG too, which takes the same design but squeezes in an electrocardiogram sensor.
4. Fitbit Inspire 2
- Great value for Fitbit
- Comprehensive fitness tracking
- Tile integration
Cons
- Small monochrome display
- No altimeter
- No built-in GPS
The Inspire 2 is the cheapest model in the current Fitbit line-up, making it an excellent entry point to tracking.
It’s still more expensive than rivals like the Xiaomi Mi Band or Honor Band, but Fitbit’s software experience and ecosystem are both excellent, so for some it may be worth paying a little extra – though paying more for a smaller, black-and-white display does sting a little.
It helps that you get 10 days of battery life, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking, while integration with Tile means you shouldn’t ever lose it again either. Just bear in mind that as with all Fitbits, you’ll need to subscribe to the paid Fitbit Premium plan to get every bit of data out of it.
Read our full Fitbit Inspire 2 review
5. Withings ScanWatch
- Elegant design
- Well-rounded app
- Great battery life
Cons
- No GPS
- No continuous heart rate
Aside from a lack of GPS, Withings’ ScanWatch is a compelling hybrid tracker, with a classic design and rich tracking capabilities.
The name relates to its ability to more accurately get a read on your heart health than any other tracker here, albeit for a premium that makes it more of a niche proposition.
AFib detection, an SpO2 sensor, and detection of breathing disturbances like sleep apnea are smart inclusions, while the small PMOLED display grants some degree of smartwatch-like functionality on top of its fitness-tracking skillset.
If you can spend a little more, the ScanWatch Horizon offers the same excellent health features in a heftier dive watch design.
Read our full Withings ScanWatch review
6. Polar Pacer
- Very comfortable
- Excellent battery life
- Accurate tracking with GPS
Cons
- Notification experience irks
- Manual syncing to app
- No on-board music storage
If you want a running watch that lasts several days on a charge, tracks your workouts effortlessly, spits out insightful data, and won’t bug you with notifications, the Polar Pacer is it.
The Pacer supports a variety of exercise types but the focus is on running, with GPS tracking and a post-workout ‘running index’ to let you know how you’ve performed across a variety of metrics.
If you’re trying to get into running, or even if you’re already hitting the trails, the Pacer will prove an excellent addition to your kit with strong battery life, a superbly readable display, lightweight construction, and the smarts to show you how you are performing and to help you improve.
Read our full Polar Pacer review
7. Huawei Watch Fit 2
- Slick, low-profile design
- Responsive and easy-to-read display
- Supports calling via Bluetooth
- Huawei Health app is easy to navigate
Cons
- No NFC
- Milanese mesh wrist strap is a little loose
- Pricey for a tracker
The Huawei Watch Fit 2 is a great-looking and easy-to-use wearable that sits somewhere between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker.
It’s geared towards health tracking, but compared to simpler trackers it comes with some useful extra features such as the phone locator and Bluetooth calling.
You still get a lot of the benefits of trackers though, including a weeklong battery life and a slim, low-profile design.
Getting the best of both worlds affects the price though, and this is essentially expensive for a fitness tracker, but cheap for a smartwatch.
8. Fitbit Ace 3
- In-app Parent and Kid Views
- Hardy, colourful design
- Family challenges
Cons
- Underpowered compared to adult Fitbits
- May not appeal to every kid
The Fitbit Ace 3 is built to suit childrens’ rough-and-tumble lifestyle, providing both kids and parents with simple but insightful activity and sleep tracking data.
The Ace 3 serves as a way to motivate kids to get more active, but in a roundabout way, could also incentivise the whole family to get fitter together (provided everyone involved has a Fitbit of their own to wear).
Older kids might want to look for a tracker with a little more oomph, however, as the Ace 3 offers a cut-down range of fitness and notification features compared to Fitbit’s ‘adult’ trackers. It counts steps, logs Active Minutes, and monitors basic sleep patterns, but lacks heart-rate tracking.
Read our full Fitbit Ace 3 review
9. Honor Band 6
- Large display
- Stress & sleep tracking
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Only 10 exercise types
- No GPS or NFC
- Inconsistent SpO2 measurements
The Honor Band 6 is one of the cheapest fitness trackers around, even coming in cheaper than Xiaomi’s latest.
Despite that you get a large colour display, 5 ATM water-resistance, both stress and sleep tracking, and a brilliant two-week battery life.
You’ll have to put up with a limited selection of exercises, and there’s no GPS or NFC, but at this price that won’t matter much.
Read our full Honor Band 6 review
10. Fitbit Luxe
- Fitness and wellness features
- Colour touchscreen
- Fashion accessories
Cons
- Average battery life
- Inspire 2 is better value
The Fitbit Luxe is essentially an Inspire 2 with a colour AMOLED display. It features the same tracking tech and smart features as its cheaper cousin, but at a higher price to accommodate the full colour screen.
It’s designed to look the part in more ways than one though. The metal body is a step up in sturdiness from the Inspire 2, and it not only comes in a variety of colours but also features a whole host of different swappable bands (sold separately, of course).
That makes this the Fitbit for anyone who cares about style as much as substance, though either the Inspire 2 or Charge 5 will do better if performance is your priority.
Read our full Fitbit Luxe review
0 comments:
Post a Comment