Now, watch those stress levels!
New Fitbit Sense even gets inside your head
Fitbit Sense 2
From €300 See: fitbit.com ★★★★★
Fitbit’s announcement six weeks ago of three new devices took many tech-watchers, including myself, by surprise. Google will very shortly show off its new Pixel watch and I hadn’t expected to see new products from Fitbit – now part of Google – for some time. But now it has unleashed its impressive new entry- and mid-level trackers.
I’ve been using its premium smartwatch, the Fitbit Sense 2, for the past week. The Sense 2 looks great, and comes in three colours. The Lunar White version is the pick for me – stylish and unisex, which is important if you recycle your devices with family over time.
It has raised band attachments, making it easier to wear all day, and people who don’t like wearing a smartwatch to bed might find this more comfortable.
Apart from the decent standard bands, there are upgrades with sports and style options. Not very long ago fitness tracker bands were essentially a choice of colours, but Fitbit has really upped the game here.
Of note are the breathable sport bands with perforations and the Horween leather bands that turn the Fitbit into a stylish dress watch.
Fitness watches have moved towards providing a holistic health view. The Sense 2 continues this with a focus on three key areas: it monitors and manages stress; measures and improves sleep, and tracks heart-health with ECG, HRV and Fitbit’s watch and app work together for deeper health insights HR monitoring.
The Sense 2 also measures Sp02, or oxygen saturation, and skin temperature, both useful for getting a holistic health overview and, as we have seen more recently, for perhaps identifying pre-symptomatic conditions.
This broad range of monitoring is powered by sensors, including a multi-path optical heart rate sensor and red and infrared sensors for the SpO2 monitoring.
The watch also has a built-in altimeter, GPS and GLONASS, and a three-axis accelerometer. This means that as well as keeping a keen eye on your wellbeing, the Sense 2 can monitor, record and analyse your exercise if you run, cycle, swim or hike.
It can also monitor activities such as weights and yoga.
The Fitbit app has access to highenergy workouts, an option I more or less avoided – until lockdown – but I can now see their value.
While most classes require Fitbit Premium membership, if you don’t crave the social element, this can pretty much replace gym visits for many of us.
With a decent Chromecastequipped TV and a yoga mat, my living-room replaced a gym for a year, and I think it will continue to do so.
You can customise the Sense 2’s clockfaces, so there’s a good variety to choose from. However, Fitbit could really up its game in terms of the variety of apps on its platform.
FITBIT SENSE 2 IS EASY TO WEAR ALL DAY – AND IN BED TOO
CAN ALSO
MONITOR EXERCISE INVOLVING YOGA AND WEIGHTS
Also, six days of battery life is good, better than Apple, but the latest Huawei watch lasts a full two weeks, so Fitbit could perhaps push a little harder in that area as well.
That said, if you’re dashing out in the morning, a 12-minute fast-charge will get you a full day’s use.
As its premium offering, this is a fine watch from Fitbit. Alexa is built in, Google Wallet and Maps are coming, and you can answer and take calls on your wrist.
The AMOLED screen is bright, clear and responsive; the Fitbit app is excellent, while the sleep insights are genuinely useful. The watch also integrates well whether you’re iOS or Android.
If you’re a sporadic exerciser or just keen on monitoring steps and calories, there are Fitbits, Garmins and others for €100, or less, that will do the job.
However, if you want a watch that will give you a deeper, holistic look at your well-being, the Fitbit Sense 2 might be just what you need.