Fitbit Charge 5 – Features, Availability and Prices
Fitbit apparently is preparing the launch of the latest wearable from the Charge series – the Fitbit Charge 5. While a first image popped up online a couple of weeks ago, Evan Blass and Amazon leaked hi-res press renders before the official release.
Fitbit Charge 5 (source: amazon.com)
Fitbit – meanwhile a Google company – seems to be close to the launch of another fitness and health wearable.
The timing comes at no surprise, as Fitbit has regularly used the trade fair IFA in Berlin to present new products. As this year’s IFA is once again canceled due to the pandemic, a schedule for product launches seems somewhat a little more relaxed, though the rough timing shouldn’t have changed much.
Additionally to the first images leaked by Evan Blass, amazon.com has prematurely published the product online, allowing for a good insight into the features the Charge 5 is going to offer.
Fitbit Charge 5 – What’s new and noteworthy?
The Charge 5 is sporting a color screen – while this shouldn’t be big news in 2021, it is a tremendous change to the Charge series. Up to now, all previous models offered monochrome displays only. What may have been of advantage to Fitbit’s competitors, has been a huge drawback to potential users.
Even though the display looks quite big, the Charge 5 is having a wide bezel, that can be easily spotted in the press renders. Nevertheless, a color display will offer significant added value.
In addition to the display, the elongated strips on both sides of the housing were subject to speculations. Now their function is clear:
- Soft button
Charge 4, Versa 3 and Sense all offered some sort of soft button and the Charge 5 is going to have the same. Most likely it will ease the manufacturing process concerning waterproof housing. Let’s hope Fitbit worked on the buttons’ sensitivity as using the button on the Sense and Versa 3 has been a struggle most of the time.
- EDA scan
Fitbit has introduced EDA scans with the Sense and the Charge 5 is going to get this feature from Fitbit’s high-end wearable.
- ECG scan
Another feature that the Charge 5 is going to get from the Sense is the ECG feature. This is most likely the reason for extending the sensor area to both sides of the housing. There are some rumors that the ECG feature won’t be active right from the start and will be enabled later this year.
With the Daily Readiness Score Fitbit will introduce an completely new metric. So the is more to the Charge 5 than just features that have been seen on other products. The Daily Readiness Score should reveal if the owner is ready to exercise or should stick to more lightweight activities and recovery.
To determine the Daily Readiness Score sleep, heart rate variability and past activities are taken into account. This feature will be available to Fitbit Premium users only – at least in its full glory.
Fitbit Charge 5 – Additional features
In comparison the Charge 5 won’t lack any of its predecessor’s features. Thus the Charge 5 will offer:
- Steps, Floors, Distance, Calories
- Monitoring of heart rate / heart rate variability
- Monitoring of breath rate
- Active Zone Minutes
- Sleep monitoring / Sleep Score
- Skin temperature
- Estimated Oxygen Variation (SpO2)
- NFC payment with Fitbit Pay
- GPS (build-in and Smart GPS)
- Guided breath work
- Female Health Tracking
- Spotify Connect & Control
Except for installing additional apps and the Alexa / Google support the Charge 5 and Sense offer pretty much the same features.
Prices and Availability
As soon as the first press images popup on the internet, it usually doesn’t take long before the products are officially released. The product is already listed on amazon.com and apparently was also visible on amazon.de. At least for now it has been taken offline again in Germany. The US site states that the Charge 5 will be released on September 27.
If you know where to look, the prices of the Charge 5 were already available on Fitbit’s website a couple of weeks ago. If there won’t be any changes, the Charge 5 will change hands for 179.95 €. You can choose from one of the following colour variants:
- Black / Graphite Stainless Steel
- Steel Blue / Platinum Stainless Steel
- Lunar White / Soft Gold Stainless Steel
The infinity wristband, which Fitbit includes in two sizes, can be changed without tools. Separately available interchangeable wristbands between €29.95 and €69.95 allow for more individuality. A special edition, as was the case with the Charge 4, won’t be available for the Charge 5.
