Live Science Verdict
Fitbit ’s “ all aim ” smartwatch will be ideal for a vast majority of customers that do n’t necessitate the advanced emphasis tracking of the Fitbit Sense .
Low - profile design that look smart
Nice presentation
Great pricing
Lacks offline audio playback from all but two streaming services
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Fitbit has grow its batting order of fitness tracker and smartwatches over time to offer a petty of something for everyone , and its Versa 3 is probable to hit the unfermented point for most people .
That ’s thanks to a very attractive Mary Leontyne Price point of around $ 179.95/£169.99 , as well as a huge array of sensors that make it an ideal first smartwatch or fitness tracker . Sure , the Charge 5 is littler ( check out ourFitbit Charge 5 reviewto receive out more ) , but the 1.58”/4 atomic number 96 video display make the Versa 3 much more readable for just about anything .
computer software : Fitbit OSCompatibility : Io and AndroidBattery life : Six years approxDisplay:1.58 " ( AMOLED)GPS : YesWater resistance:5 ATMHeart charge per unit monitor : YesSleep tracking : Yes
Plus , if you ’re less concerned in the stress tracking frame-up on theFitbit Sensethen it ’s a hefty ball cheaper for roughly the same feature article set .
The Versa 3 can track your nerve rate , temperature , line of descent oxygen level , and of course , your pace , calorie burned , and enough more , all at half the price of anApple Watch Series 7 . In fact , you could put those preservation toward Fitbit Premium rank , which can make a huge difference to your fitness planning and goals .
Nevertheless , the Versa falls dupe to the chief defect we ’ve had with other devices offered by Fitbit , namely offline medicine playback being missing unless you ’re on Deezer or Pandora .
Does it do enough to earn a place in our daily round - up of thebest Fitbits ? Here ’s what we made of it , after several weeks of testing .
Price and release date
The Fitbit Sense was launch in September 2020 . It retail for and $ 179.95 in the US and £ 169.99 in the UK , but can be found for a little less . It comes with a six - month gratis trial of Fitbit Premium , which we ’ll cover in this review .
Design and display
If you ’re coming to the Versa 3 from the Versa 2 , you will be surprised at how intimate much of the design is . Both attend almost identical , with a rounded square design that the manufacturer also carried over to the Fitbit Sense .
That ’s no high-risk thing , however . The design stay low profile , which is impressive given the sheer bit of sensors bury beneath its 1.58 - inch screen – which , by the way , put up a higher resolve than the Versa 2 .
In terms of colour you ’ll be capable to choose from Soft Gold aluminum ( as per our review ) , or black aluminum . That may sound limited , but hold in mind you could customize your strap colouring material , too , and there are recollective strap included in the box .
band can come in unlike stuff and colors , but the basic option admit is an “ infinity band ” which is essentially correspondent to Apple ’s “ mutant band ” . It ’s comfortable ( we had to go for a enceinte choice ) and once you conform it it ’s comfortable enough to tire all day and night .
As with the Sense , there are no forcible buttons . alternatively there ’s a tactual sensation - raw button that can call Alexa , with a double - pat bringing up four crosscut for chosen activities or data for you to peruse .
Fitbit may have begun with its slimline display , but the square jury here shows much more information at a glimpse - be that your whole step , affection - rate , or notifications from your affiliated phone .
It ’s AMOLED , too , which offer better contrast than LCD displays happen on some seaworthiness tracker , making it easier to read in direct sunlight .
Features
The specification sheets for the Versa 3 and the Sense are , perhaps surprisingly , almost identical . That means that almost everything from Fitbit ’s more expensive model is here on the mid - range model , including waterproofing and the telling six 24-hour interval battery life .
download the Fitbit app on your iPhone or Android gadget will give you access to Alexa ( there ’s no aboriginal support for Siri , and it appears Google Assistant is only available on the Sense ) , and enable Fitbit wage via the Versa 3 ’s NFC chip .
In price of sensors , there ’s a fair amount to take in . Fitbit Versa 3 can track your daily body process , include workout triggered manually or by automatic detection . Whether you ’re running , walking , hiking , swimming , cycling or otherwise moving , you ’ll be tracked for calories burned , length travelled , and plenty more .
There ’s an SpO2 sensor , too , enabling you to cover blood oxygen levels while you ’re gone , as well as the opportunity to track your catamenial cycle .
you could also track stress levels , although the Versa 3 lacks the Sense ’s EDA glance over for get across stress through physiological mean value . Instead , it offers a questionnaire and get over your sleep and affectionateness data to establish a stress score . While it works off less data than the Sense , it may still be ready to hand for identify induction for strain .
The Sense ’s ECG is also miss , but sleep trailing is just as excellent . Fitbit really is some distance beforehand of many of its competitors , include Apple , thanks to its devices ’ excellent battery life and the way you do n’t necessarily call for to even hold back your sopor data , because it roll it into your Daily Readiness Score ( which is part of Fitbit Premium ) .
Six month of Fitbit Premium is included in the boxful , meaning you’re able to take advantage of guided program that encompass not just exercise but sleep and dieting . It ’s a solid alternative that retails for $ 9.99/£7.99 per month or $ 79.99/£79.99 per yr once your trial is up .
One of the best feature is , as bring up previously , the Daily Readiness Score . It assist take some of the guesswork out of form a option between exercise or recovery , and is great for setting you up for success while also aline forcing out if you had a rough night of sleep , for model .
Fitbit Premium is by no substance a requirement , but six months is more than enough time to see if it ’s worth endow in for you .
Performance
The Versa 3 ’s big advantage over its precursor the Versa 2 is that ( again , like the Sense ) , it includes a built - in GPS . That mean it can track a run , walk , cycle , or discharge subspecies ( ok , we ’re kidding with that last one ) without need your iPhone or Android gimmick to be with you .
While there were story at launch of some askew trailing , we ’re very proud of to say these seem to have been ironed out . We cut across runs alongside an Apple Watch Series 7 ( which cost significantly more ) and found the stride tracked to be almost identical , both while walking and running .
When it comes to heart - rate tracking , the Fitbit cut across well both at relief and when exploit out . The data raise matched that of the Apple Watch , and while there ’s no ECG , it did notify us when our heart charge per unit drop lower than anticipated . In fact , it let us know before the Apple Watch did .
As we mentioned earlier in the critique , though , you may still want to institute your phone with you anyway . That ’s because the Versa 3 , like the Charge 5 and the sentiency , offers no option to download medicine to it unless you ’re support to Deezer or Pandora .
That means Apple Music or Spotify users , or even those just wanting to listen to a podcast or two , are unhappily going to need to take their phone out with them for the foreseeable futurity . It ’s a real shame , too , because without this caveat we ’d have no misgiving in award the Versa 3 five stars . Music can be such an important incentive that its absence here ( or at least its limitation to just two service ) feel poor - sighted . gratefully , you’re able to still hop-skip tracks using the Versa 3 ’s on - screen controls .
lastly , a billet on barrage lifetime . Both the Versa 3 and the Sense advertise six days of battery life , and while the more expensive Sense ’s additional image of sensors meant it hit around five to five - and - a - one-half day in our examination , the Versa 3 made it to six day . Depending on your usage , that could be a big blessing in favour of the Versa 3 .
Verdict
Music woes away , it ’s voiceless not to commend the Fitbit Versa 3 as a general purpose smartwatch and fitness tracker . It arguably settle more into the latter refugee camp , with its focus on sensor and data and slimmer hardening of all - intent apps than something like watchOS offers , but for the price it really is an splendid choice .
Its battery life story is exceptional , its display is brilliant and legible , and it offers the GPS lacking from its herald to take things to the next level .
If this isn’t for you
If you ’re depend for even more data about your body , notably a focus - tracking EAC or ECG feature , the Sense might be for you .
If you ’re on iPhone , however , you may want to put in an Apple Watch because of its broader array of apps , Siri desegregation , and large display ( at least on the Apple Watch Series 7 ) . Doing so comes at a steep monetary value , though , and we ’d still recommend the Versa 3 over the not - long - for - this - earth Apple Watch Series 3 .
