Fitbit Blaze
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Fitbit is a name that’s become synonymous with fitness trackers. So when it announced in January that it was breaking out of its comfort zone by launching a ‘smart fitness watch’ – a cross between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch – some were skeptical that it could compete with the Apple Watch and other similarly advanced wearables, and the uncertainty saw the company’s stock plummet. But is the apprehension towards this hybrid justified, or does the Blaze represent a new revolution in wearables? T3 tested one to find out…
The Blaze is being sold for £159.99. That’s competitively priced against the Apple Watch, which still costs almost double that, but it’s still more expensive than most of Fitbit’s other offerings, which may put some people off.
What do you get over Fitbit’s other models? A colour touchscreen, for a start. This enables more advanced functions such as true smartwatch notifications and music control.
In terms of sensors, the Blaze has a three-axis accelerometer, an optical heart-rate monitor and an altimeter. Crucially, though, there’s no GPS, so this won’t be a true marathon runner’s companion. Instead, built-in GPS is reserved for the range-topping Fitbit Surge (although the Blaze can make use of your phone’s GPS when connected).
sharp and responsive
The screen is one of the Blaze’s key features, and – for the most part – it satisfies. While it’s not as impressive as the Apple Watch’s, the 1.6-inch colour display is bright and sharp with a resolution of 240 x 180 pixels. It’s easy to see in direct sunlight, and the touchscreen is responsive. Our main issue with the screen is that it’s too small, creating a large bezel around it that makes the watch look dated – although, it must be said, the small screen doesn’t affect usability.
It’s worth noting that the screen isn’t always on; it has to be woken with a flick of the wrist or a press of a button. It’s fairly reliable when it comes to sensing this movement, but there were several occasions when the screen failed to register when a quick glance was needed.
Design-wise, the Blaze had T3’ s staff divided; half loved the way it looks, the other half weren’t so sure. It’s obviously meant to look like a smartwatch, but whereas the Apple Watch is smooth and rounded, the Blaze is angular and edgy, giving it a retro look similar to a Casio digital.
The Blaze comes in one size but, thanks to its relatively slender