Fitbit Versa 3 Review – Thurrott.com – Thurrott.com

You swipe down from the primary watch face show to see your core statistics. Up to get to notices.

That this is the ideal physical fitness wearable for me is particular: The Versa 3 carries forward several years of Fitbit fitness information and offers a superior display and a number of brand-new functions when compared to my previous wearable. And unlike the more locked-in and costly Apple Watch, it offers a number of days of battery life.

That daily use starts with an early morning walk with my other half and pet, which usually lands at precisely 26 minutes and I would characterize as “vigorous”; seriously, my dog is the canine version of the Terminator. 6 days a week, I visit the fitness center, where I am presently at about 25 minutes of cardio on the elliptical and anywhere from 22 to 35 minutes of weight-lifting on devices depending on the day. And after that I track my sleep each night.

As far as precision goes, Ive been able to compare the Fitbits real-time heart rate keeping an eye on performance against the Amazon Halo Band and the hand contacts on the elliptical, and Ive compared notes with my wife. We describe our results a bit differently, but I think were experiencing the very same thing: She believes that Fitbit devices “lag behind” when it concerns heart rate monitoring, but I think its fairer to state that they start unreliable and then get more accurate gradually. What I mean by that is that the wearable often signs up a lower heart rate in the beginning of a session but that it matches (often identically) what the elliptical trainer and Halo Band report in the latter two-thirds of the exercise.

I also discover that Fitbits measurement of active zone minutes is off, regardless of the heart rate measurement. I generally do the same activities each day, but Ive seen my active zone minutes differ from 24 to 53 over the past 7 days, and I do not quite get that. My 30 minutes of weight-lifting this early morning was described as “moderate activity,” with 2 cardio zone minutes and 2 fat burn zone minutes, but my elliptical work gathered 21 of 25 minutes in the zone.

Compared to the Sense 3, nevertheless, the decision boiled down to a careful assessment of its additional features– EDA scanning for stress evaluation, skin temperature level noticing, and a coming ECG function– and the awareness that I didnt require any of them. So I conserved $100 by choosing the otherwise identical Versa 3.

Whether the Versa 3 is the ideal wearable for you, well, thats a question I cant truly answer to any degree of accuracy. Put merely, with the Versa 3, my everyday use hasnt changed at all, but now I can see the display much better. Active zone minutes is new to me, as this wasnt tracked by my Fitbit Charge 3. Im delighted its readily available in the Versa 3, as its already enhanced how I do cardio: It turns out that I wasnt working hard enough before.

Tagged with Fitbit Versa 3.

There are two things related to each exercise: Active zone minutes and heart rate rating tracking, each of which are automatic.

The issues with the Apple Watch are apparent, however the most significant concern to me, aside from the Apple community lock-in, is the battery life: I sleep improperly, and sleep tracking is essential to me, and the Apple Watchs laughably bad battery life makes these devices a non-starter for me. I simply cant overcome that.

Put simply, with the Versa 3, my day-to-day use hasnt altered at all, but now I can see the display screen better. And not just “better”: I can actually see the display, in any condition, plainly and quickly.

From a kind element point of view, I was worried that the Versa 3s larger display screen would be uncomfortable, offered that the Charge 3s body wasnt much larger than its band. The only concern Ive seen is that Ill in some cases glance at the display and it will be on a screen asking me to configure a long-press command for the side “button,” which is actually simply a capacitive location (and similar to what I was currently used to with the Charge 3).

In my case, I walk each early morning, and that activity is tracked instantly. When I utilize an elliptical trainer for cardio or lift weights, I have to initiate and end tracking interactively with the gadget. My nighty sleep is also tracked automatically. (As an aside, my better half uses a previous generation Versa 2 to track her runs and bike rides, both by hand, in addition to sleep and walk tracking, so I have a little info about that also.).

From a kind factor perspective, I was stressed that the Versa 3s bigger display would be awkward, provided that the Charge 3s body wasnt much larger than its band.

The primary Fitbit control panel.

Whether the Versa 3 is the right wearable for you, well, thats a concern I cant actually address to any degree of accuracy. Unlike many of the hardware products I review, where its fairly simple to understand how others may use them, even when that usage varies from my own, wearables are about as personal as innovation items get.

Overall, Im really delighted with the Versa 3. I can easily see the screen, which is incredible, and I like that its currently improved my cardio workouts. And whatever else is the same as in the past, which is fantastic due to the fact that I already liked how the Charge 3 had worked for automatic and manual activity tracking, sleep tracking, and so on.

As I composed previously, I eventually selected the Fitbit Versa 3 over its a little more capable new sibling, the Sense 3, and over the Apple Watch. And it was instantly apparent that I made the right choice, a fact that has only been driven home in the subsequent two weeks of usage.

Sleep tracking is intriguing, if depressing. What I understand of myself is that I will practically never ever get 8 hours of sleep, great or bad, regardless of being told that such a thing is regular.

Mentioning accuracy, I dont require or use the Fitbits GPS, however my spouse does. And she let me look at her numerous latest runs and bike rides in the app, and they seem to be reported extremely accurately based upon the map view. If thats crucial to you, I suspect that Versa 3 (and Sense) works identically.

Two weeks earlier, I lastly switched from a Fitbit Charge 3 tracker to a Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatch. I dont know why I waited so long.

Mentioning that display screen, the Versa 3 user interface could not be easier: You can set up watch deals with in the phone app, and then you swipe to the right to get to apps (including Exercise, the only one I actually utilize).

I utilize a wearable for 3 interrelated and basic jobs: Exercise/activity tracking, heart rate tracking, and sleep tracking. A few of this is automated: Fitbit and other wearables can instantly notice certain activities, like walking and sleeping, while other activities need the user to manually stop the tracking and begin.

My wife, who is much healthier than I am, and has a lower average heart rate, has less effective results: When we watch television during the night, her Versa 2 records some of that time as (poor) sleep, so she has uncommonly long sleep times as tracked by the app, with similarly uncommonly bad sleep ratings. She actually sleeps better than I do.

Anyhow, for the past week, Ive averaged simply under 7 hours of sleep but have actually hit that mark or better two times. In fortunately department, my sleep rating has balanced 82–” Good,” in Fitbits words– and I even struck 90 last night, which may be an individual record. (This is most likely associated with the long walking we went on outdoors the other day, followed by a brief nap, both unusual for me.).

The Charge 3 worked well for my needs with one major exception: The display screen was so dim, outdoors or under bright lights such as at the fitness center, that it was nearly unusable at those times I required to see it the most. Plus, I have no need for non-health/fitness tracking smartwatch features.

Active zone minutes is brand-new to me, as this wasnt tracked by my Fitbit Charge 3. Im glad its available in the Versa 3, as its currently enhanced how I do cardio: It turns out that I wasnt working hard enough before.