Two years after the hugely popular Fitbit Charge 2 was launched, Fitbit has announced the device’s follow-up, the Fitbit Charge 3 – and it looks to be an impressive update. Not only does the fitness tracker have a sleeker design and larger screen, but it’s also waterproof to 50m and adds swim tracking.
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Elsewhere Fitbit has added a number of other functions to the Charge 3, many of which have only previously been seen on Fitbit’s premium smartwatches. These include female health tracking, contactless payments (special edition only), and the option to swap out its strap for something more colourful.
Best of all, though, is the Fitbit Charge 3’s price. You can preorder Fitbit’s all-new fitness tracker for only £130 (it’ll be on shelves from October), which is £10 cheaper than the Charge 2’s starting price.
Fitbit Charge 3 preview: Key specifications and release date
Display: Greyscale OLED touchscreen
Heart-rate tracking: Yes
Swim tracking: Yes
GPS: Connected GPS only
Price: £130 or £150 (Special Edition)
Release date: Preorder now, available from October
Fitbit Charge 3 preview: Design, key features and first impressions
At first glance, it’s obvious the Charge 3 is an evolution of the Charge 2. Along with its sleek aluminium body, the most obvious change is its display, which is 40% larger than that on the Charge 2. Where the previous model’s screen woke on tap, the Charge 3’s display is a full touchscreen panel, so you can navigate menus via a combination of swipes and taps.
But that’s not all that’s new. The tracker also features an inductive button on the side (that has no moving parts). As with the Charge 2, straps can also be swapped out by pressing the two quick-release buttons on the rear of the casing.
We’re slightly disappointed to learn that built-in GPS has been omitted (you’ll still need to connect to your smartphone if you want to accurately tracks runs and bike rides), but Fitbit has added some other new fitness features. These include run detect, which automatically pauses your workout when you stop running, and goal-based workouts, which lets you set a time, distance or calorie target before exercising.
There’s also female health tracking, and the Charge 3’s SpO2 (previously only seen in the Ionic and Versa) offer advanced insights into your sleep by measuring your blood-oxygen levels.
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The inclusion of swim tracking is another significant boon. In the past, only Fitbit’s cheaper Flex range of wearables has supported swim tracking, where its more expensive trackers (smartwatches aside) have been lacking.
Battery life, too, has had a boost. Fitbit claims the Charge 3 will last up to seven days between charges, which is a substantial two-day improvement on the Charge 2. And if you buy the special-edition version of the Fitbit Charge 3 (£150), you’ll be able to make contactless payments via Fitbit Pay.
Finally, there’s a range of handy new smart features, including widgets for checking the weather forecast, viewing your calendar and setting alarms and timers. For the first time, you’ll be able to send quick replies from notifications (if you have an Android phone) and can also track your sleep and hydration directly from your wrist, without having to open the Fitbit app.
Fitbit Charge 3 preview: Early verdict
We haven’t seen the Fitbit Charge 3 in the flesh yet, but at this point it looks set to be Fitbit’s best fitness tracker to date. The design has had a major overhaul and the Charge 3 is packed with a number of handy new smart features, as well as swim tracking.
At £130 for the regular model, or £150 for the special edition, the Charge 3’s strongest competition comes from the Garmin Vivosport, which costs £140 and also has built-in GPS. Above all, we just hope that Fitbit has managed to iron out some of the connectivity niggles that have affected Fitbit’s Versa and Ionic smartwatches.
