What are Black Friday deals?
Amazon is currently selling $99 for the Fitbit Charge 6A $60 discount puts the just-released fitness tracker at its lowest price ever
Why this deal is ZDNET-recommended
Smartwatches need to be charged at least every day, and millions of people don’t want another device loaded with third-party apps and a constant distraction on their wrist. new Fitbit Charge 6 Offers a powerful wearable in a sleek form factor with battery life that only requires a top-up once a week.
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With Google owning Fitbit, I see more Google integration. This year, the Charge 6 includes Google Music playback controls, Google Maps prompts in Tracker, and Google Wallet payment support. These features are provided alongside all the useful Fitbit functions including detailed sleep tracking, EDA scan, daily readiness score, ECG measurements, step tracking, and an integrated GPS receiver for detailed outdoor tracking.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wearing a silver aluminum Fitbit Charge 6 with a porcelain band It is also available in Obsidian/Black Aluminum and Coral/Champagne Gold Aluminum $159.95.
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Fitbit Charge 6
Fitbit Charge 6 combines all the best features of Fitbit with Google extras to make it the best fitness tracker available today.
Looking at the hardware, the Fitbit offers a beautiful 26 x 21.8 mm AMOLED touchscreen color display. It is made of Corning Gorilla Glass, which looks great and responds perfectly to swipes and taps. The aluminum case surrounds the display and extends to the heart rate sensor on the back with beautiful curves and attractive aesthetics. The tracker is 50m water resistant, so you can wear it 24/7 without worry.
The rear heart rate sensor has been greatly improved. Fitbit says it’s 60% more accurate during activity than past Fitbit devices. The sensor also supports ECG and EDA measurements to detect heart rate irregularities and monitor stress.
Also: The Best Fitbit Fitness Trackers You Can Buy
The Fitbit Charge 6 also supports sharing your heart rate readings with some supported gym equipment, including treadmills, rowing machines and bikes. Check it out Fitbit support site See if your equipment is supported by this functionality. Although the Fitbit Charge 6 isn’t listed on the official list, I tested it with my hydro rowing machine and it connected in seconds. With improved accuracy during activities with a lot of movement, this is a great capability if you don’t own an HR chest strap.
On the left side of the Charge 6, there is a haptic button. With this model, it has a designated target area to help you improve your accuracy in hitting it, and it’s better than the button we didn’t see on the Charge 5. I’m still more of a fan of a physical button, but I understand that it’s preferable to use a haptic button for the build and water resistance.
An infinity silicone band comes with the Fitbit Charge 6, but there are plenty of other options, including sport bands, Horwin leather bands, woven bands, hook/loop bands, and vegan leather bands ranging from $29.95 to $49.95. The bands on the Charge 5 continue to work on the Charge 6, so if you’re looking to upgrade after a few years, the Charge 6 is definitely worth considering.
The watch software is easy to navigate with swipes and taps that provide access to key data and utilities. Google Maps works together with the app on your connected phone to present turns and other important information to the Charge 6 while your phone is in your pack. YouTube Music playback controls are supported for YouTube Premium subscribers, so you can put your phone away while exercising and still have control over your music.
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Google Wallet works to support payments from your wrist, but entering the PIN by scrolling up and down one number at a time is a bit cumbersome. Some work is definitely needed to make this easier, or I would never use Google Wallet on devices.
Unlike a smartwatch and some past Fitbit devices, there are no third-party apps available for the Charge 6. Key Google, Fitbit, and basic clock utilities are provided on the watch and in the Fitbit app, so you can manage apps or not. Appear on Charge 6 as you navigate around the tracker. There are nearly 30 watch faces to choose from that you can customize to your liking
Charge 6 has an integrated GPS receiver, so you can run, walk, hike and exercise without your phone. I tested it for running and walking with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on my other wrist and was very pleased with the GPS accuracy on the Charge 6. While the Charge 6 has support for GPS and GLONASS, other watches typically support at least five global navigation satellite systems, so it will never be as accurate as a dedicated GPS sports watch in challenging environments.
Also: Apple Watch Series 9 vs Ultra 2: Which Wearable Flagship Should You Buy?
Google offers six months of Fitbit Premium service for free with the purchase of a Charge 6 Daily fitness scores and other advanced features in the Fitbit app require Fitbit Premium.
Compared to the Charge 5, I’m very happy to see the return of the floor climbed metric, improved heart rate sensor performance, side haptic buttons and Google goodies (Wallet, Maps and YouTube Music). That’s $20 less than the Charge 5’s launch price. Sleeping with the Fitbit Charge 6 is much better than my big smartwatch. Using the Charge 6 I definitely consider whether I need a full-sized watch mounted on my wrist at all times.
ZDNET’s buying advice
While smartwatches are popular and often highly publicized, having another device on your body that demands your attention may not be the best for you and your mental health.
Google offers Fitbit Charge 6 As a device that captures key health and wellness data in a comfortable form factor and minimizes the distraction of third-party apps and constant notifications. Sleeping on your wrist is very comfortable and the data captured can be used to improve your health and lifestyle.