Workout with new Fitbit

Given Fitbit’s recent turn towards the smartwatch market with the releases of the Ionic (2017) and the Versa (earlier this year), the new Fitibit Charge 3 (released last week) feels delightfully retro. While the Versa and Ionic aimed for both the look and feel of a full-blown smartwatch, the Versa looks like the Apple Watch until you do a double-take – the Charge 3 is more elegant and discrete, sporting a small screen and only one button on the side.

Don’t be fooled, though, this is a fitness device that packs quite a few features.

Out of the box, it’s easy to set up. Simply download the Fitbit app to your smart device of choice (iOS or Android), activate Bluetooth and synch it with the Charge 3. Then it’s simply a case of following onscreen instructions, adding your own customisation (height, weight, and any other metric you fancy).

The Charge 3 does what you’d expect from a high-end fitness tracker. You can track your heart rate (and by extension calorie burn), optimise your workouts, track fitness goals and set targets for a healthier life.

Like other Fitbit devices, it gives you a nudge every now and then to let you know how many steps you’ve taken and rewards you for activity with badges and screen images.

The screen, incidentally, is a touchscreen and perhaps Fitbit’s most responsive device to date. On a full charge, this device can last an impressive seven days.

On top of that, the Charge 3 can monitor sleeping patterns – how much healthy sleep a user is getting – monitor female fitness and ovulation cycles and supports third-party apps, boasts a calendar and weather apps.

There are two versions available, one sporting NFC functionality for contactless payments that costs R3 499 (which should be available locally soon) and one for those who aren’t bothered about that, costing R2 999.

The Charge 3 is a solid offering, but unlikely to appeal to anyone who already has a smartwatch. The device, however, has a smattering of similar functionality and if you’re into fitness, its price makes it enticing as an entry-level device.